Sundered Isles - Expansion for Ironsworn: Starforged

Setting Sail! Pledge manager launch and Digital Edition delivery.
9 months ago – Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 09:23:16 AM

Hello, Ironsworn.

Shortly, I will activate the BackerKit pledge manager "smoke test." Five percent of backers will receive an email invite to visit the pledge manager. If all goes well, the rest of the invites will follow later today or early tomorrow. If we encounter any issues, it may take a day or so to get things sorted. Thank you in advance for your patience!

Unless you hear otherwise via a backer update, if you don't have an email from the pledge manager by Friday, please email [email protected].

You will use the pledge manager to:

• Confirm or upgrade your pledge
• Provide your shipping address for physical rewards
• Select and pay for any additional add-ons
• Pay for any applicable shipping and applicable VAT/taxes
• Get your download links for your digital rewards

You will have a few weeks to complete the survey and lock in your pledge, and I'll give you some advance warning of the deadline in a future update. However, it would be very helpful if you complete this process as soon as possible.

Important note!!! Once you complete the checkout process, the pledge manager will immediately charge your credit card for any funds due. 

Upgrading Your Pledge

If you were a no-reward backer or wish to upgrade your pledge, click on the "Change Your Pledge" prompt on the pledge manager's opening screen.

You can also change your pledge by clicking on your pledge level on any other screen.

Accessing the PDF Files

Once you complete the checkout process, you will land on this happy screen. Click on "Get Your Digital Downloads" to access your PDF rewards. If you don't see this button, try refreshing the screen or revisiting the pledge manager.

On the next screen, click or copy the links for your digital rewards (Sundered Isles and/or Starforged, depending on your pledge). These links will add the products to your DriveThruRPG shopping cart with the price set at zero. Complete the checkout process at DriveThruRPG, download your files, and prepare to set sail!

A Note on the State of the Digital Edition

The Sundered Isles Digital Edition is complete, with the following caveats:

• Some minor editing and proofing are still ongoing. Apologies for any lingering goofs! I was literally finishing up the final content bits only yesterday. In my next update, I will also provide a link for an error-reporting form. I want to ensure that everything is as ship-shape as possible before we head to print.
• The book does not yet have an index. Splitting the guidebooks into two books for print means that I need to manage the indexes separately, so it will likely be a couple of weeks before it appears.
• The book is also missing a thank you page for contributors and playtesters. This will come once I've incorporated credits for the crowdsourced error-reporting.

Problems?

If you encounter any issues, you have two paths to get help.

• For technical issues with backerKit, problems with your payment, or questions on how to use the pledge manager, follow the "Need help?" link within BackerKit.
• For questions related to your pledge, email [email protected]. I will respond as soon as possible, but please allow up to 24 hours during this busy period.

Apple ID Users: If you log into Kickstarter using your Apple ID, you may not receive the pledge manager invite or other emails from BackerKit. See this help article for details. You will likely need to reach out to me or BackerKit support to update your pledge with another email.

See You on the Other Side!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a smooth rollout of the Digital Edition. If there are any significant issues, I'll let you know. Otherwise, enjoy! Thank you for your support.

Pledge Manager and Digital Fulfillment Schedule
9 months ago – Tue, Apr 16, 2024 at 08:02:56 AM

Hello, Ironsworn!

It's been a couple of weeks since the campaign closed, and it's very busy here at Ironsworn HQ. Here's a summary of what you can expect over the next few weeks...

April 23 – April 25: Pledge Manager Invites and Digital Edition Delivery

Invites for the pledge manager will go out in waves for all backers around the middle of next week, starting with a small group as a test and expanding from there. Once you have your BackerKit invite, you can use the pledge manager to lock in or upgrade your pledge, provide your shipping address, pay shipping and any applicable VAT on physical rewards, and receive your Digital Edition rewards as DriveThruRPG download links.

I'll provide some more specific instructions for the pledge manager around this time next week.

April 23: Issue Reporting Form

If you catch a lingering goof or typo in Sundered Isles, I'll have a form available to report the issue. I'll include the link to that form in my next update. I will also open a thread on the Ironsworn Discord dedicated to crowdsourced error reporting. 

April 25 – May 24: Digital Edition Updates

Although Sundered Isles should be essentially content-complete next week, some minor content updates and editing may still be in progress when the pledge manager launches. In addition, you'll recieve ongoing minor updates as I fix errors and prepare for print production.

You'll get notifications via DriveThruRPG when the PDF files are updated. I expect we'll have once-a-week updates with edits and fixes until it is locked for print production in late May. 

May 24: Off to Print

This is the target date for locking down the files for Sundered Isles print production.

Legacy Ironsworn Discounts

Later this week, I will send a Kickstarter message to all backers with DriveThruRPG discount links for legacy Ironsworn products (Ironsworn, Ironsworn: Delve, Ironsworn Asset Deck, and Delve Site Cards). You can use these codes, or not, as you like. It's just a small thank you for your support, and a chance to pick up OG Ironsworn printed products at a great price.

Stay Tuned!

Thanks for your patience as we work hard to ensure as smooth a rollout as possible. I'll talk to you next week as we bring the pledge manager online.

A strong hit for Sundered Isles. Thank you! Next steps...
10 months ago – Thu, Apr 04, 2024 at 05:47:54 PM

Hello, Ironsworn!

That's a wrap for the Sundered Isles Kickstarter campaign. Thank you to everyone for your trust and support. I am amazed and grateful.

Let's talk about what lies ahead...

Kickstarter Processing

Most of you will have an email confirming that your pledge has been collected. If so, you're all set!

If Kickstarter isn't able to process your pledge, don't panic! You've got time to try to work things out. Kickstarter will continue trying to collect the pledge for a week. If you have issues with payment processing, please contact Kickstarter directly since I don't have visibility into payment problems. If all else fails and your pledge is canceled, you can still back the project through the pledge manager when it is open for late pledges. 

Pledge Manager

We are already working to get the pledge manager up and running. In about two weeks, once Kickstarter finalizes the funding and backer list, we should be ready to launch. This process includes a soft launch as a smoke test for a small percentage of backers, followed by a full launch. I'll let you know via a backer update when that is happening.

When the pledge manager launches, you will receive an invite via the email address associated with your Kickstarter account. You will then use the pledge manager to confirm or upgrade your pledge and claim your digital rewards. If you have physical rewards, you will also provide your shipping address and pay for shipping and any applicable taxes.

Sundered Isles Digital Edition

I will be working hard to wrap up the remaining Sundered Isles content this month. As noted above, you will visit the pledge manager to claim your digital rewards in the form of DriveThruRPG download links.

At that time, I will also make a form available to report any errors you encounter in the Sundered Isles Digital Edition. These should be rare, but mistakes can slip through. I aim to ensure the final print version is as goof-proof as possible.

The PDF files will undoubtedly receive a few updates through late April and May as I roll out any needed fixes. Then it's off to print.

Production and Fulfillment

Sundered Isles, the Starforged Reference Guide reprint, and the Starforged Asset Deck reprint are scheduled for printing in June/July. The Starforged rulebook reprint is already at the printer. If all goes according to plan, everything will reach the various fulfillment hubs in August/September and start shipping afterward. I hope to deliver your physical rewards ahead of the November target date, but — speaking from experience — it's tough to predict the timelines for sea freight and when the warehouses will be ready to start fulfillment.

There is one minor exception to the timeline: if you backed this campaign for just the Starforged rulebook (the Starforged Core pledge) and you are in the US, UK, or EU, you should receive your reward in June or earlier.

I will keep you up to date as things progress.

Legacy Discount Codes

As an additional thank you for your support, I will send discount links for legacy Ironsworn products, including Ironsworn and Ironsworn: Delve. You can use these discounted links, or not, as you like. I have not yet determined if these codes will be provided through the pledge manager or as a separate email or Kickstarter message. I'll let you know later this month.

If you choose to purchase any Ironsworn legacy products, DriveThruRPG will produce and ship those print-on-demand rewards, which are separate from your Sundered Isles and Starforged rewards.

Join the Ironsworn Community

The Ironsworn Discord is a fantastic place to ask questions, explore resources, or just chat with Ironsworn and Starforged fans. You are invited to join us!

Just follow this link: https://discord.gg/bqKSKFksCm

Questions or Issues?

I have a dedicated email address for customer questions and issues at [email protected]. Don't hesitate to reach out! If you'd prefer, you can also comment on the campaign page or message me through Kickstarter. Please allow up to 24 hours for a response, but I am usually much faster.

Thank You, Ironsworn!

Thank you so much for supporting the campaign. I can't wait to share Sundered Isles with you later this month. 

Setting the Dials of Your Sundered Isles Campaign
10 months ago – Tue, Apr 02, 2024 at 08:44:38 AM

Hello, Ironsworn!

The Sundered Isles campaign is wrapping up this week. Only 2 days left! 

I'm working hard to ensure we can hit the ground running on post-Kickstarter activities. I'll have more details after the campaign funding period closes later this week, but here's what's happening.

• I'm working on the remaining bits of the guidebooks and assets; still expecting digital delivery to backers this month.
• I've hired a contractor to help manage BackerKit setup and integration, which will ensure that I can rapidly spin up the pledge manager once the Kickstarter funds clear and the backer list is finalized. 
• I'm coordinating with my printer on the new (two books!) plan.

If you have any questions about the campaign or post-campaign schedules, feel free to comment below.

Forging Your World

As with Ironsworn and Starforged, Sundered Isles features a sandbox setting that you can make your own. The sweet spot is rebellious seafarers undertaking sworn quests in a world that is equal parts Age of Sail and fantasy, with hints of emerging steampunk-ish technologies and eldritch curses. But Sundered Isles can accommodate a variety of seafaring campaigns, ranging from gritty-historical to swashbuckling adventure to full-on nautical horror. If you prefer spacefaring adventures, you can simply pick and choose features that you want to add to your Ironsworn: Starforged sci-fi campaign. Or mix and match for Treasure Planet-style adventures among the ethereal tides.

The campaign launch exercises guide you through the process of choosing a realm, selecting the truths of your world, creating a character, and getting underway. This is very much part of the "prep is play" ethos that you see in Ironsworn: Starforged. Once you've set things in motion, that wind in your sails carries your adventures with zero prep.

So, what sort of world will you explore? I'm excited to see how you make the Isles your own!

3,000+ Backers! Thank you!
10 months ago – Wed, Mar 27, 2024 at 04:24:26 PM

Hello, Ironsworn!

We are 3,000 backers strong, which is pretty amazing for an expansion that a significant portion of the Ironsworn community is getting for free — in digital form anyway.

Thank you! Your support and generosity mean everything.

I mentioned on the campaign page that I didn't plan any stretch goals for this campaign, but I did set one personal stretch goal a few months ago...

3,000 backers, I decided, was a pretty good bellwether for my ability to engage with folks and build a community. One that, perhaps, could sustain me moving forward.

So, with 3,000 backers, after four decades of working for others, I'd forge my own path. I'd make game design and self-publishing my full-time career.

And here we are! Do I have the courage to fulfill that vow?

The short answer is yes! Let's do this.

The longer answer is that I won't be making the switch immediately. I am not going to make a drastic change in my life until I completely deliver on Sundered Isles. I need to accommodate any unexpected and costly obstacles during production or fulfillment (like, for instance, realizing it needs to be two books). Once that is done and dusted, I'll have the flexibility to set off on this new and exciting adventure.

It will be challenging. It will be stressful. It may end in disaster. But I've never been more excited.

So, thank you. Sincerely. I know that there's a growing sense of cynicism around crowdfunding sometimes acting as a glorified preorder store. But it's also people like you generously supporting niche creators and outlandish dreams. 

Let's see where the wind takes us...