The greatness of B-movies brought to life at your table!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Final Day: REFRESHER, NEW ADD ON, VIDEO Q&A, FINAL STRETCH GOALS
about 5 years ago
– Sat, Jan 26, 2019 at 08:53:42 PM
Ahoy Earthlings,
Behold! It is James, your contact person for this kickstarter campaign! And an agent of the Undersea Realm!
Yesterday, I talked about our Stretch Goals and issued a challenge to see if we could unlock another goal or two prior to the end of the campaign. Well, you sure showed this Aquatic Ambassador that humanity is up to the challenge!
Since yesterday's post, together we managed to unlock FOUR Stretch Goals, bringing our total (thus far) up to THIRTEEN! A remarkable accomplishment that will add new monsters, a new scenario, more art, and a new Add On opportunity to our project list!
Refresher Course
Yesterday saw us add a boatload of new backers. I want to take a moment to highlight some key Update posts that new backers may want to check out (and existing backers may want to read as a refresher!).
COMPLETE PLAYTEST MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW - PARTS 1-6: Read the entire manuscript for the game now! Remember, though, there are still some minor edits, development and proofing that need to be done. But, you can consider this about 95% finished.
Jan. 20 update - REWARD TIERS: your best starting point for figuring out which Backer Reward Level to choose to help support this project.
By hitting so many Stretch Goals yesterday, we've unlocked another key ADD ON reward, so I'm going to talk about that real quick:
This new ADD ON is a physical, printed card deck featuring the Quip quotes and Cinematic powers featured in Appendix I and II of the manuscript. If you look at the complete reward tier chart (below), you'll see that all backers receiving the PDF version of They Came from Beneath the Sea! will receive a Print-and-Play PDF version of these cards. That means you'll be able to make your own deck at home.
HOWEVER, if you want a printed, physical deck - you can ADD ON +$15 to your Pledge Total and confirm your selection in BackerKit during our post-campaign process.
IMPORTANT - This ADD ON reward, the Quip & Cinematic Card Deck, can ONLY BE ADDED to Reward Tiers that are receiving the HARDCOVER rulebook for They Came from Beneath the Sea! This card deck will be added to the shipment containing your hardcover rulebook - if you are not receiving the hardcover rulebook as part of your rewards, there's no shipment to add it to.
If you want to add the Quip & Cinematic Card Deck - the physical, printed deck - to your rewards, you must be pledged to theMAIN CAST reward tier (or higher).
(Thanks again to Karpomatic for suggesting this Stretch Goal, and thanks to all backers for moving the pieces and making the campaign grow to a point where it was even possible to make this happen!!)
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Yesterday, the Gentleman Gamer himself, Matthew Dawkins, hosted a LIVE! Q&A about They Came from Beneath the Sea! If there's any Qs you still had about this game, check out this video to get some As.
And, if you want to see (and follow along with) an awesome Actual Play campaign run by Matthew Dawkins for the folks at Red Moon Roleplaying, check out the first episode in their Terror at Make-Out Point game using They Came from Beneath the Sea!
FINAL STRETCH GOALS
Now that we've annihilated all the Stretch Goals I'd laid out in yesterday's post, it's time to throw up some final challenges, and see if we can add these final additional content rewards.
At $45,000 in funding - SUPPLEMENTAL SWIMMING SAVAGES! - A boatload of new threats and challenges will be created and released as a Threat File! PDF, added on to the rewards list for all backers receiving the They Came from Beneath the Sea! rulebook PDF.
At $47,500 in funding - A NEW SCENARIO - One final adventure to be had with a new scenario PDF, added on to the rewards list for all backers receiving the They Came from Beneath the Sea! rulebook PDF.
At $50,000 - OPTIONAL OCEAN-DWELLING OPPONENTS - A raftful of new threats and challenges will be created and released as a Threat File! PDF, added on to the rewards list for all backers receiving the They Came from Beneath the Sea! rulebook PDF.
SO - FINAL 27 HOURS as I post this... a whirlwind of activity ahead... THIRTEEN STRETCH GOALS UNLOCKED ...
(A gentle reminder that the new Quip & Cinematic Card Deck can only be added on to reward lists that include the hardcover book; you just add +$15 to your pledge total; All Add On rewards will be confirmed in our post-campaign pledge manager)
Tomorrow, a final countdown post detailing the Final Checklist and What Comes Next.
Thanks to You, They WILL Come from Beneath the Sea!
over 5 years ago
– Fri, Jan 25, 2019 at 12:35:38 AM
Hello Drylanders,
We did it! We funded a new Storypath system game, They Came from Beneath the Sea!
And not just that! We unlocked FIFTEEN STRETCH GOALS!
We added an alphabet-soup of new opponents with 5 Threat File PDF sections! We added 4 new Adventure Scenarios! We added a ready-to-go character pack PDF, a discounted Redbubble T-shirt opportunity, a digital wallpaper, upgrades to the Director's Screen and additional art for the core book, AND an optional add on for the Quip & Cinematic Card Deck (don't forget, you can only add that on to reward tiers receiving the hardcove rulebook...)
Who would have thought we'd unlock all of that awesomeness back when we started this campaign... in 2018!
THANK YOU!
So, thank you to all the backers who supported us and made this happen. And a personal thanks to everyone who participated online, either in the comments section of the kickstarter or on social media around the web. I've got a bunch of new actual play messageboard threads and Youtube channel/podcasts to follow! This is the game that launched (and will sink) a thousand ships...
And thanks for all the puns! A boatload of puns!
And now for a special big reveal...
I know, right?! I'm not actually an undersea alien - IT WAS A RUBBER MASK THE WHOLE TIME!
Sorry for the deception, and special thanks to my SFX and makeup team for helping me with this one!
COMMUNICATION
So, as noted in the previous update, I'll be sending out updates once a month and whenever we've got a new goal, survey, or other item to cover. If you have any questions or need clarification on something related to the kickstarter, you can leave it in the comment section - I will be notified with every addition. Or, you can find the Contact Creator button and Rich will forward your message to me.
So, thanks to everyone for helping build this community and this game and celebrating the wacky fun (and chilling creatures) that will be unleashed!
Now to go collapse in the sand for a few hours and recover from the awesomeness of the last couple days! High fives in the comment section, and you'll hear from me again soon...
In the meantime, enjoy this additional BONUS content, featuring the Gentleman Sea Captain's Guide to Aquatic Threats! Perhaps this can aid you once you discover that... They Came from Beneath the Sea!
#TheyCameFromBeneathTheSea!
#ItWasAMask!
Final Hours: CHECKLIST & WHAT COMES NEXT
over 5 years ago
– Thu, Jan 24, 2019 at 06:39:04 AM
Behold, Drylanders -
THE END IS NIGH!
It's James, your Aquatic Ambassador for this Kickstarter Campaign
The end of this Kickstarter campaign, that is. We are HOURS away from our conclusion. And look at all of us, swimming here, with our FOURTEEN Stretch Goals unlocked!
Amazing job, everyone!
We've had a massive wave of new backers join in over the past few days (hi, new backers!), and many backers adding on to their rewards or changing their reward levels. I wanted to review the overall method to ensure you've set up your rewards, and then talk about what comes next.
1. REWARD TIER, ADD-ONs, PLEDGE TOTAL
Please ensure you've selected the Reward Tier that best represents your desired rewards for this project. An update breaking down all of the Reward Tier decisions is HERE <link>, summarized by this chart:
Once you're sure you've selected the correct Reward Tier, double-check to see if there are any rewards that you want to include via ADD-ON, as described in the update HERE <link>.
Your REWARD TIER determines what your base rewards are - you must select a Reward Tier to receive those rewards. Again, your reward list is based on your Reward Tier, not your total pledge amount.
Your PLEDGE TOTAL is the sum of your REWARD TIER + SHIPPING + ADD-ONs.
Shipping is calculated automatically by Kickstarter, based on your location. Add On rewards will be selected in the post-campaign pledge manager sent out once payment processing is complete.
SO: Ensure that you've selected the Reward Tier you want, and included funding for any Add Ons you wish to include. AND - make sure that you are comfortable with the Pledge Total amount, in terms of it covering everything you want and its' affordability.
Once you're comfortable with your pledge, please ensure that the payment and contact information in your kickstarter account is up to date and correct. Making sure your e-mail is entered correctly and your credit card isn't expired will speed up the next step process. (I have learned from experience!)
WHAT COMES NEXT?
3. AFTER THE CAMPAIGN ENDS
First, we celebrate. Kickstarter will send out a "Hooray!" email confirming the campaign ended with final totals. We'll give tentacle high fives in the comments section.
Then, the Kickstarter payment process begins. Over the next week, kickstarter will begin charging your payment methods for the total amount you've pledged.
If there is an issue with your payment method (expired credit card or incorrect number or pre-paid Visa awaiting funds, for example), Kickstarter will keep trying to process payment during this time.
Once this step is done, which will likely be early February, Kickstarter will confirm everything with Onyx Path and transfer the funds over to them (less the Kickstarter fees, of course!).
Once the payment is confirmed, I can begin to set up the project with BackerKit and link it to the Kickstarter data.
BackerKit is a robust fulfillment and pledge management program that will allow us to work with all of the data and distribute the rewards to you. It will take me a few weeks to set the project up. Once I've got it all entered and built, the team from BackerKit will review to ensure I didn't mess anything up too badly, and then I'll make any changes they've suggested and we can move on to the Survey stage.
4. BACKERKIT SURVEYS
Once BackerKit says I'm good to go, I will send out a survey to all backers. This is why confirming your e-mail is important! The survey will list the reward tier you've chosen, confirm all of the rewards associated with that reward tier, and confirm your total pledge amount.
I expect Surveys to go out late February. If you opted to include any Add-On rewards to your pledge, this is the point where you will select them. BackerKit will deduct the cost of your reward tier (+shipping) from your total pledge and show you how much you have to allocate for add-on purchases. You simply select the ones you want and proceed. From that point forward, those add-ons will be included in your list of rewards.
During the Survey period, you can also also choose to increase your reward tier. If you've managed to get a winning lottery ticket and decide it's time to trade up to get two copies of the book or include another add-on, you can do so at this time. Note, you will not be able to reduce your reward tier selection, only increase.
If there was an issue with payment to Kickstarter, you should also be able to address that at this point.
The survey will ask you to confirm your shipping address, even though it'll be some time before we ship out the final product. Do not worry about moving before shipping begins - you will be able to update BackerKit right up until the point that we begin fulfilling the final book. We will send out a notice prior to lock down so you can update any information.
5. REWARD DISTRIBUTION
This is a long process, but I will send out regular updates (usually at the end of the month) to keep you up to speed on our progress. There will be strings of updates that are just "still working on it," but I will share new artwork or information when I can.
Eventually, we will have a completed PDF of They Came from Beneath the Sea! We'll take some time to distribute, review, and compile any errata or corrections that need to be made. When we've made any necessary changes, we'll send out updated copy of the PDFs and then begin creating print-ready files for the hardcover version.
It's a long road ahead, but one that we wouldn't be on if not for your support.
Now, with only hours left, let's see if we can land one more Stretch Goal...
#TheyCameFromBeneathTheSea
#TheEndIsNigh
#GonnaNeedABiggerBoat
Final Days: STRETCH GOALS
over 5 years ago
– Thu, Jan 24, 2019 at 01:06:22 AM
Greetings Drylanders,
We're just about tho hit the Final 48 Hours of this Kickstarter campaign, and racing toward the surface. (I can't remember whether my metaphors have been about diving into the ocean or surfacing from the ocean... either way, we're close to the end!)
They Came from Q&A:
On the Onyx Path YouTube channel today (http://www.youtube.com/user/theonyxpath), there will be a live Q&A with the They Came from Beneath the Sea! team of Matthew Dawkins, Larry Blamire, Bianca Savazzi, and John Burke! Tune in and throw them your questions about the game, B-movies, and RPGs in general! The broadcast is scheduled for Tuesday 22nd January at 20:00 GMT!
We've had, and will have, a lot of new backers join in during these last few days. I want to take a moment to highlight some key Update posts that new backers may want to check out (and existing backers may want to read as a refresher!).
COMPLETE PLAYTEST MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW - PARTS 1-6: Read the entire manuscript for the game now! Remember, though, there are still some minor edits, development and proofing that need to be done. But, you can consider this about 95% finished.
Jan. 20 update - REWARD TIERS: your best starting point for figuring out which Backer Reward Level to choose to help support this project.
Choosing the correct Reward Tier for your desired rewards, and then filling in any "gaps" with add-ons, ensures that you'll be claiming all of your desired rewards as a thank you for supporting this project and bringing this world to life.
Remember, your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT is equal to your REWARD TIER + SHIPPING + ADD ONS. And we will confirm your Add On selection with our post-campaign pledge manager, Backerkit, a few weeks after the campaign ends.
On Thursday, I'll be posting one further "Final Day" update, covering What Happens Next and outlining what to expect once the campaign ends.
But until then, we're going to hopefully be racing through our final Stretch Goal(s) of the campaign!
STRETCH GOALS
Over the course of the campaign, we've achieved an amazing 9 Stretch Goals! We hit that 9th one just yesterday morning, so we're absolutely picking up speed as we rush toward the finish line! And there's a solid chance to make that 10 or maybe even 11 before we end...
ADDITIONAL CONTENT REWARDS
These Stretch Goals are additional content PDF files that will be automatically added to your list of rewards if you are receiving the They Came from Beneath the Sea! PDF. Double check your reward tier to ensure you fall into that category (basically, everyone that's pledged to the Production Assistant reward tier or higher...)
THREAT FILES!PDFs- new enemies to challenge your players (and maybe each other!). We've added three "fistfuls" of aliens that will be developed and can be added to your campaign.
Additional Aquatic Alien Adversaries!
Extra Amphibious Antagonists!
Expanded Floating Foes!
SCENARIOS! PDFs- Jump into the action with these ready-to-go adventures, including:
An Adventure!
An Adventure 2: The Revenge of An Adventure!
CHARACTER PACK PDF - Ready-to-go Characters so you can quickly launch a pick-up game or have spares for when a character meets a watery grave...
FUN GOODIES!
There are a couple of reward/opportunities that just fall into the "Fun!" category and will be added to the reward list of all backers.
DIGITAL WALLPAPER - Now your computer screen can hold the awesomeness of They Came from Beneath the Sea! with a digital wallpaper, sure to start your computing time with a smile!
REDBUBBLE T-SHIRT LINK - hosted on the Redbubble store for a limited time, a They Came from Beneath the Sea!-themed shirt at a steep discount.
UPGRADES
We also hit one Stretch Goal that allows us to upgrade one of the game's accessories.
NEW DIRECTOR'S SCREEN ARTWORK - We'll commission new widescreen full-span Larry Blamire artwork for the Director's Screen!
Those are some pretty cool accomplishments, and those are in addition to FUNDING THIS PROJECT in the first place! Your rewards list has likely grown since the start of this campaign. But we're not done, are we? With just over 48 hours to go, we've got another target or two we can look at hitting, and maybe another upgrade can be added if we really really STRETCH...
At $37,500 in funding! - NEW MARINE MONSTERS! - A netful of new threats and nemisises will be created and released as a Threat File! PDF, added on to the rewards list for all backers receiving the They Came from Beneath the Sea! rulebook PDF.
At $38,500 in funding! - NEW ADD ON DECK - We'll be able to create a new Add On option. For +$15, you will be able to add a printed Quip & Cinematic card deck to your hardcover book purchase.
At $40,000 in funding - ART BUDGET INCREASE - We'll increase the art budget for the They Came from Beneath the Sea! core rulebook, adding even more awesome B-Movie goodies!
More Stretch Goals, Not Much More Time
I know these numbers may seem daunting, but they wouldn't be STRETCH goals if we didn't have to really STRETCH to reach them!
So, as every update concludes: let's keep the enthusiasm rolling! Keep spreading the word and letting others know about this project. They've got fewer than 48 hours to jump in and share the 9 (can we make it 10?) Stretch Goals we've achieved!
And every backer who joins in as we approach the end is not only able to enjoy the additional rewards already added by the early fans and backers, but also help reward those early backers by expanding everyone's stretch goal rewards!
Remember, only the funds generated during the Kickstarter campaign go toward achieving these Stretch Goal targets, so the time to act is now! Together, we can make great things happen!
#TheyCameFromBeneathTheSea!
#LiveQ&AToday
#Final48Hours
Backers Only Manuscript Preview # 6
over 5 years ago
– Tue, Jan 22, 2019 at 10:49:04 AM
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
