All PDF files out there . . .
over 5 years ago – Sun, Aug 12, 2018 at 10:02:26 PM

I just sent out the final little "extra," the JPG file variations of the maps by Glynn Seal, ENnie Gold Medal winner for cartography in the 2018 ENnie awards.

Incidentally, if you are into OSR stuff, or just want a great grim setting, check out both the Midderlands and the Midderlands Expanded, both by Glynn. I backed both kickstarters, and they're good work.

In any case, you now have the PDF of the book, JPGs of the encounter maps, and JPGs of the "navigational" maps in formats suitable for players and GMs.

The only thing left is the physical copy, which as I've said should be in your hands by mid-September . . . with an outside chance of "late August" for certain lucky folks (I imagine if you're in the UK, that since your books will go into Royal Mail on August 24 or so, you very well may get your books that next week).

So while we're not done, we're close. The only thing left is something for me to ask of you: which is that if you like the adventure, the grappling rules, the wilderness rules, or whatever; if you run it and play it; if you think a particular piece of art or turn of phrase is fun . . . please take the Da Internetz and talk about it.

Thanks! The next update will likely be in about 10-14 days as printing and shipping begin.

PDF File Released!
over 5 years ago – Fri, Aug 10, 2018 at 05:25:47 PM

PDF Distribution

The (digital) moment has arrived: check your email boxes for a note from Backerkit, because the PDF file for Hall of Judgment has been given approval for distribution.

Thank you all so much for coming along with me this far!

The file as distributed is exactly what the print copy will look like. Hopefully we've caught most/all of the major errata, but there always seems to be a few that slip through.

Such errors can be corrected in PDF, obviously, but not print.

Print Schedule

The print file sailed through pre-production, and printing and binding is expected to be complete by August 22.

That's a Wednesday, which means Thursday will see the books nipped over to my fulfillment partner in the UK, and international books should be in the mail that Friday. Backers in the UK could thus see their print copies the following week, still within August, which makes me happy.

The US copies and surplus inventory will head over to Minnesota by airmail, which means that I could be packing and mailing them the following week, assuming no delays at customs (and airmail makes that easier, ironically: less, and less-expensive, paperwork, apparently). So either later that same week, or within the two weeks thereafter (mid-September), all physical copies should be in hand.

Map Files

I will also be pushing out some VTT-scale map files. These were made available for the Lost Hall of Tyr distribution, and will also be made available with 1-yd hex overlays (for programs with built-in maps, I'll provide a pixels-per-yard conversion).

The maps from ENnie Gold Medalist Cartographer Glynn Seal (he loves saying that, so I figured I'd repeat it) will also be made available. The large-area maps in PDF with a GM-layer for extra info, and the Logiheimli map in 72dpi with a pixels-per-yard conversion as well (though the scale is wide enough that "yards per pixel" is possible but unlikely.

Next Steps

After a deep breath to recover my balance after a long sprint to finish both this and Dragon Heresy, the Eye of Sauron will turn to what's next. I've got ideas for more DFRPG stuff, and more, depending on what SJG wants to consider. More on that later.

I also will compile, after shipping of the physical product, the "where did the money go?" report, likely for both Dragon Heresy and Hall of Judgment, since they'll finish at roughly the same time. I feel that's an important part of Kickstarter fulfillment for projects that wouldn't exist without your backing. Kickstarter can't use the "I" word, but no matter what you want to call it, you guys are important Stakeholders in Gaming Ballistic thanks to your participation in this and other projects, and you deserve to know what happened on this project so that you can understand both the past and the future.

For now . . . thank you. For later: there's more coming.

Hall of Judgment has been accepted at pre-press
over 5 years ago – Tue, Aug 07, 2018 at 05:34:20 PM

I sent preliminary files to the printer.

They were accepted first try, as "ready to print."

I expect that I'll hear back from the printing liaison today, since it's mid-afternoon in the UK, and we can make plans to get things moving forward. But I think that means the clock on printing has started.

Still waiting on final ship approval as folks get settled and Return from Gencon (with associated Con Crud expected, if you've been to one of those). But things are nipping along well.

It's Done!
over 5 years ago – Fri, Aug 03, 2018 at 10:57:11 PM

The PDF is complete.

All that remains is ship approval from SJG. They are, naturally either at GenCon or away on other matters. As soon as I have their say-so, the file will be distributed.

Monday I will begin working with my printer in the UK to get them the right cover and print files, which I will begin preparing this weekend.

I suspect that it will take a week to settle those details, then 3-4 to do the actual printing, a week to get my fulfillment partner (KIXTO) to sort and send out the international orders and zip the remainder of the US orders to me via airmail. Then likely a few long nights packing them up and printing postage (I'm not doing that at the post office again; that was HORRIBLE) and affixing labels. I will bundle as much as I can in one package for the US backers, and after taking a long breath over the next day or so, get the copies of Dungeon Grappling off from DriveThru POD for international orders as well.

For those of you that ordered Dragon Heresy, I'm expecting the final signature (last 16 pages) to be reprinted and sent to me for approval this coming week. Then it'll take about two weeks to print and bind. Then it's go-time for shipments. Dragon Heresy will arrive in the USA the last week in September, so should have it in your hands in hardcopy in the first week of October.

That's a lot of individual shipments, which I'm not wild about, but my inventory and production isn't exactly centralized. 

In any case: Major Milestone on Hall of Judgment, and I hope to have the file in your hands shortly. 

Need a few more days
over 5 years ago – Thu, Aug 02, 2018 at 12:54:27 AM

The preliminary file, with edits from many diligent proofers and spot-checkers, will likely be finished late tonight. Juan is finishing up the last of nearly two dozen new pieces of art, and I couldn't be happier with how they're progressing.

The other 21 images are just as fun.

But (there had to be a but coming), there are a few things that still need to happen. I should have seen this coming, but the folks needed to put the "yes, it's fine, ship it" stamp of approval on this licensed product are scarce on the ground due to GenCon and a few other things going on.

So I'm going to need a few more days to get that squared away, and to let things get a final check. As soon as SJG gives me the formal go-ahead, I'll release the final file.

What I will do is go ahead and get the ball rolling on prepping the files to print. I'd been waiting for a few things to happen, and they happened. So I will be reaching out to my UK printer.

I don't like pushing out the date, but I like irking my license provider and maybe shipping out something that would be improved by a few more days of error checking even less.

So . . . this weekend I hope. I apologize for the delay.