Epoch Update #4: Granite Behemoths, Delicate Cutlery, and that Blasted Pumpkin Spice
almost 7 years ago – Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 12:14:40 AM

Hello wretchlings! 

UPDATE:  we've just surpassed the $50k mark and unlocked the custom component nerd-tray. Awesome-sauce! We'll now be working toward those enlarged, coolness-inflated 22mm marbled dice! We've knocked down half of the social stretch goals in under a week...phenomenal! We have 1453/1500 Instagram followers and 132/250 Facebook shares. Plenty of time to crush those this week.

Sacred Plume Poll

The poll for the Sacred Plume is about to end. If you have not yet voted, clickety-click over here and bestow your wisdom upon us:

Click here to take the poll if you haven't already.

Community-Imagineered Relic

Many of you have chimed in...your ideas are absolutely mind-blowing.

A new poll will be going up very soon to determine which of your ideas will embody the community-designed relic! We'll be taking our own list of the top four concepts and posting them early this week. It's going to be very difficult to choose from the phenomenal list that you guys and gals posted. Please understand that we'll be working with the concepts that will best fit the game narrative / story. If you have not yet poured out your incredible imagination on the BGG forum, poke those keys here and unleash your imagination:

Click here to share your idea for a relic for the game.

Granite Behemoths, Delicate Cutlery, and that Blasted Pumpkin Spice

We have a whopping 800 comments on this campaign and we're not even a week in. This is evidence of your awesomeness. We've been reading every post, and let's just say…you spoke, we listened.

Now you must wait....but not for long. Something is rumbling…

Kickstarter Live - Ask Me Anything

The extraordinary Lacey and I are now officially taking questions for a Kickstarter Live session to be held next week at a date and time to be determined. We've started a BoardGameGeek thread where you can ask questions for us to answer. We'll be taking questions live, of course, but would love to queue up a few others for the session.

Click here to AMA (ask me anything) in the forum.

Would you be willing to attend this?

Epoch Update #3: Summoning a Giant
almost 7 years ago – Fri, Jul 14, 2017 at 11:12:32 PM

Greetings! May I call you wretch? (you're also my favorite)

Summoning a Giant

I have heard the clamoring and chanting for Tuuk-Tuuk, Boulder Hulk and something is rumbling. However, Sestra Lorekeeper has informed me that we can lure him out of the Gaping Maw...check the current stretch goals for the first clue. There's not enough data available…yet…but the rumblings continue…

Polls

The Sacred Plume

As of right now, we've introduced our first poll on Facebook. In this poll, you can vote for the illustration you think best fits the “sacred plume” — an item on the island that signifies companion loyalty. The most popular image will be used in the final production of the game on a trait card called, "Loyalty”.

Either click the image above or find the tab called “Current Poll” on the Epoch Facebook page.

Languages & Translation

So I've gotten many requests for the game to be translated into other languages such as Spanish, French, and German. I'm open to the idea of having the Visual Guide (rulebook) available in those other languages. So...my question is...is that sufficient?

With over 100 cards with text, we can add an index with translations for each card in the rulebooks…but we will not be printing translated cards. If this is interesting to you, please send me a message and I'll begin a poll next week to determine which languages will be eligible for a translation.

10-Game Pledge Tier?

A few folks in the community have requested larger pledge bundles to save on shipping. Is this you? If we were to offer a 10-game bundle with a $10-per-game savings on shipping (instead of $5), would you pledge for it?

Our Unnamed Prodigy

 

If you're not on our mailing list and missed the first campaign, this might be the first time you've seen this new artwork. We're open to ideas around her name.

If you feel so inspired, jump into this forum on BoardGameGeek and let us know what brilliant ideas you may have for this young prodigy. We'll go with the name/ability pairing that is most intriguing without deviating from the storyline, and credit the creatives in the visual guide. Share your wisdom, friend. Don't hoard it all to yourself!

Until next time…know that we at Orange Nebula are grateful and love your feedback and participation. I hope it shows.

Epoch Update #2: Going Solo
almost 7 years ago – Thu, Jul 13, 2017 at 12:23:24 AM

Hi. 

The question of the day…

What Are the Odds of Getting a Solo Play Mode?

Get it? Solo mode? Ok, I'm caving. A solo play variant is something I'm willing to work on post project. This means I can't promise anything during the Kickstarter campaign. However, I've gotten enough requests to do it that my head is now filling with options and ideas and concepts, so I'll have an answer for you before the project ends. I understand that it cannot be something that will sway a decision to back the campaign. However, it could potenially be a rule set that could be included as a low-cost add-on (or free, depending) through BackerKit prior to manufacturing if it proves itself worthy. If you like the idea, start a thread on BoardGameGeek and get a discussion going. #solomode

How Does 2-Player Game Play Balance Out?

Numerous requests have cause me to coordinate another video (shorter this time, only a partial game) so that you can see how balanced the 2-player game is and compare the scaling to 3 and 4 player varieties. Like most games, there's less competition with fewer players…however, I think you'll find that the options open up a lot with 2 players and there's more time to build deeper strategy, which many of the play testers have loved. Don't take my word for it. Expect that in about a week.

A Few Ideas on Building Momentum for This Campaign

I've had many people ask me how we can build momentum and unlock stretch goals faster. I'm not one to push anyone to do anything, so please hear me when I say this is purely informational. If you're interested in this, great. If not, please know that just being part of this community is enough for me. You're awesome as-is.

KickTraq

If you're not familiar with KickTraq, it's a website dedicated to tracking Kickstarter campaigns and providing analytics. In short, activity on this site helps create awareness of this campaign and helps build funding momentum — unlocking stretch goals faster for you. Being high on the hot list maximizes visibility for the campaign. It might be worth checking out for this and other campaigns you love. We're killing it right now, but activity on our page needs to stay active in order to stay atop the list. This is why our champions Réne and ChrisA (and others) are posting the link in the comments. If you want to click this graphic, it will also take you to the Epoch page on KickTraq:

 

BoardGameLinks

This site is an amazing resource for following a ton of gamer resources. In particular, they have a great Kickstarter Campaign Tracker page. Right now, our previous (canceled) campaign is the highest ranking game on the page. I literally laughed out loud when I saw that! If you scroll down, this current campaign is ranked #11. If you get a moment to give this campaign a nice little heart (like) it will eventually rise up once more. Click the graphic here: 

BoardGameGeek

The forums on BoardGameGeek are incredible. The community there is massive. It's the perfect place to pose questions, see what other gamers are doing, and introduce cool new ideas and concepts. Here's a link to the forums for Epoch: The Awakening.

 

Have I told you lately that I think you're phenomenal? You are.

Epoch Update #1: Taking Command
almost 7 years ago – Tue, Jul 11, 2017 at 11:37:45 PM

I don't have the words. I really don't. You are <insert string of awesome adjectives here>. Hopefully we'll fund in the first 24 hours, which is phenomenal. And it's because of you.

Welcome to the Commander's Table, Master

It would appear that you, my friend, have assembled a mob and have taken control of the campaign. You wanted lower worldwide shipping? You got it. Lower funding goal? Affirmative. Multiple game pledge tiers? Yup. Revisions to the artwork and structure of the campaign? Done. And now you want stretch goals? Who am I to stand in the way? Your wish is my command.

Design by Your Community

Now that you're in charge, feel free to get that mind working, because we've engaged WooBox to help us put out some quizzes and polls, one of which will be the design of a magical relic to be added to the game.

Orange Nebula will select the top concepts from the community to to into a poll that will be posted early next week. We will provide art direction to make sure the visuals, names and abilities are in alignment with the narrative, the story, and the mechanics of the game. To submit your concepts or ideas, please add them to
this forum on BoardGameGeek.com.

I'll not waste more of your precious time. Your stretch goals await, master.

Onward! This world awaits your heroism...