Mint Tin Games Kickstarter Nearly Done?
What a fantastic and wonderful experience. Even loading the mail truck in 39 degree weather with rain and 20 mph wind!=D
It’s wonderful receiving so many tweets with your photos expressing how smoothly Mint Tin Games – Pirates & Aliens ran. I wish I could say that was all me . . . but it wasn’t.
Lots of reading about KS, especially games in KS, was the secret to this running smoothly.
For example, we were glad to have a laser-jet printer for the mailing labels and that the games were in multiple layers of plastic. Nothing fell into a puddle but the outside of packages did get wet.
Some reading led us to use a laser-jet for the labels because they’re waterproof – no smudging. We found a laser-jet for around $100 based on reviews from Etsy and eBay sellers that mentioned it handled thick label paper without gumming up. Some printers have issues with labels separating inside – yikes! o_O
Those “minor” details all added up to a smooth project (plus I’m persnickety, and maybe a tad OCD, and Kate’s practical and calm and undoubtedly my better half in many ways). *awww*
However, I don’t consider this KS done yet. Not until all packages are delivered.
I expect some international ones may take all of December, even with “First Class” mail. Most US ones should be done this week.
Games went out to Malyasia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Northern Baffin Island (way remote Canada), Norway, Japan, Tasmania (how cool is that!), Mexico, Brasil, and many others. Even to a US Navy Aircraft Carrier! =)
It’s also been wonderful receiving your tweets with photos of you and/or your kids playing the games, that’s far more reward than a funded Kickstarter – I can’t express how much that warms both our hearts. Thank you.
So wazz next?
I’ve got kids’ transition books (7 to 9 year olds) that should see the first one printed in February. Five books are written and the first three have been professional edited. They each have about 16 black and white line art drawings from a professional illustrator (my 16th century woodcut art style for drawing a cannon doesn’t translate well to drawing a chicken and a goat!). The first one is illustrated and the second is underway.
BUT . . . that doesn’t slow down new games. *thumbs up*
Each thing, games and books, act as a break from the other. And Kate is on fire for Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse! That’s really her game. Not sure if that title still works – she introduced a Godzilla-like monster – hmm, I guess that’s pretty apocalyptic and still works (I love the juxtaposition of mini and apocalypse).
Plus, I have a full-sized game called Zombalamba I’d love to get out there, just need to find a local source for hex-based tiles
So stay tuned and the Kickstarters aren’t over! Happy Holidays!
After the Kickstarter
Phew! Make that a double phew! =D
I’m not sure where to start in sharing the behind-the-scenes of the Mint Tin Games Kickstarter.
The single most important aspect about it continues to be the backers.
Calling the supporters “backers” doesn’t do justice to how I feel about each one. They’re far more than backers.
They believed, they encouraged, and they actively shaped this project.
They have expanded my perspective and forever changed how I look at games. Their influence even affected game development yesterday at lunch while we brainstormed about Mint Tin Villagers. These next games needs to even better (including the kooky Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse, which might get a title change since it now features Kate’s monster). =p
Mint Tin Villagers is cooperative and tiny, but it needs a big heart to be worthy.
Mint Tin Games’ backers are perhaps more accurately portrayed as game design collaborators (for sure in my heart). =)
The moral support is phenomenal and there wasn’t a single negative comment. Kickstarter puts money front and center, but the support from backers far exceeds any dollar amount.
Speaking of money, here’s something telling about how awesome the 802 backers have been . . .
It’s not unusual for a project to have 5 to 10% of its pledges fail. This can be due to expired credit cards, incorrect information, etc. Kickstarter provides those backers with this information but the “gurus” tell you to count on 5% of those pledges to never get paid.
And sure enough, there were 24 “errored” transactions the day after the project ended (that’s about 3%).
BUT I’m proud to say that all of those have been fixed and there are ZERO unpaid pledges!
That says a lot about this project’s backers and falls in line with my love and respect of them all as really great individuals. =)
Am I really this sentimental? Those that have chatted extensively with me know that I am.
I also am indebted to the gracious reviewers who spent time to play these, craft their words, and share their opinions. Their words gave this project a running start and they were backers before it even launched.
So enough of this mushy stuff for now, more thoughts on Kickstarter will follow, but I have tins to label, meeples to sort, dice to inspect, donations to build, and a tremendous amount of gratitude.
Stay in touch via Twitter @subQuark, where I’ll announce updates, including a second printing of Mint Tin Pirates and Mint Tin Aliens, status on the games being made for donations, and the next games on Kickstarter. I’ll also be tweeting about the upcoming set of five children’s books that will start printing in January (chapter books for 7 – 9 year olds).
You can also check subQuark.com for occasional updates. Thanks! =)