5 Nov 2014

After the Kickstarter

by subQuark | posted in: Mint Tin Games | 0

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! =)

10 Oct 2014

Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse in early play tests

by subQuark | posted in: games, Mint Tin Games | 0

This is really kooky and all Kate’s fault! Out at a local tiny family restaurant, she pulls a beat up Altoids Smalls container from her purse, tosses it like a gauntlet onto the table, and says “how about this for a game?”

Mint Tin Pirates and Mint Tin Aliens were a huge logistical challenge. The game play was heavily dictated by the form factor. 64 cards is the max that will fit, especially when the cards puff up a little from shuffling and bending. And there was no way to get instructions printed and folded to fit the tin without costing a few dollars each! =(

hand ink stamped? 2 stamps? one red & one blue – sheesh!

So a mini tin?

My American can supplier does have a size close to it and 720 come in a carton, but they are less than half the size of the normal mint tin! o_O

normal – 3-11/16″ x 2-5/16″ x 3/4″
or 6.4 cubic inches
mini – 2-5/16″ x 1-7/8″ x 1/2″
or 2.17 cubic inches

But . . . 12mm dice fit, mini meeples fit, so there’s the challenge. A logistical and game play challenge.

No cards? Ugh, that limits what you can do big time!

But here it is below, kind of in action, I almost gave up because my shoulder was hurting from frantically rolling the dice so many times and so quickly (and lunch came!). It’s a bit like cutthroat Escape: The Curse of the Temple.