Housekeeping
I know this is a Sunday (July 6th) and many of you are away from your computers, but I have something that I have to attend to with the backers. I see there are 15 of you following this site, and there are many of you reading the updates (which is heartening), so if you can put the word out I'd greatly appreciate it.
I am working on cleaning up the setting. When I was developing it with James Silverstein (who did bang up writing on the setting chapter), we were in rush mode. I was getting a certain amount of pressure to get anything out the door. So we ended up creating your standard fantasy RPG world. Which is fine, but it's really not all that distinctive from any other fantasy world. Really, you could take Greyhawk (or maybe Forgotten Realms) and just substitute squirrels for dwarves. That's not a knock against the writing James did; he wrote what I told him to write.
However, we've come up with a neat system that sort of requires the setting change. Not the animals bit. But we want to focus more on Cairn (the town). I'm really jazzed about the ideas being kicked around and I think you will be, too.
That's when I realized something: I need the backer information.
Wait, what?
Before you panic: READ ON!
Some of you paid to put stuff in the setting, and I want to make sure it gets in there. That's one of the aspects of the Kickstarter that I can honor, and I'd like to do it.
I got some information from backers on stuff they're entitled to add to the game. Some of you didn't submit your information, or it never made its way to me. I know it didn't, because I can see what was being offered and I don't have that information. Oddly, somehow I also ended up with information and have no record of why. For example, the Villain level was backed by two people, but I have three villains.... Not sure why.
What I want to do is compare my notes with your notes.
First, some of you paid to have your information put in the game and submitted your materials, and that made it into the text. It's there. But I have no idea who you are. So, for example, I know Alyssa Faden paid to include a villain; he's in there; and I know who she is. But I don't know who the other Villain Backer is (although their information is in the text, too). Also, I just want to make sure that I have all the backers contributions. I'm double-checking, so even if you submitted your info submit it again and I'll make sure it's in there.
Second, some of you paid to have your information in the game and I never got the information. I don't know if you were solicited and never sent in your ideas, or if you did and it somehow got lost in the shuffle. So I'm reaching out to you guys to get that info.
Below is a list of the backer levels that entitled you to add information to the game. Please check it and get in touch with me. Please use the subject line BACKER CONTRIBUTION in your email, so I see it and know what it's about. Include the level at which you contributed (Mole, Hedgehog, Magus, etc.) and provide that information.
Also, keep in mind that I have a list of backers and how much they contributed, and I'll be checking your names against this list. Unfortunately, the excel spreadsheet that Kickstarter generates doesn't tell me what level each of you backed (Hedgehog, Mole, etc.); I just have a dollar amount. So if you tell me you get to name a villain, and you only contributed $10, I'll know something is up. You're on the honor system here.
Here goes (with annotations):
Mole: Give us a name and we'll use it in the text; you also get a thanks in the credits. There are six of these. Give us a name, maybe a race/class. Please don't include a description of the character, for the reason below.
Hedgehog: Give us a place name and we'll use it in the text, and we'll thank your group. There are six of you out there. I've gotten some of these, and when I did some people told me about the place, as well. Please don't do that. It creates tremendous pressure on me to then include that information in the text (because I'm a nice guy and want you to be happy). And if I don't use the info you created, you'd be understandably pissed. Just give me the name of your place, please.
Magus: I know for a fact I don't have this guy. Please tell me his name and race. I'll work with you to come up with a suitable backstory for him. One of you backed this level.
Abbot: I know for a fact I didn't get this guy, either. Please tell me his name and race. I'll work with you to come up with a suitable backstory for him. One backer.
Hero: I'm not sure I got this information, either. Just to be sure, please resend. Please tell me his name and race. I'll work with you to come up with a suitable backstory for him. One backer.
Villain: I've got three villains (when I'm supposed to have only two). Please get in touch with me via email. Alyssa Faden, you are excused from this exercise.
Hamlet: I think I have this one. I'm not sure. Please get in touch with me and resend your information. One backer.
I certainly appreciate your attention to this matter. I want to make sure ALL the backer information makes it into the game. Since time is a factor, I'm going to give backers two weeks to contact me. If you don't contact me by two weeks from today, your information won't make it into the game.
I am working on cleaning up the setting. When I was developing it with James Silverstein (who did bang up writing on the setting chapter), we were in rush mode. I was getting a certain amount of pressure to get anything out the door. So we ended up creating your standard fantasy RPG world. Which is fine, but it's really not all that distinctive from any other fantasy world. Really, you could take Greyhawk (or maybe Forgotten Realms) and just substitute squirrels for dwarves. That's not a knock against the writing James did; he wrote what I told him to write.
However, we've come up with a neat system that sort of requires the setting change. Not the animals bit. But we want to focus more on Cairn (the town). I'm really jazzed about the ideas being kicked around and I think you will be, too.
That's when I realized something: I need the backer information.
Wait, what?
Before you panic: READ ON!
Some of you paid to put stuff in the setting, and I want to make sure it gets in there. That's one of the aspects of the Kickstarter that I can honor, and I'd like to do it.
I got some information from backers on stuff they're entitled to add to the game. Some of you didn't submit your information, or it never made its way to me. I know it didn't, because I can see what was being offered and I don't have that information. Oddly, somehow I also ended up with information and have no record of why. For example, the Villain level was backed by two people, but I have three villains.... Not sure why.
What I want to do is compare my notes with your notes.
First, some of you paid to have your information put in the game and submitted your materials, and that made it into the text. It's there. But I have no idea who you are. So, for example, I know Alyssa Faden paid to include a villain; he's in there; and I know who she is. But I don't know who the other Villain Backer is (although their information is in the text, too). Also, I just want to make sure that I have all the backers contributions. I'm double-checking, so even if you submitted your info submit it again and I'll make sure it's in there.
Second, some of you paid to have your information in the game and I never got the information. I don't know if you were solicited and never sent in your ideas, or if you did and it somehow got lost in the shuffle. So I'm reaching out to you guys to get that info.
Below is a list of the backer levels that entitled you to add information to the game. Please check it and get in touch with me. Please use the subject line BACKER CONTRIBUTION in your email, so I see it and know what it's about. Include the level at which you contributed (Mole, Hedgehog, Magus, etc.) and provide that information.
Also, keep in mind that I have a list of backers and how much they contributed, and I'll be checking your names against this list. Unfortunately, the excel spreadsheet that Kickstarter generates doesn't tell me what level each of you backed (Hedgehog, Mole, etc.); I just have a dollar amount. So if you tell me you get to name a villain, and you only contributed $10, I'll know something is up. You're on the honor system here.
Here goes (with annotations):
Mole: Give us a name and we'll use it in the text; you also get a thanks in the credits. There are six of these. Give us a name, maybe a race/class. Please don't include a description of the character, for the reason below.
Hedgehog: Give us a place name and we'll use it in the text, and we'll thank your group. There are six of you out there. I've gotten some of these, and when I did some people told me about the place, as well. Please don't do that. It creates tremendous pressure on me to then include that information in the text (because I'm a nice guy and want you to be happy). And if I don't use the info you created, you'd be understandably pissed. Just give me the name of your place, please.
Magus: I know for a fact I don't have this guy. Please tell me his name and race. I'll work with you to come up with a suitable backstory for him. One of you backed this level.
Abbot: I know for a fact I didn't get this guy, either. Please tell me his name and race. I'll work with you to come up with a suitable backstory for him. One backer.
Hero: I'm not sure I got this information, either. Just to be sure, please resend. Please tell me his name and race. I'll work with you to come up with a suitable backstory for him. One backer.
Villain: I've got three villains (when I'm supposed to have only two). Please get in touch with me via email. Alyssa Faden, you are excused from this exercise.
Hamlet: I think I have this one. I'm not sure. Please get in touch with me and resend your information. One backer.
I certainly appreciate your attention to this matter. I want to make sure ALL the backer information makes it into the game. Since time is a factor, I'm going to give backers two weeks to contact me. If you don't contact me by two weeks from today, your information won't make it into the game.
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