Explore planets to find and protect the most important object in the universe, the Ovoid. The Temple awaits...
Latest Updates from Our Project:
A Visit to Sam Vest Studios [video]
about 1 year ago
– Tue, Feb 14, 2023 at 04:35:10 AM
Hi all,
I'm going to start doing video updates every two weeks or so; it's important for me to keep backers updated even though my work on the project is essentially done, other than ongoing file exporting and checking samples as they come in. (This is the third manufacturer I've worked with on this project, so I won't rehash the last two years of misery, but things are good now.)
Since my ancient computer is having trouble exporting some of the 500 files, I hired my friend Sam, who has been a Chaosmos champion for more than 10 years. He has his own video production and puppet studio in North Hollywood. I didn't edit this much; but I thought it would be fun for you guys to see Sam is still involved with the project. We're going to try to play again this week or next; we haven't played since my birthday in October, so it will be nice to get Chaosmos back to the table again.
Video Update! More delays, but no problems with production.
over 2 years ago
– Fri, Dec 17, 2021 at 10:24:01 AM
Hi all,
Here's a video update.
For those of you who don't want to watch me mumble for 11 minutes, read the short version:
• The number one cause of the delays: I had to take over all the roles other people previously occupied, including file creation, logistics, and shipping for another project. The increased costs for manufacturing and shipping are so shockingly extreme right now that I feel this is necessary in my effort to try to save money.
• The files for all primary components are complete. I'm still dealing with back-and-forths with the manufacturer. I wish I could produce in the USA, but it is not possible with these components.
• I'm not offering refunds at this time because production is already ongoing, and all my vendors have already taken out their fees. I have minimum order requirements and my own cost increases are absolutely brutal. I'm eating the costs. I'm not asking for anything else from the backers.
• The quality will be top-notch. The ONLY compromise on this project is the long delivery delay.
• I waited more than a year without launching new games on Kickstarter. I feel it is not classy to launch new games before fulfilling previous games, even if there are problems beyond my control on the other projects. However, these delays are so extreme that I plan to launch a small project in February. I already printed that game, so it won't affect delivery estimates for Chaosmos.
• I'm still working on an updated Tabletop Simulator version of Chaosmos, which will be free.
• We'll likely approve the production samples in January and move into massproduction in early March. Shipping will likely be delayed until summer. I'm very sorry for all the delays. I take responsibility, and I've made plans to not have these same problems in the future.
FunBundles
Some of you have asked about ways to support the project further during these tough times. I don't want to create new Chaosmos content right now or ask for more money; I just want to get this manufactured and shipped as soon as possible. But I do have two webstore businesses you can check out if you are interested in supporting me.
Game Bundles - Black Friday/winterdiscount! Free shipping to USA!
That's it. Again, very sorry for the delays. Reach out if you need anything.
-Joey
Video Update - going over the new cards.
over 2 years ago
– Mon, Oct 18, 2021 at 05:26:32 AM
Hi folks,
No shipping estimate still. My whole production and supply chain was fully disrupted. To give an example, my other project GROWL: Madness sat in boxes at the printer for a month waiting to get picked up due to trucking and cargo ship delays, and California ports are months behind schedule at the other end of the journey. Our new printer is very good and I have confidence in their quality, however.
I'm not confident in a 2021 delivery, but I'm trying. Very sorry. I am currently committed to printing my next two projects in the USA to avoid most of these issues in the future. Please have faith and patience with me. Those of you who have offered me additional money: that is a nice offer but I don't think money is really the problem causing these delays - unless I spent $25,000 to ship everything by air (not feasible), we're probably going to get stuck in limbo during the holiday season I expect.
Video Update
Skip to 3:15 if you want to skip the personal update and get right to the Chaosmos content.
Here I give a personal update, then offer congrats to our Community Manager, Halley, for her recent success doing several voices in the English edition of Netflix's Squid Game. Finally, I go over the new equipment cards in the Chaosmos expansion.
Working on Tabletop Simulator Official Edition
I'm working on an updated (official) Tabletop Simulator version of Chaosmos. I'll run some events and give some of my time to you guys to make up for these bad delays. More on that soon.
-Joey
Video Update... still waiting...
over 2 years ago
– Tue, Sep 28, 2021 at 12:29:03 PM
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Still working hard. Plus, cool Ovoid pics.
over 2 years ago
– Tue, Aug 10, 2021 at 11:38:57 PM
Hi guys,
Anyone lucky enough to be reading this has bigger concerns right now than the goings on of a few pieces of cardboard 12,000 miles away. Some of my friends and colleagues live in countries that won't even allow travel currently. I have a family member who hasn't seen her own husband in a full year due to the lockdowns. In some cases, people have lost loved ones. I'm trying hard to get the game to you - worst case scenario, you can burn it for firewood if the power goes out this winter!
It's been a month since the last update, so I wanted to check in. For those of you who missed previous updates, I've already gone over the extremely unique circumstances happening right now with production delays. I'm taking personal responsibility for the delays. There's nothing to fear; no one wants their copy more than I do, and the tough work is long completed. I can't estimate shipping dates yet, but it should be this year, barring additional factory lockdowns or freight catastrophes. We'll see.
I've made dramatic changes to my plans to make sure money doesn't become a problem - for example, I'm personally doing nearly all the file creation work (rather than using contractors), and I switched to a different manufacturer, which saves money but required a total rehaul of all the files. I thought I was done with everything a few months ago, and now I have to make a bunch of changes again. I have nothing to show, but I'm almost at the point when I will have something to show.
I won't lie; a lot of the trouble is that I'm a perfectionist about this particular project. We don't have the chance to create too many things in our short lives – if we are lucky we might have a few kids or write a few good songs or build one or two houses or plant and harvest a garden. I don't know how many games I will get to make, but I don't want to fumble this one when it's so close to being exactly how I wanted it to be.
Boring Stuff
For those of you interested in numbers, the cost of a freight container shipment increased for me about $16,000, so I've decided to alter my global fulfillment strategy to compensate. For example, I'm closing my Australia and Hong Kong warehouse stock after this project is done and using just one fulfillment company. This shifts my role from full publisher back to a Kickstarter-only designer. Not much point in offering global distribution if the retail stores are closed (or more recently, if the distributors are backlogged and not ordering my games). Each individual backer shipment will cost me (not you!) about $6 more than I originally estimated because my fulfillment company now incorporates box size in addition to weight, and because FedEx and other carriers took advantage of the pandemic as an excuse to increase their prices. International tariffs, warehouse storage fees, and the cost of the cardboard and plastic is all up about 35% to 40% over what it was even a year ago. I'm not passing any of the costs onto you; I'm just going to keep making other projects to make up for it.
The cost increases, and the reasons behind them, are truly shocking the deeper I dig into this stuff, but the good news is that the difficult work has been done for a long time; now it's just a matter of me submitting the new round of files and approving samples. It's just a waiting game on your end.
Onward!
Anyway, everything is fine. I've also been busy dealing with unbelievable delays with my other project GROWL - that project has been done for about a year, but the manufacturing and fulfillment has been brutally complex, mostly due to the number of my vendors and fulfillment companies that went out of business over the last 18 months, forcing me to spend time moving stock and reimagining the complex logistics for that fulfillment. That project doesn't take up much of my time anymore, luckily, but the stress and aggravation is always there.
Anyway, you don't need to respond with support; I'm doing very well emotionally; it's just frustrating that I've worked for over a full year to fulfill two projects that I thought were 95% done, and I didn't have the infrastructure prepared to anticipate and dodge the pandemic-related issues. It's also frustrating that I spent most of 2019 designing several 3 new social deduction games, and now I'm putting those projects on hold; I did not expect that a global lockdown would make large-group games completely archaic and unjustifiable financially. Instead, I'm going to first launch two very small games to keep my business going, and focus my long term vision to my next big, ambitious game. I'm a better designer than I am a publisher, so I'm going to focus on the projects that give me an emotional purpose.
The Future
I have several finished small games, including one that is already printed and will be shown at Gen Con next month (that project is called Monsters and the Things That Destroy Them). The cool thing about pre-printing a project is that I can ship it within 30 days of the Kickstarter ending, so there won't be delays for the backers. I want to always be prepared in the future so I'm not beholden to international delays.
I'm most excited about a massive ambitious board game that I've been working on for several years. More on that later. I want to say it will be industry-changing, but more likely it will be a beloved underground/cult type game. I'd be fine with neither - I just want to continue doing what I want to do. If the lockdowns return, or if the global trade routes close, or even if there is a massive international war – I will still fulfill the game. Then when the internet turns sentient and we have to destroy it... I'll write you all from my little bunker with a new print-and-play prototype for you guys to enjoy.
