A Long Update
about 7 years ago – Mon, Jul 10, 2017 at 03:07:08 PM

Kickstarter has now finished their administration piece and begun transferring funds and backer information to us.

This means we can now start working towards fulfilment!

So, it’s also time for a long update. I'll try to cover as much as I can...

KickStarter Survey

We will be sending out a KickStarter Survey later today that will ask for:

• An email address you’d like us to use for sending out links to digital content.
• Your Shipping Address (if only getting digital rewards just enter N/A)
• If you’re getting physical mat(s) which designs/sizes are you planning on getting.

The shipping address and physical mat question is just to help us get a feel for what the printing and shipping may look like and assist in planning, so of course you can change this when you confirm everything later in the Pledge Manager.

Stretch Goal Design Survey Results

Thank you all, the survey got a lot of responses (240) and I can now confirm the final three designs unlocked as stretch goals will be:

• Large tavern Common Room
• Wilderness Monster Lair
• Nomadic Steppe Village

Digital Images to be Released in Waves

As not all stretch goal designs are finished yet and there are 98 unique designs in total, which work out as 179 individual titles in DriveThruRPG the quickest way to get them out to you is in waves; with wave 1 covering all initial KickStarter campaign designs and planned to be ready this week.

All Wave 1 titles will be placed in to a single bundle on DriveThruRPG for ease of management; the full list of titles is at the end of this update. These will be links sent via email to all backers whose pledge level included the 20 initial KickStarter designs in digital.

The Pledge Manager

A Pledge Manager is essentially an order and check out manager.

Our Pledge Manager is nearly ready, with a plan to send invites (your personalised secure link to the pledge manager) out to a sample of backers in around a week and assuming everything works as expected then all backers would get their invites shortly after.

In the Pledge Manager, you’ll be able to choose what design/grid/size you want printed as part of your pledge level as appropriate, you’ll also be able to change pledge level if you like to any from Master of the Realms upwards (if you wanted to add the digital files or get 10+ mats this is the best option).

Any additional funds pledged in KickStarter will show as credit in the add-ons section of the Pledge Manager.

At the end of the Pledge Manager shipping will be calculated for your pledge and any add-ons combined.

Once you’ve confirmed your options and paid any costs your Pledge Manager survey is complete. You’ll still be able to go in and make changes up to the date we Lock Down the Pledge Manager (see section below for estimated dates).

We’ll send out a detailed step-by-step update on how the Pledge Manager works nearer the time too.

Physical Mats, Waves and Estimated Dates

As we are currently finalising designs (33 are in-progress, 65 are finished!) we’ll also aim to print and ship physical mats in multiple waves.

This is likely to mean we’ll have a date at the end of July as the first cut-off; so, anyone whose order contains only mats that we have finished and ready to go will be Locked Down (no more changes to the order) and we’ll print and ship those mats.

The second cut-off would be when all designs selected for physical mats are ready (we are working really hard to get this done by the end of August), when we’d lock the remaining orders, print and ship.

Printing is a 2-3 week process and shipping time will vary on where you live.

What Happens Next

• You will receive a survey from Kickstarter asking you to confirm some details, such as the email you’d like to use, your shipping details and products of interest.
• Wave 1 digital files will be available in about 7 days, you will receive an email prompting you to visit DrivethruRPG to download your designs if your pledge level includes the 20 initial KickStarter digital files.
• You will receive an invite linking you to the pledge manager in about 10 days (sooner if you’re in our sample group).
• We will send out weekly updates on how the designs and very soon shipping is going!

List of Wave 1 Digital Titles

These will be the designs and sizes included in Wave 1 (20 unique designs as 48 titles on DriveThruRPG). Note the 48x48 titles are only available in digital format (they are the 48x24 with Extension Version added).

• Flagstone 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Flagstone 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Flagstone 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Flagstone 48”x48” RPG Encounter Map
• Grass 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Grass 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Grass 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Grass 48”x48” RPG Encounter Map
• Autumn Ruins 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Highlands 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Highlands 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Highlands 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Highlands 48”x48” RPG Encounter Map
• Cobblestone 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Cobblestone 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Cobblestone 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Cobblestone 48”x48” RPG Encounter Map
• Deep Desert 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Deep Desert 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Deep Desert 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Deep Desert 48”x48” RPG Encounter Map
• The Oasis 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Standing Stones 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Coral Bay 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Coral Bay 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Coral Bay 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Coral Bay 48”x48” RPG Encounter Map
• Urban Decay 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Urban Decay 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Urban Decay 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Frozen Plaza 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Wasteland 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Wasteland 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Wasteland 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Wasteland 48”x48” RPG Encounter Map
• The Beach 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Lava Waste 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Stone Bridge 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Reactor Core 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Cave I 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Dark Clearing 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Death Road 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Death Road 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Death Road 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Deep Waters 24”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Deep Waters 36”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Deep Waters 48”x24” RPG Encounter Map
• Deep Waters 48”x48” RPG Encounter Map

Final Three Stretch Goal Designs
over 7 years ago – Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 11:00:37 PM

I've taken a quick break from editing designs and working on the Pledge Manager to put together a survey to determine which designs to create as the three unlocked Stretch Goals at the end of the campaign. 

I've taken all of the suggestions I could find in the comments and left a 'suggest new' option on the survey as well.

I'll leave the survey open until the end of next week.

Design Pictures

I've also begun adding some pictures of the designs to a gallery on our Facebook page, find it here.

Cheers

What a Ride!
over 7 years ago – Mon, Jun 26, 2017 at 11:03:41 PM

Fully funded (and then some)!

To say we're overwhelmed at the level of backing we've received for this campaign would be an understatement.

From everyone here at BattleMats (Matt and Tam), thank you all!

What Happens Next

Kickstarter processes backers' details and takes payments for funds pledged, this takes around two weeks

We will send out a Kickstarter survey while waiting for Kickstarter to complete their processing, this will just be to get an idea of what options people are planning on selecting and which country they live in to help us plan.

Once Kickstarter releases the backer information and funds. We put that information in to our Pledge Manager (Backerkit) and send out pledge surveys to all backers.

In the Pledge Manager, you'll be able to select what options you'd like for your chosen Pledge Level and will have the option to add extras.

We'll give more details and a walk-through nearer the time.

Cheers

The Final Countdown
over 7 years ago – Mon, Jun 26, 2017 at 12:39:35 PM

The final six hours are here, and the £10,000 Stretch Goal is down.

The four 'Winter Castle' designs will be included as digital files for all pledge levels that recieve Stretch Goals and be available a options for physical mats.

Further 'Stretch Goals'

The 'Winter is Coming' Stretch Goal was the last planned Stretch, however, as funding continues beyond £10,000 we'll produce an additional design for every £500 beyond £10,000. These designs will be chosen from ideas raised in the comments section (if funding goes that high!).

In no paticular order, here are the suggestions so far:

• Sublevels for the Castle (Autumn and/or Winter)
• Other deck(s) for the S.V. Kodiak
• Asteroid Field
• Large Tavern Common Room
• High Desert City
• Wilderness Monster Lair
• Nomadic Steppe Village
• Plane of Shadow
• Plane of Radiance
• Alien Biosphere

Bundle Pricing

It looks like it’s overly complex to create bundles and keep the option for selecting design and grid type in the Pledge Manager, so this is how the bundles will work instead:  

Add on digital Mats – We’d said that these were 3 for £1 – to make things simpler in the Pledge Manager these will be 1 for £0.33 instead.  

10 Physical Mat bundles – We’d said these would be 10 for the price of 9 – Instead there will be a reduced price (10% off) per add-on mat for backers who selected a ‘Mat Bundle’ pledge level (there will also be an option to change pledge levels in the Pledge Manager too).

Bundle Pledge Level Add-On mat prices will be:

• 24” x 24” - £9
• 36” x 24” - £13.50
• 48” x 24” - £18

Winter is Coming
over 7 years ago – Sun, Jun 25, 2017 at 08:07:34 PM

The end of the Kickstarter is in sight with 18 hours left to go.

And the Stretch Goals keep tumbling down, with Darker City unlocked.

This means the 'Junkyard', 'Underpass' and 'Street Market' designs will be added as digital files to all pledge levels that include Stretch Goals and be made available as options for physical mats.

Winter is Coming

The £10,000 Stretch Goal is for a four part castle design, the 'Winter Castle'

We'll be adding some details to the courtyard and a few more buildings, stairs etc. and maybe even some interiors. 

Final Planned Stretch Goal

The 'Winter is Coming' Stretch Goal is the last planned Stretch, however, if funding continues beyond £10,000 we'll produce an additional design for every £500 beyond £10,000. These designs will be chosen from ideas raised in the comments section (if funding goes that high!).

Cheers