I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 24

 

I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 24

Printer samples from Gameland showed up today and I couldn't be more pleased! Apart from a few typos (thanks for proof reading Brenda Lee Rogers!) everything is as it should be. 

Corrected files have been submitted. Once they are good with that, I will give the go-ahead to the printer and hopefully things will move into full-production!

It's hard to believe that I only started this project six months ago! The game should be ready to go probably by the beginning of the year. 

   

Thanks for your patience and support!

I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 23

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 23

 

 

"Production delays" is not a phrase that backers like to hear, but unfortunately, it is a reality to most projects.

Small set backs have beset the project, resulting in longer production time. The good news is that they are easily resolved, but communication time between the US and China is the biggest hurdle.

 

 

To their credit, my Chinese manufacturing partners at Gameland are doing a great job of communicating as frequently and as clearly as possible. They have shared images and videos of issues clearly so I can resolve them quickly. And they have been very generous in making production changes that would normally cost extra money.

 

 

But even fixing minor tweaks, like color or printing issues can take a week rather than days. It's just the reality of doing business overseas.

 

Unfortunately, the game will not get to backers by November as first estimated. I'm hoping for December or at the worst, January. Apologies for that.

 

 

But we're close.

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 22

 I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 22

 

 

There are two types of graphics used to draw on computers: Vector - which creates points in space and has the computer draws lines to them - as seen in the game "Battlezone" and Raster - which requires the user to draw using pixels to create images - as seen in the classic arcade game "Donkey Kong". 

When I started my career in video games I learned how to use raster-based drawing tools like Adobe Photoshop, which you use to create and alter pictures using pixels. The alternative tool was Adobe Illustrator - a vector based tool that I found to be very un-intuitive and fiddly to use. I've been a "photoshop guy" for forty years and I was pretty happy with that choice... until this week. 

 

 

You see, in order to create custom meeples, you need to create SVG files. SVG stands for "Scaleable Vector Graphics" and to create vector graphics you need to use Illustrator. 

 

These meeple images might appear very simple to you, but they took me hours of trial and error to create. I'm still not sure that I like them, but I've got to get moving on this game and I can't let a little thing like my own ignorance stop me. 

 

The other big task this week was getting all the assets ready for the printer. This means taking all of the images and putting them in a LONG PDF file. I don't know what the printer will do with them. Perhaps they can send me photos. 

 

I'm really out of my comfort zone with both of these processes, but that's why I'm doing this, to learn how everything it takes to make board games.

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 21

 I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 21

Whew! I've finished all of the production files. It took twice as long because I didn't prepare the files properly for the printer when I created them (CMYK, 300 dpi, TIFF - for future reference) so I had to rebuild most of my cards.

 

The other big task, writing the rule book, is also complete. Here's where you can help. Please read over these pages for typos, bad grammar, unclear illustrations or directions.

I appreciate your help in advance!

 

UPDATED with revisions! Thanks so far!

ANOTHER UPDATE: Thanks for all of the help so far! Lots of good changes made.

I also got rid of that "steeple" terminology. As my pal Andy Ashcraft says "Why make up a word when there's a perfectly good one for it already?"

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 20

 

I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 20

They say that if anything is gonna “get ya” during a game project, it’s shipping.

But this time, it isn’t a miscalculation on my part, but a change in policy by our lovely current authoritarian regime.

I just received news about the government’s removal of the De Minimis exemption on USPS mailing. You can read a detailed summary elsewhere online.

I had originally planned on using USPS to ship I DO MY OWN STUNTS but unfortunately it’s no longer an option.

It’s a shame because I’ve always found USPS to be a reliable and safe way to mail packages whether in the USA or abroad. It’s so stupid that the current regime is attacking its own services.

I will be looking into DHL and FedEx and PirateShip as alternative options, although I don’t know how it will affect the shipping price of the game.

I will keep you posted to what that means for the game. Meanwhile, I have lots of boxes to return…

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 19

 I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 19

Warning, this game has bedbugs!

No, not real vermin!  Because I DO MY OWN STUNTS features superhero movies as one of the Scene card genres, I figured who better to star in his own "movie" but my OC superhero Bedbug!

Bedbug the single father superhero, has been around since 2001 where he first appeared in Shooting Star Comics Anthology #1 and since then Bedbug has appeared in comic books...

video games...

 textbooks...

 ...and other board games!

If you want to learn more about Bedbug, check out his webpage here!

In I DO MY OWN STUNTS, Bedbug stars in his very own "movie", complete with action-packed stunts. It's been a lot of fun trying to figure out what the "memorable stunts" from this fictitious movie might be.

In the "movie" Bedbug squares off against his "classic" villains including the Grave Robber (a fan favorite) - will Bedbug overcome his vile adversaries and survive the spectacular stunts?  You'll have to play I DO MY OWN STUNTS to find out!

Want to see more games that feature Bedbug? Let me know in the comments!

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 18

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 18

Let's make some Scene cards!

Stunt cards are a very important component in I DO MY OWN STUNTS. Filling the Scene cards with meeple stunt performers is how you earn points. The first step is to create the "frame" for each card. I wanted the scene cards to look like individual frames from a fictional movie.

These physical prototype cards need to be scanned and recreated in digital form. The final cards will ultimately need to be digital files so they can be manufactured by the printer. The film frames are purple because I found it make for a better looking border than traditional black frames.

Once the frames are digitally created, I need to determine what information is on a Scene card. These include the Scene's genre, its Star value and if any Skills are applicable to it. Also, the stunt meeple color and pose requirements are designed. This requires the most balancing as certain poses are rarer (harder to achieve) than others. Knowing this is an important part of the design.

Once the frames have been laid out, they need to have scenes created for them. Each genre of film has its own movie (s) that inspires the images. For the Sci-Fi scenes, I turned to the character designs from one of my other creations: Rayguns and Rocketships.

I have to take these drawings and recreate them in digital form. I didn't like how messy looking the scans turned out, so I'm going to have to redraw them.

I redraw all of the cards digitally using a Wacom tablet. I prefer drawing directly on the pad so I have more control over what I'm drawing.

I will eventually be drawing 36 original drawings for each of the cards and it will take me about two to three weeks to format, draw and color all of them. I hope you find the final result worth the effort!

Once these have all been completed, I will convert them into a digital format (usually .PNG) that the printer will use to create the final cards. Oh, I mustn't forget to create the card backs as well!

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 17

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 17

Most of the money for the game has been collected (thanks!) and I've been conducting play tests of the game. During those tests, we realized that a) everyone found the "snake draft" too confusing to keep track of and b) a first player token is needed to help keep track of who goes first. One of the testers suggest a clapper board as a first player token, which I think is a great idea.

 

Of course, adding new components means that I have to update the component list for the printer. I don't anticipate it changing the overall cost by much. I'm also reducing one of the components (landing mats for a "difficult" mode) in numbers because I don't think players will use them too often and I'm not sure how much they add to the game.

 

The biggest task for production at the moment is creating artwork for the Scene cards. After a few experiments (see update 15), I have gone with my "Scott Rogers style" for the Scene cards. You might remember my artwork from the prototype cards.

And here's what the Scene cards look like when I actually takes some time and color them in Photoshop. 

I might may a few more adjustments to some coloring or add a few more details, but this is pretty close to the final look. 

Oh, and if you are an illustrator offering to redraw these, I appreciate it, but for some reason people seem to like my art. What can I say?