God Rules: Players Guide (5e)

[Upper_Krust]

Well I wish you all the good fortune in the world on this project. Looking forward to helping you fund it!

Thanks so much, now I just need 499 others.

As regards the physical books themselves, I see a lot of Kickstarters doing a "Special Edition", so I am toying with that idea. I am in a bit of a tricky situation though.

Basically I need to order 500+ physical books to unlock the features of a Special Edition (gilded edge pages etc. ) and to get Fulfillment Shipping (where the Printer posts the books for me). Yet the cost of 500 books is still fairly high per copy. Whereas printing 1000 books has each cost 40% less than if I print 500 - its crazy.

But the dilemma is if I do a Special Edition I am locked into printing minimum 500 books, regardless of how many books (standard edition and special edition) I actually sell. because the extra features of the special edition require a minimum print run of 500.

I suppose the only way to avoid a loss in that way would be to raise the campaign funding goal, so that it covers the base printing cost of 500 books (as well as Kickstarter's 10% cut off the top)...in other words approx. $20,000. That means at least 350 backers (assuming a 50/50 pdf and Hardcover split).

The question I need answered though is whether I can Print 500, have 200 (for example) Fulfilled and the rest kept in the Fulfillment Centre for later purchases. I'll contact the printer today. Surely worst case scenario I can Print 500, have them all sent to a Fulfillment Centre and from there distributed.

 

[Alzrius]

Thanks so much, now I just need 499 others.

498, amigo.

 

[Upper_Krust]

498, amigo.

...and to think I had you penciled down for 2 copies*.

*I appreciate the support my friend. Thank you so much.

A few minor updates (while I am here):

Looks like I cannot have the Kickstarter Pledge totals in US Dollars (because it has to be the same currency as my account). So I have to have them in British Pounds. I am assuming £0.8 = $1 (or a 1.25 exchange rate - as it is today).

E.g. The PDF is £28 (which is hopefully around $35).

Not 100% sure what to do for Stretch Goals at this juncture; I do have a really cool idea for a character sheet that I couldn't fit in the book; though I might need a professional Character Sheet designer to get it to an acceptably high standard - I might be able to do it myself but definitely a full week's work...

So let me know any ideas for Stretch Goals that would interest anyone?

I contemplated extra NPC Immortals (Currently there are NPCs of ranks 1-7* in Appendix B ), as well as extra Epic Races (Currently there are 6 new races in Chapter 1), but I am still not sure I want to go over 400 pages, and I would have to add 4 pages each time (2 NPCs or 4 Races).

*Not necessarily the ones on the Tier list I gave.

 

[Alzrius]

...and to think I had you penciled down for 2 copies*.

*I appreciate the support my friend. Thank you so much.

Of course, just so long as I can get my copy autographed.

A few minor updates (while I am here):

Looks like I cannot have the Kickstarter Pledge totals in US Dollars (because it has to be the same currency as my account). So I have to have them in British Pounds. I am assuming £0.8 = $1 (or a 1.25 exchange rate - as it is today).

E.g. The PDF is £28 (which is hopefully around $35).

I wouldn't worry about the currency issue too much; I've participated in a few Kickstarters where the currency wasn't in USD, and if I recall correctly, Kickstarter automatically changes the totals to the currency listed in your profile (e.g. it will show a particular campaign's goal as being for $12,575.50, with a minor note that explains it's actually for £10,000).

Not 100% sure what to do for Stretch Goals at this juncture; I do have a really cool idea for a character sheet that I couldn't fit in the book; though I might need a professional Character Sheet designer to get it to an acceptably high standard - I might be able to do it myself but definitely a full week's work...

So let me know any ideas for Stretch Goals that would interest anyone?

I contemplated extra NPC Immortals (Currently there are NPCs of ranks 1-7* in Appendix B ), as well as extra Epic Races (Currently there are 6 new races in Chapter 1), but I am still not sure I want to go over 400 pages, and I would have to add 4 pages each time (2 NPCs or 4 Races).

*Not necessarily the ones on the Tier list I gave.

Just throwing this idea out there: it's not absolutely necessary to have stretch goals. They help, certainly, but I see plenty of Kickstarters that don't have them (albeit usually from groups with a history of fulfilling successful campaigns, since that gives potential backers more confidence).

 

[Upper_Krust]

Of course, just so long as I can get my copy autographed.

Let me see what I can do.

I wouldn't worry about the currency issue too much; I've participated in a few Kickstarters where the currency wasn't in USD, and if I recall correctly, Kickstarter automatically changes the totals to the currency listed in your profile (e.g. it will show a particular campaign's goal as being for $12,575.50, with a minor note that explains it's actually for £10,000).

I am just thinking in terms of any price fluctuations (whether for or against me), but I envision those will be minimal.

Just throwing this idea out there: it's not absolutely necessary to have stretch goals. They help, certainly, but I see plenty of Kickstarters that don't have them (albeit usually from groups with a history of fulfilling successful campaigns, since that gives potential backers more confidence).

That's true, I'll just be happy to reach the target and get over the line on this first one.

That said, the Character Sheet idea might be decent because (due to the design - which I'll keep secret for now) it cannot exist within the book itself, it has to be individually printed sheets.

I did have a character sheet in the book a few months ago. But it was just 'okay' not great, so it got cut in the recent cull.

Then I had this new idea for the design and to have six divine rank 1 Hero-deities contained within some filled in sheets for those seeking immediate play. So you would get some filled in sheets and some blank sheets.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Of course, just so long as I can get my copy autographed.

I wouldn't worry about the currency issue too much; I've participated in a few Kickstarters where the currency wasn't in USD, and if I recall correctly, Kickstarter automatically changes the totals to the currency listed in your profile (e.g. it will show a particular campaign's goal as being for $12,575.50, with a minor note that explains it's actually for £10,000).

Just throwing this idea out there: it's not absolutely necessary to have stretch goals. They help, certainly, but I see plenty of Kickstarters that don't have them (albeit usually from groups with a history of fulfilling successful campaigns, since that gives potential backers more confidence).

Not having stretch goals (particularly those that require modifying the core product backers are getting) also helps getting at least the pdf version of the book out as soon as possible after the Kickstarter ends, which is IMO a good thing that I often look for in determining what Kickstarter to back.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Not having stretch goals (particularly those that require modifying the core product backers are getting) also helps getting at least the pdf version of the book out as soon as possible after the Kickstarter ends, which is IMO a good thing that I often look for in determining what Kickstarter to back.

Yes I guess that is another good idea for not adding content to the book as a Stretch Goal.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yes I guess that is another good idea for not adding content to the book as a Stretch Goal.

I back almost all the Level Up Kickstarters, and the fact that they provide a preliminary version of the pdf right after the campaign ends is a big selling point.

That being said, not doing so isn't a deal breaker.

 

[Upper_Krust]

I back almost all the Level Up Kickstarters, and the fact that they provide a preliminary version of the pdf right after the campaign ends is a big selling point.

That being said, not doing so isn't a deal breaker.

My plan is certainly to send out the PDF as soon as the campaign ends.

Obviously I don't get paid by Kickstarter until approx. 12 days after ( IIRC ). Presumably the Print company will need a couple of weeks. So I would say that the physical books are probably looking at a 5-6 weeks turnaround.

As for the miniatures themselves probably 7-8 weeks or so, since I'll have to get them shipped to me first.

Several of the Kickstarters I have backed have a turnaround of a year or 18 months - presumably they are still in the process of writing their book.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all, Happy New Year!

...hopefully I release a book this year.

So anyway, was working on a few mock-ups for the Kickstarter. Firstly I tweaked the GOD RULES logo on the front cover and added a '+' to the 5E compatibility logo.

Secondly, I also mocked up two Special Edition covers. One using the illustrated version of the GOD RULES logo, the other using a 3D model of the logo. Which do you think would work best? Originally my plan was to have a simplified version of my logo done in gold foil on a white leather effect cover. However, Print Ninja do not offer a white leather effect option (several colours, but no white unfortunately). So I might have to go with embossing or some spot gloss on a white cover. I slightly prefer the 3D model on the blank cover even though the illustrated version looks much better as part of the book title. But curious to hear other opinions. The Special Edition cover could come with a French Fold wraparound cover of the above 'Standard' cover.