Tact-Tiles Are Back - Kickstarter Now Live!

[Olaf the Stout]

Just came across this info. After being out of print for a number of years, it looks like Tact-Tiles are making a long-awaited (by me at least!) comeback. This is from the Void Star Studios website - http://www.voidstarstudios.com/home/2014/1/27/the-big-announcements

Void Star Studios, Inc. has acquired the rights, processes, vendors and original mold for Tact-Tiles! And the original creators of the Tact-Tiles are working with us as advisors.

These aren't some cheap knock-offs. These are the real deal, tweaked to improve the manufacturing process to insure we can bring them to you at an affordable price.

Our intent is to make this new run of Tact-Tiles 100% compatible with the original Tact-Tiles from BC Products, and to insure these are of even better quality.

Tact-Tiles are highly portable, rigid, thick plastic, dry-erase, gaming tiles. No more erasing the mat and starting over when the PCs run off the edge! And no more fussing with a rolled up mat!

I remember several years ago someone else had acquired the rights to Tact-Tiles from BC Products (the original creators), but unfortunately nothing came of it. However from this bit of info, it seems like things are a fair way progressed.

On the Tact-Tiles front; we're expecting material and ink samples for the Tact-Tiles within the next few weeks. We're still working through a few kinks, and we'll keep you posted as we progress.

Look for the Kickstarter for both the Savage Worlds edition of Nova Praxis, and Tact-Tiles, very soon!

So fingers crossed this makes it to market this time. I just missed out on the original Tact-Tiles through BC Products (thought about buying a set, held off at the last minute and they went out of print a couple of months later) and have been kicking myself ever since, so I look forward to seeing the Kickstarter.

I posted a thread on this on RPG.net, but I know several people here were also interested when threads have come up in the past. I know that Mike McConnell, who works for Void Star Studios is on RPG.net. I'm not sure if he's on EN World, but I've sent him a message to let him know about this thread. So hopefully he comes along to answer any questions people have (I've got a few myself).

EDIT: This Tact-Tiles Kickstarter is now live. You can back the Tact-Tiles project and find out more information here - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/804836187/tact-tiles-modular-wet-and-dry-erase-gaming-surfac

 

[Henry]

The exciting part is not that theyr're coming back; the exciting part will be if they manage to successfully have more than one run of these things, EVER. Both BC and longtooth studios ahad the same problem - one run, and next thing you know, they can't fill their supply chain ever again... Meaning you buy all you'll ever need, at one time, RIGHT NOW, and never again.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Well I'll be getting in now, just in case that does happen. Given how much they sell for on eBay, there's obviously a demand for them. I just don't know how it's taken so long for someone to get them back into production.

That also explains why Longtooth Studios disappeared. I never bought their tiles, as I'd kept holding out for the return of Tact-Tiles, but I did wonder what happened to them.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

These look great, but I'd love for someone to make something compatible (and comparable in quality) to WotC's quietly killed Dungeon Tiles.

 

[Mechalus]

So hopefully he comes along to answer any questions people have (I've got a few myself).

Ask away!

Mike McConnell
voidstarstudios.com
Owner and Lead Developer

 

[darjr]

Ask away!

Mike McConnell
voidstarstudios.com
Owner and Lead Developer

What are you folks doing to ensure that you can make Tact-Tiles going forward after the kickstarter? Or is that even part of the plan?

Would you ever do Tact-Tiles with preprinted terrain on them?

 

[Mechalus]

What are you folks doing to ensure that you can make Tact-Tiles going forward after the kickstarter? Or is that even part of the plan?

It is. I'm hoping the Kickstarter gives us a good enough metric to be able to judge how many we're going to need to keep them in stock for a bit.
And once those run out, maybe we'll Kickstart round two. That's the beauty of Kickstarter. With proper planning, a little outfit like ours can generate and put to use way more capital than would have otherwise been possible. Had it been around when BC-Products had Tact-Tiles, they may well be producing them today.

Would you ever do Tact-Tiles with preprinted terrain on them?

We've talked about it. I've toyed with the idea of doing geomorphs. But does it make sense for the price?
Keeping in mind that the original Tact-Tiles sold for $70 for 12*; would you be willing to pay that for a set of geomorphic tiles (assuming the art is high quality)?

* We're going to do our best to come in at, or below, that price. The cost of production and materials have gone up over the years, but I think we have a better approach that will counter that inflation a bit.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Here's some questions I asked on the RPG.net thread and Mike's answers:

Mike, hopefully you see this thread as I have some questions about the upcoming Tact-Tiles Kickstarter.

1. Will you be shipping to Australia?

2. Will you be making opaque and clear versions, or just opaque (which is what the original Tact-Tiles were)?

3. Will you be doing hex versions, or just square?

1. Yes, though I'll warn you that shipping costs will be high. International shipping rates have gone through the roof lately, and it's really been biting a lot of Kickstarters. We tried to cut shipping rates as much as possible with the Nova Praxis Kickstarter, and I think we actually lost money on some pledges.

2. Just opaque for now. I want to do clear, but I've had to put it on the backburner for the moment.

3. Square. We've talked about hex, but it would require a new tool.

 

[Mechalus]

FYI, I posted a status update on Void Star's website.
voidstarstudios.com

 

[darjr]

http://www.voidstarstudios.com/home/2014/1/31/the-saga-continues

So, Tact-Tiles and I have a past. I met the boys of BC-Products (the original creators) on ENWorld several years ago when the Tact-Tiles originally came out. I noticed they were in the same city as me (Huntsville, AL) and, in need of a gaming group, sent one of them a private message. I got a response and we agreed to meet for lunch one day to sort of interview each other. Both of us have had some problem players in the past and wanted to avoid that sort of situation again.
So we met, hit it off, and have been good friends ever since. In fact, I'm still in a weekly game with them.
Fast forward a few years. Tact-Tiles go out of production due to issues with the manufacturing process and one of the vendors. A few other companies try their hand at it, and fail. I get involved with BC-Products try again. We fail again.
Tact-Tiles effectively disappear.
Fast forward a few more years. I start Void Star Studios with Strands of Fate. By indie standards, it's a huge success. For one guy working with his friends from the internet, it's a massive hit. It goes Platinum on DrivethruRPG.
Strands of Power comes the next year. For a supplement, it also does very well.
And then this Kickstarter thing happens and I see the opportunity to get the capital to do Nova Praxis the way I wanted to do it. It goes on to generate almost $30,000 in pledges. Again, by indie standards, that's a huge hit. It goes Platinum on DrivethruRPG three times faster than Strands of Fate, and will soon see a Savage Worldsversion.
So... emboldened by past success, I acquire the rights to Tact-Tiles for Void Star. We start plotting, scheming, designing and schmoozing vendors. Progress, it seems, it finally being made.
And here we are. I won't lie, we're still facing some challenges.
For example... We got our sample in for the ink that gets applied to make the grid. I'm not real thrilled with it. Take a sharp metal object (like the base of a metal mini), and you can scrape it off. i expect that to some degree, but I'm not happy with how easy it was. So I'll be getting back in touch with my ink guy Monday.
I also got an updated quote to run some samples from the mold, and the price per tile has gone up considerably (like +40%). So we've got to tackle that Monday as well. And I've also got to buy a new sprue for the mold, which clocks in at around $800.
Nasty surprises to be sure, but certainly not show stoppers. Tact-Tiles have become my own personal Moby Dick over the last few years, but by God I'm going to slay this beast.
Stay tuned for more updates as we battle this beast.