It’s time to discuss production and final costs!

Current Updates:

1. Rulebook: A better-edited version of the rulebook will soon be ready for external proofreading.
2. Production Files: Files are being assembled for review copies. Unfortunately, this process has been slightly delayed due to illness within the external team.
3. TTS Version: The Tabletop Simulator (TTS) version should be fully updated within the next week or two.
4. Box Cover: The box cover design is a work in progress, with Justin Gerard working diligently on it.

Manufacturer Decision:

I’ve decided to go with Eastar over Panda Games Manufacturing based on several key factors:

• Responsiveness: Eric Fu of Eastar has been very quick and helpful in addressing questions.
• Feedback and Ideas: Eastar provided valuable suggestions for production.
• Cost and Speed: Production with Eastar is both cheaper and faster.
• Digital Samples: Eastar will provide 10 free digital samples upon deposit.

For those unfamiliar, Eastar is a trusted manufacturer of many crowdfunded games, including titles from Awaken Realms like Tainted Grail, ISS Vanguard, and Nemesis.

Costs and Pricing:

Here’s a breakdown of the numbers:

1. Pre-production Costs:
   Developing the game for print will end costing around a total of $70,000.
2. Factory Molds and Setup:
   Molds and file/machine preparation for production will cost approximately $80,000, with a significant portion allocated to the 50 miniature molds.
3. Production Costs:
   At a production run of 2,000 copies, the cost per game will be $38.
4. Total Base Cost:
   Adding the above, the total base cost per game at 2,000 copies comes to $113 per unit. This does not include marketing costs or additional expenses like shipping from the factory to the fulfillment center.

Marketing and Pricing Strategy:

Given these costs, the plan is to launch the game on Gamefound at a price of approximately €160 / $170. The marketing angle will emphasize the value:

“€160 for a 154-miniature game!”

I believe this price point will be competitive compared to other indie game designers.

Final Notes:

I aim to keep the profit margin minimal—just enough to establish myself in the market and fund the next game. However, this plan depends heavily on reaching a high number of backers. Excess inventory sitting in storage isn’t feasible due to the high costs involved.

Additionally, I plan to offer a flat shipping rate for most regions, even if it means absorbing some losses on shipping costs per game.

Yea so…

– On November 17th, we played an amazing 4-player game, and I was brimming with excitement to create a brilliant battle report!

But..

As usual, I got so caught up in the game that I ended up taking lots of pictures but no notes. I really should have written the report within a day or two…

But..

I didn’t – sorry!

I’ll try to do better next time. Until then, here’s just a picture of the game ;)

You’ll notice my home island (I was orange, playing Kazugan) was taken over by Ra Zi. The winner was my wife, playing Alabastus, but it was a really close match in the end. There were tons of epic battles between destroyers and behemoths, and even some wild Leviathan kills.