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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Dec 12, 2018 13:16:13 GMT -5
I’m working on pledge levels for Kickstarter, and I could use some feedback.
Here are three estimates. Each one includes an ink pad and a sturdy chipboard box with foam cushioning. Shipping is separate, and will probably add about $4 to $5.
6 stamps & ink pad: $27 9 stamps & ink pad: $33 12 stamps & ink pad: $39
You’ll be able to customize the 6 and 9 stamp sets, choosing which stamps you want.
If you're interested in the stamps, can you afford them at these prices? Which set would you pick? If the prices are too steep, how important is it to have a box for the stamps and ink pad? I can reduce the cost by using more utilitarian packaging, which might knock about $5 off the price.
Thanks!
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Dec 15, 2018 14:56:24 GMT -5
The alphabet is a great idea. I’ve also considered creating a set of rune stamps, which might appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike. One of the things that I love about stamps is their versatility. The possibilities really are endless. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but I sometimes experiment with other designs. I'm headed to Protospiel Madison this coming weekend, and I'm looking forward to brainstorming ideas with board game developers. I’ve already been working on a few designs, including… 1. A deck of world-building cards, designed for use with or without the stamps. 2. A solitaire gamebook designed for use with the stamps, which takes the player on a pre-written hex-crawl. As for the wider scrapbooking world, my sister-in-law is a scrapbooker, and I’ve had some interesting conversations with her about the hobby. We went to a scrap-booking convention last year, which gave me an idea of how other shops design and sell stamps. If all else fails, I can use my newfound stamp-making experience to create a set that depicts cats in yoga poses – that’s where the real money is! Later option could also be different color ink pads, a forest green for trees, sandy color for deserts, ocean blue for ocean, granite gray for mountains, etc.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Dec 15, 2018 15:09:48 GMT -5
I’m working on pledge levels for Kickstarter, and I could use some feedback. Here are three estimates. Each one includes an ink pad and a sturdy chipboard box with foam cushioning. Shipping is separate, and will probably add about $4 to $5. 6 stamps & ink pad: $27 9 stamps & ink pad: $33 12 stamps & ink pad: $39 You’ll be able to customize the 6 and 9 stamp sets, choosing which stamps you want. If you're interested in the stamps, can you afford them at these prices? Which set would you pick? If the prices are too steep, how important is it to have a box for the stamps and ink pad? I can reduce the cost by using more utilitarian packaging, which might knock about $5 off the price. Thanks! I would love the boxes, but as an old guy on a very fixed income I could go with the more utilitarian packaging. So perhaps 1. 6 stamps & ink pad: $22 generic box 2. 6 stamps & ink pad: $27 nice box 3. 9 stamps & ink pad: $28 generic box 4. 9 stamps & ink pad: $33 nice box 5. 12 stamps & ink pad: $34 generic box 6. 12 stamps & ink pad: $39 nice box I would point out that this looks like $2.00 per stamp and $10.00 for the pad & generic box and another $5 for a fancy box. I do not know what the real breakdown is but the math works for that assumption at every level. I would also suggest some pledge levels at the $100 and $200 level as well. Personally 5 would be a big stretch for me, but the option I would like to have. Are you going with six total stamps for the Kickstarter? The more stamps you can offer for the Kickstarter the better. If you had 24 stamps for instance you could up the pledge from a 5 or a 6 to all 24 with either the generic box or the nice box. Or an option to additional stamps at some much per stamp or per 3 stamps or per 6 stamps. Maybe have an option that includes hex paper. Maybe in basic white and maybe in a parchment look with different shades. You might want to include the first three expansions in the Kickstarter if possible for higher pledge levels. Or more expansions if possible, that would cover your higher pledge levels. Settlements: Campfire Village City Harbor Fortifications:
Tower Castle Ruined City Ruined Castle Ruined TowerAdventure Sites:Standing Stones Jumbled formerly Standing StonesDungeon Entrance Cave Entrance Tombs Another idea for higher pledge levels is to cover the expansions when they become available and only pay postage at that time, and set an achievable delivery date. In the Kickstarter highlight what is done and ready to ship and what is just waiting for the funds for manufacture and ship. Maybe a really high pledge could be the original handmade stamps that you made during testing and creation. Along with a notarized certificate of authenticity, instant collectors item that is completely one of a kind.
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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Dec 15, 2018 15:39:04 GMT -5
Later option could also be different color ink pads, a forest green for trees, sandy color for deserts, ocean blue for ocean, granite gray for mountains, etc. I definitely want to offer some colors as an add-on. Something like... 1. Upgrade to three full-size ink pads (black, red, blue) 2. Upgrade to nine miniature ink pads (various colors) I don't know if it will make it into the basic set, but I'm experimenting with a solid hexagonal design, which could be used to add any color as a background. That way, you could still use black for the terrain, but later add green backgrounds for forests, gray for mountains, blue for sea, etc.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Dec 15, 2018 15:45:36 GMT -5
I definitely want to offer some colors as an add-on. Something like... 1. Upgrade to three full-size ink pads (black, red, blue) 2. Upgrade to nine miniature ink pads (various colors) I don't know if it will make it into the basic set, but I'm experimenting with a solid hexagonal design, which could be used to add any color as a background. That way, you could still use black for the terrain, but later add green backgrounds for forests, gray for mountains, blue for sea, etc. A lot of guys like me are color blind, so please make sure the pads are marked with the color of the ink.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Dec 15, 2018 15:48:15 GMT -5
I definitely want to offer some colors as an add-on. Something like... 1. Upgrade to three full-size ink pads (black, red, blue) 2. Upgrade to nine miniature ink pads (various colors) I don't know if it will make it into the basic set, but I'm experimenting with a solid hexagonal design, which could be used to add any color as a background. That way, you could still use black for the terrain, but later add green backgrounds for forests, gray for mountains, blue for sea, etc. A lot of guys like me are color blind, so please make sure the pads are marked with the color of the ink. OH also if you are going with a background color please make sure there is really good contrast between the black and the background. Color blindness renders some combinations invisible due to lack of contrast. Black on dark green or dark brown for example is invisible to me.
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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Dec 15, 2018 16:22:12 GMT -5
Are you going with six total stamps for the Kickstarter? The more stamps you can offer for the Kickstarter the better. If you had 24 stamps for instance you could up the pledge from a 5 or a 6 to all 24 with either the generic box or the nice box. Or an option to additional stamps at some much per stamp or per 3 stamps or per 6 stamps. Maybe have an option that includes hex paper. Maybe in basic white and maybe in a parchment look with different shades. You might want to include the first three expansions in the Kickstarter if possible for higher pledge levels. Or more expansions if possible, that would cover your higher pledge levels. Lots of great suggestions! I plan to offer sets of 6, 9, and 12 stamps for the Kickstarter. All of them use the same box, with pick-and-pluck foam for the cushion. Someone with a starter set can add more stamps later, plucking away some of the foam so the box can hold more stamps. I've also been working on some 1/2" stamps, and I'm thinking about including them as a higher-end pledge. If replace the 1" ruin and 1" village with their smaller counterparts, I can add 8 small stamps in their place. What do you think of these? 1/2" Tree (Deciduous) 1/2" Tree (Conifer) 1/2" Tree (Barren) 1/2" House (replaces 1" village) 1/2" Ruin (replaces 1" ruin) 1/2" Cave Entrance 1/2" Campfire 1/2" Sailing Ship (usable as Harbor)
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Post by Admin Pete on Dec 16, 2018 14:32:41 GMT -5
Are you going with six total stamps for the Kickstarter? The more stamps you can offer for the Kickstarter the better. If you had 24 stamps for instance you could up the pledge from a 5 or a 6 to all 24 with either the generic box or the nice box. Or an option to additional stamps at some much per stamp or per 3 stamps or per 6 stamps. Maybe have an option that includes hex paper. Maybe in basic white and maybe in a parchment look with different shades. You might want to include the first three expansions in the Kickstarter if possible for higher pledge levels. Or more expansions if possible, that would cover your higher pledge levels. Lots of great suggestions! I plan to offer sets of 6, 9, and 12 stamps for the Kickstarter. All of them use the same box, with pick-and-pluck foam for the cushion. Someone with a starter set can add more stamps later, plucking away some of the foam so the box can hold more stamps. I've also been working on some 1/2" stamps, and I'm thinking about including them as a higher-end pledge. If replace the 1" ruin and 1" village with their smaller counterparts, I can add 8 small stamps in their place. What do you think of these? 1/2" Tree (Deciduous) 1/2" Tree (Conifer) 1/2" Tree (Barren) 1/2" House (replaces 1" village) 1/2" Ruin (replaces 1" ruin) 1/2" Cave Entrance 1/2" Campfire 1/2" Sailing Ship (usable as Harbor) I would not eliminate anything from the stamps that you are making. So keep the two 1 inch stamps. Now if you mean as an option substitute the 8 small stamps in place of two large stamps, I think that is a cool idea. People love to customize and anything you can do to accommodate that is a good thing. Are the small stamps that much cheaper to make than the larger ones?
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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Dec 16, 2018 20:15:40 GMT -5
Right, this would be an optional substitution. I don't plan to remove the 1" Ruin or 1" Village from the basic set.
My cost estimates for the 1/2" stamps are still quite rough. The materials are less expensive, but it seems to take longer to assemble smaller stamps. I'll need to make more of them to get a better sense of the cost.
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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Feb 22, 2019 11:23:58 GMT -5
I'm a hermit when it comes to social media, so I've been pretty quiet lately. I really appreciated your support and feedback in 2018, so I want to keep you in the loop on the Kickstarter.
I hope to launch in about two weeks (early March). I had planned to launch in late January or early February, but I'm still working on a few critical pieces, most notably...
I've always been wary of international shipping, so I had planned to limit my first Kickstarter to backers in the USA. I've been reconsidering this decision. I'd love to be able to offer the stamps to backers overseas, but I've read a lot of horror stories about first-time projects being devoured by sea serpents and the like, so I'm trying to chart a safe course.
I've been learning a lot about video editing and lighting, and re-shooting my pitch video as a result. One of these days I may even setup a twitch stream and do some collaborative world-building with viewers, to demonstrate the stamps.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Feb 22, 2019 18:48:32 GMT -5
I'm a hermit when it comes to social media, so I've been pretty quiet lately. I really appreciated your support and feedback in 2018, so I want to keep you in the loop on the Kickstarter. I hope to launch in about two weeks (early March). I had planned to launch in late January or early February, but I'm still working on a few critical pieces, most notably... I've always been wary of international shipping, so I had planned to limit my first Kickstarter to backers in the USA. I've been reconsidering this decision. I'd love to be able to offer the stamps to backers overseas, but I've read a lot of horror stories about first-time projects being devoured by sea serpents and the like, so I'm trying to chart a safe course. I've been learning a lot about video editing and lighting, and re-shooting my pitch video as a result. One of these days I may even setup a twitch stream and do some collaborative world-building with viewers, to demonstrate the stamps. Good to hear from you! Please let me know the moment the Kickstarter goes live and I will promote it everyplace I can (here, blog, Facebook, MeWe and while it is still there Google+).
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Post by El Borak on Mar 2, 2019 0:24:36 GMT -5
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Post by El Borak on Mar 2, 2019 0:27:31 GMT -5
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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Mar 12, 2019 10:41:41 GMT -5
The Kickstarter for Game Stamps is live!This forum has given me a lot of great feedback and encouragement, and I truly appreciate it. Thank you all, especially the Bloody Nine, who created this thread back in August.
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Post by Mighty Darci on Mar 12, 2019 22:12:07 GMT -5
I see that you have already blown by your goal on day one!
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Mar 12, 2019 23:59:15 GMT -5
The Kickstarter for Game Stamps is live!This forum has given me a lot of great feedback and encouragement, and I truly appreciate it. Thank you all, especially the Bloody Nine, who created this thread back in August. Wonderful!!!!! I posted on my blog and shared it on Google+ (hey there are two weeks left) on Facebook and on MeWe! Trailblazer Game Stamps - KickstarterPlease reshare this!!
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Post by El Borak on Mar 18, 2019 1:34:12 GMT -5
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Mar 18, 2019 21:44:04 GMT -5
I see this group was started several months ago, you should have let us know and we could have promoted your group sooner. Up from 9 members to 118 members so far. A few of us have invited a lot of people and hopefully a bunch will join and max out your Kickstarter quickly.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Mar 18, 2019 21:45:49 GMT -5
You are the first Kickstarter I have seen that the most expensive option is going to max out first, that is awesome!
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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Mar 18, 2019 21:57:40 GMT -5
You are the first Kickstarter I have seen that the most expensive option is going to max out first, that is awesome! I did not expect that to happen! I'm planning to adjust the pledge limits to make more of the Cartographer sets available. I'll reduce the number of starter sets accordingly, because almost no one has chosen them. I'm drafting an update at this very moment, because I want to alert everyone in advance.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Mar 18, 2019 21:58:32 GMT -5
It occurs to me that while you do your best to provide the pledged items in the planned time frame, if you let people order addons they (the addons only) could have a later delivery date to allow additional manufacturing time. Additional ink stamps could be done much more quickly, and some people will want all the colors. Do you have any data so far about how many stamps one pad will do? Are you able to sell refill ink for the pads or is it better just to replace the pads? Also do you need additional stamps in order to use a specific stamp with more than one color? I am guessing you would.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Mar 18, 2019 22:00:42 GMT -5
The additional stamps, the anchor, the skull, etc are very cool!
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Mar 18, 2019 22:03:44 GMT -5
Shame several of us do not live close enough to come over and help you with assembly, then you would not have to reduce anything.
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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Mar 18, 2019 22:34:08 GMT -5
I see this group was started several months ago, you should have let us know and we could have promoted your group sooner. Up from 9 members to 118 members so far. A few of us have invited a lot of people and hopefully a bunch will join and max out your Kickstarter quickly. Thanks for promoting the group! I haven't been very active on MeWe, and I didn't want to publicize the group when I wasn't posting to it regularly. This will pull me out of my shell!
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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Mar 21, 2019 22:33:33 GMT -5
It occurs to me that while you do your best to provide the pledged items in the planned time frame, if you let people order addons they (the addons only) could have a later delivery date to allow additional manufacturing time. Additional ink stamps could be done much more quickly, and some people will want all the colors. Do you have any data so far about how many stamps one pad will do? Are you able to sell refill ink for the pads or is it better just to replace the pads? Also do you need additional stamps in order to use a specific stamp with more than one color? I am guessing you would. I'm not using a pledge manager, so I have fewer options when it comes to add-ons. I may just use the old-fashioned solution, and let people add $5 for each extra ink pad. That's a good question about the longevity of ink pads. I have some that are four years old and still work, but I also test a lot of different inks, so I've been rotating some of the pads in and out. I suspect that a full-size ink pad will last at least a year or two, and I can sell refills. Oh, and it's totally fine to use the stamps with different color inks, although it's a good idea to clean them when you switch pads. I'll be talking more about inks in the next week or two, as we move into the second half of the campaign.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Mar 23, 2019 1:07:28 GMT -5
It occurs to me that while you do your best to provide the pledged items in the planned time frame, if you let people order addons they (the addons only) could have a later delivery date to allow additional manufacturing time. Additional ink stamps could be done much more quickly, and some people will want all the colors. Do you have any data so far about how many stamps one pad will do? Are you able to sell refill ink for the pads or is it better just to replace the pads? Also do you need additional stamps in order to use a specific stamp with more than one color? I am guessing you would. I'm not using a pledge manager, so I have fewer options when it comes to add-ons. I may just use the old-fashioned solution, and let people add $5 for each extra ink pad. That's a good question about the longevity of ink pads. I have some that are four years old and still work, but I also test a lot of different inks, so I've been rotating some of the pads in and out. I suspect that a full-size ink pad will last at least a year or two, and I can sell refills. Oh, and it's totally fine to use the stamps with different color inks, although it's a good idea to clean them when you switch pads. I'll be talking more about inks in the next week or two, as we move into the second half of the campaign. What is the best thing to clean the stamps with, that will not damage the stamp?
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Post by Paper Labyrinth on Mar 23, 2019 9:41:07 GMT -5
A lot of papercrafters use baby wipes to clean the rubber. That's what I've been using for the past few years. I used rubbing alcohol at first, but I read that it could damage the rubber over time.
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Post by El Borak on Mar 29, 2019 1:37:30 GMT -5
Good to see how well your Kickstarter is going. Assuming that you deliver on time or close to it, you'll have an easy time raising money if you need to run another one in the future.
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