What's Been Happening in the Deep
almost 2 years ago – Sun, Mar 26, 2023 at 10:06:50 PM

Hey, guys! I hope you all have had a great March. We've continued making progress on Deep Madness, so let's get into what's happened.  First, a pledge manager update!

Pledge Manager

We are currently at 57% of backers who have finalized your pledge. Just as a reminder, we will likely close the pledge manager in April or May, so time is getting a bit shorter to be able to finalize your order before we button everything up. 

We are currently at $747,473 in the pledge manager. Just as a reminder, Enlightened Regan will unlock when we reach $800,000. 

Progress

1. Reprinted Materials

1) We've run into a bump in the road with the the reprinted miniatures' manufacturing process. The factory has informed us that several moulds need to be adjusted and revised. We'll keep you updated (with pictures when available) as we learn more about this.

2) While the graphical and layout revisions for the printed materials have finished, we are still working on the proofreading for everything. We'll let you know when this finishes. 

2. Madness Reborn

1) Miniatures: As reported last month, the factory has begun the tooling process for the new miniatures. In fact, the miniature masters have now been finished. They're currently working on the steel moulds. We'll update pictures as soon as we get them.

2) Game Testing: We have finished the game testing. We'll soon move on to writing/editing the scenarios rules and background stories.

Okay, that's it for this update! We appreciate you. Have a great month, and we'll talk with you again soon!

February Progress Update
almost 2 years ago – Mon, Feb 27, 2023 at 07:53:02 PM

Hey guys! I hope you've had a great February. Let's get into the update!

Pledge Manager

Currently, the pledge manager has reached $725,022. This means we are getting ever closer to unlocking Regan at $800k! Sure, there's still a way to go, but I still think we can do it. 

Speaking of which, 55% of you guys have completed your orders as of today. If you're one of those, thanks so much! And if you're not, there's no time like the present. ;) If you've lost your survey or need to regain access to it, go to https://deep-madness-reborn.backerkit.com/, and Backerkit will get you back in. If you have any questions, contact us at [email protected] or [email protected].

Progress

Our progress has been hampered a bit by several factors, including more illness in the team, the Chinese New Year, and the Beijing team moving into a new office. However, that doesn't mean nothing has happened. So let's get into it!

1. Reprinted Materials

1) The manufacturing process for the reprinted products' miniatures has already begun at the factory.

2) We've finished the graphical and layout revisions for the printed materials. We are still working on proofreading everything, but we're progressing there.

2. Madness Reborn

1) Miniatures: The factory has begun the tooling process for the new miniatures.

2) Game Testing: We have completed the general tests for all the scenarios and are doing more extreme tests for some unique and rare instances. The new abilities for epic monsters still need more tests but are also progressing.

Okay, I think that's it for this update! It's not a really big or flashy one, but I suppose that's just how it is sometimes. We are expecting to get some cool pictures from the factory before too long (including some of the master miniatures used for the molds and photos of the tooling process), which we'll post as soon as we get them. I hope you have a fantastic March, and we'll talk with you again soon!

Some Questions Answered and Some Progress Info (Regan Video!)
almost 2 years ago – Tue, Jan 24, 2023 at 02:38:51 PM

Hey guys! I hope you had a great holiday season and that January has been kind to you thus far. I have some answers to your questions and some new information for you guys. So let's get into it!

Pledge Manager Questions

1. Will you guys pay VAT?

I know this has been a hot topic question since before the campaign ended, and I apologize for the consternation it has caused people. However, before we 100% promised to pay for VAT, we wanted to ensure we could fulfill that promise. Well, we've looked into it as much as we can. And, while we don't know what the future holds, we are now ready to say, Yes. We will cover VAT for our backers, just as we always hoped to do. I hope this helps ease some people's minds about this project.

2. I purchased an add-on during the campaign but don't want it now. However, I can't get rid of it in Backerkit. What do I do?

Unfortunately, this isn't as easy as it should be, because they are all automatically locked for editing. (And, honestly, if we'd realized that would be the case, we probably wouldn't have used KS add-ons.) However, there is still a way to get rid of an add-on purchased on KS: email me at [email protected] and let me know what you want to remove, and I'll take care of it for you. I wish there were another way to do this, but at least there's a way.

3. I don't want to get anything, but I want to finalize my pledge without paying for shipping. What do I do?

As mentioned in the last update, change your pledge level to $1 - No Reward. Then you'll be able to finalize your pledge without any extra. (See our last update for more info on doing this.)

4. Oh, crud! The pledge manager is about to close! I thought you said it would be open until April!

So, this is actually a total misunderstanding that depends on where you live in the world. Backerkit is an American company, and, as such, they set the close date for the pledge manager to something like 5/1/2022. This caused some alarm among non-American backers because they saw this as the PM closing in January - a problem that seemed to grow worse when Backerkit sent out reminder emails. However, I can safely say that we are still closing in April or May, so don't worry. Nothing has changed, and you still have time. 

5. What is the best way to reach you?

Honestly, the best way to reach me is to email [email protected]. I'm currently in charge of most of our inboxes, and the one I check the most is that one. Kickstarter messages are not the best way. 

 Pledge Manager Progress

Currently, 49% of you guys have completed your pledges on Backerkit. If you're one of them, thanks a lot! We appreciate you guys! (I mean, we appreciate you all, but you get what I mean.) If you haven't, there's no time like the present! 

If you have lost or haven't received your survey, go to https://deep-madness-reborn.backerkit.com/, where you can get your personal link. You can also access it from inside your Backerkit account if you have one. Should you have any questions about how to navigate the survey, be sure to check out our last update. And, as always, if you have questions, feel free to email us at [email protected] or [email protected].

We are currently at nearly $673,000 total, as you can see in this picture:

Just as a reminder, we will unlock Regan when we reach $800,000. We're getting closer, but we still have work to do before getting there. Speaking of which, here's a glimpse at Regan!

Regan Turntable

Here's a turntable of a rough version of Regan's sculpt. This is still a work in progress, but it will give you a good idea of what to expect from it. 

Game Progress

The progress on Deep Madness took a hit this last month from the holidays and the fact that the whole team in Beijing contracted Covid. The sickness kept hanging on, too, so it took them quite a while to get fully back into the flow of things. Having said that, there still has been progression which we'll cover below.

Reprint Materials

The factory has prepared all the reprinted materials. Therefore, we will start the production process of the miniatures pretty quickly after the Chinese New Year. Meanwhile, the process for the printed materials will begin after we've finished proofreading and have determined the order's quantity.

The proofreading work is massive since there are so many things to go through. It will still take some time for us to finish that.

Madness Reborn

1) Miniatures: The factory has finished all the prep work for the minis, including the optimization, modification, and splitting process. After the CNY holiday, the factory will start making the figures' steel molds.

2) Game Testing: We have completed the general tests for all the scenarios. We are still working on more extreme tests for some unique and rare instances. The new epic monsters' and investigators' abilities still need more tests.

Okay, I think that's it for this update. Thanks so much for being with us, guys! I hope 2023 has been off to a great start for you. Have a great week, and we'll talk with you again soon!

Pledge Manager Incoming!
about 2 years ago – Thu, Dec 22, 2022 at 03:27:17 AM

Hey guys! As I mentioned in the last update, we actually had this update ready to go for you before Thanksgiving. However, finalizing the pledge manager took significantly longer than we anticipated, so we're just getting it out to you now. Our apologies for the delays, both in getting the pledge manager open for you and in sending you this info.

Having said that, the pledge manager is now done and ready to rock! We're sending out the smoke test to a small portion of backers to ensure everything works properly, and then we'll open the floodgates for all of you. Once your survey is ready, our pledge manager partner, Backerkit, will send you an email with a link. If you haven't gotten it within the next few days, don't panic. I could still be a little while before they all go out. (More on all of this below.)

Contrary to what I previously stated, we decided to go with Backerkit rather than Gamefound. This was for a couple of fairly simple reasons: returning backers would be used to the process, and it was easy to import information from previous campaigns since we've always used Backerkit for Deep Madness. So, while it certainly costs more, we're hoping it leads to a smoother process overall.

In this update, I will go over as much about the pledge manager and shipping prices as I can. No doubt I'll miss something, but let us know your questions, and we'll try to cover anything we leave out in the next update. 

Pledge Manager Window

Happy Holidays! Here's a pledge manager! LOL!

Not quite the present you were looking for? No worries. We wanted to get this open for those who wanted to finalize it right away - and also so people didn't forget about the project. But for those who needed this like an icicle up the... never mind... we will be leaving the PM open for as long as possible. As of now, our current projections are to keep it open until April or May. Of course, that could change, but you will have plenty of time to finish things up before we close it, and we'll also give lots of warnings before we do.

This, however, does lead me to my next point.

Two Payment Methods, Two Processing Windows

We will accept two forms of payment in the PM: credit cards directly through Backerkit and PayPal. Now, there is a starker difference between these two payment options than there may at first appear. If you pay with PayPal, your payment will be processed immediately. However, if you pay with a credit card, your card won't be charged until we lock the pledges - which will likely happen around April or May. That's just how Backerkit operates, and I don't know that there are many ways around it.  

On the one hand, it may seem great to kick the charge down the road to the spring. However, the flip side is that when we do lock the PM down, that charge showing up may give you a nasty surprise. (Particularly if you haven't been following updates.) So, please, keep that in mind as you decide on your form of payment. (Of course, you can also use credit cards through PayPal.)

Another way to handle paying for the game is using PayPal to "make payments." What I mean by that is you could place an initial order, pay for it with PayPal, come back a month or two later, add some more, pay for it, and so on, until you have everything you want. You could even pay for the final balance with the Backerkit credit card platform if you wanted, which would charge you when we lock the PM. (This is a trick I personally have used multiple times. LOL!)

Shipping Prices

Shipping prices are virtually identical to the ones we listed in the campaign, so there shouldn't be any nasty surprises awaiting you. However, there are a few items we didn't have shipping quotes for before, and I know many of you were interested in those. So, here's a look at the prices to ship the big storage boxes.

For Profundum, the cost will be $14 to the EU and UK, $16 to the US, and $20 to the rest of Europe, Canada, and Australia. The price goes up or down a bit depending on your region, but for the most part (with the notable exceptions of the Rest of Asia, South Africa, South America, and Other regions, which range from $42-75), the price is right around there. (And if you are in one of those notable regions, you have my sincere sympathies regarding shipping prices.)

For Monstrum, the cost will be $20 to the EU and UK, $22 to the US, and $30 to the rest of Europe, Canada, and Australia. Once again, the price fluctuates a bit between the other regions but stays pretty closely in that window - apart from the outliers mentioned above, which range from $60-100(!).

Hopefully, that helps you make an educated decision on whether to add these boxes to your pledge or not.

Lastly, if you backed at the $1 Spreading the Madness pledge level, you will notice a base shipping fee automatically applied to your order. This is the minimum amount we're able to offer to pack your order, load it on a boat, process it through your local hub, and then send it via local courier to your door - even if you only end up getting one card. If you don't want to purchase anything, please change your pledge level to "No Reward." (See below for info on changing your pledge level.) This level has no shipping fee attached to it. 

Accessing and Using the Pledge Manager

You will soon receive an email to your Kickstarter email from Backerkit directing you to your survey. Check your spam folder if you don't see the email in the next few days. However, if you still can't find your email, go to https://deep-madness-reborn.backerkit.com/ and look up your survey from there. Additionally, if you have a Backerkit account, you can go to https://www.backerkit.com/backer_accounts/sign_in and sign into your account. From there, you'll see your pledge listed in your Active Projects as soon as you log in. (My email stopped accepting emails from Backerkit years ago for some reason, so this is what I always have to do personally.)

Once you're in your survey, you'll see this screen: 

Select your country and state or region (if it isn't correct already.) This will set your shipping prices for the next steps. You can also switch your pledge level on this screen if you want. To do this, click on the "Switch your Pledge Level" link below "Get Started!" and select the pledge level you'd prefer, then click "Switch."

Next, we have a few "questions" for you to answer. These are more like a few pieces of information we think you should see than questions, but this seemed the best place to house them. The number you see will depend on your pledge level.

After this, you'll finally get to look at your add-ons! Along the right-hand side, you'll see your pledge details, including what's included in your pledge, any add-ons you currently have in your cart, the total for shipping, and the total you owe/credit you have remaining.

Once you're happy with your order (at least for now: You can always add more later,) click the "NEXT" button. You'll then be taken to the Shipping page, where you'll input your shipping details. Once you're done doing that, click "NEXT" again.

At last, you arrive on the final screen! This confirmation page shows your pledge and balance information on the left, your shipping info, and your add-ons. (You can also edit your address or add-ons from here if something is off.) If everything looks good there, you can either enter your credit card information or pay with PayPal. (Once again, if you choose to pay with a card, it will be charged when we lock the pledge manager, whereas PayPal will be charged immediately.) Once you've entered your payment information, click "Place My Order." And that's it! You're done!

Now, as I mentioned above, you'll have plenty of time to come back here and change things later on if you so choose. Your survey will remain accessible and changeable until we lock the pledge manager. After that, you'll still be able to get in here to edit your address until we have to lock them right before we begin shipping.

Our Next Stretch Goal: Enlightened Regan Waite!

At the end of the campaign, we promised to work toward one more stretch goal: Enlightened Regan Waite! Once we unlock her, she will be our second epic investigator and join Dr. William West in the Madness Reborn expansion. Here is her concept art:

We realize $800,000 might seem like a lofty goal considering where the campaign ended. However, we're confident we'll make it for several reasons. First, as we mentioned above, the pledge manager will be open for quite a while. Second, we often more than double the amount raised during the campaign in the PM, and we intend to keep pushing the preorder store - which will also count toward the total. So, while it is undoubtedly a steep hill to climb, it's something for us to push for - and something I think we can do.

Everyone will also be able to track how close we are to unlocking Regan. At the top of the late pledge/preorder store, you'll see "Total Funds Raised." This will show how close we're getting to unlocking Regan. You can access the preorder store at https://deep-madness-reborn.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders.

Now, onto Regan herself. As you can see, in this figure, she has drawn from the sphere's power and begun to merge with Dagon, the entity she "interacted with" along with her adopted mother, Meredith Waite, the writer Ward Phillips, and several other unfortunates during the Rise of Dagon expansion. As such, she is no longer strictly human - most likely even less than Dr. West before her. So, let's find out what she's been up to since last we saw her.

Regan's World

Realities and nightmares collide, fuse, and become one within me. Others' lives become my own. I am more than just myself now: I am legion. I am Dagon. Perhaps more than those, though, I am enlightened - just as Mother always wanted. Was it all she hoped for? Does she regret it now? Can she even think or feel anymore?

My past opens before me like a black rose. I see where I was forged in the conscious darkness of the otherworld - the place beyond the sphere. I further realize I have come full circle in this cold station below the waves,  and what comes next will be simultaneously entirely different and ironically familiar. 

I will reintroduce myself to the Golden Dawn, the Leng Corporation, and the world above. I am what they have sought for so many decades, after all. I am the answer to their prayers. I will revel in showing them what they have wrought. 

They will try to control me - to contain me. But if they cannot harness a force of nature, how can they hope to do so with something from beyond nature? I will laugh at them as they try. I will mock their pitiful efforts and meaningless plots to scorn. And then I will raze their pathetic little empire to the ground.

--

Okay, I think that's it for this update! (It's long enough as it is, in any case. LOL!) If you have a problem, you can reach out to us at [email protected], or to me specifically at [email protected]. Just be aware that I'm currently working through a sizable backlog of emails, so please be patient as I get to your request. Also, if you have a question, leave it in a comment, and I'll try to include it in the next update. 

Just remember, there's no rush on this. You have time before the pledge manager closes. We'll keep you updated as we move forward and try to address any issues that may crop up in the next update. 

All that said, I hope you have a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas. Here's to a wonderful New Year, too! We'll talk to you in 2023, my friend! 

A William Update While We Wait
about 2 years ago – Thu, Dec 15, 2022 at 01:16:48 AM

Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been so long since our last update. We've actually had one ready to go for weeks now about the pledge manager, but finalizing it has taken significantly longer than we were anticipating. (For context, we had that update ready to go well before Thanksgiving.) We thought everything would be much faster, as it's never taken this long before. As such, each day, we thought we'd finally be able to post the update - and were disappointed.  

So, we have an enormous update coming soon for you, as well as the pledge manager. It might be tomorrow, or it might be early next week. (Hopefully, it won't be much later than that.) But we finally realized we couldn't wait any longer to update you, so here's some information on our first epic investigator, William West, to tide you over!

First of all, we're making good progress on William's mini. He ended up being significantly larger than normal investigators, as is appropriate. All told, he's right around 70mm tall. So you'll certainly know when he's on the board. =) 

Here's a rough render of him:

And here's a fancy GIF showing him from all angles!

Lastly, we also have some rough versions of his cards on hand.  Here are those for you to take a look at: 

As you can see from these cards, William has a very interesting relationship with reality - as well as with sanity and madness. In his Scientist form, he has nearly unlimited sanity and madness since he can heal one madness when he uses a sanity token and gains one sanity when he takes a madness token. He can also swap monsters and other investigators around the board. But it's in his Enlightened state that things get really interesting. When he's Enlightened, William can take other investigators' madness as his own - and then he turns that madness into a weapon. In fact, every time he resolves a madness card, he gives three wounds to a monster - regardless of distance. He also ignores their trap values, meaning he can't get stuck in a room full of nasties.

Of course, there are downsides to this, too. First and foremost, all of those awful effects from madness cards still impact him and the other investigators around him. Also, he can't resolve consciousness cards when he kills a monster. So the question becomes, do you risk the madness cards' effects to decimate the surrounding horrors? (I think we both know the answer to that...)

I should stress that these are still very much beta rules and need a great deal of testing. But I don't think you can call William anything less than epic - if also wildly dangerous. 

Okay, that's it for this minor update. Once again, I'm very sorry it's taken this long for you to hear from us. Having said that, it won't be nearly this long before we're sliding back into your Kickstarter feed. As soon as our pledge manager allows us to pull the trigger, you'll get that mega-update we've had planned for so many weeks now (hopefully without any references to Thanksgiving that I missed. LOL!) That update will have fresh info on our next stretch goal, shipping prices for things like the big boxes, and a complete walkthrough of the PM. (Oh, I should also mention, don't worry that the PM's opening this close to Christmas. We plan to leave it open until April or May if we can, so there will be plenty of time to finalize it in 2023.)

All that said, I hope you have a great day (and a great weekend if we don't talk to you again before then), and we'll have lots more info for you very soon!