The winds have shifted, and the horizon is now within reach, just two weeks remain before Jason and the Argonauts sets sail. The crew gathers. The oars are readied. And soon… the legend begins.
The Unfinished Achievement
Though many have answered the call, we have yet to unlock the next reward. Only a few hundred more brave souls are needed to reach 550 followers which will complete this trial.
With nearly 3,000 followers among our ranks, this goal lies well within reach, but only if you act.
If you have not yet done so, venture forth to Board Game Geek and become a fan of Jason and the Argonauts by clicking the heart.
Should we succeed: A NEW FREE EXCLUSIVE STICKER will be added to the game for all!
More rewards await beyond this… but only if we rise to meet the challenge.
The Previous Shadow Revealed
The mystery from last week shall finally be unveiled…
The true identity of the Argonaut was Orpheus as many of you guessed!
But do not grow comfortable, Adventurer…
A Greater Challenge Appears
A new shadow rises, and this one will not yield so easily.
This Argonaut is far more elusive… their legend less obvious… their identity hidden deeper within the myths.
Think you can name them? Leave your guess in the comments before you dare scroll further. Few will get this one right.
New Discoveries Await
Some secrets are not meant for all eyes…
Within the Exclusive Follower Section, a new Destination Challenge is revealed, along with its full artistic evolution from concept to completion.
Hercules and the 12 Labors currently has 367 followers on its BGG page. We want Jason and the Argonauts to have even more, help us reach 550 Fans before the launch of the campaign and we will Unlock and add another FREE STICKER to the game!
These beautiful Spirits are coming to life in our captivating game Kindred Spirits as part of the Pocketopia campaign. We hope that you will follow the campaign and help bring this dream project to life.
As part of our Kindred Spirits Pocketopia campaign, we are including two social stretch goals to help improve the product that you receive once it is in production. We felt that this was a way that people could promote and share the project, whilst being rewarded for doing so.
Hercules and the 12 Labors currently has 367 followers on its BGG page. We want Jason and the Argonauts to have even more, help us reach 550 Fans before the launch of the campaign and we will Unlock and add another FREE STICKER to the game!
Right now, the game is expected to be submitted to the factory for production this Spring. We don't have a precise delivery/release date, that is in the hands of the factory + freight world. Summer/Fall is our goal.
What's Shipping Now (Phase 1) Phase 1 US domestic shipping is currently being processed by our fulfillment partner.
If you received your package and something seems off or missing - please reach out to us at [email protected] so we can address this. There are a few missing components or incorrect component messages we have gotten along the way - these will be addressed as soon as we receive our replacement/extra components. But if you have one of these concerns, let us know right away via email.
If you ordered any combination of the above and are located in the US, your package is either on its way or will be shipping soon. Orders are going out in batches, so if yours hasn't shipped yet, it's coming. We did have to send more copies of the ArchRavels Base Game to fulfillment, so if your order includes the Base Game and it has not shipped yet, that is why. We expect that they will arrive with them this week.
International shipping details will be coming in a future update - We're going to be hand-picking, packing, & shipping these due to the volume & volatility of international shipping.
What's Coming Later (Phase 2)
As previously mentioned, we split the fulfillment of this campaign into 2 phases. The 2nd phase will ship later this year and will include items that were not covered in Phase 1.
These items are not in your Phase 1 package — they're still in production:
Rivals! (mini expansion)
Award Season (mini expansion)
Gametrayz Card sleeves & Sample packs
Both Rivals! & Award Season have been submitted to our manufacturer and are moving through proofing now. We are also waiting to receive the Gametrayz materials. We're targeting later this year for Phase 2 shipments. We'll share a more specific window once we're through proofing and into production.
Phase 2 will ship separately at no additional shipping cost to you. You will not be charged again for shipping.
A Note on Tracking
Tracking emails are being sent as orders ship, but some of you may have received your package before getting a tracking notification — or not received one at all. Orders are going out in batches and tracking numbers follow as they're processed.
If you haven't received your package and don't have a tracking number, email us at [email protected] and we'll look into it.
What's Next
Phase 1 domestic shipments continue rolling out
International shipping details coming in a future update - We are going to be hand-picking, packing, and shipping these due to the volatility of international shipping.
Phase 2 production updates as we have them
I've run out of ways to sign off these messages ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
We're still here. We're still grinding on finishing this up. Everyone involved with XYZ really appreciates those of you who have expressed your empathy, understanding, and patience as we work through all of this. It's honestly the only reason we've kept going here.
Stay Crafty, Team XYZ
PS: If you have an issue, please email us ([email protected]); if you just mention it in the comments here, I promise it will likely be missed.
The box for Magic Socks says" ArchRavels Magic Socks components are designed to fit in that base game box."
How are we packing this into the box? Maybe it's just me, but I'm really not seeing how it's all going to incorporate nicely into my deluxe copy from the original Kickstarter campaign?
Today I come with less-than-thrilling news about Pathfinder Quest. The games have begun arriving at their various ports (United States, Australia, UK, Canada) for distribution to backers—but there has been a holdup for a majority of our games at the United States Customs Authority under a 5H hold in Seattle.
We are actively working with a customs broker to navigate the 5H holding process and get Pathfinder Quest off the docks in Seattle and into your hands—however, this process has extremely variable timetables, and we have not been given clear guidance from customs on when the product will be released. At this time, we believe this will delay Pathfinder Quest’s fulfilment from the planned April shipping dates but do not have an estimate on how long that delay will be nor how it will affect international backers.
We know this delay is a disappointment to all of you—we are equally disappointed here at Paizo and want to make this process as smooth as possible. As we continue to work with our customs broker, we will keep you updated on the status of shipments.
In the interest of shipping games as soon as possible once they’re released, we will still be locking addresses at the end of next week—Friday, April 3rd. Please make any necessary changes to your address before this time for first-wave shipments. For backers also receiving second wave products such as the organizer, there will be an opportunity to update your address closer to second wave fulfilment if needed.
Thank you for your continued support of Pathfinder Quest—we can’t wait to see the game out in the wild and in your hands.
Hi everyone, I hope you’re all doing well! A lot has been happening behind the scenes . We’re now deep into refining the product following our T0 samples, and overall we’re in a really strong position. Most of what we’re working on now comes down to fine tuning and improving the experience, rather than fixing major issues.
🎲 Rolling Behaviour – Making It Feel Right
One of the biggest areas we’ve been focusing on is how the dice actually rolls.
We explored increasing the internal weight by testing larger weighted inserts. Interestingly, this had very little impact on performance, which tells us the balance of the dice was already in a good place.
Where we did see a noticeable improvement was in the shape of the dice itself.
By subtly rounding the top and bottom edges, the roll feels:
more natural
more consistent
closer to what you’d expect from a traditional dice roll
This has been one of the most meaningful improvements so far, and we’ll be carrying this refinement forward into the next stage.
🔘 Button Feel Improvements
Another area we’ve made strong progress on is the button feel.
The earlier samples didn’t feel quite as responsive as we wanted, so we made small internal adjustments to the button mechanism.
The result is a much more positive, tactile press that feels significantly better and more consistent to use.
This is a real upgrade:
Small increase in pad height / engagement
Better tactile feedback
More consistent press
⚙️ Internal Components - What You’re Seeing
We’ve also included some images of internal components and test parts.
These include:
metal weighted inserts
internal structural parts
button assemblies
early component layouts
At this stage, a lot of these parts are:
prototype iterations
test variations
not final finishes
So they may look a bit rough or purely functional that’s completely normal for this phase.
What matters is that each of these parts is being tested and refined to improve:
overall performance
durability
feel in-hand
What’s Next
We’re now preparing for the next round of samples (T1), where these refinements will be implemented into the tooling. We’ll continue to keep you updated as we progress.
We wanted to share a quick update on where things are currently at with manufacturing.
For those unfamiliar with the terminology, T0 is the first version produced using the actual production tooling. This stage is where engineers review the parts in detail, test how everything fits together, and identify any improvements before moving forward to the next tooling revision.
Overall, the team has said they are really happy with where things are at this stage, with only a handful of relatively small adjustments needed before moving to the next iteration (T1).
Below is a breakdown of the main things that came out of this review.
Lid Improvements
One of the main areas identified was the charging case lid.
On the T0 samples the lid was slightly too tight, which made it harder to open and also meant it didn’t close over the dice as smoothly as intended.
The design team created a few revised prototypes and have now landed on a version that works much better. The fix only requires minor changes to the tooling before the next revision.
The only visible difference will be two very subtle raised areas on the sides of the lid. These act as natural points for your fingers so it is clearer where to open the case.
Iridescent Lid Finish
Another area the team reviewed was the iridescent finish on the lid.
In some lighting conditions it looks great and fairly subtle, but when the lid is closed the black dice underneath can make the finish appear much more intense and opaque than expected.
To test this further, the team has asked the factory to produce the effect using a different material process (a filler rather than a coating) so we can compare results on the next round of samples.
This will help determine which method gives the most consistent look.
Button Feel
The buttons on the T0 samples didn’t quite feel as tactile as intended.
The team has already prototyped a fix for this by adding small pads underneath the button gasket, which improves how the button engages and gives it a much more positive feel when pressed.
This change will now be implemented in the tooling for the next revision.
Drop Testing Results
The team also ran a series of drop tests to check the durability of the dice.
The samples were dropped from around 1.5 metres onto hard surfaces, including concrete, tarmac, and indoor flooring.
As you can see from some of the photos, the outer surface picked up a number of chips and scratches (especially from the tarmac tests). However, the important result is that:
• The dice did not crack or break • The structure remained intact • The internal components did not come apart
Even more importantly, the display face remained largely undamaged, which is a key durability area for the final product.
This type of testing is designed to push the product far beyond normal use, so seeing it survive these impacts is a really good sign.
Improving the roll behaviour
One area we’ve been looking at more closely is the rolling behaviour of the dice.
After reviewing the early samples, the team felt there was still some room for improvement. Because of that, they’ve been refining a few internal components and increasing the offset weight inside the dice to help improve how it rolls.
The goal here is simple: to make the roll feel as natural as possible.
Before committing these changes to the production tooling, the team is currently producing a new prototype with the updated internal weighting so it can be tested properly. Once those tests are complete, the results will inform the next tooling revision. We’ll share more updates on this as soon as testing is complete.
Surveys Going Out Soon
On a separate note, we’ve been finishing the final setup for the backer surveys.
Surveys will be going out next week, so please keep an eye on your inbox.
There’s no rush to complete them immediately, but they will allow you to confirm your details and selections.
A Quick Note on Tooling
As mentioned in the previous update, tooling is one of the longest and most careful parts of manufacturing.
Each stage involves reviewing parts, making refinements, and ensuring all the components work together correctly before moving to the next revision.
It can feel slow from the outside, but this is the stage where we make sure the final product is reliable and built to last. We’ll keep sharing updates as we move into the next tooling iteration.
The latest T0 sample of the charging case with the dice inside. This version is being reviewed for fit, finish, and overall usability before the next tooling revision.
The charging case opened to reveal the dice inside. One of the improvements identified at this stage was adjusting the lid so it closes more comfortably over the dice and opens more easily.
A close-up of the current T0 dice sample. At this stage the team reviews surface finish, materials, and how the different parts fit together.
A look inside the charging case showing where the dice sits during charging. Engineers review internal structure and alignment to ensure the parts assemble correctly in production.
One of the dice used during drop testing. The surface shows chips and scratches from repeated drops onto hard surfaces, but the structure of the dice remained intact.
A note on progress and timing
As we’ve mentioned before, tooling is one of the most important stages of the entire process. This is where the physical moulds are refined so that every part can be produced consistently and assembled correctly.
Because The One Dice is a fairly technical product with a lot of internal components, this stage involves a lot of testing, adjustments, and refinement. Small changes to one part can affect how others fit together, so the team carefully reviews each iteration before moving forward.
It can sometimes look quiet from the outside, but a lot of work happens behind the scenes during this phase. Parts are tested, samples are reviewed, adjustments are made, and new prototypes are produced to confirm improvements before committing them to tooling.
Right now our main focus is quality and reliability. We’re taking the time needed to make sure the components fit properly, the mechanisms feel right, and everything works together the way it should before moving forward to the next stage.
We’re not rushing this step, because getting it right here ensures the final product is consistent, durable, and built to the standard we want to deliver.
As always, thank you for your patience and continued support we’ll keep sharing updates as we move through each stage.
