Welcome to Zine Month! A place where indie TTRPG artists and creators can crowdfund their Zines from February 1st - February 28th.
Come celebrate the creativity and collaboration from a diverse group of creators running projects centered on TTRPG adjacent content, from dice to trackers, from journals to maps, and monsters to heroes, and all the in-betweens.
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The money from the crowdfunding campaign has arrived, so it's time for another update with everything you need to know about getting your zines and PDFs!
🐱 Status of the game
In the past two weeks, the translation of Catcrawl was with Marx Shepherd, our proofreader. I've also set up the PDF with screenreader tags, image descriptions, clickable links, and internal references so it's comfortable to use for as many people as possible. After getting the file back from Marx, I've made all necessary corrections and finalized everything. In other words: Catcrawl in English is ready to print!
The German version with the print error (see previous update) is currently being reprinted and should arrive here within the next week or so.
🐾 Backerkit pledge manager is open!
Now it's your turn! I've set up the pledge manager on Backerkit so you can choose additional add-ons (if you like), pay your shipping fees, and give me your shipping address!
I've just sent out the Backerkit survey to a small portion of backers to make sure everything works as intended. The rest of you should get your survey link within the next 24 hours.
The pledge manager will only stay open until Monday, March 17th, so please make sure to fill in your survey as soon as possible so you can get your zines and PDFs. You won't be able to add any other items to your order after that date, but you'll still be able to change your shipping address until I actually start the shipping process in April (you'll get another update from me then).
I'll charge your credit cards (for shipping costs and newly-booked add-ons) through Backerkit right after locking your orders.
🐈 Pre-order store is also open - for one week only!
I've also set up a pre-order store for everyone who has missed the crowdfunding campaign and still wants to get their hands on a printed copy of Catcrawl. Please share the link around!
The pre-order store will only remain open until I lock the orders for the crowdfunding backers - that is, about a week from now.
🐱 Digital fulfillment through Itch.io
Once orders are locked, you'll receive your Itch.io download keys for your digital files shortly afterwards. They will be sent to you through Backerkit. You will need an Itch.io account to claim your PDF copy.
At the same time, the community copies that were donated by all of you will go up on Itch when the game becomes available for everyone.
🐾 Printing and shipping physical zines
I will send the Catcrawl files off to the printer's next week, right after I lock orders. I expect to receive the printed zines 2-3 weeks later. I will then pack and ship everything myself, since that gets all of you the best deal in terms of both time and money.
I expect to have everything shipped out by mid-to-late April. I will send another update then.
What about tariffs for shipments to the U.S.? You may have heard that Trump has threatened to also hit Europe with a bunch of tariffs for imports into the U.S. soon. Right now, no one knows if these tariffs are coming, and if so, when or how high they will be. Based on the available information, here's what I currently know: Packages with relatively low monetary value (like the ones from this campaign) will most likely NOT be affected by any tariffs Trump may introduce for imports of EU-made products. Yay! But I'm a very cautious cat in matters like these, so I still recommend that U.S. backers brace themselves for additional fees upon arrival of your zines, just in case.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me any time!
We recently had our editorial team meeting to approve the manuscript for A Secret Chord for full production, and it went really well. Jordan is revising and play testing some sections that came up in the meeting, and we have started to commission art from Amanda.
We've also been making really great progress on Bride of STAR Station, the prequel zine. The manuscript is edited and locked down, and Curious Friend has been turning in some wonderful illustrations. They are almost done with illustrations and will be moving into layout shortly.
I'll try to maintain monthly project updates so you can keep tabs on Fear of a Daily Planet until you receive your copy.
I've finally got some art for the map of the colony and the maps of the 10 locations, which of course required some reordering and adjusting. All maps use a fairly simple typography-based layout to look a bit in-universe. Here's a bit of the colony map as a teaser:
Close-up portion of the colony map art.
The location map art uses dashes and bars for walls, slashes for doors, dots for windows, and a couple other stamp-like icons.
Location map legend
I am, however, considering further inking the walls of the location maps a bit to help them stand out more clearly, and I'm curious which version you all would find easier to use. I'll be checking with other wardens to get more input, but feel free to comment below on which you'd prefer, not inked or inked:
Not inked version
Inked version
I'm continuing to fill in other missing art and implement the layout design. I'm trying to make the background of each spread into a unique collection of paper textures, and layout and graphic design are probably my least developed indie publishing skills. So that takes some time to implement, as this is the first I've attempted this kind of approach. With the layout as tight as it is, the project's at that stage where even small adjustments often require a lot of rejiggering or trimming to make sure everything still fits.
I've got a bit of involved client work currently (editing the upcoming board game World Order), and the editing for Devil's Due is really gonna ramp up soon. So progress before the next update will probably be slow, but after that, I'll have more time to dig into this and try to get it ready for test-print proofs.
5% of surveys has been sent as a test for me to see if anything needs changes. I will send final surveys to everyone on 28th of March. In the survey you will need to enter address, choose items that you want and make payment. You will have chance to add some extra items if you changed your mind.
There will be 10 designs, all of them double-sided and with sparkling effect. I made mockups for your reference, but bear in mind these might change while I work on new artworks. I make these cards out of theZine artworks ( taking the ones I think suit for card purpose better :) So not all of them are genderbend. If you choose certain cards during the survey but later you want to change - that's alright, feel free to contact me.
🧸Jayvik plushies has been finished
I've received both final samples and approved everything's great about them! They are being in mass production now, yay! :3
💣Jinx plushie work in progress
Plushies process might look messy, but don't worry, I always address A LOT of changes and make sure the final product looks amazing and according to my designs.
At the moment changes I've addresed: - hair colour change to more teal - longer hair (+5cm) - insert a wire into her hair strands so they can 'stand' - longer arms
The shoes are looking good, they are very soft and can be taken off.
Please check the new Poll!
Have an amazing rest of the week and I will keep you updated :3
Short and simple update for yall. 80% of orders have shipped, a couple surveys are still missing (cmon yall), but otherwise we’re approaching the end.
CARD DECKS aren’t here still, I was hoping to put off this update til I had the print proof to show off but it’s going slower than usual. As a reminder, these ship separately and later, so if you got zines and cards and get worried when your zines arrive this week, don’t worry.
I’ve moved the zines over to worldchamp.io/store alongside all my printed games, so if you’re looking for additional copies or to tell other folks to buy the zine you love, that’s where to send them now.
I also am cooking up some new horror zines for later this year, might do another bundle in September-ish… sign up for my mailing list at Worldchamp.io to be notified when that stuff pops off.
I mentioned adding padding into our delivery because occasionally, "life happens", and as it's wont to do, it has happened the fuck out of the Pendley household. We've been dealing with a pretty serious pet illness while simultaneously dealing with a pretty serious family illness. Neither one of those issues have been catalysts for good communication, so I want to sincerely apologize for that.
BUT. We persevere. 💪🐺
The text of the entire document is finished (backers, check below for the link); we're just waiting on Tasca to finalize the remaining art, and then it's off to Qedhup for his layout treatment. In the meantime, I will tackle the pledge manager and get that sorted.
That's all we've got for now, but as a parting gift for this update, I present art from No Mercy For Monsters for The Trail.
The Trail by Tasca Skelton
Thanks again for all of your support, and good hunting, Woodsmen.
Our zines are mostly assembled and we are getting ready to ship (after a lot of Montreal thrift stores were ransacked for lace). Pledges and add-ons will lock at the end of March (next week), and we need your backer surveys in order to get you your zines - so fill them out! That's a command from your queen, princess! Alternatively, it's a plea from your princess, queen 🥺
Thank you so much as always - we're looking forward to getting your rewards to you soon!
First of all: If you haven't filled in your Backerkit survey from the pledge manager, please do so! If we don't have your shipping address, we can't send you your zines! (Please let me get the shipping process over with in one big swoop!)
Here's what's up with Catcrawl right now:
🐱 Physical zines
Zine in English: Now that almost all orders are locked and paid for, the English version of the zine just went to the printer's! If all goes according to plan, I should receive the zines by the end of next week, in time to ship them out by mid-April.
Zine in German: The reprint arrived a while ago and looks great!
Printed zines in both languages can now also be ordered through our website (they will be sent to regular buyers after crowdfunding fulfillment).
Add-on zines (Against the Monster, Viva la QueerBar) have been set aside for you and will be shipped together with your copies of Catcrawl.
Addresses will be locked shortly before I start shipping (you'll get an email about that from Backerkit in case you need to make any last-minute changes there).
🐈 PDFs
Itch.io download keys for backers: Via Backerkit, I've just released the Itch.io download keys for the digital versions of all PDFs (you get the ones you chose as pledges or add-ons): Catcrawl in both English and German, Against the Monster, and Viva la QueerBar. You will need an Itch.io account to claim your PDF copies. To make sure everyone gets their links, I'll send a separate automated email through Backerkit! While you're on Itch.io anyway, it would be great if you'd leave us a 5-star rating or a friendly comment on the game page - it really helps other people to find the game (and it makes us happy, too)!
PDFs for sale on Itch.io: Both the English and the German version of Catcrawl are now available for sale on Itch.io. Please tell your friends!
PDFs for sale on our website: Both the English and the German version of Catcrawl are now also available for sale on our website. Again: Please tell your friends! If you're from Germany, please order them directly from us because that's how we get the biggest share of the money you pay for them.
Community copies: The community copies donated by you are now available on Itch.io as well. I put them all up for the English version because the German version was just available as pay what you want during the German Free RPG Days (Gratisrollenspieltage). Please tell your low-income friends!
🐾 Bonus material:
Apartment map and cat minis: You can find free PDFs of just the apartment map and cat minis to print yourself in the downloads section of our website.
Playingcards.io template: On the same page, you'll also find a template for playingcards.io (in both English and German) to make your online play both convenient and nice to look at (it has its own moveable cat mini and paw prints to mark the squares your cat has visited already)!
Screenshot of the Catcrawl template for playingcards.io
🐱 Catcrawl media in German
If you speak German and would like to see Catcrawl in action, check out this Actual Play session we've recently played over at 3P - Partners in Pen & Paper for the German Free RPG Days (Gratisrollenspieltage):
There's also a new Nerd is ihr Hobby podcast episode where Jasmin Neitzel and Andrea Rick (me) talk about the design ideas behind Catcrawl and more generally about homes and houses in role-playing games and beyond.
Want to watch or listen to things like this in English, too? Please tell your favorite podcaster, video maker, or streamer, or get in touch with us directly - we'd love to be on your podcast, stream, or other media and chat about Catcrawl in English as well!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me any time!
Hey everyone! I have great news - Dracotrophication fully funded, hit its two Stretch Goals, and made another $100 on top of that!
Thanks so much for your continued support throughout this campaign. These are unsure times for a company printing and distributing from / in the United States, so receiving this much hype around our game has been really fantastic.
Here's what to expect in the near future:
If you backed at any tier, you'll receive a preview edition of Dracotrophication, before editing and layout!
If you backed at any tier, we'll be sending a survey soon to collect information so we can provide you with Dracotrophication.
If you backed at any physical tier, we'll be asking for you to pay for shipping and handling.
If you backed at the Dragon's Hoard Tier, you'll receive some additional questions about what you want for your custom, hand-stapled version of the game. These editions may take slightly longer, but you'll receive your regular copy of the game alongside everyone else!
We'll continue to keep you up to date. For now, thanks again!
