Hello!

I haven't forgotten about you. It's just been a ridiculously busy time at CKHQ. This is a biiiig update, so feel free to skip to the section you want.

Anyway, as things are progressing dissapointingly slow at the moment, I've decided that I am going to drop you an update every Tuesday so we can keep up to date and to give you the assurance that Wires in The Woods is still very much moving on. Each update will have a little preamble like this which includes production updates, followed by something new about the game that I can reveal and closing off with the same list of important things (I know not everyone reads every email) such as changing your address, updated timelines, tariff info etc.

First up, crowdfunding is notorious for not meeting deadlines. We've succumbed to that here at 6 months over our initial date for release. We're not proud of that, but also I want to produce something that is above and beyond. With that in mind, once we've finished our fulfilment on Wires we'll do a debrief update for what went well, what went no so well and how we will use that in future projects. We are talking 2-3 months more delay here and nothing beyond that. The main issues we've faced with Wires are as follows:

- It was more successful that we anticipated. Which is fine, but it meant a little more writing on my part and more art on Simon's part. That in turn means more playtesting.

- Production has been tricky. Not long after we began sourcing production for Wires those pesky tariffs came into being. 70% of our rewards are heading out to the States, so we have had to negotiate where it's best to produce things and where it is best to distribute things. Rest-assured, we have sourced a lot of production in the UK which is a big plus, but we also won't make any final decision on fulfilment methods until we find out what happens on October 14th when the case against them is appealed. That said, we won't wait on this forever and will make a definitive decision by the start of November.

Okay, enough waffle on that. I'm sorry we're running late and we will keep pushing to get everything out to you ASAP. If you have specific questions I can answer them in the comments.

2. Production update

Well, some things are moving. We have now received the Buds comics, the bookplates and the patches are done and on the way to us. We've also ringfenced all of the other titles that were selected in add-ons, so when we are ready to go, we are ready! Check out the photos below:

Everything is looking gorgeous! Next up will be the neoprene mats.


3. Zeal (at last!)

One of the challenges in designing Wires in the Woods was finding a way to capture the ups and downs of a forager’s journey without falling back on the usual “health and hit points” system. We wanted this to be a cosy game where your story doesn’t end in death, but in pauses, discoveries, and new beginnings.

That’s where Zeal comes in.

Zeal is your forager’s enthusiasm for exploration; the spark that keeps their weird little brain pushing deeper into the woods. You’ll gain Zeal when you find curious items or invent solutions to the problems you encounter. But Zeal also slips away with every step you take: moving between locations costs 1 Zeal.

Certain forager traits or crafted items might reduce that cost, letting you wander further with less effort. But when your Zeal finally runs out? You don’t perish. You simply need a rest. The game encourages you to step away - take a nap, go for a walk, listen to music - and return refreshed, just like your forager.

Every forager begins with 8 Zeal, making it easy to track with a d8. Just place the die with your current Zeal facing up and turn it as you go.

It’s a gentle rhythm: gain Zeal by creating and discovering, spend it by exploring, and know that running out is only ever an invitation to pause.

Next update, I’ll be talking about Heft, or how much your forager can carry before it starts to weigh them down.

4. Useful info, FAQs? I don't know what they are!

- When will we see the game?
My hope is to get the PDFs out in November. We have a few final tweaks, bits of art and proofreading to do, but getting the PDF out is quick and painless. Shortly after this we will send it to the printers. The bad news is that, this close to the chaotic postal season, we are very unlikely to send physical items out. January will be a much safer time to fulfil.

- I've moved. How do I change my address.
Hang tight, we will contact everyone to ensure their address is correct before we go live.

- Tariffs. Wahhhhh!
We are doing everything we can to negotiate the ridiculous tariff situation. For the USA, we intend to ship everything out and cover the costs so you don't have any financial surprises. This means a bit more cost on our side, but we've got this.

- This section doesn't answer my concerns.
Drop a comment below. This section is a work in progress and we will keep updating it.

That's all for now. Thank you for your patience and we promise to continue being transparent about our progress.

Tim (& Simon).