Latest from the Creator
PROJECT UPDATE
Nora Haynes
CREATOR
about 1 month ago
Project Update: Download the Prototype PDF Here!
Hey everyone! Nora Here!!
Now that cards have cleared, we're able to share with you the first version of the Prototype PDF!! You can download it now by going to the "Backer Exclusive Content" section under this update - if you're seeing this over email, then you'll need to click through to see that backer exclusive content.
Now that cards have cleared, we're able to share with you the first version of the Prototype PDF!! You can download it now by going to the "Backer Exclusive Content" section under this update - if you're seeing this over email, then you'll need to click through to see that backer exclusive content.
What's In the Prototype PDF
We believe in getting our backers something that we know is interesting before doing the crowdfunding campaign. To ensure that, we make sure our projects are content complete and playable before planning funding. Here's a breakdown of how complete everything in the book is:
- Core Gameplay (100% - COMPLETE)
- Playtesting (80%)
- Non-Essential Writing (60%)
- Stretch Goals:
- Modules:
- Solo Rules (80%)
- Special Character Arcs (20% - Not Included)
- Death Game Sheet Collaborations:
- Backers (80% - Not Included)
- Rippile (70% - Not Included)
- Tokimekiwaku (30% - Not Included)
- Little Lab Design (20% - Not Included)
- Viveros (50% - Not Included)
- Jun Kakeru (5% - Not Included)
- Modules:
- Typo/Grammar Fixes (30%)
- Art Assets (20%)
- Formatting and Design (40%)
- Appendix / Rules Resources (10%)
- Print Assets (15%)
Currently, the PDF is 102 pages (including the cover), but based on our current estimates, you should expect the final version to be between 134 and 152 pages depending on how much space rules resources take up.
What/When to Expect (in) the Next Update
We're currently planning to release an update to the prototype PDF every two weeks - give or take a couple days depending on the local situation and amount of work we've been able to do. This next update will be distributed through the Pledge Manager, and that means you'll need to complete your pledge manager to access the next update.
As for what you can expect to be included in the next update:
As for what you can expect to be included in the next update:
- Updates to formatting and art assets.
- Complete versions of both the Backer Death Game (The Purgatory Express) and Rippile's Death Game (Lockdown Livestream).
- Updates to existing content based on further playtesting and feedback.
- Additional rules resources and non-essential writing like the "Who is Usashi" section.
I've Noticed an Error / Want to Give Feedback
Brilliant! We're a small team and it's impossible for us to catch everything. Your feedback, whether it's about a gameplay issue, unclarified detail, or typo - is something we value deeply. If you want to give feedback, the best place to do so is through our Discord server. We'll be opening a "Feedback and Errors" channel in the coming days where you can submit issues so we can resolve them between updates.
A Note on Tariffs
As many of you are very aware, the US Government has recently instituted some very heavy tarrifs on shipments from out of the country. Compared to other companies in the field, we're in a rather lucky situation since we have plenty of time to adapt and plan to these changes. We're doing our best to find ways we can avoid the impact of these costs. However, this is a continually updating situation and it's difficult to know exactly what the future will look like. We'll keep in touch with you all and update you so we can figure out what's best. It may mean some additional shipping costs or delays on production depending on what we can sort out, but we want to make that as minimal as possible.
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Thank you for your time and I hope you have a fantastic time playing Despair Dilemma!!
Nora Jean Haynes
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Thank you for your time and I hope you have a fantastic time playing Despair Dilemma!!
Nora Jean Haynes
Includes Backer-Exclusive Content
PROJECT UPDATE
Nora Haynes
CREATOR
about 1 month ago
Project Update: One. Last. Stretch Goal!!
Hey everyone!
It's about halfway through the final day of the crowdfunding campaign, and things are going fantastically. We'll be able to get you the prototype PDFs soon, and then you'll be able to get started playing right away!! We're really excited to see what you all think. I won't actually be awake for the last few hours, but if you want to celebrate with us, Iris will be active on the Discord Server here.
You can expect the proper update celebrating the end tomorrow morning (Australian time). With that all said, we have one more exciting reveal before we go.
It's about halfway through the final day of the crowdfunding campaign, and things are going fantastically. We'll be able to get you the prototype PDFs soon, and then you'll be able to get started playing right away!! We're really excited to see what you all think. I won't actually be awake for the last few hours, but if you want to celebrate with us, Iris will be active on the Discord Server here.
You can expect the proper update celebrating the end tomorrow morning (Australian time). With that all said, we have one more exciting reveal before we go.
Unlocked: Death Game Sheet by Jun Kakeru
With a matter of hours left, we've reached the final stretch goal we had originally planned for the book! We'll be commissioning Jun Kakeru, developer of Yet Another Killing Game, to make a Death Game Sheet! If you've played their game, then you already know just how deeply they understand the genre.
We don't yet know what they have planned, but we can expect the same kind of genre savvy to make its impact on Despair Dilemma!! I hope you'll keep an eye out, we'll let you know more as soon as we have the information.
One Last Stretch Goal: The Monster's Rage as a Plot Book
When we unlocked the "Special Character Arcs" stretch goal, me and Iris started experimenting with some designs we'd wanted to work on. As we kept working on it, we realized that one of these designs - "The Monster" - would fit perfectly as its own Plot Book! Based on the kinds of Death Games you see most often in RPG Maker Horror Games, this plot book (currently named "The Monster's Rage") would put you in control of a rampaging monster on its way to kill as many people as possible.
Similar to The Detective's Trial and The Mastermind's Mask, this would be another Plot Book where you make a special character you have more control over, but this time you would be able to much more directly cause harm to everyone else (similar to The Massacre's Edge).
Given how little time we have left, reaching this goal is a little ambitious, but even if we fail it - we'll still be including our original plan of fulfilling this concept with a Character Arc. If you know anyone who could possibly be interested in Despair Dilemma - now's the best time to tell them!
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Thank you all so much for your time and support!
Nora Jean Haynes
Nora Haynes
CREATOR
about 1 month ago
At $33,333, we'll create an all new Plot Book designed to put you in control of a rampaging monster and include it in the final book
Goal: A$31,686.80
/ A$33,333
95%
We need A$1,646.20 more to reach this goal.
PROJECT UPDATE
Nora Haynes
CREATOR
13 days ago
Project Update: Prototype PDF Update - Version 1.4
Hey everyone! Nora Again!
We've been hard at work getting Despair Dilemma done and ready for the final release! Right now, we expect for most of the extra content from our end to be done in the next two or three content updates, although we can't make promises for how long it'll take for collaborators to finish with content from their end.
We want to get you all a book you can be proud of, so thank you all for supporting us.
We've been hard at work getting Despair Dilemma done and ready for the final release! Right now, we expect for most of the extra content from our end to be done in the next two or three content updates, although we can't make promises for how long it'll take for collaborators to finish with content from their end.
We want to get you all a book you can be proud of, so thank you all for supporting us.
Prototype PDF v1.4 Updates
Please note that this update is the first one that'll be Distributed Through the Pledge Manager. That means instead of downloading the PDF from this update post, you'll get an email with a direct download link! It may take an hour or two after this update for you to receive the email - and given this is the first time we're sending these PDFs out in this campaign, it's possible there will be some hiccups and errors. That said, the most important thing you can do is make sure you've completed your Pledge Manager.
With that said, here are all the major changes included in this this update:
With that said, here are all the major changes included in this this update:
- "Section Four: Premade Participants" has been added, including two lists of Premade Characters (One by Double Summon Games, and the other by backers at the Friends of Usashi Tier).
- Please note that some Friends of Usashi Tier Backers haven't finished their survey yet and couldn't be included. We've included a placeholder requesting people to re-roll in those sections.
- Some edits had to be made to some characters given by backers for the Premade Character list. If the changes are major then you should have received an email or message over Discord. With that said, it's worth giving your character a check just in case. Let us know and we'll make any changes you feel are important.
- We've re-balanced some elements of the game based on feedback and further testing.
- The Witch's Spell has been given a boost in its ability to kill Non-Believers and create truths, but has also been made more conditional.
- The Solo Play Module has been updated to create additional Locations and less characters, as well as further clarifying certain rulings.
- We've included dummy pages for most of the content that hasn't been completed yet. This means you may notice some empty pages, but it's also allowed us to finalize some later page layouts and include a proper table of contents.
- We've added the first version of the "Backers" section in the credits - including the first 300+ to complete their survey. If you aren't there, don't worry, we'll update this before final release with all backers.
- New assets have been included to fill in placeholders where possible and some assets have been updated to more finalized versions.
- Various inconsistencies, errors, and typos have been fixed.
Originally we had intended to include the Tips for the four Plot Books still missing them also, but sorely Iris caught the flu and so things have gotten delayed. With any luck, you can expect that soon.
What/When to Expect (in) Next Update
We're hoping to keep up a once every ~2 weeks schedule for updates; with that said, given Iris has gotten sick, I hope you'll be generous with us if something goes wrong and we have to delay. For the next update, you can expect:
- More finalized artwork and layout.
- Balance patches to any content that needs it with further feedback and play testing.
- Tips for the four Plot Books that are missing them.
- The first version of the Special Character Arcs we announced as a stretch goal.
- And More (depending on what gets done).
We'll be getting in touch with collaborators during this time to get a progress update on their Death Game Sheets, so it's very possible we'll have some more of those done too! Although we can't make any promises on that yet.
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Thank you all so much and have a great weekend!
Nora Jean Haynes
PROJECT UPDATE
Nora Haynes
CREATOR
23 days ago
Project Update: Complete Your Pledge Manager! (+ Download v1.3 Here!)
Hey Everyone! Nora here!
We shared the first version of the Prototype PDF just over a week ago now, and the response has been fantastic! I've already seen some people start working on fan content for the game like new Plot Books and Death Game Sheets!
With that said, we have something important to share: The Pledge Manager Links Have Gone Out!
If you haven't received your email, then you can follow the link here: https://despair-dilemma.backerkit.com/
Try and get your Pledge Manager done as soon as possible! The sooner the better since we can lock in important information and get things done sooner.
We shared the first version of the Prototype PDF just over a week ago now, and the response has been fantastic! I've already seen some people start working on fan content for the game like new Plot Books and Death Game Sheets!
With that said, we have something important to share: The Pledge Manager Links Have Gone Out!
If you haven't received your email, then you can follow the link here: https://despair-dilemma.backerkit.com/
Try and get your Pledge Manager done as soon as possible! The sooner the better since we can lock in important information and get things done sooner.
What to Expect With the Pledge Manager
If you haven't crowdfunded anything before, then a Pledge Manager where you can change your order and where we can ask you questions to make sure you get the rewards you've been promised. For the most part, this means we're checking for your address and how you want to be included in the "Backers" section of the book.
If your a Friends of Usashi Tier Backer: This is also where you'll be filling in the details about your character! You have special survey questions regarding your characters Name, Personality, Core Truth, and Starting Morale. We've also asked you for some contact information in case anything goes wrong, but most likely there shouldn't be any issues.
Please note that due to the current turbulence regarding the global shipping industry, we aren't charging for shipping yet. We're doing our best to find the most effective way to get everyone their books without expecting backers to pay exorbitant shipping and tariff fee's, so stay tuned as we get closer to production for more information.
If your a Friends of Usashi Tier Backer: This is also where you'll be filling in the details about your character! You have special survey questions regarding your characters Name, Personality, Core Truth, and Starting Morale. We've also asked you for some contact information in case anything goes wrong, but most likely there shouldn't be any issues.
Please note that due to the current turbulence regarding the global shipping industry, we aren't charging for shipping yet. We're doing our best to find the most effective way to get everyone their books without expecting backers to pay exorbitant shipping and tariff fee's, so stay tuned as we get closer to production for more information.
Prototype PDF v1.3 Updates
Alongside the release of the Pledge Manager, we also have our first major update to the Prototype PDF! Similar to last update, we've included the link to download this update in the "Backer Only Content" section of this Update - but please note that Future Prototype PDF Update's Will be Distributed Through the Pledge Manager. So make sure to fill our your pledge information as soon as possible so you don't miss out!
With that said, here are the major changes you can expect from the new version of the PDF:
With that said, here are the major changes you can expect from the new version of the PDF:
- Two new Death Game Sheets have been added: The Purgatory Express (p42) and Livestream Lockdown (p44)
- A large number of assets and page layouts have been updated to more finalized versions
- A Quick Reference resource for the "Playing the Game" section has been added on p25
- An intro to our Death Game Mascot "Usashi" has been added to p29, although it seems to have been rudely interrupted.
- Solo Play is now included as a complete Module rather then a sidebar.
- A massive number of rules fixes, inconsistencies, and typos have been fixed! (Thanks to you all and the hard work of our editor Iris)
What/When to Expect (in) Next Update
With a large part of the early errors fixed up, the next update will be focused on adding new content and finalizing assets that need to be done before we can finish up the book. Most of our collaborators aren't likely to be done with their stretch goals yet, but if they are we'll try and add them too. For now you can expect:
- More finalized artwork and layout
- Balance patches to existing content (In particular for the Modules that are still being tested like the Solo Rules and Unknown Death Game)
- The inclusion of the "Premade Characters" section featuring any completed "Friends of Usashi" rewards
- And More! (Depending on how things go)
The actual update will be released sometime in about two weeks through the Pledge Manager! We'll have another update like this to make sure you know what's changed and know how things are progressing!
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Thank you for your time!
Nora Jean Haynes
P.S. This is a reminder that you can download the new update in the "Backer Exclusive Content" section below. If you're reading this through your email, you may need to click through and check out the actual page to download it!
Includes Backer-Exclusive Content
