Latest from the Creator
PROJECT UPDATE
Nora Haynes
CREATOR
7 days 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
9 days 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
9 days 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
8 days ago
Project Update: Despair Wins!! That's a Wrap!
Hey Everyone!! Nora again!
We did it!! Pocketopia is over and Despair Dilemma has reached the end of it's campaign. Before we get into all of the details, let's just review what we achieved together here!!
We did it!! Pocketopia is over and Despair Dilemma has reached the end of it's campaign. Before we get into all of the details, let's just review what we achieved together here!!
- Despair Dilemma earnt $31,710 thanks to you all (over 500% of our original goal!!)
- 517 backers pledged to support the game (making us the 9th most backed project in Pocketopia!)
- We unlocked eight stretch goals, including five death game sheets and two new modules!
- Through the Bleeding Heart Community Drive and add-ons, we added over 200 community copies to the pool for TTRPG fans in need!
- Through BackerKit's "Overtime" feature (that neither me nor Iris knew about), we kept Despair Dilemma going longer then any other Pocketopia Campaign!!
I'm incredibly proud of everyone here for helping us achieve this!! We didn't reach the last stretch goal in the end, but we'll do our best to make sure The Monster is still as exciting as possible. Some people in our Discord have already said they'll be making it as a homebrew design too!
For now, me and Iris need to take a rest and we need to wait for cards to start charging before and us to get proper administration tools for us to send everyone the book. But once we've done that, we'll send you all the first version of the Prototype PDF!
To tide things over until then, I've attached the first chapter in the "Backer Only Content" section below as a little preview and thank you. Note that just like the version you'll be receiving in a couple days - formatting is far from done, most art assets are incomplete, and it's likely that wording will need to refined to avoid typos or misunderstandings.
Thank you all so much,
Nora Jean Haynes
For now, me and Iris need to take a rest and we need to wait for cards to start charging before and us to get proper administration tools for us to send everyone the book. But once we've done that, we'll send you all the first version of the Prototype PDF!
To tide things over until then, I've attached the first chapter in the "Backer Only Content" section below as a little preview and thank you. Note that just like the version you'll be receiving in a couple days - formatting is far from done, most art assets are incomplete, and it's likely that wording will need to refined to avoid typos or misunderstandings.
Thank you all so much,
Nora Jean Haynes
Includes Backer-Exclusive Content
Nora Haynes
CREATOR
10 days ago
88 votes
• Final results
