I've got a lot to go over today, so let's settle and prepare for review.
Before we get into it, one more quick note about our current Stretch Goal target!
At $15,000 in Funding - New Map
A new map of the area around Pugmire will be created and added to the final version of the Pugmire Unleashed PDF.
Lets see if we can't get an expanded map of the greater area added to the final book!
We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. Pugmire Unlashed finishes the crowdfunding campaign on July 17th at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. There's still time to add a few more backers to our pack, but we're definitely getting closer to the finish line. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics over these final four days to make sure everyone has the information they need to support this project in the way that works best for them.
Final Days Schedule
July 14 - Reward Tier & Add On Review (that's today!)
July 15 - Manuscript Preview # 5 - Chapter 5
July 16 - Stretch Goal Review
July 17 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next
Whether you're a rookie pup just setting out for Waterdog Port or a seasoned Badger Basher returning after a hunt, these are some good topics to review over this week to make sure we all end up where we want to be.
(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out our Final Week Countdown / Resource Update. It has links to the manuscript previews, youtube Actual Play videos, and other helpful information.)
PLEDGE REWARD TIERS
Like it says right at the top of the campaign story page, we've come together to help create a fully developed PDF and Print-on-Demand hardcover version of Pugmire Unleahsed, a book full of new player options, additional setting material, and pre-built adventures for Guides running the Realms of Pugmire roleplaying game.
PLEDGING YOUR SUPPORT
To borrow an analogy that I've used in past campaigns, this process we're a part of works similar to the "Viewers Like You" support campaign from your local Public Broadcasting Station (while they still exist): There are various levels of support that you can pledge to, and these come with various levels of rewards offered as a thank you. Like getting a tote bag or t-shirt when you give money to public broadcasting to fund them doing their thing, you can get rewards for helping Onyx Path work on this project.
Let's review the Backer Reward Tiers to ensure that you've pledged to a Reward Tier that provides all the rewards you wish to receive.
One Book, Two Books, Three Books
The main reward offered in this campaign is, of course, the main goal of the entire proposition: the finished PDF and a discounted Print-on-Demand hardcover for Pugmire Unleashed. The first decision you need to make is whether you're just looking to add the main book, or want to maybe add the collected Pugmire Fiction Anthology to make it a two-book reward pledge? Or are you going all in and adding the Threats and Curs monster book for the Realms of Pugmire as well?
With that decision in mind, we've got three key reward tiers to choose from:
Paw-some Pugmire Pledge: This is the reward tier to select if you're only interested in the Pugmire Unleashed supplement. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost and be able to download at your leisure. In addition, you will get a special code to order a discounted Print-on-Demand hardcover version as part of your pledge rewards.
Pug Life: This reward tier includes the Pugmire Unleashed PDF (and PoD hardcover discount), as well as the Pugmire Fiction Anthology, which will be a massive 400+ page collection of all the Pugmire fiction written thus far. As with the Pugmire Unleashed PDF, you will receive a special discount code to order a Print-on-Demand softcover version of the Pugmire Fiction Anthology.
Ulti-Mutt Pugmire Pledge: This amazing reward tier includes the Pugmire Unleashed PDF and Pugmire Fiction Anthology, along with the Threats and Curs enemy book PDF. You will also receive a special discount code to order each of these rewards as Print-on-Demand books.
In addition to these primary reward pledge roles, we also offer the following options:
Bare Bones: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge role is for you. This does not include any of our primary rewards, but allows you to select some digital optional Add Ons, as well as participating in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as a backer. You'll also be able to read the draft manuscript of Pugmire Unleashed that we post throughout this campaign.
Treat Yourself: This pledge role offers a special limited premium reward in addition to the basics: an option to supply a name to be used by an NPC added to the setting.
Right now, the Treat Yourself pledge tier is all claimed, but as we move through these final days you'll sometimes see slots open up as pledges shift and budgets are calculated, so keep an eye on it if that's one you're interested in.
After the campaign is over we'll launch our BackerKit Pledge Manager and invite the backers to set up their rewards via survey. This allows you to confirm your pledge and add on anything that you might have missed, as well as possibly increasing your pledged reward tier, should you choose to expand your reward selection. Funding collected by BackerKit after the crowdfunding campaign does not count toward any campaign Stretch Goals, however.
You'll note that two rewards - Access to the Manuscript Previews and Participation in Post-Campaign Pledge Manager - are included in ALL reward tiers. That's just one of the perks of participating in this crowdfunding campaign!
PUGMIRE UNLEASHED BACKER PDF - Crowdfunding backers will receive a redemption link for an early version of this book before it goes on sale to the public. This initial "Backer Version" will be used to get feedback from the fans to make the final version the best that it can be. When it has been updated to the final version, it will automatically be added to your DriveThruRPG library and available for download at your convenience.
PUGMIRE FICTION ANTHOLOGYPDF/ePub/Mobi- A massive compliation of all the fiction written for Pugmire thus far, with dozens of short stories about good dogs, excellent cats, swashbuckling lizards, and curious mice.
THREATS AND CURS PDF -an expansion for Realms of Pugmire offering 150 new enemies to be introduced as antagonists, rivals, or allies in your campaigns. Includes expanded rules and new tags to construct exciting new encounters, along with a selection of ready-made encounters featuring enemies introduced in this book. The Realms of Pugmire core rulebook is needed to use this book.
PDF VERSIONS: The Pugmire Unleashed PDF, Pugmire Fiction Anthology PDF/eBook, and Threats and Curs PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Crowdfunding backers will receive redemption links allowing you to add the item to your DTRPG cart at a $0 cost. Once you check out, it will be added to your DriveThruRPG library and available for download at your convenience.
PRINT-on-DEMAND BOOK: In addition to the PDF releases, Pugmire Unleashed, the Pugmire Fiction Anthology,and Threats and Curs willavailable for purchase in Print-on-Demand formats offered by DriveThruRPG. The cost of printing and shipping a PoD book is not part of your pledge amount, however Crowdfunding backers will receive a special link allowing you to purchase the PoD book at a discounted price.
Choosing Your Reward Tier
There has been some churn over this past week - a few Reward Tier adjustments and changes by backers, as budgets changed and people have read the manuscript previews. In these final days it's best to ensure that you've selected the Reward Tier that offers you the options and rewards you want to receive and are ready to lock down. This timing - before the campaign ends - is the absolute most affordable and inclusive these rewards will be, and will save headaches and heartbreaks if fully considered now.
This is just the first step, however, in completing your pledge for this campaign. Funds for additional extras can be added to your pledge by selecting Add On options and increasing the overall funding and maybe getting us closer to a Stretch Goal.
First Step: Reward Tier
To summarize the first part of this post, the absolute best way to ensure that you're getting the primary rewards you want from this crowdfunding campaign is to ensure you've selected the appropriate Backer Reward Tier. Selecting the right Reward Tier covers about 95% of the options available to you. If you want the Pugmire Unleashed PDF only, make sure you've selected the correct reward. If you want the Fiction Anthology and Threats and Curs, double-check your reward tier to ensure the proper option is featured.
Once you've completed that important step, you're going to want to look at the Add On rewards for any reward "bits" that don't automatically fall into your reward tier. That takes us to the Add On step.
Step Two: Add-On Options
Once you've chosen your pledge tier, you've likely already included the main rewards you want. In addition to the rewards offered as part of the Reward Tier configurations, there are a few other possible PDFs you may wish to add. All Add-On rewards are described in our Add On menu below.
You can select an Add On option, which will increase the amount of your pledge by the listed amount. Add on options will be selected and confirmed again in the Pledge Manager when that's up and running.
In addition to the Pugmire Fiction Anthology and Threats and Curs books detailed above, Onyx Path is also offering PDF versions of the Realms of Pugmire core rulebook and the Curious Cats of Mau expansion.
Realms of Pugmire - the second edition of the Pugmire RPG. It’s a fantasy game about evolved pets and other animals with a strong connection to humanity, with dogs as the central characters. These characters live in the ruins of our world, using tools, language, and ingenuity to build a new civilization in their image, with the kingdom of Pugmire acting as a center of dog civilization.
Curious Cats of Mau - details the lives of the cats in the city-states that make up the Monarchies of Mau as they explore the world, plan daring heists and feats of intrigue, learn what they can about the Old Ones, and pounce on the sinister entities called the Unseen. You’ll need Realms of Pugmire to play this game.
Pick a Pledge Tier, then Add On Options
Ready to join in? If you're backing for the first time, you can click BACK IT and select your Pledge Tier and finalize funding amount in the next menu.
Using myself as an example, I love the Realms of Pugmire but I'm going to pretend I'm totally new to this game and I'm looking to get every reward I can. Once I click BACK IT, I see my pledge level options. If I want to know a bit more about each level, I can click Learn More, or if I know what I'm looking for, I can click Back It.
The pledges as detailed earlier. It should be pretty self-explanatory, but you can click on the "Learn More" button to expand the Pledge Level info. For example, Clicking Learn More on the Ulti-Mutt pledge gives you...
This is the reward tier I'm choosing, as it exactly fits my desire to get the whole kitten caboodle. Puns!
Once you're ready, you can click that BACK IT button and go right to Add On options.
For example, I've decided on the $50 Ulti-Mutt pledge path, so I select BACK IT for that pledge, and then I want to add on a few of the Add On optional extras to my rewards list. I'll pretend I haven't already backed the two previous campaigns, and select the Realms of Pugmire PDF and Curious Cats of Mau PDF as Add On extras.
Note that I'm not presented with Add On options for the Fiction Anthology nor the Threats and Curs book, as those are already included in my pledge reward tier.
My total starts at $50 for the Ulti-Mutt Pugmire Pledge tier, and then I add + $20 for Curious Cats of Mau PDF + $15 for Realms of Pugmire PDF
To bring my final total pledge to $85 USD. Once everything is correct, you can select NEXT and then Confirm Your Pledge. You'll get an e-mail confirmation of your choices.
If you're already a backer but want to update your Pledge tier or Add On choices, here's what you look for:
Select Manage Your Pledge at the top of the campaign page, and then you can Edit Your Pledge
Select "Edit Pledge" on your review page, and then you can revise your pledge tier or Add On selections.
You can select a new Pledge Level from the available option menu, or Change your Add On selection.
As before, you'll confirm all of your choices, and then receive an e-mail confirmation once that's done.
And with that, my pledge level and Add On options are set for your pledge.
You should also be aware that any available Add On options will be made available in our BackerKit pledge manager, so if you're unsure about adding on something at this point, you will be able to adjust your pledge in the post-campaign phase.
Pledging to the campaign also opens up the Stretch Goal rewards as thanks for your participation. We'll review our Stretch Goal accomplishments on Wednesday, but it's important to note that backers who wait and Pre-Order the Pugmire Unleashed book at a later date will not have any Stretch Goal rewards automatically added to their rewards list if applicable.
REWARD DELIVERY
About 4-6 weeks after the campaign has ended, I'll launch our post-campaign Pledge Manager to collect information from all backers and confirm which rewards you'll be receiving. At that point, you'll be able to review your rewards and also also adjust any Add On Options that you may have missed. Once we have everything confirmed, I'll be able to deliver any rewards that are currently available - like the existing titles including the Realms of Pugmire core rulebook PDF, the Curious Cats of Mau PDF, and the Threats and Curs PDF. Backers who have pledged for these options will be sent special redemption links to claim these digital rewards from our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Clicking these redemption links will allow you to add these PDF titles to your digital library to download anytime. I'll send an update when all of that is happening, though, so you are aware every step of the way.
So, while it will take some time for Pugmire Unleashed and the Fiction Anthology to move from manuscript form to a final product, you won't be waiting a year for PDFs that already exist. (You'll be waiting about 8-10 weeks or so, just enough time for us to set up the reward infrastructure.)
Don't fret if you had forgotten to select additional rewards by the end of the campaign. These Add Ons will be available to select in our post-campaign Pledge Manager for those who participated in our campaign and have full access to the Pledge Manager. So, if you are undecided at this time, you will be able to hold off until we're closer to the final reward shipment goes out.
Step 1: Pledge Tier
Step 2: Add On Options
Again, your first step should involve your main reward selection, and your Add On Options will build upon that. If you selected the PDF-only tier, you can investigate PDF and digital options. If you select a hardcover tier, you will be able to add additional copies of the hardcover.
Note that all funds are expressed in US Dollars, so take into account your conversion as needed.
It Adds Up!
That should explain the process of Selecting your Reward Level and adding Add On options and confirming your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT. Since increasing your pledge amount increases the overall funding level of the project, add-ons can help us achieve our Stretch Goal funding targets, so it benefits us all to suggest that you double-check to make sure you're getting all of the rewards you want.
Additionally, this may go without saying,please review your personal budgetand ensure you've selected the appropriate reward tier and add ons for your current financial situation. BackerKit will begincharging your payment methodat midnight the day the campaign ends, so ensure you've budgeted correctly. Choose what works best for you now and is affordable at this time, knowing that you can upgrade your pledge level or choose Add Ons in the Pledge Manager at a late date.
Conclusion
As we move through these final days of the campaign, please ensure you've chosen the correct Pledge Level for the rewards you want (at least at this point). And beyond that - please make sure you've investigated and selected any add-ons you wish to receive. If you have any issues with the Pledge process, either selecting the reward tier or figuring out the Add On options, you can reach out to me or to the support team at BackerKit. I've found them to respond quickly and offer great support.
On Thursday, just before the campaign ends, I will send an update detailing the steps that occur after the campaign concludes, including notes about our Pledge Manager and the communication plan going forward.
So, just like always: Spread the word! Share your excitement on social media! Tell your friends! We're about to see some amazing adventures for Realms of Pugmire Guides, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!
I'll be back tomorrow with the complete FINAL manuscript section for Pugmire Unleashed, making the complete text available for all backers to review before the campaign ends!
