Hi all! A quick update to remind backers to fill in surveys, let you know where we are on production and a message from the team about the global trade situation and how it may be affecting us as a company.
3 Weeks Left until Backer Surveys Close!
A reminder for all backers that the surveys will be closing in 3 weeks for this project so we can get addresses locked. We've still got quite a few unfilled surveys, so please make sure to fill this in as soon as you can!
L.A.N.C.E Patches
Some exciting news, our official L.A.N.C.E Patches are nearly finished being produced! These iron-on patches will let you accesorise and feel like a real agent or operative of the agency. We wanted to give you a sneak preview, so here is the final approved render of the patch as it goes into production to give you a sense of the final result:
Digital Release on the Horizon
We are swiftly approaching having the books finished in digital format for you all to sink your teeth into! We've had a blast expanding the world of L.A.N.C.E, especially delving into the agency's history. As an organisation that originated in Arthurian England, L.A.N.C.E has been fighting evil and threats to the world for a very long time, and we wanted to give you some inspiration and ideas as to what stories you could tell. Although many of our stories have more modern (post 1900) setting in the two books, we have provided key events starting in Arthurian England, stretching all the way up to present day.
One of my favourite examples of this is a key moment during the First Crusades in 1188 AD, where a group of rebel knight's templar and lured into the desert by a promise of power, but find themselves cursed, their bodies morphing into stony skinned giants. It is up to the remaining Knights Order of the Lance to stop them, allowing you to play out some medieval chivalric tales. It also features some brand new art from Ben which I love:
The Crusader's Curse
We are estimating that we should have the digital files ready for you in 2 - 4 weeks, so keep your eyes out for our next update!
The Tariff Situation
There is a large amount of concern in the tabletop industry and many others right now due to the harsh tariffs being imposed by the current US administration. This has been a large point of discussion for us as a team, as luckily, we currently do not have any projects in transit that will be hit by the current tariffs.
However, if the situation continues or worsens, it will have an impact on our funded projects that are currently in production, including this one. The tariffs and the current state of trade are extremely volatile, things not just changing day by day, but sometimes in a matter of hours.
As a small company, we are trying to be as agile as possible and make sure that costs don't come back to our customers and supporters, but there is a chance that this may have to happen in the future if things do not improve. It's too early for us to make a decision on how we will move forward, multiple contingency plans are already being made, but we will be closely monitoring how things develop.
For this project currently, nothing has changed, work continues, and the books are being made. We will not let this situation stop us creating things that we believe bring joy and connection, especially when we are in a time of discord and division.
For those who would like to know more about how the tariffs are impacting the tabletop industry as a whole, please see this great explainer from Meredith Placko (Steve Jackson Games, CEO) and others as to how the situation is damaging to the industry at large: https://www.theverge.com/news/643173/trump-tariffs-steve-jackson-board-game-industry
SHIVER: Corporate
In the spirit of keeping on and creating fun things, we are excited to announce SHIVER: Corporate, our next expansion that delves into he darkly comedic world of workplace sci-fi horror. Take on an internship at Cornwell Consolidated (A SHIVER staple antagonist) and try to survive ascending the corporate ladder.
Want to know more? Check out the teaser page and give the project a follow to receive a new SHIVER Quickstart where your plucky interns got hell and back to retrieve office supplies:
