Clandestine Preorders

Charging Cards in BackerKit - Monday, March 31st
about 1 year ago – Fri, Mar 28, 2025 at 07:36:48 AM

Hello Clandestine friends!

This is a quick update to remind you that we'll be charging cards in BackerKit on Monday, March 31st (~4pm CDT).  

As a reminder, while your reward pledge was collected in Kickstarter, BackerKit is where you have the opportunity to add anything to (or upgrade) your initial pledge as well as pay for shipping and taxes and - most importantly - provide your address so I know where to ship your rewards when they're ready.

In a couple of weeks, I'll provide a much more robust update, but I wanted to be sure to remind you that you'll see this charge from Brookspun Games processed at the end of this month as promised.

If you have yet to complete your survey in BackerKit, now is a great time to do so by going to this link!

If you're moving, don't worry - you'll still have plenty of time to change your address if needed.  We'll update you when we're getting close to locking in addresses.

Thanks so much and stay tuned for a more detailed update in mid-April.

--Jason

Custom Trays & Pledge Manager Reminder
about 1 year ago – Fri, Mar 07, 2025 at 02:18:02 PM

Hello all! 

Clandestine preparation continues to proceed well and I'm delighted to share some pictures with you in this update - specifically of the custom trays that all of your copies of Clandestine will contain!  As for completion since the last update:

• All art has been finalized
• Graphic design clean-up is nearly complete (making sure all Clandestine components give off the same "vibe" while clearly conveying what you need to know while playing the game)
• External development is complete thanks to our friends at Kicktester

Additionally, I wanted to remind that you if you haven't already, please complete your BackerKit survey (pledge manager) by the end of this month so we can be sure your copy can find its way to you later this year.  Over two-thirds of you have completed the survey (Thank you!).  As for the rest of you, now is a great time to complete yours.  Cards will be charged in the pledge manager (for shipping, taxes, add-ons, etc.) at the end of March. I'll be sure to send another reminder just before that happens.

Custom Tray Layout

For those that love great organization inside their game boxes, here's a look at the tray system for Clandestine (complete with room for sleeved cards AND - you're hearing it here first.... - the planned expansion!!!).  Take a look at what Bryce from Black Magic Inserts has put together.

NOTE: Colors are to show contrast only and are not the actual colors of the trays.

Bryce designed the trays for Legacies which have been a huge hit for all of those who own the deluxe copy of my first game and I must say he has developed another EXCELLENT set of trays for this next deluxe offering from Brookspun Games.

In my next update, I should have the rulebook ready for your review and feedback.  If you have any questions in the interim, please feel free to comment on the update or send me a direct update on Kickstarter.

That's it for now.  Have a great weekend and - for those of you that observe daylight savings time - don't forget to turn your clocks ahead an hour on Sunday!

--Jason

The Pledge Manager Goes Live Today!
over 1 year ago – Thu, Jan 30, 2025 at 07:07:58 AM

Great news! As promised last week, the pledge manager for Clandestine is going live!  Check your e-mail (or possibly your spam folder) for an e-mail from Brookspun Games (via BackerKit) shortly inviting you to complete your pledge manager for Clandestine.  A small portion of you will get your link momentarily and the rest of you will get your link later today or tomorrow.

As a reminder, in the pledge manager you will:

• Confirm your pledge level (with the opportunity to upgrade it, if desired)
• Add any desired add-ons
• Provide your address for shipping (we're still on track to ship this fall. If you need to change you're address later, you'll have plenty of time to do so)
• Pay for shipping fees and any applicable taxes/VAT (based on your shipping address)

In the last update I mentioned cards would be charged as you complete your entry in the pledge manager, but after some feedback, I've decided that cards will get charged at the end of March.  I'll be sure to give notice via updates as we approach that point, but want to make sure you're aware this is a change from what I shared in the last update.

Changing Your Pledge Level

I know a number of you backed at the Initiate ($1) level and have been awaiting the Pledge Manager launch to choose your version of Clandestine.  In order to change your pledge (regardless of what level you pledged during the Kickstarter campaign), when you launch your survey, you can either click here to choose a new pledge level:

...or if you're already working on your survey, you can click here to change your pledge level:

Pledge Manager Questions / Issues

If you have any issues completing or updating your pledge in the pledge manager, BackerKit has great support - please check with them first as they have a team that can respond quickly.  If you're still running into issues, please feel free to message me directly via Kickstarter and I'm happy to help - just may be a bit slower to respond than the BackerKit team would be.

Transcendent Backers

REMINDER: For those that backed at the Transcendent level, please check your Kickstarter messages for a special message from me about getting your prototype of Clandestine to you.  A few still have yet to provide the information needed so I can get your prototype of Clandestine sent your way.  You'll still need to complete your pledge manager for your production copy, but the prototype version will be managed through our Kickstarter communication.

Retailer Backers

REMINDER: For those that backed at the Retailer level, instead of a pledge manager invite, you'll receive a message from me in the next week or so to process your retailer order via Google Forms.  Please be on the lookout for that message.

Quick Recap

• Look for your pledge manager e-mail today/tomorrow from Brookspun Games (via BackerKit)
• Complete your pledge manager before March 31st (cards will be charged then for shipping/VAT and any upgrades to your pledge or add-ons which weren't collected via Kickstarter)
• Retailer or Transcendent backer? Look for a KS message from me soon
• Still on track to deliver this fall - in the meantime, have fun playing some of your other favorite games!

I'm excited to reach this point and look forward to sharing updates on the rulebook and additional final design details in my next updates.

Take care and stay tuned for more fun updates soon!

--Jason

Jan. 2025 Update - Pledge Manager Launching Shortly
over 1 year ago – Fri, Jan 24, 2025 at 02:13:44 PM

I hope your new year is off to a great start!  As promised last month, the pledge manager for Clandestine is nearly ready to launch.  This week we were working with BackerKit on a small pesky issue and appear to have that resolved.  We expect BackerKit to complete their formal review early next week and give us the green light to launch shortly after that.

We'll first launch the pledge manager for a smoke test (to about 5% of backers).  Once we confirm everything is working as planned with that small group, pledge manager surveys will go out to everyone - likely mid-to-late next week.   

Pledge Manager Details

In the pledge manager (run by BackerKit) you will:

• Confirm your pledge level (with the opportunity to upgrade it, if desired)
• Add any desired add-ons
• Provide your address for shipping
• Pay for shipping fees and any applicable taxes/VAT (based on your shipping address)

Cards will be charged when you complete the pledge manager, however, you have until at least the end of March to complete your pledge manager entry so you can pick a time that works best for you financially to complete your pledge.  

After the pledge manager closes at the end of March, you'll still be able to adjust your shipping address - if needed - until manufacturing is nearly complete this summer.  We'll give you plenty of notice before addresses lock for shipping (and reminders about the pledge manager over the next couple of months).

Transcendent Backers

For those that backed at the Transcendent level, please check your Kickstarter messages for a special message from me about getting your prototype of Clandestine to you.  Several of you have responded and have received your prototype, but a few still have yet to provide the information needed so I can get your prototype of Clandestine sent your way.

Retailer Backers

For those that backed at the Retailer level, instead of a pledge manager invite, you'll receive a message from me in the next couple of weeks to process your retailer order via Google Forms.  Please be on the lookout for that message.

Legacies

Thank you to those who completed the survey regarding interest in adding a copy of Legacies (my first published game).  Based on the response to that survey, I will NOT be doing a reprint of Legacies at this time.  I do anticipate a reprint, but it seems like it's more likely to happen sometime next year.  For the limited number who were interested, I have an extremely small number of copies of Legacies left from the original run.  If you're interested AND in the US or Canada, please send me a direct message through Kickstarter and we can see if I can get a copy to you via a direct order.

Additional Clandestine Progress

Over the past few weeks, in addition to preparing the pledge manager, we've had some great progress on a number of items:

• The solo mode artwork for Clandestine has been finalized meaning we now have 100% of the art for the game (I'll share those soon once we finalize the graphic design for the solo society paths.)
• The contract with Panda has been signed for manufacturing
• The Bone Vessel Mini files have been sent to Panda for review (as the mini will take the longest of all of the components)
• Solo mode testing and final development have continued
• Rulebook fine-tuning continues (note: in the next update I'll likely include a link to the near final draft of the rulebook for feedback.  If that's something you'd like to review and/or chime in on, please be sure to keep an eye out for that!)

That's it for now.  Be on the lookout for the pledge manager invite from BackerKit in the next several days and feel free to share any thoughts or questions in the comments or directly to me via Kickstarter message.

Thank so much and stay tuned for additional updates!

--Jason 

Dec. 2024 Update - Pledge Manager, Mini, and Conventions
over 1 year ago – Sun, Dec 22, 2024 at 08:22:26 AM

For many (myself included), holidays are just around the corner with the new year to follow. Before heading into those busy times - hopefully spent with friends and family and/or doing things you love to do - I wanted to let you know how Clandestine is coming along since the campaign wrapped.  A lot has progressed over the last couple of weeks with the pledge manager, solo mode (graphic design & art), development/playtesting, and more.  See below for some of the highlights.

Pledge Manager setup in progress

I'm actively building out the pledge manager in BackerKit and opted to wait to launch it until January.  With the hecticness of the holidays, I realized it would be better to launch it after things calmed down for many in the new year (and when the BackerKit support team is actually back in the office...).  

In the pledge manager you'll be able to enter your shipping details, upgrade and/or add items to your pledge if desired, and pay for shipping costs and relevant VAT/taxes.

As I finalize the pledge manager, I've got a One Question Survey I'd love it if you'd take!

Note: Transcendent backers have already received a message and e-mail from me about getting their Clandestine prototypes.  Retailers will get a message from me around the same time the pledge manager launches regarding their next steps.

Bone Vessel Mini

Believe it or not, of the several hundred components you'll be getting with your copy of Clandestine, the one that takes the longest to produce will be the Bone Vessel Mini (to store your energy tokens and pass between players at the end of each turn).  This week we finalized the files for the mini and sent them over to Panda for an initial review.  

I shared some details about the mini in Project Update #9. As a two-piece mini, we recognized it needed some extra stability to keep the vessel together while passing it from player to player.  We also wanted to make sure it's easy to disassemble to return to the box for storage.  The pictures below shows the solution we're using to meet both of those needs. (Insert your own joke here about your absent-minded friends who - if their heads weren't already screwed on - they'd be certain to forget them...)

Clandestine and 2025 Conventions

For those of you looking for conventions in warmer weather as winter takes hold in the US, FlingCon will have a prototype of Clandestine available for demos on Friday and Saturday during the convention (Jan. 23rd - Jan. 25th).  If you want a place to check out Clandestine, avoid the snow, and have tons of gaming fun - head to FlingCon in January to accomplish all of the above!

The other confirmed convention you can find Clandestine at in 2025 is GenCon in August where Brookspun Games will once again have a booth w/ demos.  We will also schedule a number of Clandestine full gaming sessions at GenCon for those wanting to give it a play before receiving their copy a few weeks later.

If there are additional conventions that you'd like to see Clandestine demoed or showcased at in the meantime, please feel free to list them in the comments or send me an e-mail through Kickstarter and I'll see what I can do.  

Other updates & next steps

In addition to the above, the solo mode art and graphic design is coming along nicely.  Development and fine tuning of cards and values continues. And final clean-up of game components (like the society paths) have been keeping us busy.

Our update next month will coincide with the launch of the pledge manager.  In the meantime, I'm wishing you all a very Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!