ShadowSea: Stygian Depths Kickstarter gestartet

Der neue Kickstarter von AntiMatter Games, The Stygian Depths – Lost Temple of Xibalba, ist live gegangen und soll eine Kampagne für ShadowSea und DeepWars finanzieren.

The Stygian Depths – Lost Temple of Xibalba

Produce new tabletop adventure and solo campaign supplement for ShadowSea, with new metal and resin miniatures for heroes and enemies.

About

This Kickstarter will help us produce many new products, with the main focus on the dungeon exploration game, The Stygian Depths – Lost Temple of Xibalba. The Stygian Depths is a supplement for our tabletop skirmish game, ShadowSea – Conquest of the Underground World. Funding this project will also help us produce two-player starter sets with new miniatures and rulebooks for ShadowSea and DeepWars, our game of underwater combat that is 100% compatible with ShadowSea. In addition, we are producing a ShadowSea supplement for Grace Flynn and other characters from the stories of  P.L. McCall. This campaign, Grace Flynn – Tides of Forever, will have Grace and her crew lost in the world of the Shadow Sea and have to survive a Solo or Co-op adventure. Lastly, we are producing new miniatures for The Stygian Depths and the Grace Flynn supplements and the two-player starter sets.

The Stygian Depths – Lost Temple of Xibalba

This supplement to ShadowSea will come complete with its own rules section, introducing new special rules for dungeon exploring, so that players do not need to have the full ShadowSea rulebook. The game takes place in the sunken city of Xibalba, located within the shallow waters of Blood Reef. Warbands from any of the main forces of ShadowSea or DeepWars may enter the temples, which have their upper sections exposed from the sea surface, and search for ancient treasures. The game will include printed and PDF versions of the rulebook, floor tiles and cards.

The game is designed for solo and co-op play, using a deck of cards to build the dungeon layout with 6″x6″ double-sided floor tiles with various rooms, corridors and deadly lairs. The ultimate goal is to reach the Quest Chamber for a scenario, an 8″x10″ tile with a unique layout for each scenario. Players may also build their own layouts for competitive battles, having each player start in different sections of the map and then trying to recover as much loot as possible while surviving the dangers of the temple.

A room card has been drawn – the player rolls to determine which room variant is used.

Each of the tiles for rooms, corridors and lairs has two variants in the layout. The cards from the dungeon deck have the descriptions for each variant. Before each game, players build their dungeon deck using random draws from each of the main floor tile types, then draw one of the Quest Chambers, which itself can have multiple battle scenarios.

The card and tile set includes

12  – 6″x6″ rooms, turns and corridors (2 variants each, so 24 actually)

6  – 6″x 6″ Lairs (12 with variants)

6  – 8″ x 10″ Quest Chambers.

24  – tarot-sized dungeon cards

20  – poker-sized encounter cards

20  – poker-sized event cards

20  – poker-sized ambush cards

This is what is completed so far. We can always add more rooms as Stretch Goals also, but the pledges are priced for this number.

Room tile variant showing the Mystical Fountain room when flooded and dry.

The temple dungeon is full of environmental hazards, such as flooded chambers that require a model to swim or have the Amphibious ability, infested rooms filled with toxic fungus, crumbling floors and ceilings that can collapse upon the unwary, and vicious traps and ambushes.

An example of the two of the room tiles with environmental hazards

Models that survive those dangers must also contend with encounters with the denizens of the temple, Snakemen of Xibalba and their demonic servants as well as strange creatures of the underground that have taken residence in the dungeon. These enemies have their own rules of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that tells the player how they move, attack, use items and otherwise interact within the game. Of course, an opposing player can also take command of the dungeon inhabitants and add some additional challenge.

Basic troops has simple AI patterns but the final battles with Bosses in the Quest Chamber have their own special AI rules that take advantage of their abilities and the layout of the room, making the battles a challenge for players to complete. The game will come with paper markers for enemies, with metal and resin miniatures being produced as stretch goals in this project.

Quest Chamber – Garden of Paradise

Basic troops has simple AI patterns but the final battles with Bosses in the Quest Chamber have their own special AI rules that take advantage of their abilities and the layout of the room, making the battles a challenge for players to complete. The game will come with paper markers for enemies, with metal and resin miniatures being produced as stretch goals in this project.

Some of the bosses from the Quest Chambers. Each boss has its own special AI routine.

About ShadowSea – Conquest of the Underground World

ShadowSea is a tabletop wargame using the „Song of Blades“ game mechanics (of  Ganesha Games) set in an alternate 17th century world, where forces battle in a mysterious underground ocean beneath a frozen  southern continent. Each force competes across ancient ruins, fungal forests and the shores of the Shadow Sea to claim powerful artifacts and golden treasures. Players command warbands in battles that can span long campaigns, developing their warriors as they gain experience though combat, exploration and recovery of treasure.

The game is played on the tabletop in an area of a meter square of less. The game is typically played with small warbands of 3-6 models in matches that last around an hour, though longer games with more models can be played as well. Some examples of gameplay are shown in the video below from Crankyoldgamer.net.

Bonus Reward – Grace Flynn – Tides of Forever

In addition tho the Stygian Depths, we are collaborating with P.L. McCall to bring his character, Grace Flynn, into our game world. This supplement to ShadowSea comes with rules, map layouts and markers so players can help Grace and her crew survive an intense, thematic campaign. The game is meant for solo and co-op play and includes AI rules for enemies and campaign progression for characters and their warband after each scenario. The supplement will include printed and PDF versions as well as optional printed version of the scenario maps.

Miniatures are being produced for Grace’s warband, including  Grace Flynn, Nereus Neptune, Seaton the Mariner and Bloody Brona, all shown below. Grace Flynn’s miniature has already been produced but the others still need to be sculpted.

Grace Flynn and her crew of pirates and scoundrels

Grace Flynn sculpt

Example sceanrio with a boss battle with an Ancient Storm Dragon, showing the boss AI rules.

New Two-player Starter Set

Finally, we are developing our new two-player starter sets for ShadowSea and DeepWars. These are introductory sets that include the following:

– Two forces with three miniatures per side (Leader/Personality, Trooper, and Brute/Tank)

– Two wild creature miniatures, animals that hunt both forces. DeepWars gets two Gray Pointer Sharks and ShadowSea gets two Ripperclaw Lizards.

– Game cards for miniatures

– Printed color 9″ x 6″ starter rulebook with different game scenarios

– 18″ x 24″ double-sided map with two different battle scenes

– Printed movement sticks, game markers and special scenery markers

– Paper miniatures for large wild creatures, like the Beast of Kronos

– 3 six-sided dice

– Offer for free PDF of the full rulebook and painting guide

For DeepWars, we have „Battle for Diablo Reef“ a skirmish between the Fortune Hunters and Dark Mariners spanning multiple scenarios amid a shallow reef and through shipwrecks.

New miniatures for the DeepWars two-player starter set. Fortune Hunters (left and top) Lucius Cromwell – Crusader of the Abyss and the Iron Predator Mech Construct. Dark Mariners (right and bottom) Cylla Darkmyre and the Obliterator Biomech

For ShadowSea, we have „Battle of Deadwood Forest“ pitting the Axibalan Empire against the Draconid Legion through multiple scenarios within ruins and forest with giant mushrooms.

New miniatures for the ShadowSea 2-player starter, showing Coszcatl – Sorceress of Xibalba and the Amatzl Dragon Hunter

Choosing Rewards and the Point System

Backers get their choice of items depending on their pledge level. Some pledges come with miniature „points“ that can be used to choose anything from the initial goals or unlocked by stretch goals. The point-based method allows trading these miniatures for other items. Each miniature on a 30 mm base is worth 1 point, but larger miniatures on 40 mm or 50 mm bases can be 2 or more points.The rewards shown below have a point value so  backers can pick and choose how to spend their miniature points.

Those that backed any one of our previous projects at $100 or higher and back this one at $100 level or higher get one bonus miniature point added to  their rewards. Those that backed a previous project at $200 or higher get 2 bonus points if they back at $215 or more for this one (not including extra international shipping). These bonuses are not cumulative.

Items in the reward levels may be swapped for points to use on other items. Two-player Starter Sets, for example, can be swapped for 10 points, Warband Starter sets can be swapped for 4 points each, Softcover DeepWars rulebooks can be swapped for 3 points, hardcover rulebooks for 7 points. PDF books cannot be swapped for points.

Miniatures

Most of our 28-32mm tall miniatures are cast in white metal, giving them high detail level and a nice solid heft. Larger miniatures like the Obliterator Biomech and Iron Predator Mech and some personality models are cast in rigid,  high-detail resin, preserving the maximum level of detail while reducing weight.

The Warband Starter Sets of miniatures include the Following:

4 metal miniatures with 30mm plastic base and metal base insert, game cards for each miniature, printed quickstart rules folded sheet, a sheet of game counters, measurement sticks and a Warband Record Sheet.

Adding to Rewards

One can add any unlocked models, books, terrain and starter sets to the pledge by either adding a monetary amount shown for the item or by  spending the extra points that come at different pledge levels. Some of the the new items that can be added as rewards are shown below. We are introducing a new polyurethane cast game board section(18″ x 18″) for DeepWars as a reward below and a full 36″x36″ set of four boards, with a painted pre-painted option. For some higher resolution photos of the board, check here.

   

DeepWars and ShadowSea Rewards

Backers may add rewards from the existing library of DeepWars and ShadowSea  items. Click on the links below to see additional reward options. Note:  All DeepWars miniatures that can be used in ShadowSea and the Stygian Depths with no modifications to the model have a gold coin next to them on the list of  „unlocked“ reward items that can be chosen by backers. Other models can be used with modification to equipment (for example, addition of a dive suit) or with modifiers to weapon effects (underwater weapons get -1 to combat rolls). These modifiers and how to account for edits to models, such as adding equipment, are fully described in the rulebooks. What it means is that most models can be used for both land and sea games.

DeepWars – Reward Options

DeepWars – Blood Reef Rewards

ShadowSea – Axibalan Empire Rewards

ShadowSea – Dark Mariner Rewards

ShadowSea – Draconid Legion Rewards

ShadowSea – Fortune Hunter Rewards

ShadowSea – Order of Yosoth Rewards

ShadowSea – Sunless Kingdom Rewards

ShadowSea – Books and Scenery Rewards

ShadowSea – Wild Creatures & Other Models

All current rewards spreadsheet (.xls file) – click to download

If a backer would like to get new game cards for models already on hand,  each card can be added for $0.50. This can be directly added to the pledge.

Shipping

We are going to  be calculating the shipping costs through the USPS at the time of  shipment and allow them to be paid through Paypal. This allows us to determine the cost for shipping in bulk to our UK distribution center for fulfillment to the EU and UK. We will be using GamesQuest once again to handle fulfillment to the EU and UK so that VAT and other fees are included in the pledge (EU Friendly). Gamesquest only handles the shipments, so all payments, refunds, and replacements are handled through AntiMatter Games.

For US shipments, AntiMatter Games handles everything like before.

For most rewards of a few miniatures, we ship using a padded envelope to save on shipping costs. For anything heavier, we used boxes.

Estimated values for shipping levels are:

• Basic:                    $5 USA   $5 to $8 international
• Captain:                $10 USA  $15 International
• Adventurer:          $10 USA  $35 International
• GameMaster:         $15 USA $45 International
• GameMaster Pro:  $25 USA $55 International
• GameMaster Ultra:  $35 USA $65 International

These values are estimations for the standard rewards and are high due to the number of printed books included. Any additional items added to the rewards will affect the weight and the final shipping  costs. Certain items add more weight than others. Vinyl game mats and printed books add around 1-2 lbs to the weight and require larger boxes, so they add between $10-$20 to shipping, depending on the country.

Multiple Shipments

Backers with newly produced rewards that want to receive their existing items early can pay for the extra cost of two shipments, based on weight of items. This is handled after the kickstarter ends.

Note: Backers can choose to get their rewards from this Kickstarter shipped within 4 weeks of the ending if the items are currently produced and in stock. We cannot guarantee that all items will be in stock immediately after the project ends but we will ship as soon as they are cast or printed and are available. All newly produced items and stretch items are targeted for the project ship date.

If the project is funded, we will continue to add additional stretch goals to achieve so that we can create more products. Stretch items are intended to be produced at the same time as the core project items, although some may take longer. Any additional time to complete any stretch items will be estimated and noted for that item. We also have bonus points that are added to pledges as we hit certain milestones. These points are used for items from above or stretch items as they are unlocked. The first goal is to get 100 backers.

The first stretch goal is to unlock the Ancient Storm Dragon, a massive boss from the Grace Flynn adventure. It will be a large dragon, about 150 mm in length.

The next goal is to unlock the Corrupted Nereid Witch, a boss from the Stygian Depths. She will be usable in DeepWars and ShadowSea as she is Amphibious, though she is not very sociable.

Risks and challenges

There are many steps to completing this project but we feel that we can manage it well as this will be our eighth Kickstarter project. The others produced rewards that shipped in a timely manner, with few delays to the core funded products. We now have extensive experience in printing 3D models and hand-sculpting other and casting them, so we expect the production of the submarine and other miniatures to go smoothly.

The biggest challenge we expect will be in timing all of the different aspects of design so that they reach completion at expected deadlines. We have learned though our our previous projects that issues do occur during production and to leave sufficient time and funds to mitigate the issues.

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Die Kampagne hat ihr Ziel von 9.500,00 USD bereits überschritten, steht aktuell knapp vor 10.000,00 USD und hat noch eine Laufzeit von 22 Tagen.

Quelle: The Stygian Depths – Lost Temple of Xibalba auf Kickstarter