The tabletop game that helps kids on the autism spectrum build confidence and social skills, one dragon at a time.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Hello Everyone,
Today marks the end of the pre-release feedback period. We’ve gotten some incredibly helpful information from everyone, and I’m very excited to start incorporating this into our materials.
While the feedback surveys are now closed, we wanted to make sure to continue to give backers and people playing the pre-release materials a tool to stay connected and communicate with each other. We’re keeping the Critical Core Discord server open, and it will stay open for as long as it is useful and needed. I’ll make a separate, backers-only, post after this one with the link to the Discord server for anyone who would like to join.
As far as the physical kit goes, things are still on track for release between November and January. Right now we’re working on a few important decisions as a team regarding some pieces of the manufacturing, such as the specifics around cards that will be in the kit, details around the GM Screen, and the remainder of the artwork. We’ve also finished outlining the plotline for the third module that will go into the printed kit material, and we’re getting started with filling in the details and selecting and incorporating the artwork.
Thank you everyone for being a part of the test, and for all of your amazing support with Critical Core.
Warmly,
Adam Johns
Game to Grow Executive Director
Hello Everyone,
We’re coming up on the end of the testing period. The feedback surveys will officially close at 5:00 PM PDT this Thursday, July 9th. So I’m sending out a quick update to remind everyone to fill out your surveys before they close.
If you have found any spelling errors, or confusing wording or design of the game, you can fill out the error reporting survey here:
https://forms.gle/VRUkhGGx3REcs4NP7
If you have more general feedback and just want to give your thoughts on the pre-release materials, you can do so with the general survey, here:
https://forms.gle/21NBBrkvF42h5KAK9
Everyone who has participated in the pre-release, and downloaded the material should fill out the general feedback survey at least once. It will really help us make sure that we’re getting all of the feedback needed to improve Critical Core before it goes to print.
Thank you all for your amazing help and feedback!
Warmly,
Adam Johns
Game to Grow Executive Director
Hello Everyone,
We have been so inspired by the number of people who have downloaded and started playing Critical Core. All of the feedback is amazing and we really appreciate all of your hard work reading through the materials. We hope that you’re having a lot of fun playing, and that you keep sending things our way. Remember, all feedback must be submitted by July 9th so we have enough time to incorporate feedback into the materials.
You can find the error reporting survey here:
https://forms.gle/VRUkhGGx3REcs4NP7
And the general feedback survey here:
https://forms.gle/21NBBrkvF42h5KAK9
In addition to the feedback, we are truly grateful for everyone’s help with error reporting. Ultimately, I fully expect that there will be some kind of spelling/grammar mistakes that make it into the final printed material, but you are all having a huge impact on minimizing that as much as possible.
Some of these errors are amazing to me. For instance, you may not have noticed yet, but Critical Core is spelled wrong in both modules... on the first page! It is spelled Critcal.
I can’t imagine how embarrassing it would be to release fully printed material with that kind of mistake, and how much that would haunt me every time I look at it, so thank you for helping us prevent that!
We’ve received lots of really valuable feedback, too. In the GM guide there are examples of two players rolling dice and adding bonuses to demonstrate how it is done. A tester pointed out that one of the example players consistently rolls well, while the other one consistently rolls poorly. Obviously this was unintentional, but the gender representation of those example players speaks to the person who reads it all the same. Something that is easy to change, and may make a big difference for someone who is reading through the guide.
Let’s talk quickly about progress. The last couple weeks have been primarily focused on getting all of the artwork together for the final materials. This is a long process, and requires a lot of back and forth with authors and the artists we’re working with, not to mention the time for them to actually create the art. To provide the artists with what they need, we have been compiling a detailed list of every NPC, Monster, and scene within each module. This work, combined with the help of our diversity consultant, results in the creation of artwork briefs that guide the selected artists. We’re still in process on all of that, but once we have some new artwork sketches you can be certain that I’ll be sharing them with you, excitedly.
We are looking forward to continuing our phase 2 work, especially the opportunity to incorporate your feedback. Again please make sure feedback is submitted no later than July 9th, 2020.
Warmly,
Adam Johns
Game to Grow Executive Director
Hello Everyone,
I want to thank everyone who has downloaded and started providing feedback for the digital pre-release of Critical Core. We’re already getting some amazing suggestions, and I can’t wait to hear what people think of the material overall.
If you are a Kickstarter backer and you missed the update regarding how to get the pre-release material, you can find more information here.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gametogrow/critical-core/posts/2858213
We’re also getting some amazing data from the download survey. It is incredible to see some of those numbers, and really get to know our audience of backers, with information like the range of experience with role-playing games.
While many people are experienced game masters the rest are split with experience, even several people who are first time GMs. It will be interesting to keep an eye on the breakdown as we get more downloads.
While we’re collecting the feedback from everyone, we’re busy working on what we call “Phase 2” of the project and evolving our timeline to keep you as accurately up to date on the project as possible. Right now we’re looking at a final product deadline of 5-7 months from now.
The release of Critical Core is in essentially 4 parts.
The final digital materials will be released before the physical kits are sent out. Throughout Phase 2 we’ll be working on development of the expanded modules but they may take some extra time to get together as we’ll be working with our guest writers.
I hope that the pre-release material is a good indicator of how hard we’ve been working on this product. We’re so excited about entering this next phase for Critical Core, thank you for all of your support and your tremendous help in making it an amazing product.
Warmly,
Adam Johns
Game to Grow Executive Director