An Update
over 4 years ago
– Mon, Jun 08, 2020 at 10:54:41 PM
Currently, we are at a rather difficult spot as far as finishing and delivering this project. As we have explained in previous updates, the dealings with our manufacturer have been atrocious. Their time tables are consistently off, the communication is obscenely slow, and we have done everything possible to get them to amicably resolve the issue. They have long had their money, but we are still waiting on them for the final process.
It's supremely frustrating to have this project get stuck in a protracted problem like this, as all of our prior projects have been fulfilled and even those after are soon to be completed as well. We have not, and will not, be using this manufacturer's services again for other projects.
Given the status of the situation, we've discussed it with an attorney and the negotiations/proceedings are now in their hands. We've been advised not to publicly discuss the details beyond what we've already said to you here, but they seem confident a solution can be reached that will inevitably get you your games.
Due to the long pauses this situation has created and the lack of confirmation that final production has actually begun, we've spent a bunch of time continuing our work on the game. We continue making small edits and balance adjustments so that it is as good as possible once this mess has been sorted.
In the future we will make an update linking the current rule book, rule clarifications, balance adjustments and play test logs for those who are interested in seeing the process.
We know it's terrible to have the project delayed and we wish there was more we could do to expedite the delivery for you. Hopefully we can get to a resolution with this so we can put this mess behind us and you can all get the great game you deserve. We will keep you updated as the process moves forward.
Reports from the Land of Laruna
almost 5 years ago
– Tue, Mar 03, 2020 at 07:11:50 PM
If you've followed any kind of news lately, you're probably already aware of the challenges in China related to the Coronavirus. It's led to multiple work stoppages and unfortunately the flow of information coming out of the country has been very slow. While we've been in contact with some members of our manufacturer, we can't say with any certainty when things will continue to progress.
While we wait for more accurate information and better news, we thought we'd share a report from the land of Laruna. Many of you expressed interest in seeing more of the gameplay so here's a look into a current ongoing game. We felt this method might showcase some of the concepts in actual use and offer nice pictures of game assets as well:
It's five turns into a 3-player, 15 game, and war is afoot!
On turn 13, Epilesis declared War! on Mesadrin, and offered Darco'Garaith half of the winner's purse of 6 Favor if they joined in. Mesadrin stands alone, defending itself from a dual-sided attack.
Mesadrin's forces have dwindled to a single Druid, and their Kingdom is full of Epilesis and Darco'Garaith units. Their units were quickly overwhelmed and territories ignored while the enemies pushed for a quick kingdom sacking.
While the war effort may be going poorly for Mesadrin, a look at their Kingdom Mat tells a more hopeful tale. They already have 3 Favor, are one trade away from earning a 4th Favor, are sitting on a large stockpile of Mana, and have decent amounts of Food and Gold. They also still control 2 Territories and have their maximum allowed amount of islands and dimensions. Even in the midst of war, they've just unlocked a Population milestone, allowing their economy to grow even further.
Even if the war ends badly, Mesadrin will likely be only 2 or so Favor behind the current leader, and will be immune to further attack due to the Sacked! card. They will also be in very good economic standing. We'd like to take you along through this game and give you some insight of the basics, then look at some of the more specific concepts that caused it to unfold.
Who will win the war, and what will the landscape of Laruna look like once it's settled? Stay tuned for these answers in the next Report from the Land of Laruna.
Quick January Update
almost 5 years ago
– Mon, Jan 27, 2020 at 10:19:49 PM
Due to the holiday season in the US leading right up to Golden Week in China, there's not much new information from the previous update. So, here's where we stand:
All of the necessary corrections have been made on our end and have been affirmed to be received on theirs. Once the manufacturer provides evidence of the corrections being in place, mass production can begin immediately.
The manufacturer is scheduled to return from holiday at the beginning of February, so we will update you once they're back and we have more info.
December Update
almost 5 years ago
– Sat, Dec 21, 2019 at 12:25:03 AM
Hey all! We appreciate your patience while you waited for this December update. We have some good news, so let's dive right in!
First, as mentioned in the comments, LAOK had a great reception at PAX Unplugged. Quite a few backers were able to check the material out, and plenty of people who were unaware of the project seemed highly impressed by what we showed off, making us even more excited to deliver this game.
Fortunately, we've been able to discuss altering the way some of the miniatures are assembled and glued to prevent breakage with the manufacturers engineer. As for our faceless friend the Warden, the manufacturer believes this error can be fixed by adjusting the way that particular mold is injected. Once we have confirmation that the fix works, that will be the last of the issues preventing us from hitting mass production.
We are optimistic that when we hit the new year, we'll be able to offer up a production timeline so that we all have a better idea of the project's status and how close we are to delivery.
Thank you again!
The Essen Meeting Rundown
about 5 years ago
– Mon, Nov 11, 2019 at 02:35:34 PM
Hi all,
Now that we're back from Essen, let's dive right into the new info.
The meeting itself went well, with the manufacturer seeming dedicated to the task of completing production. They promised to send us a full copy of all the miniatures taken from the mold, and they did follow through.
Here are some pictures of the miniatures we received:
Overall, we're happy with what we received, but this shipment did reveal some issues. We need to re-address the shipping and packaging of the minis, along with the material that is being used, to prevent the breakage that we saw in our shipment:
We are very happy with most of the miniatures themselves. There are some mold lines and some slight warping of swords and other weapons, but nothing beyond what would normally be expected in any miniatures project.
We did find one major issues, however:
Obviously, the Sentinel shouldn't have a hole in her face. We will be discussing this specific issue with the manufacturer first, since it may require the longest amount of time to fix.
So we would grade the meeting as a mixed bag, with hopeful optimism. We've re-established communication with the manufacturer, we've received all of the prototype material, and we've been able to hone in on some specific issues that need to be fixed before moving forward.
As an additional note, the Tabletop Simulator mod is now publicly available on Steam. You can search the workshop for Laruna: Age of Kingdoms, or follow the below link:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1911010993
The print-and-play files are coming along as well, as we're finishing up formatting to make printing more manageable and require less materials.
Thank you.
