October Update (finishing touches!)
over 2 years ago – Sun, Oct 24, 2021 at 05:01:48 AM

I'm not sure if you noticed, but it's October. And you know what that means: it's scary mech season!

Current Status

• Art is finalised! Galen's work is done, and it is good. Like, really really good. I had the pleasure of paying him this week, which is absolutely one of my favourite bits. And it's all thanks to your support - the interior art was funded entirely by this Kickstarter! 
• Playsets undergoing final tweaks. I've been through Melody's top-notch editorial comments, and we're now down to finalising the last few details. Once that's done, the zine is text complete!
• BackerKit surveys are 93% complete. Thank you to everyone who has filled out their surveys. If you haven't done so yet, please do by the end of October! 
• First print sample ordered. I've ordered a free sample print from Mixam, due to arrive early next week. This is mostly about figuring out the process and making sure some of the trickier parts of the layout are coming out alright, before pulling the trigger on proper proofs.

Please complete your BackerKit survey!

I'm pleased to say that 93% of BackerKit surveys are complete. That's 547 of you lovely people, which is a really great result. A big thank you to everyone who has filled out their survey already - it's been fun watching them all roll in!

If you're one of the 36 people who hasn't completed their BackerKit survey yet, please do it now. That goes double if you're a print backer - if you don't fill out your survey, I can't send you your zine! 

I'm currently planning to lock orders down on November 1st. That gives you a little over a week from today to fill out your survey or make any changes to your add-ons. You'll still be able to change your delivery address - I won't lock addresses until shortly before shipping begins.

And don't forget, tell your friends about the pre-order store so they can pick up their copies: https://stealing-the-throne.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

The Throne you all want to steal

Most of you have filled out your BackerKit surveys, which means most of you have told me which Throne you're planning to steal first. And that, my friends, is data! Here it is, in pretty bar chart form:

Tensword leads by a mile! If you're going after that one, you better believe you'll be facing a whole lot of competition. Stealing it is going to be tough, holding on to it even tougher...

(Also: is this a sneaky sneak preview of some of Galen's amazing interior art? Yeah it is!)

Next Steps

• Finalise the words. Just a few last tweaks on the playsets, and zine is text complete. It's so close I can feel it!
• Finalise the layout. The template is all ready to go, so I'm just waiting for the absolutely final version of the words before I wrap up the layout. I'm really looking forward to this part - layout is fun!
• Order print proofs. When those arrive, you can bet I'll be sharing photos! 

Do you know what's hard to find? Scary mech gifs. Throw your favourites in the comments!

-Nick

It's time: BackerKit is live!
almost 3 years ago – Sat, Oct 02, 2021 at 04:18:21 PM

Today is an exciting day: the Stealing the Throne BackerKit is now live!

The key details

• Backers should be receiving BackerKit survey invitations, delivered to their Kickstarter email address. Follow the link in the survey email to supply your delivery address, purchase additional copies of the zine or upgrade your order, and pay for shipping. Please fill out your survey as soon as you can!
• The pre-order store is live. This is a chance for anyone who missed the Kickstarter to pick up a PDF or print copy of the zine. Here's the link - spread the word far and wide!
• I am planning to lock orders down in November. Until then, you'll be able to make changes to things like your delivery address and add-ons. I'll make sure to warn you before things lock down.

Those are the basics. Read on for more detail...

What's this about?

Backers should now be receiving survey emails from BackerKit. This is how I'll collect delivery addresses and shipping fees, and how I'll distribute digital rewards. The surveys will go to your Kickstarter email address (that is, whichever email you use to log into Kickstarter). If yours doesn't arrive in the next few days, check those spam folders, and if you still can't find it give me a shout.

Earlier this week I sent out a smoke test to 5% of backers, to kick the tires on the BackerKit and make sure everything was working as expected. That went smoothly, so now it's time for the whole shebang! 

Please fill out your surveys as soon as you can - this will help me pin down how many copies of the zine I need to print. Your credit cards will not be charged until I lock the surveys down, and up until that point you'll be able to make adjustments (including to your delivery address). I'm currently planning to lock surveys down in November, but I'll make sure to warn you before that happens.

What if you want to upgrade your pledge?

If you backed at the Witness (£1) or Backup (£4) level and would like to upgrade your pledge to a print copy of the zine, the best way to do that is by clicking the "switch your pledge level" link below the "Get Started!" button. That will let you apply your current pledge amount towards the higher tier, so that you can get a copy of the zine for the same price as all the other backers.

Shipping and customs fees

As discussed during the campaign, shipping fees will be charged via BackerKit. I've tried to be as accurate as I can with these fees, and the good news is they're very close to the estimates provided during the campaign. For a single copy of the zine, the postage is:

• UK: £2.06
• Europe: £4.31
• US: £6.01
• Australia/New Zealand/Singapore: £6.99
• Rest of the World: £5.86

Please be aware that any VAT, customs or handling fees are your responsibility. This is particularly relevant for EU backers, where EU rules recently changed so that the 22€ VAT-free threshold on imports no longer applies (and Brexit means I'm now importing into the EU). I'm sorry about this, but as far as I can tell there's no practical way for my tiny one-person-show to cover these fees.

Digital downloads

When you complete your survey, you might notice that there is already a "Get Your Digital Downloads" button. If you click on that, you'll be able to download a zip archive containing the Core Rules and playingcards.io template. These are the same files you've already received in this backer-only update, but I thought it might be useful to make them available through BackerKit too. 

Once the final version of the zine PDF is ready, I'll make it available via BackerKit too. You'll receive an email notification when that happens!  

Late backers: the pre-order store is open!

If you missed the Kickstarter but still want to get on board, you're in luck: the pre-order store is now open. Click the link to order PDF or print copies of the zine, at the same prices charged during the Kickstarter campaign. If you know anyone who might be interested, send them the link too! 

Expect a regular progress update on October 23, as usual. (Sneak preview: we're going to be art complete by then!) In the meantime, help me out by fill in those surveys, and I'll keep working on finalising the zine!

- Nick

September Update (getting to the pointy end!)
almost 3 years ago – Thu, Sep 23, 2021 at 07:00:25 PM

September has arrived, the weather is turning autumnal, and Stealing the Throne feels like it's really coming together. If you're wondering what that looks like, here's some footage of me tinkering away at the Throne playsets:

Current status

• Throne playsets in editing. Earlier this month I sent the draft playsets off to Melody, and her edits landed in my inbox just this morning! As always, I cannot wait to dig into her feedback. Editors rule!
• Finalising interior art. Galen is polishing the final pieces of interior art for the zine, and I love how it's looking. There's so much implied story in Galen's art - he sent me an image last week and I cannot wait to frame a heist there. Artists rule!
• Made contact with the Ancient Heroes. This was a fun one: I reached out to the two generous Ancient Hero backers, and we started plotting their custom Throne playsets. The Ancient Heroes rule!
• More playtests! Just this week we stole Belly Laugh, and I'm pleased to say the playset worked beautifully. The heist went (suspiciously) smoothly, but the getaway was a total fiasco: both Regular Chernov and Finch went out in a blaze of glory, never knowing they were handing the Throne to the traitor London Kohl! London Kohl rules (the former Nova Khan's empire)!

Thinking About Hacks

While we're building the zine into its final form, I want to share a not-so-secret secret with you all: I think Stealing the Throne is extremely hackable. It's a finely-tuned engine for epic giant robot heists that run in a couple of hours (perfect for a convention slot, now that conventions are coming back!), but it's also a framework for just about any kind of action-filled heist you can think of.

What sort of hacks would you write? Is anyone interested in a Stealing the... game jam on itch.io? Let us know in the comments, on twitter, or on discord! 

You could start small: 

• Build your own playsets. I'm sure everyone has a thousand-year-old giant robot they'd just love to build!
• Tinker with playset format. I've already tried one experiment with Tensword, but there's bound to be a myriad of other ways you could mess with the format.
• Use the card suits. There's already an optional rule that uses Throne card suits to decide what sort of complication occurs when the situation escalates mid-heist. What else could you use them for?

Or you could go bigger:

• Add a phase. A recruitment montage? A whole new finale? Downtime?
• Change the theme completely! Stealing (stolen) relics from Nazis? Stealing treasure from monster-filled dungeons? Stealing dangerous secrets from the dreams of even more dangerous people?

(Speaking of changing the theme, you should definitely check out Josh Fox's Stealing the Stones. It takes Stealing the Throne's framework and turns it into a game about the other greatest heist in history: stealing Stonehenge! It's the first hack of Stealing the Throne, and it's currently available via the Black Armada Games Patreon.) 

Next steps

• Set up the BackerKit. While the last pieces of the zine come together, I'll be setting up the Stealing the Throne BackerKit. More on that soon, but that's how I'll collect delivery addresses and postage, and it'll give any late backers a chance to jump on board and grab a copy of the zine. 
• Review and implement playset edits. Now that Melody's edits are in, I'll get to work on revising the playsets. If you're playtesting one, there's still a bit of time to get me feedback!
• Finalise layout. Once the last edits are done and the art is all in place, it's time to finalise the layout and get this thing print ready.

Let's go! 

- Nick

August Update (with a playset teaser!)
almost 3 years ago – Tue, Aug 24, 2021 at 05:07:44 AM

Time flies when you're having fun. And let me tell you folks, I've been having fun!   

Current Status

• Throne playset first drafts complete. I now have rough drafts for The Burning Soldier, Belly Laugh, and Justice Above. Only Tensword still to go, and I'm planning something a little different for that one...
• Galen Pejeau's art magic continues. Emails from Galen absolutely make my day, every time. He's sending a steady stream of sketches my way, and they're all so good. I feel like he's really hooked into the scope and tone of the game, and I can't wait to share his work with you all! 

Fancy a Throne playset teaser?

Back when the Kickstarter launched, I said the Throne playsets would contain "inspiration in the form of Throne-specific tables, prompts, mech systems, history, or defences. You can use them as quick-start playsets to launch your games, inspiration for building your own Thrones, or prompts to fall back on if you need a mid-game creativity boost."

That's still very much the plan, but as I started to write them I got to thinking about how they'd actually be used at the table (virtual or otherwise). After a bunch of tinkering I've hit on a two-sided layout that I think will work really well:

• Front page: Art of the Throne, and everything you need for the Planning and Getaway phases.
• Back page: Everything you need for the Heist itself.

Here's the trick: while you're building the Throne, you've got a beautiful image to look at for inspiration. Then, when the heist begins, you flip the page and the art is covered up; you know what your target is, but you can't see it (yet!). Once you've secured the Throne, you flip the page back for the getaway, and there's your prize, in all its glory!

Alright, time for that teaser. Let me flip a card, roll a couple of dice, and see what we might get from The Burning Soldier:

• The obstacle: A checkpoint that requires three-factor military identification to bypass. Tough already, but the third identification factor is apparently impossible to forge.
• My thief: Jonah Lascaille, unparalleled expert in Throne lore.
• My rival: Pyre Chaplain Esh. Is he loyal to the Flame, or a secret worshipper of the Dark?

It's going to be fun finding out how Jonah gets past this one! 

I got myself a (home) printer...

I bought a home printer this week, for those times when you need to print important documents. Obviously the first thing I did with it was make myself a little test zine...  

It felt good to hold a homemade version of Stealing the Throne in my hands - I can only imagine what it'll be like with the real deal! (And don't worry, the final zine will still be printed by the professionals over at Mixam. I'm not suddenly switching to folding and stapling myself!) 

Next Steps

• Finalise playset drafts. Once I'm happy with the playset drafts, I'll send them off to Melody so she can get stuck into making the words as good as they can be. I'm really excited for this bit - working with Melody has been an absolute joy. Good editors are the best.
• Playtesting! If you think you might be able to run a playtest using a draft Throne playset, drop me a note in the comments here, on twitter, or at the ickbat games discord. We'll see what we can work out!
• Finalise layout. I've been putting together test layouts for the Throne playsets as I go, expertly assisted by Jane Hermiston and their top-flight layout design skills. That's given me a head start, but once the words have come back from Melody and the art from Galen it'll be time to start pulling this whole thing together!

Until next time! Acception! (What does that even mean? Who knows!)

- Nick

July Update (with first backer heists!)
almost 3 years ago – Fri, Jul 23, 2021 at 03:33:49 AM

July is almost over. It's hot where I am, and I've been thinking about The Burning Soldier. Remember this fiery boy? 

Current Status

• The core rules are out! Backers should now have access to everything needed to play Stealing the Throne (including tools for online games). If you haven't checked the rules out yet, pop over to this special backer-only update!
• Throne playset structural outline complete. I've been thinking hard about how to make the Throne playsets as inspiring and useful as possible. I reckon I've hit on a really solid structure, inspired in part by Shawn & Navi Drake's Hour of Chains, riley rethal's galactic 2e, and especially Gulix's amazing Facing the Titan. All excellent games/supplements - check them out!
• Internal art progress. Galen Pejeau and I have been cooking up plans for the zine's internal art (beyond the gorgeous Throne illustrations from Sam, Si, Brandish, and Galen). I think you're going to like what you see! Maybe, if we're lucky, there might be a little teaser next month...

Have you stolen a giant robot yet?

If you've had a chance to take the game out for a spin, I'd love to hear about it! Be like Eva-01 and dash over the ickbat games discord: https://discord.gg/6VeJkE84dC. There's even talk of arranging some online or play-by-post games... 

Hearing the first reports of backer heists has been absolutely amazing. They all sound just as epic as I'd hoped - bold thieves, mighty Thrones, desperate escapes! Here are the first three: 

• Lanti and the marziaconnari liberated Justice Above from the debauched King Havelar, including an attempted getaway via asteroid hauler that was interrupted by the untimely arrival of Tensword itself!
• Not content with one giant robot heist, Lanti and the marziaconnari returned to reassemble the scattered pieces of Belly Laugh, snatching it from the clutches of the Sisterhood and the Alpha Thetis Heavenly Empire. Busy day!
• Kristen's crew on the Online RPG Players discord managed to wrest control of The Burning Soldier from its partially-mummified commander, still locked it the cockpit after his death. The spirit hacker Helm sacrificed themself in the confrontation with the undead general so the rest of the crew could make their getaway!

Who will be the first to steal Tensword, I wonder? Is it you?

itch.io Creator Day is on now!

If you're reading this today, July 23rd, then it's Creator Day on itch.io. For 24 hours, itch.io wave their usual fees and give 100% of all sales directly to creators. That makes today the perfect day to check out some new games! 

Here are three small recommendations, but there's so much great stuff out there:

• Found in the Dark: A bundle of Forged in the Dark games which includes some of my favourites (MOTH-LIGHT, Slugblaster, CBR+PNK), plus a bunch that are completely new to me.
• The ZineQuest3 Jam: A place to collect ZineQuest3 projects - check it out and see if you missed something cool! Organised by Craig Duffy (and including his own excellent game of psychic Cold War spies, Project Cassandra).
• Some of my other games: Doomed expeditions to a mysterious monument? Daring aerial heists over the Sunset Archipelago? A nifty little toolkit for travelling between worlds? A race through whatever fantasy maps (dungeons, cities, kingdoms) you have to hand? Got you covered!

Next Steps

• Drafting those playsets. Now that I've pinned down the format, I'm hard at work on developing the playsets in detail. This is, frankly, a whole lot of fun. I'm aiming to have them drafted in August, and then they'll make their way to Melody for editing.
• Interior art development. In parallel, Galen is working on those interior illustrations. Starting (perhaps, no promises) with some iconography!

Right, it's summer (where I am). If only we could all be at the beach...  

- Nick