In my e-mail box today -- yes, I am a backer...
Best,
Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)
#99
Status Update
Posted by Rik Falch
Hello All,
We have finally concluded the lawsuit with Phil Sauer, this has left our company depleted of all resources as most would understand happens from lawsuits.
We were unable to post status updates during that time and now that the case has been dismissed, we can speak to the future of Up Front.
We are trying to find some help from some other publishers to complete this project and move forward. There is interest and we are working to sort out the details but nothing has been agreed to.
Your understanding during this time while we try to get this completed will be appreciated. Once we have solidified a deal, there will be an announcement. We appreciate these folks listening to our plea and we are hopeful to come to an arrangement as quickly as possible.
Our biggest concern is that the supporters of this project can see the finished product.
Yeah, just read that. Not sure what to think but at least he said *something* where as everyone expected never to hear from him again. It's my understanding that he lost his contract with Courtney Allen in February so not sure how this could get published without that (nevermind not having a publisher now).
Yep... at least it's something. I've got money in this too so the message was welcome.
So when does the next KS asking for more money start? >:D
I was honestly wondering the exact same thing...
Best,
Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)
:o :D :o ???
Found on BGG...
Hasbro/WOTC releases Up Front as Print on Demand
http://www.wargamevault.com/product/148406/Up-Front-Complete-Game-BUNDLE?term=up+front
Now what? Do I sink more money into Up Front and buy this version or do I wait on the never to see the light of day KS version?
:(
Yeah, crossed my FB feed this morning.
I don't know WHAT to think, really...in the end, I think I'm sad. This deserves a rules re-work and a re-print by someone good at it like GMT.
I fear that will never occur...
Best,
Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)
The rules rewrite that I used (same rules but explained much better) as the original rules were a mess to try and learn. That made learning the game fairly simple: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/611952/beginning-rules-rewrite
I don't know about that copy from Wargamevault. It almost sounds like they took pictures of the original cards and then printed those; not even true scans. ?
If I didn't have two copies already, I'd go the artscow route and print a copy from there:
https://boardgamegeek.com/article/18830118#18830118
Quote from: GJK on April 30, 2015, 10:22:52 AM
...
If I didn't have two copies already, ...
Hoarder! >:(
;)
I can thank the "Mad Russian" Steve Overton for my 2nd copy plus Banzai expansion. :)
I just watched the video on the WargameVault site showing the components from this UF "kit" and actuallly, for $45.00 I think that'd be a great way to give the game a try if someone was looking to do so. It looked a lot better than what I imagined from just reading the description (which still sounds like they just took pictures of the originals and don't have the actual artwork in electronic format).
I should have mentioned, I'd LOVE to know what prompted AH/Hasbro/WotC to release this this way.
We know the lawsuit was resolved, so the timing's likely less than mere coincidence, but just cutting the IP loose that way after so many people were willing to dump so much money into it for the KS is interesting to say the least.
This has got to put the final shiv to Falch, right?
Best,
Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)
Quote from: Cyrano on April 30, 2015, 04:19:45 PM
I should have mentioned, I'd LOVE to know what prompted AH/Hasbro/WotC to release this this way.
We know the lawsuit was resolved, so the timing's likely less than mere coincidence, but just cutting the IP loose that way after so many people were willing to dump so much money into it for the KS is interesting to say the least.
This has got to put the final shiv to Falch, right?
Best,
Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)
I haven't checked my sources for validity, but as posted on the Avalon Hill group on facebook:
QuoteChris Pramas I don't think there's any risk here. Hasbro bought Avalon Hill and put WotC in charge of its legacy back when I worked there (1998 to 2002). WotC has been working with OneBookShelf (the company that runs Wargames Vault) to release PDFs of many old D&D books. I bet this is part of a similar effort.
The counters look like they are just printed on regular paper, maybe a little thicker cardstock. Seems kind of rushed. I wonder if the KS interest and GMT reprinting Fields of Fire prompted them to try and milk some $$ out of it.
here's someone unloading UF and Banzai
http://thegamebox.gamesontables.com/index.php?topic=2677
Well
this is going to be interesting
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/06/11/the-ftcs-first-crowdfunding-enforcement-is-over-a-failed-board-game-on-kickstarter/
QuoteCrowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have helped launch a lot of nerdy gaming success stories. Politically incorrect party game "Cards Against Humanity" was an early success story that went on to form a sort of mini-empire. Cooperative survival game series "Zombicide" is now fulfilling orders to supporters of its third separate campaign. And one of the most funded projects of all time is a card game called "Exploding Kittens" that was co-created by a popular Web comic artist and is expected to ship later this summer.
But in its first ever enforcement action against a crowdfunded project, the Federal Trade Commission went after a board game project gone wrong.
When "The Doom That Came to Atlantic City" hit Kickstarter in May 2012, it looked like a solid investment. Players would take the role of the Great Old Ones, the otherworldly villains of popular horror writer H.P. Lovecraft's mythos, as they wreaked havoc on Atlantic City on a board that closely resembled Monopoly.
It was the brainchild of illustrator Lee Moyer and experienced game designer Keith Baker. Paul Komoda, a sculptor with a long association with the late surrealist artist and special effects guru H.R. Giger, also committed to designing figurines for the game -- and special pewter versions for backers who committed higher amounts to the project.
The campaign initially asked for $35,000, with a $50 pledge to secure a base copy of the game and extra tiers of rewards ranging up to $2,500. After some excited write-ups, it ended up overshooting that goal, raising $122,874 from more than 1,200 people for an average of nearly $100 per backer.
But the company that was supposed to make the game, the Forking Path, never delivered. "After paying to form the company, for the miniature statues, moving back to Portland, getting software licenses and hiring artists to do things like rule book design and art conforming the money was approaching a point of no return," said Erik Chevalier, the man behind the Forking Path, in a June 2013 Kickstarter post announcing the game's cancellation. "My hope now is to eventually refund everyone fully."
more at the link
Curious to hear what the remedies will be.
Given that this is almost certainly a corporation, and given that that corporation is almost certainly insolvent, I imagine the FTC would have to prove some sort of criminal intent/conspiracy to bring any real retribution to those meriting it. And, if they do, well, then, interstate commerce involves one in federal crimes which comes with much more interesting punishments and sentencing guidelines.
I didn't spot a link to the complaint. Anyone seen it, perchance?
Best,
Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)
I think that if someone could show the tap-dancing of "rights" between the companies and how the money was shifted where it seemed to be moved to avoid being litigated say, they might have a case that the company claiming rights to Up Front knew what they were doing was wrong and that they didn't have the rights to the game.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/06/feds-take-first-action-against-a-failed-kickstarter-with-112k-judgment/
Judgment with no payment.
Don't quite understand the point of the exercise.
Jim
I saw this on BGG. Made me chuckle
QuoteYup, if the dried corpse of Up Front can teach us anything is that KS projects with a whiff of new corpse smell most likely will rot on you before delivery.