Backerkit and you! Some clarifications
over 3 years ago – Fri, Nov 20, 2020 at 12:48:41 AM

Dear Backers,

So yesterday we launched the Backerkit pre-order store, and sent out a "smoke test" of surveys to 5% of the backers. For those of you that have not received your survey yet, you will very soon.

The smoke test seemed to run smoothly for the most part, but I see that some clarification can be helpful to some backers.

What is Backerkit?

• Backerkit is a fullfillment service that helps us get stuff out to you
• When you answer your Pledge Tier survey, that data is connected to the fullfillment system so that your shipping address is connected properly and any special questions for pledge tiers are answered and connected to the system.
• Backerkit is also a "pre-order" store, where people can pre-order items or purchase an add-on to their pledge level, for example a physical game copy.
• You can adjust your pledge level in Backerkit, for example upgrading from 30$ tier to 60$ tier. You do this when you receive your survey for your pledge tier.
• You do not need to buy anything in Backerkit. The offer is there for people that want to purchase an add-on, and "late backers" that missed the campaign and want to pre-order a physical game copy for instance.
• Backerkit offers support for common issues, like changing your shipping address, refunding a purchase, questions regarding how stuff works in Backerkit. Please use that support channel! They're good, and it takes work off our shoulders so we can focus on game development. :)

What is this survey you keep going on about?

• All backers receive a "survey" for their Pledge Tier.
• As written above, if you haven't received yours yet, don't fret. It's coming.
• The "survey" is where you enter your shipping address if appliccable, answer special questions for your pledge tier, adjust your pledge level if you wanna and purchase add-ons if you wanna.
• Your "survey" is open for adjustment until we lock orders a few months before fullfilllment nearing game completion.
• The term "survey" is also used if you purchase an add-on. Example: you pledged at 15$ which does not require physical address registered. You purchase add-on physical game copy. This add-on requires you to register physical address. This interaction is also called a "survey" in Backerkit.

What is an Add-on and what is a Pre-order?

• An Add-on is an extra item purchased in Backerkit. When you do your survey for your pledge tier, you may purchase an Add-on. For example, an extra physical copy of the game.
• A Pre-order is a purchase done in Backerkit in the "pre-order store" on Backerkit, delivered in the future. This means that a person that did not pledge to the Kickstarter campaign may purchase a pre-order of an item that we have made available, for example physical copy of the game.

I hope these clarifications help people that are unsure on how Backerkit works! :)

- Kenny

Twitter: @raingames_kenny & @rain_games

Backerkit
over 3 years ago – Thu, Nov 19, 2020 at 12:21:56 AM

Greetings Fellow Adventurers! Big update!

Internet electrons finally do our bidding, and we've got Backerkit up and running!

Whew! It was a bit more difficult than expected to get everything in order, so apologies for some delay for this update.

This is where you will:

•  Answer your survey for your pledge tier
• Download digital reward items e.g Steam code for the game once available
• Tell Backerkit if you move your shipping address
• Get support regarding practicalities
• Get add-ons and alter pledge level
• Late backers may pledge to some of the reward tiers or pre-order items in the "pre-order store"

IMPORTANT!

• Change your shipping address and personal information in Backerkit! Please do not contact us regarding these support matters in the comments on Kickstarter or through DM in Kickstarter. That is what Backerkit is for! And all the other minor practicalities :)
• A "smoke test" of the surveys will go out to 5% of you first, and these must be answered before all surveys go out so we can catch any errors. If you do not receive the survey just yet, please wait a few days until the surveys go out to everybody.

General Information:

• You do not need a Backerkit account to answer the survey
• You will receive the survey on email once they're sent out
• Support is given by Backerkit staff, and forwarded to us if they can't answer question
• Backerkit help: Help section on Backerkit - how to fill out survey etc 
• You will be notified by email if a digital reward item is available to download
• Payment processor is Stripe. Accepts most major credit cards. PayPal is not available.
• Additional funding from "late backers" and add-on purchases will go towards funding stretch goals for the project.
• Backerkit surveys for this project stay open until we close orders a few months before end of project and fullfillment. You will be notified well in advance in the future when the game is ending completion.

 Shipping Fee Information:

• Shipping Fee for physical items is included in the price of a Pledge Tier on Kickstarter and budgeted on our end
• Shipping Fee for physical items is not included in the price for Add-ons and Pre-orders/Late Backers, and is applied in Backerkit for the purchasers shipping region.

Special Information:

• "Muse" pledge tier: I (Kenny) will contact you directly by email regarding portraits. Please await this email later.
• Distribution of digital items: We will start rolling out the items we can the coming weeks. We will test that stuff works in Backerkit first, first doing the Discord Community Hub invites. Soon, "Steampunk Bundle", "Girl Genius & Buck Godot PDF's", "Digital Wallpaper Poster".

 Discord Community Hub:

• You will be notified by email that there is a Digital Download available in Backerkit.
• Download the file, follow the instructions. It's a unique weblink to get invited into our server and assigned a "Role" as Backer in Discord automatically to see some hidden content in the server.
• Once you're in the server, you should see the chat channels #secret-backer-chat and #behind-the-scenes in the Girl Genius section. We'll post behind the scenes stuff on Discord and some as Kickstarter Update for Backers as well.
• Note! If you are already in the server before this invite, please still do this invite process to get the "Backer Role" assigned to you automatically. 

That's all cool and that, but how about Game Development?

Yay! That's what we're here for, right?

Yes, we are in full pre-production, planning out and iterating over the core game systems. While much of the technology for production is present in the project due to us re-using tech from our previous game "World To The West", there is work to do to update some systems. Right now we are currently working on planning out our way of doing dialogue and cutscenes to fit the "Girl Genius style". 

The coming months, we'll work on defining and implementing the core structures of the game, and defining art direction further. We're super excited to get going, and we'll try to share some of this work with you going forward. We'll be careful to mark stuff as spoilers for those of you that want to wait to see...

- Kenny

Twitter: @raingames_kenny & @rain_games

Status Update & Backerkit!
over 3 years ago – Tue, Oct 20, 2020 at 02:47:17 AM

Dear backers,

I just wanted to share a little update on what we're doing, and also that we're gonna use Backerkit for fullfillment!

Since the campaign ended, we've been working on solving a lot of business-y stuff regarding this project, and also getting our new game "Mesmer" out the door.

The Backerkit site is not yet ready, but I'll post an Update once it is. This is where you will answer the Survey for your reward tier, handle all fullfillment stuff, change your address if you move etc. Also, for "late backers", or people that want to get an addon or the likes, you can do so in Backerkit once available. 

I want to make some items available fairly soon after Backerkit opens for you, for example getting everybody into our Community Hub Discord Server. I will post information on how everything works once we're ready with Backerkit.

We're looking forward to starting game development soon!

- Kenny

Twitter: @raingames_kenny & @rain_games

Thank you all! <3
over 3 years ago – Sat, Oct 10, 2020 at 08:38:02 PM

What an amazing journey!

30 days of campaigning here on Kickstarter to make a proper Girl Genius game come to life has now come to and end; and to a massive success! We have rung the DOOM! Bell together, we have awakened the dormant beasts together, and we are now an amazing community gathered around the making of this video game.

We've reached quite a few stretch goals together as well, for a cast of characters added to the game as NPC's with their own stories and influence! Awesome!

I thank each and every one of you for your support! Again, from me and my team and from us at Rain Games: Thank you!

I will post information soon on how Addons will be handled, and "slacker backers" coming in a bit after the campaign. Today the 3rd of October we will celebrate the Kickstarter campaign with dinner and a small party! Tomorrow Sunday the 4th of October, we will grant ourselves 1 day of rest. The coming week(s) I will post more information on how we are handling things forward.

Thank you again, dear backers!

I'm so proud to say this: "CASTLE HETERODYNE...AWAITS!"

- Kenny

Twitter: @raingames_kenny & @rain_games

A great big THANK YOU!
over 3 years ago – Sat, Oct 10, 2020 at 09:19:16 AM

From me, to all of you

I am humbled by your amazing support. 

CASTLE HETERODYNE AWAITS!

- Kenny

Twitter: @raingames_kenny & @rain_games