Help us bring back Steve Jackson's first tabletop RPG.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Pocket Box Tooling Complete!
over 5 years ago
– Sat, Nov 24, 2018 at 01:26:07 AM
Our office is closed today, so the latest factory samples were sent directly to Sabrina's house. One of today's samples was the latest tooling test for the new Pocket Box . . . and it's approved! Sabrina thought the new Pocket Box might be a little too tough to open, but we've decided that since it can be opened without trouble that we would rather be tight than loose; none of us want the boxes coming apart at random, right?
And speaking of the Pocket Box, here's a peek at what I packed in my suitcase and will be taking into the GPI office on Monday. Monday's meeting is gonna be a blast!
- Phil Reed
A few games.
Okay, maybe more than a few.
Megahex Storage Box, Megahex Sprues, and a GM Screen Update
over 5 years ago
– Thu, Nov 22, 2018 at 01:09:27 AM
First up, a look at how the megahex storage box works inside the Legacy Edition box. Two finger holes in the top of the box make it so that you can pull the storage box straight out of the Legacy Edition box; we kept the fit of the box tight so that everything is secured and protected in shipping.
An error on the box: One art panel is in the wrong place (the flap that opens should not be blank). We're fixing that in the final production.
Inside the megahex storage box, you can see the pieces are on the sprues. We wanted to remove the sprues to save on weight, but the factory couldn't guarantee that QC checks would be 99% accurate, so we're leaving the sprues intact. You'll have to punch the pieces yourself.
GM Screen Update
Two images of the GM Screen, the top showing a white edge around the artwork and the bottom showing the art extending to the edge. The top is wrong and not what we had planned; fortunately, discussions with the factory fixed the problem (as illustrated in the lower image). This is just one of the many tiny issues we work on during the manufacturing of a game; you can imagine that something the size of the Legacy Edition causes more little headaches than a normal-sized game.
The good news? We're still on schedule for delivery in March!
GM screen under construction.
Enjoy Your Holiday!
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the U.S., and our team has a four-day weekend coming up and we won't be back in the office until Monday. Well, I say "we," but I'll be out a few days longer than that since I'm headed out of town. How is this related to The Fantasy Trip? On Monday, I'm sitting down with David at the GPI office to go over the project (and more games, including the upcoming Pocket Box Kickstarter campaign), and I'll be sure to report if any interesting news comes out of our meeting.
As part of celebrating the holiday weekend, as well as the Black Friday excitement that follows turkey, we've opened our holiday sale at Warehouse 23. If you need holiday gifts for your friends and family, please check out the sale!
Retailers, you may also take advantage of the sale at our site. If you do not yet have a Warehouse 23 retailer account, please contact [email protected], and our crew will help set you up.
Thanks, everyone! Enjoy your holiday, and I hope that many of you get a chance to play a game or two this weekend.
- Phil Reed
Manufacturing Update and More Pocket Box Games
over 5 years ago
– Wed, Nov 21, 2018 at 12:27:30 AM
As of this moment, everything looks to be on schedule to go into final assembly at the factory in early January. To guarantee that the project comes together smoothly and as we wish, I'll be joining David (our GPI rep) in China for a factory tour and review of the assembly and QC process. Our flights are booked, hotels secured, and we're now down to counting the weeks until David and I head to Hong Kong so that we can enjoy hours of driving in China.
In other words, the project is still on schedule!
More Pocket Box Games
With most of The Fantasy Trip under control (Ben and I are still working on the Companion; I have a stack of magazines I'm taking to the office today), we're directing some of our energy to the upcoming Pocket Box project. For those of you who have missed out on the news, we've been working closely with the factory to test scan classic Pocket Box games and determine the viability of reproducing those classic games.
All of the tests have gone better than expected, and with the new Pocket Box tooling almost complete, we're starting to design a Pocket Box project that will launch on Kickstarter in January. This project will is to create games as reproductions and not as new editions. These will be classic Steve Jackson Games titles of the eighties, including Car Wars, Ogre, and Illuminati . . . all in the Pocket Box format that made them smash hits back in the eighties!
These reproductions will be near-identical to the originals, with the only significant change the details of the plastic Pocket Box. Everything else -- from covers to maps to counters you have to cut out yourself -- will be near-exact reprints of the original games. (For collectors, we will note "2019 Reproduction" on the materials, to set these apart from the originals.)
We have the rough plan in place, but we would love to hear from you: Which Pocket Box game do you most want to see included as part of this project? You can leave a comment here, or you can engage in this discussion at BGG. Regardless of where you make your request, please let us know the game(s) you want to see included in this project.
Thanks!
- Phil Reed
The Fun of Packing
over 5 years ago
– Tue, Nov 20, 2018 at 12:41:23 AM
Sabrina identified a minor issue with the Legacy Edition packaging last week and, as she does, she attacked the problem and proposed a solution. The issue in question? Stacking items in the box revealed a shallow cavity that was going to cause a problem for shipping.
This is the image that Sabrina sent to the factory to illustrate the problem.
The solution? The factory will add an e-flute insert into the box to secure everything in place and so that the "Read Me" document sits neatly on top of the mound of goodies. This is a simple solution, yes, but it is one that we may not have taken if not for Sabrina's tireless checks of every component. Thank you, Sabrina, for keeping your eyes open and finding ways that we can continue to improve the package.
This was the factory's response, showing how they would use an e-flute insert to fill the space.
And a big thank you to David and our partners at GPI for their help and dedication to the project. We've worked closely with David and the GPI team for over a decade now, and they've always been there and stood behind their work.
Over the years, David and I have visited several spots around the world as factory visits and trade shows send us here, there, and everywhere. In fact, David and I are heading back to the factory the first week of January to review The Fantasy Trip project. As I said, we've worked closely with David and the GPI team, and they always go the extra step for us. If you ever decide to create a game, I suggest contacting GPI for assistance. They know how to manufacture games.
- Phil Reed
A Brand New Adventure!
over 5 years ago
– Thu, Nov 15, 2018 at 08:02:06 PM
The first official Fantasy Trip adventure in decades is now on Warehouse 23 – for only $5!
A dying heir, an abandoned mine, and a closely-held secret feature in this gamemastered adventure for The Fantasy Trip, as a group of heroes set forth on a mission of mercy. But they are not the first to take on this quest, and the mistakes of their predecessors will bring them up against the edge of Chaos itself. Can they survive an encounter with the Chaostained? The Chaos Triads is an adventure by veteran writer Steven Marsh worthy to kick off the return of this classic RPG. It includes a labyrinth map, new counters, and new cut-and-paste labyrinth tiles to use with the ones included in The Fantasy Trip Legacy Edition set.
