Raiders of R'lyeh

RPGPundit · December 01, 2014, 01:42:18 AM

Quentin Bauer, the designer of Raiders, has been semi-regularly updating his backers, but he asked me (when I queried him about it) to share this info for those who might not have been backers but were still looking forward to this game:

"Everyone (including you) has long ago submitted all material to me — so the project is waiting on me.

The final draft (with considerable rewrites) totaled over 600 pages. I initially made a best guess estimate of the length, but it ended up three times longer than initially anticipated.

This is a small operation (with all content now in the hands of one person doing layout and final editing), so it's taking some time. This is my full time job right now (and has been for some time now) until the book gets out.

Updates will continue, so backers can be assured of work completed, and progress being made.

Regarding answering the exact date question, I'm choosing updates over moving a goal post continually, as I know missing deadlines (and expectations) increases frustrations. When I do post an exact date, it will be accurate, as I won't be doing it until I know for sure nothing else will delay it on my end.

I'm grateful to backers who have shown considerable patience with the lateness. I certainly understand any frustration with the kickstarter taking longer than the originally estimated window, and I do not want to take their patience for granted. I'm doing everything I can to expedite this — within reason."

So there you go; even though it's clear Bauer bit off a bit more than he could chew, the project continues in the works, with clear determination to be completed. I'm hoping that sometime early in 2015 we'll be seeing Raiders of R'lyeh for sale to the general public.

Jason D · December 01, 2014, 04:19:58 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;801634Quentin Bauer, the designer of Raiders, has been semi-regularly updating his backers, but he asked me (when I queried him about it) to share this info for those who might not have been backers but were still looking forward to this game:

Thanks for sharing this.

K Peterson · December 01, 2014, 03:06:46 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;801634So there you go; even though it's clear Bauer bit off a bit more than he could chew, the project continues in the works, with clear determination to be completed. I'm hoping that sometime early in 2015 we'll be seeing Raiders of R'lyeh for sale to the general public.

Such is the nature of Kickstarters. There are far more cases of delayed KS releases, and KS creators biting off more than they can chew, than not. Whether these creators are amateurs or industry professionals. To expect otherwise is a little naive, in my opinion, especially if you've participated in any over the past few years.

Ladybird · December 01, 2014, 05:56:28 PM

Aye, there's no real shame in fucking up, it's admitting that you fucked up and acting to fix it that really shows what sort of person you are.

Better slightly late than vague promises of something in the future, maybe, if the author feels like it, and is just left alone by those mean old pre-order customers.

JeremyR · December 01, 2014, 07:44:53 PM

No, but is it really too much to ask for a monthly update? He did get $28,000...

RPGPundit · December 03, 2014, 12:24:20 AM

Quote from: JeremyR;801786No, but is it really too much to ask for a monthly update? He did get $28,000...

From my perspective, a monthly update would certainly not be too much to ask.

I can only say that I know that when it does come out, Raiders will kick ass. So I'm hoping that the work will proceed and the project will see the light.

Phantom Black · December 03, 2014, 08:08:11 AM

Question from someone who didn't participate in a kickstarter projerct yet...
What does the guy do if all the backers withdraw their backing because he failed to fulfill his deadline?

K Peterson · December 03, 2014, 10:25:17 AM

Quote from: Phantom Black;801973Question from someone who didn't participate in a kickstarter projerct yet...
What does the guy do if all the backers withdraw their backing because he failed to fulfill his deadline?

Well, you can't withdraw/cancel your Kickstarter pledge, through Kickstarter's interface, after the project ends. You can do so at any time before that funding 'window' closes. And the 'estimated date of delivery' of the KS is typically a few months or more after the end of the KS.

You could potentially do a charge-back of your pledge through your bank or credit card company, claiming something like a fraudulent, or not honored transaction. But that could be dependent on the bank or cc company - whether that's something that they'd approve. I've never done it, but I've read that some KS pledgers have had success recovering their money.

Ladybird · December 03, 2014, 11:09:22 AM

Quote from: K Peterson;802003Well, you can't withdraw/cancel your Kickstarter pledge, through Kickstarter's interface, after the project ends. You can do so at any time before that funding 'window' closes. And the 'estimated date of delivery' of the KS is typically a few months or more after the end of the KS.

You could potentially do a charge-back of your pledge through your bank or credit card company, claiming something like a fraudulent, or not honored transaction. But that could be dependent on the bank or cc company - whether that's something that they'd approve. I've never done it, but I've read that some KS pledgers have had success recovering their money.

I've asked a creator for money back (After I discovered far too late that Ettin was working on a project, and said project was looking to be in vapourwareland), and received it... but once KS have transferred the money, that's the end of their involvement, they can't get money back from the creator, and the project developers may not even have the money left to give (If it's been spent on development, fees, printing, taxes, etc, they may not have any money left). You're really dependent on the creator and how they feel like handling it.

jcfiala · April 09, 2015, 06:05:37 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;801634I'm hoping that sometime early in 2015 we'll be seeing Raiders of R'lyeh for sale to the general public.

I love all the bits he's posted in his updates, but i've got to say, early in 2015 doesn't look likely. I expect if he thought he'd be done in the next few months he'd say something more about it - the fact that he hasn't suggests to me that we're looking more like GenCon 2015 or even in time for Christmas.

Do you know if he has plans for GenCon, Pundit?

Matt · April 10, 2015, 09:10:20 PM

Inadvertently disappointing...the title made me think it would be Indiana Jones meets Call of Cthulhu.

RPGPundit · April 13, 2015, 04:45:42 AM

I haven't spoken to Quentin in quite a few months, so I'm not up to date with his plans, no. When last we spoke he sounded absolutely determined to get this fulfilled, and definitely not pleased with himself for how badly he'd underestimated the time it would take him (though some outside events got in the way, but that seems to be a part of the trouble with Kickstarters and I think something any KS-organizer ultimately needs to end up taking into consideration somewhat).

Anyways, I'm still quite confident this will come to pass, but I can't say when.

3rik · April 13, 2015, 07:14:42 AM

The updates look promising enough.

Stainless · April 13, 2015, 05:26:59 PM

Since the guy was facing blindness at one point, I'm still happy to cut him some slack.

Brad · April 14, 2015, 01:27:04 PM

Pretty much a race between Raiders of R'lyeh and Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls for which comes out first...at least I got a refund for the 30th anniversary Arcanum.

As far as blindness goes, it's almost like a curse. Don't have cancer? Create a Kickstarter! I realize shit happens, but it seems to happen far too often with Kickstarter projects. Sine Nomine and Jerry Grayson are the only rpg writers I'll do Kickstarters for now. They seem immune to the curse.