Some good news
2 months ago
– Mon, Feb 19, 2024 at 09:05:18 AM
Hello everyone.
First of all, please accept our apologies for the lack of communication over the last few months. We have neglected to keep you up to date on the development of the project, which has led to fears and anger that we understand. Le Departement is a small publisher. We've been working in an artisanal way for 12 years, with the aim of doing things right, and our first board game is no exception. We're not trying to make excuses, but to be transparent with you.
But we've said it before and we'll say it again: this game will be a reality. We're committed to it. However, the messages you sent us expressing your concerns were legitimate. Once again, please accept our apologies.
Here's some information that we hope will reassure you. What's been happening over the last few months? Well, we've finalized everything that needed to be finalized:
- All the graphic elements are ready. In a few weeks' time, we'll be able to share the finished rule files in both French and English.
- Having been developed, tested, consolidated and re-tested, the Solo game mode, known as Automaton, is now officially complete.
- And, as always, we've devoted ourselves to improving many of the game's ergonomic details, including all aspects of game design (tiles, cards, tokens, player boards, etc.).
As a result, the game has been fully playable since the very beginning of this year.
That leaves us with the ultimate question: when will the boxes be shipped?
This year.
We'll be able to tell you exactly after we've met with one last potential partner. After that, we'll have an established schedule.
We can assume that the next time you hear from us, it will be to indicate a new timeline. We'll make sure to get back to you by May. We promise.
Thank you again foryour attention and for your support, which we'll continue to honour until delivery.
See you soon.
Some news at last!
7 months ago
– Thu, Sep 21, 2023 at 02:32:04 AM
Hello friends, backers, supporters, fans and gamers.
We know it's been a long wait, and we apologise for that. But here's where the project stands!
Over the last few months we've added powers and twists to the game design, and reworked some of the models to improve the ergonomics of the maps. We've cleaned up some creaky rules and commissioned additional illustrations. All of this work, which we thought would be done quickly, turned out to be extremely time-consuming.
Now that the rules are set in stone (we swear we won't touch them again), we've started to clean up the English version of the rules: proofreading, correcting typos and cards, tracking down the elements left over from the Alpha and Beta versions of the game.
This delay also means that we're going to have to re-launch a survey of our factories and service providers, to make sure that we can manufacture the various elements of the box in the best possible way (and therefore provide the best possible gaming experience). This phase will probably take place at the very beginning of 2024.
We're confident that we'll be able to start manufacturing in March 2024.
So if there's one thing to take away from this message, it's that there's nothing to worry about. Elric: Rise of the Young Kingdoms will exist. It's just going to be a bit late, and we apologise again. We're now aiming for late spring/early summer delivery.
We'd like to take this opportunity to answer the main questions we've been asked over the last few months. Here they are...
- Why don't you communicate more? We're worried!
Le Departement is a small company, and we work with passion and seriousness. Our track record speaks for itself: all the role-playing game ranges we've published in the last ten years have been released with little fanfare, but with regularity. (The next Hawkmoon supplement is due out in a few weeks!) Titam, the body to which the Department is affiliated, also publishes the quarterly JdR Magazine, which has just launched its subscription formula, should you be interested and read French!
All this adds up to the reasons for our silence. But rest assured that the almost non-existent time we were devoting (wrongly) to social networking was put to good use managing the project.
We promise we'll try to be more regular. In the meantime, if you haven't already done so, we invite you to sign up for the special Elric mailing list we've set up. It'll be the place where you're guaranteed to get more information in the future.
We'd also like to take this opportunity to thank all the messages of support we've received. It's really nice to feel supported.
- I missed out on the campaign, how can I buy the game?
Elric: Rise of the Young Kingdoms will be released in shops, so you'll have a second chance!
- I'd like to cancel my order. How can I do this?
A few weeks before delivery, we'll be trying to collect the rare requests to cancel late pledges that we haven't been able to accept because they arrived more than two weeks after the end of the campaign. We will put those who no longer want their pledges in touch with those who would like them back. We won't worry about payment or anything else, we'll just put you in touch.
That's all there is to it! If you have an urgent question, don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. That's where we'll centralise everything.
On that note, thank you for your attention, sorry for the delay in the project... and, of course, blood and souls for our Lord Arioch!
Next steps... and a newcomer !
about 1 year ago
– Thu, Mar 09, 2023 at 06:54:45 AM
Hello to all, chaos worshippers!
We are in a post-Kickstarter phase which will aim to create the game you have seen very advanced prototypes of. The campaign has electrified us, your support has transported us, and even if tired by so much excitement we have marked a little bit the step in terms of communication, we have not stopped working.
The next phases will be manufacturing (material tests, choice of cardboard, reliable factories etc.) and mainly game play tests with game professionals and hardcore gamers, in order to deliver you the best possible Elric’s experience..
That's why we decided to call an old friend to help us, who has the good taste to be one of the best game specialists in France: Sebastien Celerin. Sebastien will supervise the whole production of the game. Let's give him a warm welcome !
The Dark Masters
