More logistics. Even more than that. Also some Web Store musings and stymied action.

• Excellent progress on all shipping fronts. “Not the Bestiary” staged to the UK. Shipping documents being worked by freight broker and direct between printer and ShipQuest. The final shipment of “not the Bestiary” to Maryland to be worked out next week, but I can accurately predict the pricing.
• Speaking of postage, I got a much more accurate “Rest of World” postage estimate, which was not as catastrophic as I was expecting. My cost overruns on shipping are likely less than I thought. Not zero, though.
• Did an unboxing video of the cards. Dang they look good.
• Got bids to migrate my online store to Shopify, because I’m simply TIRED of the issues with Woo. Three bids so far, but the firm I want to give the business is not returning my emails, calls, or Shopify Experts notes. Perhaps a blessing in disguise? Still…they would be the right choice if I could only hire them.
• I should get the advance copies of the hardcover Bestiary in three days!
• I think I get to play another game on this coming Monday. Woot.

Gaming Ballistic Patreon

To help with ongoing funding of art and speed eventual time to delivery, Gaming Ballistic started a Patreon in January 2021. Here’s the weekly update on Patreon status.

• Membership status: 63 patrons and $492 per month.
• Special Content: Special “bonus disease” (smallpox) and the unboxing video.

Picked up a subscriber, partially offsetting the number losses from a few weeks ago.

Gaming Ballistic in Media

• Unboxing video for Bestiary quick reference cards

Currently Manufacturing/Fulfilling/Shipping

Projects where hardcopies and PDFs are going out or scheduled to do so.

Nordlondr Ovinabokin: Bestiary

• QR cards start staging next week.
• First copies of hardback book in-hand on Monday, March 14!.
• VTT Module being worked by Nick and Nose and I’m helping when they ask; things are starting to pick up, but they’re doing it as they can.

Crowdfunding and Product Launches

The Bestiary Kickstarter is in the fulfillment stage

I need to start planning The Next Thing.

I have a different idea on the Spring Sales Event, to coincide with the migration to the new webstore. Really need to hear back from migration contractor, though – I’m positive they can do it well, and that I cannot.

Product Announcements

The full Product Catalog has been updated for Spring 2022. It now includes Delvers to Grow, Tower of the Moon, and the Nordlond Bestiary. Any pre-orders for the Bestiary will be filled roughly April 2022, once the shipment comes in.

In Development

Writing and content creation for announced projects. Some of this may be cryptic.

• Inns and Taverns, by Marshall LaPira. Systemless. Revised tavern submitted on Nov 11, returned with comments in early November. Poked author recently on progress now that Bestiary is in finalization.
• Two Warring Houses, by Douglas Cole. Systemless. Actually saw some writing over Valentine’s Day.
• Nordlondr Bestiary, by Douglas Cole. Dungeon Fantasy RPG. See above, workin’ hard.
• Secret Stuff: Exchanged many emails with an author to schedule out multiple projects.

Friction

Bits of news and items that put a monkey in the wrench.

• Cost overrun revised down to maybe $2,000; it may go up again, but that actually will help offset the shopify migration.
• Will see what happens on postage and costs; last week was looking grim. This week…is better but still painful. The world is just so complicated right now. Not a unique observation, or a new one.
• I’m honestly borderline pissed at the company that won’t call me back. They reached out to me, by phone, last week, we had a great, nearly hour-long conversation, and they totally have ghosted me since then. Not. Cool.
• Need to get tax stuff submitted.

Fair Winds

Information about things that move GB forward.

• I feel like next week will be a big one. I hope to hear back from ghost company, get the preview copies of the Bestiary, receive notice that both shipments of books from Latvia to US/UK are underway, ship the not-the-Bestiary stuff to the UK, and arrange to ship the not-the-Bestiary materials to Baltimore. Once all that’s moving, the onus is on the contactors to fulfill, and while of course “books in hand” is really the end…that does mark the end of Bestiary being “top mindshare item.”
• I have started to make up for the last several months of inactivity with a better exercise plan. Weight-lifting, circuit training, walking, running intervals, and my Viking Martial Arts classes (I do them in a maille hauburgeon, so 1-2 hours of training is good for something like 700-1000 kcal)…plus 16-8 intermittent fasting. More importantly, I’m tracking my food intake, and the fasting thing helps me not snack, which is my weakness. Goal is to lose about 30-35 lbs and increase my fitness and strength level, which should ripple into better sleep and energy. I’ve been at it all week, and I’m just sore. But the initial rapid weight loss one always sees on such transitions is gratifying, even if it’s mostly a case of “Doug needs to hydrate more.”
• I got a shield-and-sword commission, which is always fun. It’s even going to warm up next week enough to build both.