Critical Kit

Hey there,

We are exactly one week into our campaign and this is already well on the way to being our most successful creation of all time. That's if you define success by the capitalist point system.

Regardless of that, I've enjoyed the level of community involvement on this project. I love reading comments, seeing the results of polls and answering any questions you have about Wires in The Woods. Keep them coming, please!

On that note, someone posted the following comment over on Facebook or the likes...

I was cordial in my response but, just in case there is any doubt, all of the artwork in this project is created by the hand of Simon J. Curd. All of the writing is done by my brain box sending electrical impulses down to my fingers which hammer away at a keyboard. We are both humans (unless this is just a big simulation). That should hopefully prevent any embarrasing questions or comments about our work being AI entering the chat again.

I even put it in bold, just to make sure it's clear. Zero AI to see here. Thank you.

Now, let's get on to the meat and potatoes (I'm actually vegetarian, so I'll take mine sin carne, por favor). I wanted to introduce the settings of Wires in The Woods for you. Lord, it takes me a long time to get to the point and this is not helping, is it?

You can play the game in 4 different settings -- all based on an abandoned earth circa the late 80s / early 90s. There is a stretch goal for another settings called the headlands which is a slight detour, pretty weird and a lot of fun. Here are the base settings you can explore along with a brief "vibe" synopsis.

- Empty Streets is an urban sprawl where you will explore backyards, parks, trash cans and shopping malls. Like everywhere in this world, nature has become the town planner.

- Tangled Branches is a forest setting, not dissimilar to the Pacific Northwest. Think Twin Peaks, douglas firs, abandoned lodges, empty waterparks and secret nooks behind powerful waterfalls.

- Fresh Snow is vast expanses of tundra, chill winds, remote research stations and glacial caverns. Hopefully your fur will keep you cosy.

- Misty Lake is eerie waters, remote tree covered islands, muddy banks and dilapidated jetties. You may occassionally need to swim, or try your paws at rowing.

Each setting will have 52 location prompts with telling details to help you craft your own vision of this world. Simon's artwork will also feature throughout to give you inspiration for each setting.

Oh, I am soooo excited to see what stories you will come up with!

And, finally...

We are closing in on our 70k stretch goal which sees backgrounds added to the free artwork that all backers receive! Our next stretch goal brings some amazing new features to the book, including a printed ribbon.



Hopefully, we can hit that 70k today to round off our first week!

I've waffled for way too long now, so I am closing this one out with a big thank you to everyone who has backed so far. If you are on the fence, I hope those settings tickled your curiosity and, if you are not in a position to back it, tell a friend who you think might like it and you can always read their book when they get it.

Thank you so much for supporting our creative endeavours!

Tim

(& Simon in the background).

Hey there,

I hope Monday is treating you kindly.

For this update, I'm taking a break from Wires in the Woods to ask for your input on another game.

Some of you may have heard of my award-winning solo RPG Be Like a Crow which was first published in 2021 (if not you can grab it at the same time you pledge).

Well, after 3 years of promising, I have finally put the multiplayer version on my development schedule. It will come to BackerKit sometime in March, shortly after Wires has fufilled.

However, it currently only has a working title of "Project Blackfeather". That's why I'm coming to you with a poll for the current names we have, plus the opportunity to throw your own ideas in the pot.

I've attached the poll to the this update and I'd be grateful if you could take a moment to give me your feedback.

I'll be back later this week with more Wires news (hopefully that we have smashed the 70k stretch goal), but in the meantime, take care of yourself.

Tim x

Hey there,

Eighteen months ago, I took my games to a comic con in Manchester. It was here I first met Simon J. Curd, an artist whose work blew me away the first time I saw it. After a minute of standing in a fugue like state, taking in the amazing creatures and wonderful scenarios he had put them in, I decided to purchase "Cover to Cover".



Being a writer, my immediate question to him was "What is the story behind these creatures?".

Simon surprised me by telling me that there was no lore. However, he did have a clear idea of what the creatures were doing in the here and now. I ran back to my booth, taped his business card to an A4 legal pad, and began writing down questions and making notes. You can see my orginal notes above.

Two hours later, I ran back round to Simon's booth and presented my notes, asking him if he wanted to create a game.

He said yes.

I am so grateful that I came across Simon's work and that he had confidence in me to create lore, mechanics and stories that would do justice to his creations. Over the past few months, working with him has been a joy.

Most of what we do is over WhatsApp or the occassional video call (we have managed to sneak a couple of chats during conventions). Whilst I concentrate on the words, Simon brings inspiration through his art. We do occassionally step into each other's domains. Simon will discuss rule choices with me and suggest changes. I will offer up my ideas for creative direction. This has been my first collaboration and it feels like a true meeting of creative minds. Long may that continue.

A few weeks ago, Simon played his first role-playing game... it was his own! And, you know what? I pretty sure he really enjoyed it.

I hope our passion and hard work shines through in this game We ultimately have one goal with Wires in The Woods -- it's something I aspire to with all of my games -- to inspire you to create.

Sorry if this update is a bit meandering. Those of you who have backed my previous campaigns know that my updates can wander off on occassion.

I suppose what I really want to say is this:

Thank you for your support. Without you, independent creators like us would struggle to make a living from what we love to do. We do not take you for granted and we will always do the best we can for you.

Tim x

(and I'm sure I speak on behalf of Simon, too!)

Hey there,

I woke up to the news that we'd hit our 50k stretch goal, so thank you to everyone who has backed and/or spread the word.

Every backer now receives STL files of the forager miniatures so they can 3D print their own. There are five in total: Scamper (featured in our Quick Start), Burrow, Trample, Swoop and Scurry). I introduced you to them all in the previous update.

But we're not done. From here on, the stretch goals get chunkier. At 70k, Simon is adding background artwork to all 5 pieces of art in the print pack. That stands for both physical and digital copies, so everyone will see this beautiful level of detail added to their rewards.



Here's an example of Simon's art with full backgrounds:



That's all for this update. Once again, thank you to everyone for showing us so much love and support. And remember, if you aren't in a position to support Wires in The Woods financially, tell a friend! You can always borrow their copy ;)

Hasta la proxima!

Tim x

Hey there,

Now we are over 24 hours into our campaign, the foragers' curiosity is quelling their shyness. They are ready to meet you. But which forager is most like you? There's a poll attached to this update so you can let us know.

Here they all are, again. Below the image is a brief description of each one

Do any of those sound like you? Let us know in the poll, which one calls to you. Or, why not make up your own forager and tell us about them in the comments?

Now is also a good time to remind you that there is less than 24 hours left to pledge if you want to receive a signed bookplate in your reward.


Finally, we are almost at the 50k mark. This means in the next few hours we are likely to pass the stretch goal that gives all backers a free set of STL files to 3D print their own minis!


That's all for this update, but please do tell your friends about our game if you think they might like it. It's your support that helps us bring things like this to the world.

Until next time!

Tim