Colostle - A Solo RPG

Work continues...
about 3 years ago – Thu, Feb 18, 2021 at 02:23:51 AM

Hey guys,

Just thought I'd drop you a line to let you know that things are progressing! I was a little quiet after the campaign ended to just process and take everything in! But now, I'm back at the desk working away on making Colostle the very best it can be.

I have been tweaking some gameplay aspects and adding some more world/setting elements as well as adding some brand new gameplay elements as well which should make the game even more fun to play! I've been having a lot of ideas about the mythology and culture of the people who live in the Colostle, and the hardback version is likely to have some of this stuff as extra box-text setting stuff to really bring the setting alive for you!

I've also been drawing like a maniac and should have some more art to show you very soon! Really excited to show you some of it!

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In the meantime, I thought I might take the opportunity to show you some of the other things I have made/am working on, as Colostle is by no means my first creative project. I thought it might be good for you to get to know me as a creator a little better! First and foremost I am a comic book artist and creator and have made a good few graphic novels. My two primary titles are 7STRING, a loveletter to shonen battle comics and fantasy adventure stories, and Cat and Meringue, my very silly daily comic series about a cat and a meringue at sea in a catamaran!

7STRING is the story of Zach, the wielder of the legendary but mysterious guitar-sword the 7STRING, as he ventures out on a quest for revenge against the Troubleclef Empire who are set on taking over the musical world of Melodia. Lots of world-building, mythology and musical battles! There are 3 volumes out so far and more to come!

Cat and Meringue is very much the silly part of me come to life. It started life as a daily webcomic I ran for nearly 3 years but has become a series now featuring storybooks and merchandise and even some super-cute plushies! Kids love the stories, but they are also for all ages with a lot of pun-based jokes for adults! The book in the picture above collects the whole first run of the webcomic and is a whopping 412 pages long! There are a good few other books too!

If you're interested, I will be adding these items and more to the backerkit survey as optional additional add-ons for your pledge. 

But if you can't wait until then you can buy it all from www.bigpunchstudios.com. Big Punch Studios is an artist-collective/publisher that most of my comic/illustration work goes out under but we create other projects as a group there too. If you like my personal stuff, you'll definitely like the other Big Punch stuff too. I'll maybe feature some of that stuff too in a future update.

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But there we go, I hope you don't mind me showing off some of my other work!  Just to tide us over before I have more to share on Colostle, this will of course primarily be a place for news and updates about Colostle, but I thought I would share my other bits in case some of you were interested!

Right back to it!

thanks guys!

Nich x

I don't know what to say...
about 3 years ago – Fri, Feb 12, 2021 at 01:33:06 AM

2,628 backers... £44,902... 17,960%... I am blown away. Wow, just stunned, and floored and humbled and so grateful. Thank you, all of you for believing in this little project and making it into a big project!

Colostle is going to be so much bigger and better now thanks to you, you've given it a chance to be something really special and I am not going to waste that. I'm going to use your support to go above and beyond to make the best book I possibly can, and go further still to make Colostle into a product that can be found in shops everywhere!

It takes a couple of weeks for the funds to come through from Kickstarter, and then I will launch the Backerkit surveys and start the post-campaign stuff with add-ons and new backers in the pre-order store, but until then I am going to chill... probably draw a bit, and celebrate.

Thanks again, all of you... you are incredible.

Nich x

2000 BACKERS CROSSED!!! Quick reminder of where we are!
about 3 years ago – Tue, Feb 09, 2021 at 12:53:12 PM

Well would you look at that! We did it! 2,000 of you awesome people! Thank you so much. Truly, I am stunned, I am reeling as if I have been punched by a Rook... phenomenal.

So, I thought a good update might be one that makes it clear to all you backers, both old and new, where we are now, what everyone is getting and where we stand post campaign. So...

The rewards table on the campaign page is accurate. Refer to that instead of the pledge reward descriptions as I cannot update the pledge reward descriptions with the stretch goal stuff.

Digital Rewards - EVERYONE, from £3 Digital reward tier upwards, will receive the following as a digital download pack:

• Colostle - Complete Edition (PDF) - containing base rules, all stretch-goal expansion modules, illustrated world map, full colour illustrations, journal cover image and illustrated items gallery.
• PnP Deck of cards (PDF) - all cards artwork for you to print yourself.

Paperback Rewards - All reward tiers that are for Paperback copies will come with 1 paperback base rulebook, 1 paperback expansion modules book and 1 blank journal. (Except for the 2x paperback reward tier, which will come with 2 of each of those items). They will also come with all digital rewards mentioned above.

Hardback Rewards - All reward tiers that are for the Hardback version will come with 1 blank journal as well. The hardback contains the expansion modules, the world map, the full colour illustrations and the illustrated items gallery.

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Backerkit - After the campaign ends, I will be moving the management of the rewards over to Backerkit, a post campaign pledge manager. This will allow you all to add add-ons to your pledges in any quantity you like. If you want 3 extra blank journals added on, no problem! If you want a paperback version as well as your hardback version, no worries! The add-ons will be charged as additional items (with additional shipping) but then all items (original pledge rewards PLUS add-ons) will be shipped to you as one delivery.

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I hope all that makes sense. As always, if you have any questions at all leave a comment below or on the campaign comments tab and I will reply, I'm endeavouring to reply to every question so hopefully I won't miss yours. You can always check the FAQ too to see if your question is answered there.

I'm sorry it has got a little messy and complicated. I assure you that this is only because I want the best for all you guys and this thing grew so far beyond what I had planned for that I am constantly playing catchup! A lovely problem to have, but still can be tough at times! 

I hope you will be patient with me as it is just me working on all this (with a little help from my lovely wife!)

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Finally, as a reward for reading through all of this, I leave you with a sneak peek of the artwork for the Cities expansion module. It's not finished yet but I'm really happy with how it's coming together, some of my best work I think! (you can see more WIP artworks on Colostle and my other artwork at my Instagram @nichangell)

When the campaign is over I will continue to update here as regularly as before, with artwork, sneak peeks and general project news so you know what is going on.

This will probably now be the last update before the end of the campaign, so let's sit back and see how high this ride will go before the end!

Thanks again you guys, you're the best!

Nich x

JOURNALS COVER DESIGN + 12,000% funded!!
about 3 years ago – Sun, Feb 07, 2021 at 08:58:21 AM

WOOOOOOOW!!!! You guys! 12,000%??! WHAT THE WHAT?!?

Thank you again. The support on this has been insane and you have made my 2021, and it has barely even begun! I am truly blown away, I can't wait for Colostle to find its way into all your hands.

By the by, I have completed the design for the covers of the Blank Journals:

This will be a foiled finish to match the lettering on the cover of the paperback copy. It features mysterious lettering from an ancient lost language, the central glyph presumed to signify the Colostle itself with battlements subtly referenced at the top of the figure. The background is a slate-like rock texture that makes the book like it is hewn from stone...

I wanted to create something that looked like it had come from the world itself, maybe you found your journal in a cave or some ruins, or maybe it was passed down the generations in your tribe, filled with stories and myths of heroic figures in your tribe's past.

The inside covers will have some quick reference tables in them for when you're playing and the back will likely have some more info too so it's all quick to hand. The pages will be a dot-grid as requested by a few commenters.

I hope you like the design!

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We're in the final 5 days now so even though we have done better than I could have ever hoped, its final push time! If there's someone you've been thinking might love this, now's the time to let them know so they don't miss out! We're nearly there guys...

Thanks again, more from me soon!

Nich x

CHEAPER SHIPPING ANNOUNCEMENT
about 3 years ago – Wed, Feb 03, 2021 at 09:31:17 PM

Hi all! 

As promised I have been working hard on finding a cheaper shipping option for the top 3 reward tiers. I have managed to find a new solution that will drop the 'Rest of World' cost to £15 for the £20, £26 and £40 tiers. 

Due to Kickstarter's restrictions I have had to create new reward tiers that have these cheaper shipping costs as an option. These new reward tiers are IDENTICAL to the others that they share a reward value with, EXCEPT for the fact that when you select 'REST OF WORLD' as your shipping option you will get the reduced rate of £15.

So, I would encourage everyone who has backed at the £20 tier or higher to manage their pledge and change it to the 'CHEAPER SHIPPING' equivalent tier. There will be no advantage to having the more expensive option as I will be sending all packages by the same service. (If you do stay at the current/higher shipping tier then that extra money will go into supporting the campaign and helping the book production. Thank you!)

I apologise for the confusion and the messiness of the reward structure now. I didn't want to do it like this, but its more important to me that you guys get the best shipping deal possible, and this is the only way I can do it.

If you have any questions at all, please send me a message or leave a comment and I will do my best to get back to everyone.

thanks,

Nich x