Thrive or perish. The Artemis Project is a dice-placement engine builder where you compete to build the best colony on Europa.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
23 Sep 2348
over 5 years ago
– Mon, Sep 24, 2018 at 04:54:49 PM
I reported for duty as usual today, ready to dive, but was pulled aside. As I left with some Marines I did not know, I caught the sideways glances from my diving team.
It wasn't long before they delivered me to Pocket Operations and a classroom filled with other similarly confused Colonists. I was handed a data pad filled with specs for a surface vehicle called the Snowcat. This is going to be fun.
*****
The Meeple Keep
What an extraordinary weekend! You may recall that I went to Chicago this weekend to attend a game day at The Meeple Keep.
Meeple Keepers Melissa & Derek with me!
We had an amazing time with all of the attendees and played 3 games of 4 players each.
The Meeple Keep has a fantastic library of well-kept titles, both classics as well as the hotness. Melissa & Derek are extraordinary hosts. If you are ever in the greater Chicago area, keep an eye out for their events. You can like their Facebook page to stay informed.
1000 Backers!
Late yesterday we crossed the 1000 Backer mark. That is incredible. Solo mode...unlocked. Directives...unlocked. The Snowcat marker is all but in the box at this point.
Vroom...VROOM!
We've had a lot of good press this week and there's more to come. I was on the Unlucky Frog Gaming podcast, and Josh and Daniel talked about the design and development process on On Board Games.
Colonists, I will NOT slow down until the campaign ends. I aim to get the best version of The Artemis Project for all of us!
Reviewer Spotlight
Today I want to point you toward the MCGuiRE Review. Josh (and Bear) created the first video that was released for TAP.
Bear knows where it's at
They kicked off the craziness and landed us on many radars. Please subscribe to their YouTube channel, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and like their Facebook page.
Have a great week, Colonists!
Playfully,
The GuildMaster
21 Sep 2348
over 5 years ago
– Sat, Sep 22, 2018 at 01:52:30 PM
I was working in the Quarry, and came upon a rich mineral deposit. I've heard that my consistent performance is making its way up the chain of command. Not to sound ungrateful, but if I ever want to get out of here, I need to stand out.
I worked my way deeper into the cave, cutting and loading. I'm not sure how many hours passed, but I worked until my seabarrow was overfull and the power indicator was flashing.
When I looked up I couldn't even see the entrance. I cursed and I holstered my laser. It as all I could do to master myself and begin my way back. I was on the edge of panic when I remembered the homing beacon on the seabarrow. All I had to do was hold on and let it take me back. Phew!
I could not believe how deep I had gone. My team had been looking for me, but they'd not yet reported my absence. I could see through their masks that I was about to get the dressing down of a lifetime, but then they saw my cart. At least that helped. Alone. Terribly alone. Never again, Diary.
*****
Colonists, it's been an amazing few days. Every Kickstarter hits a lull, and every creator gets that sinking feeling, trying to figure out what's next. What can we possibly do to reinvigorate our campaign?!?
You'd long been asking for a Solo mode, and you got it. And boy did you ever respond.
How did we get solo? TOGETHER! ;)
As always, thank you.
Directives
The Directives were something that Daniel & Daryl introduced later in TAP's development. You know how sometimes you sit down to a game with so many options, you wonder, "Where do I begin?"
We don't feel that TAP ever really suffered that issue, but the Directives certainly speak to that possibility. Moreover, they provide each player a small end game bonus that only they know, and we really liked that.
The game sings without them, but they make for a nice extra mechanic.
What we didn't really realize until we got some feedback on the solo mode was how fantastic the Directives could be in heightening that experience. The exact rules are still being massaged, but we're working hard to dovetail them to solo play so that it provides a more varied game.
Reviewer Spotlight
By the time our campaign is done, our prototypes will have made their way through over 20 Reviewers. Without those folks, our campaign would not be possible.
Today I'd like you to turn your attention to The Boardgame Mechanics.
They did a great video for us, and to return the favor we're asking you to check them out. Subscribe to their YouTube channel, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
Thanks so much everyone! Let's get those Directives!
Playfully,
The GuildMaster
Solo Mode is Here!
over 5 years ago
– Thu, Sep 20, 2018 at 09:38:25 PM
We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to let you know that Solo play is now the next stretch goal, and as of this writing, we're less than $1,800 away.
Us: We love you. Backers: We know.
We are nothing without our Backers, and if we don't listen, we don't deserve your support.
SO WE LISTENED!
We spent the past 2 days figuring if it was possible to shake things up, and we shook them like a volcanic seaquake!
Ain't no 'quake like a Europan seaquake!
Here's what else we did:
Hidden-goal Directives at $55k
Snowcat lowered to $57.5k from $60k
2 Buildings at $60K
More yet to come
Thank you all for caring enough to tell us what you want, and we're excited for how these changes will affect our campaign.
Playfully,
The GuildMaster
19 Sep 2348
over 5 years ago
– Thu, Sep 20, 2018 at 04:37:39 PM
Diary, sorry I skipped yesterday. Sheer exhaustion. You'd think that underwater work would not be so tough. Well, it's not, until you are on your 12th hour. By the end it was like swimming through tar.
The good news: today was not as tough as yesterday. I can feel myself slowly adapting, and it's good to do real work again.
We got issued our tools. I have an old-style industrial laser cutter attached to my weight belt with a retractable wire. It's cumbersome, but losing it is not an option. One fat-fingered fumble and it's gone forever, down into the inky blackness.
And we don't dive beyond the illumination of our lamps, too dangerous. Gone is gone. New colonists arrive at the Doorstep every day. I don't want to be called out by a Steward for a preventable error.
And let's be honest, in this game of survival, good tools are the difference between success and failure.
*****
Rejiggering
Keep an eye on our stretch goals for some major changes today. We worked all day yesterday, listening to your feedback, watching the campaign, and correcting course.
We want success as much as you do, and every lost Backer is gut-wrenching.
So, after much discussion, we're changing our plan. We hope you like it.
8.5
Big thanks to everyone who took the time to rate The Artemis Project on BGG. We are showing an incredible 8.5 rating. That's a great thing for soon-to-be Backers to see when they are checking us out.
T-shirts
Just before we launched The Artemis Project on Kickstarter, we made a push to get the Guild Facebook page up to 1000 Likes, and we did it. In celebration, we decided to give away a Guild T-shirt, and yesterday I got to hand it to the winner in person.
Every gamer's crazy for a sharp dressed meeple
What do you think, Colonists? Are you intersted in adding on Grand Gamers Guild or Artemis Project logo T-shirts to show your support? Let me know.
Brewing! In! Space!
If you've been following the Guild for a while, you may remember that Chris Kirkman of Dice Hate Me Games was my Graphic Designer and Project Manager for Unreal Estate. Well, once a member of the Guild, always a member, and I will support your creative endeavors as best I can. To that end, I urge you to check out Homebrewers.
Barkeep, 1 Europan pilsner!
The Homebrewers Kickstarter launched just 2 days ago. I'm a Backer, and I urge you to check it out and see if it suits your gaming tastes.
That's all for today, Colonists. I'm off to Chicago for a game day at The Meeple Keep to bring The Artemis Project to even more gamers. If you're in the area, come on out.
I'll still be watching everything from my travels, so keep spreading the word, and let's get that those stretch goals!
Playfully,
The GuildMaster
17 Sep 2348
over 5 years ago
– Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 10:48:03 PM
Diary,
They used to say that we had 2 great frontiers: the deep ocean and deep space. I signed up for the latter, but I had no idea in doing so that I'd also be exploring the former.
Way back there was a place on earth called the Great Barrier Reef, long since destroyed, but I've seen pictures. I think that today is the closest anyone will ever get to the Reef anymore.
Even though I'll be in the Quarry, we dove today with a Vent team to train. The Vents connect all the way to the mantle, and an active vent can power a Battery Bank seemingly forever. The energy from the Vents is the only reason we are able to survive here; it powers everything from the Doorstep to the Shelters.
It's not just us that depend on the vents for our livelihood. The oceans are teeming with organisms of all sorts. A marine biologist from Earth would have a field day categorizing these strange floating ghosts. Some of the creatures that gorge on the vents have a glow emanating from them, and their faces are haunting. And these are just the ones that are harmless.
*****
Not a lot to say today, Colonists. Every day I worry, "Is this the day we slow down?" and every day we have a strong day. Maybe I shouldn't say that aloud, but I'm a full disclosure kind of guy.
I really appreciate all of you who are sharing our posts and retweeting. Effective marketing takes a lot of touches, and you reach exponentially more people than I do alone.
We start the day over 50% of the way to our next stretch goal!
Pay no attention to the typo! ;)
This is going to happen, and then we get to ride that sweet Snowcat. It's another great day on Europa!
