What is Kickstarter? We’re the world's largest funding platform for creative projects. Learn more!

Update #53: Alpha demoing

Posted on May 9

**News Flash**, Pigs fly:

The Alpha Dice Age dice will be first played publicly
On Saturday May 26 2012,
At Gamex,
in the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel, 6101 West Century Blvd., Los Angeles, California.

The schedule is as follows:
Sat 9:00 pm
Sun 10:00 am
Sun 2:00 pm
Sun 6:00 pm
Mon 9:00 am
Mon 1:00 pm
Each demo lasts 4 hours.

I'll be more than happy to meet backers up there!
Rewards and t-shirts may be available for pick-up. Please notify us via PM.

Dice Age Team

    1. Missing_thumb
      Damon Gregory on May 9

      I saw on the Kublacon schedule that Dice Age will be played. I'll be there! I'll be running my own game at the time, Monkey vs Squid, but I'll stop by as soon as I can.

    2. Missing_thumb
      GWAL on May 10

      Congrats!

Update #52: Objective U.S.A.

Posted on May 2
Dear all,

Some of you may have received a survey so that we know where to send the dice.
Today is a great day, for the first Alpha dice have been sent out. We positively refused to take more than one year to get the dice out, as a matter of principle.

The rise of the Dice Age has been, and it still is a terrific adventure: it is not about just making dice, it turned out to be a learning curve.
The kickstarter project was launched on the basis of David, our dreaded Chinese manufacturer's quote. We got masters made, molds made and remade, but we are still waiting for those injection molds to be ready, when it was supposed to be in 45 days. So we hired Randy, an American in China, to make non-injection dice, and we are getting there... only after endless paperwork with the Chinese customs!
Everybody in the sector says toys are to be made in China, but you know what? My made in the U.S.A. packaging is long ready.
So today, we want a full US manufacture. Let's do the job ourselves. Good old American made product.

This will be our next war. Get the dice proudly and fully made in California.
And this is where it starts to lift off. Today, we are cranking out and painting our 14000 dice one by one; researching, optimizing the process, and hiring people. Disabled people are helping us, at OPARC, for the packaging assembly. Dice are made in the U.S. by sheer hard work and nobody's in our way.
It's not injection yet, but the dice are way cooler than before the kickstarter. They are not industrial, but they are professional. And that's for the best.

The Dice Age team
    1. Missing_thumb
      Matthew Anthony on May 9

      Any word on when the US-made "diplomatic pouches" ($500 tier) will be going out?

    2. Missing_thumb
      Andre McInnis on May 9

      I Would like a survey sent please!

    3. Expertise.thumb
      Tristan V Convert on May 10

      @Matthew, We are producing 100 dice a day, and the diplomatic pouch is the most complex reward to build. We will send it in two parcels so that you don't have to wait too long. @Andre, done.

Update #51: The New York Toy Fair aftermath

Posted on March 22

Dear Dice Age backers,

In case I didn't emphasize, a lot happened at the New York Toy Fair that triggered a new growing wave in our project:

- We met a number of toy inventors, awesome guys like Brett Klish, we showcased the product, we encountered Mary Couzin from the Chicago Toy and Game group, and Kidrobot and Thinkgeek are interested in the game.

- At TimeWarp comics (http://www.timewarpcomics.com/), where James Lisk organized the 6th tournament ever. With the help of David Bower, we discovered how Dice Age can be kind of categorized as an "art toy", except it is the first art game...
As we needed to provide our actual 3D physical masters to our new manufacturer for the full series, as well as a painted sample set for reference, we had to reproduce our precious unique masters. By researching in the art toy field, we found a way to finely reproduce them, and this week, for the first time in Dice age history, we are able to produce locally a few dice as they should be.
We are encouraged by this development and it allows us to move forward with the mass production we are all waiting for. Although this micro dice brewery is expensive and time intense, it also allows us to release extra copies. We won't have just one precious prototype to show anymore, and it allows us to even build new dice.

- So we felt inspired to launch the "new die of the week" campaign on our facebook page, where you will be able to vote for the next die to be microbrewed every three weeks. Those of you who adopted a die, it's going to be time to choose the die you want to adopt. We will start building it physically, and send it to you right away!
Since the Alphas are really the best advertisement for the product, we will be launching the sale of limited Alpha dice masters copies via our online shop under the name "Masters Series" so everyone has a chance to purchase some of them. Like the Proxies (RIP) yielded to the Masters Series, the sale of the Masters Series will end once the mass produced Full Alpha sets arrive (in roughly 3 months), or will just remain a purgatory for new dice.

- As Kevin Cook suggested, we put some 3D printable Alphas in Inox, Bronze or Silver for sale on shapeways.com. It's the “Metal Series”. We received a message asking to allow the Kickstarter backers to buy plastic 3D printed Alphas from shapeways, but they are still very expensive and the colors aren't good. So instead, Kickstarter backers will be able to receive Masters Series dice at cost ($3.27) with the promotional code “backer”, where everyone else will have to pay full retail price ($5.43)). We hope that anyone who receives these Masters Series dice will act as our ambassadors to their local game stores and their friends, so we can keep spreading the word about the dawning age of dice!

All this adventure wouldn't be possible without you. We hope you enjoy the journey. Once again thank you everyone for your continued support, love and patience.

We are excited to be back on track with production!

Tristan and team Dice Age

    1. Expertise.thumb
      Tristan V Convert on March 22

      On track, yes! For mid-april, not quite. Sorry about this. Those of you backers who can volunteer to represent us and demo at any major gaming convention until the Alpha Full Series is released can trade their reward for a Masters Series one. Please send me a message.

    2. Missing_thumb
      Bruce Bridges on April 9

      This has gone on for so long (approaching one year) and now there is no promise date of when we will get our dice. How do we go about getting a refund?

    3. Expertise.thumb
      Tristan V Convert on April 10

      I understand your frustration and we really would love to give a firm date. We tried several times to display one in the past, based on the manufacturer's timeline, and things have fallen through (causing all the frustration). Ultimately, it is an adventure we are on. You backers didn't give your money to just get dice, but to have the dice made and launch that adventure. We're all in this together, and I can tell you there is not one day, or hour, where I am not working towards the project's completion. We always have you backers in mind in the decisions we make. There are many bumps on the road, but we're confident that our new manufacturing partner will deliver on time as promised.

      That being said, if you absolutely can't wait it out along with the rest of us, please email me directly and we can discuss a solution.

Update #50: The fiftieth update!

Backer_white For backers only, Posted on February 19
Backer-only-post
Backer-only-post-text If you're a backer of this project, please log in to read this post.


Update #49: Tournaments fever, New York and Los Angeles

Posted on January 30

For those who didn't meet the dice yet, we will have two exhibition-initiation free events, on both coasts, around mid-February:

EAST COAST event:

6th Dice Age Tournament ever
Saturday, February 11th, 3PM
at Timewarp Comics & Games
555a Pompton Ave., Cedar Grove, NJ 07009   973-857-9788

Organized by Referee J. Lisk

WEST COAST events:

7th Dice Age Tournament ever
Friday, February 17th, 9PM
at ORCCON: Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel
6101 West Century Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90045

Demo and warming-up at 8PM

8th Dice Age Tournament ever
Saturday, February 18th, 9PM
at ORCCON: Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel
6101 West Century Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90045

Win dice, sets, t-shirts, champion and next-to-worst player rings!

Anybody willing to referee? Contact me!

Hopefully, I will have the Alphas at this time. We are waiting for pictures of the molds set for injection today. Right now it's the Chinese new year of the Dragon and firecrackers are still going off in the streets, but our manufacturer is doing his best to be on time.

If the Alphas are ready, they will be distributed to the backers.

    1. Expertise.thumb
      Tristan V Convert on January 30

      Good idea! It's not so far, let's sort this out.

    2. Expertise.thumb
      Tristan V Convert on January 30

      Alright, I'm trying to organize this one just before Origins!
      Kublacon tournament, Friday 25th of May 2012 at noon Hyatt Regency, Burlingame, CA.

    3. Fb_profile_picture.thumb
      mathnut on February 18

      Just curious as to the current status. I know you were hoping to have the Alpha's ready for the con, but I haven't seen an update to know if they were or not. Still looking forward to receiving my set. :)

      Just been awhile since the last update, hoping for a rough updated ETA.

526
Backers
$34,134
pledged of $10,000 goal
0
seconds to go

Funding Successful

This project successfully raised its funding goal on June 20, 2011.

Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more

10 Backers

FUN REGISTRATION. One dollar is one more step to the game being at your retailer soon, but it is also the fun registration reward! You will be registered as an Initiate of the game at our tournaments, even without having played a single game! But you know the game. You were here before anybody else and you decided to be in.

Pledge $7 or more Pledge $7 or more

18 Backers

MAXWELL'S REWARD. Cheap functional art. For a mere $7 pledge you are pre-ordering and will receive two different Dice Age dice. Let's be honest, you don't play many games yourself, but you want to support this game because you think it's a great idea and would love to see these beautiful mini sculptures exist in the world. (Or maybe you're just a collector of fine art under one inch in height.) Your pledge will put us that much closer to making this game a reality, and you'll be rewarded with receiving two different dice chosen at random. You can keep one and gift one to a friend! Or maybe you can create your own dice mini-game that uses your two unique dice. Let me know what you create and I may add it to the growing list of games used with the Dice Age dice. Includes shipping within the USA. (Shipping to Canada add $5, International add $10 to pledge amount.)

Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more

48 Backers

ONE SET TO RULE THEM ALL. For a $25 pledge you are pre-ordering and will receive one Alpha set of 10 different dice, including pouch and rulebook, (everything it takes), exactly as it will be released on the market. The dice are chosen randomly, but you will have at least two dice of each color. You will be able to play in Duel (which is my favorite way to play), start a collection, or build your own army. Includes shipping within the USA. (Shipping to Canada add $10, International add $15 to pledge amount)

Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more

356 Backers

THE FULL ALPHA CASTING. For a $50 pledge you are pre-ordering and will receive one complete Alpha collection of 23 different dice, including one pouch and one rulebook. This exhaustive full set will not be sold at your retailer. You can play up to 4 players and no die will be a mystery to you. Includes shipping within the USA. (Shipping to Canada add $10, International add $15 to pledge amount)

Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more

65 Backers

TWO FULL CASTINGS OF 23 DICE. For a $100 pledge you are pre-ordering and will receive two full Alpha collections of 23 different dice, including two pouches and two rulebooks. As a partisan of the fullsome, I can tell you it is not too much. You and your friends will be able to build your own armies of dice with doubles: thus, play bigger battles and discover the game's most advanced strategies. You can also give the second set as a present. Includes shipping within the USA. (Shipping to Canada add $10, International add $15 to pledge amount)

Pledge $150 or more Pledge $150 or more

6 Backers

ADOPT A DIE OPERATION. For those who really care! For a $150 pledge, you will receive one full Alpha collection of the 23 different dice, and become the godfather of a new die. Every die has the right to just be. For the 23 Dice Age dice that are released now, a hundred of others are still waiting in the laboratory to be reshaped and heralded to the Alpha master level. By adopting a die, you choose a die-to-be that will be redesigned. You will receive a polyurethane unique unpainted casting of the master: what we use to confirm the master before it is carved into the steel mold. Furthermore, when the master appears in the next Dice Age Compendium rulebook issue, your name will be marked as the godfather of this die. Contact us for choosing the die you want to adopt. (Shipping to Canada add $10, International add $15 to pledge amount)

Pledge $175 or more Pledge $175 or more

11 Backers • Limited Reward (1 of 12 remaining)

ADOPT A DIE WITH EXTRA FULL ALPHA CASTING. For a $175 pledge, you will receive two full Alpha collections of the 23 different dice, and become the godfather of a new die: Same as above, plus one extra Full casting of the 23 alpha dice. (Shipping to Canada add $10, International add $15 to pledge amount)

Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more

7 Backers SOLD OUT (0 of 7 remaining)

DIPLOMATIC POUCH. For a $500 pledge, you will receive: - One draft PROXY ultra-limited set of the first 16 different dice, - Eight sets of the alpha edition, in deluxe leather pouches: a huge 184 Alpha dice. - A lifetime scoop shipping of one copy of each adopted die PU prototype (see adopt-a-die operation, There are three as of today, may the 30th 2011). - Tournament Expert level promotion and Official Dice Age referee's Orange necktie. With this unbeatable lot, shipped for free anywhere in the US (shipping to Canada add $15, International add $25 to pledge amount), you become an Ambassador of the game. You have all it takes to discover the game, have others discover it, and even make discoveries as a part of the Research and Development. You will be, for years to come, one of the pillars of the growing player's community and specialist of the game with first access to its developments. The PROXY set is handmade and hand painted for you by the designer (yours truly). This is a piece of art and it comes with a signed serialized certificate. Those sets are cast in the silicone mold, therefore there can be only a very limited series. After all, this project sounds the death knell and will end the limited era of the handmade sets. They are closer to the art that inspired this game. The crazy diplomatic pack of eight full Alpha collections of the 23 different Alpha edition dice, including deluxe leather pouches, is for you to have others around you discover the dice. You can hoard them up, make gifts, give dice away one by one as a unique souvenir or reward, as you will have anything it takes to organize your own tournaments: You will also receive the tournament organization kit and the official Dice Age referee's necktie, used at every Dice Age tournament since 1997: - http://jeuxsoc.fr/article/bes_2002/gellule.jpg - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150100677194039&set=t.747449038&type=1&theater. Each time a Dice Age die is adopted, you will receive a scoop copy (physical die) of the prototype. Now and forever. Furthermore, you will really help the game in its history and we thank you for pushing forward new game concepts like this one!

Project By

Expertise.large

Tristan V Convert

Has not connected their Facebook account.

Tristan Convert grew between science-fiction comics and fighting fantasy books in Lille, in the north of France, where it is always raining. He is the inventor of improbable board games, photographer and director of peculiar movies. He edited the Imhotep game with Hasbro in 2002 and he lives today in Los Angeles, among the Sun and the palm trees... But horror, destruction, cruel dungeons and deadly women, this is what thrills him.

  1. diceagegame.com
  2. dice.bigcartel.com
  3. diceagegame.lefora.com