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Puzzle Strike Design Article and Digital Bonus

Update #2 · Apr 23, 2012 · 6 comments

Boards Included

We reached the $25k goal! So four game boards will be included in the box now, thanks to your support. The boards help you separate the different game zones such as your gem pile and ongoing chips, and they also have some reminder text about how many chips to draw each turn. We have just a little more to go and we'll get 4 screens in the box too! (The screens are for putting your chips on the table to keep them hidden, if you don't want to hold them in your hands.)

Puzzle Strike Design Article

Here's a long article about the design of Puzzle Strike, and how we went about making a game that's intended to hold up to intense play and still be really interesting. In short, here's the concepts I was conscious of throughout the design and development of Puzzle Strike:

  • Asymmetric design
  • Player interaction
  • Getting to the meat of the game quickly
  • Strategically interesting dynamics
  • Exciting moments built into the system
  • Balance of "viable options during gameplay"
  • Fairness of the asymmetric choices

Next week I'll post another article about the casual side of the game, mostly about the new 3-player and 4-player mode.

Digital Bonus

If we reach the $40k funding level, I have a couple thank yous to give out.

Free online characterFantasystrike.com has online versions of both Puzzle Strike and Yomi. Each week, there are two free characters available (a different two each week) and you can buy a character to have it unlocked permanently. If we reach the $40k funding level, everyone who pledged $10 or more will get get a code to permanently unlock a character (and technically you could get a Yomi character, even though this kickstarter is for Puzzle Strike). You might as well create an account now, as you'll need that eventually to redeem the code. It's free to make an account at fantasystrike.com, and you can actually play Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition + Shadows *right now* online. It has an interactive tutorial, and also friendly folks who can help you with the game's interface and rules.

Print-and-plays. Next, still part of the $40k funding level's digital bonus, everyone who pledged for a physical game will *also* get the print-and-play version of that set. So if you got both sets, you'll also get both print-and-plays.

Note that if you already have the 2nd Edition print-and-play, you'll get the 3rd Edition version for free automatically. When the time comes, you'll be able to use the same download codes you used before, and they'll be resent to you to let you know when it's ready.

Thanks everyone, and I hope you enjoy the online version of the game for now. Get a head start on your friends for when your physical set arrives. ;)

Comments

    1. Images.small

      Creator Sputang - Bringer of Devastation on April 24, 2012

      Would the board designs ever be put online, if we wanted to take them to our local printer and create mats ourselves?

    2. Fb_profile_picture.small

      Creator Dante Gagne on April 24, 2012

      I figured as much, but thought that it couldn't hurt to ask. I've got Yomi and Puzzle Strike 1st and I'm really excited about this one. The mats in the Yomi deluxe are really nice... but if the playboards don't get folded and they still sit nicely, that would still be really cool.

    3. Fb_profile_picture.small

      Creator David Sirlin on April 23, 2012

      Dante: that would be nice, but those playmats cost a lot to make. It's already kind of a miracle to put boards and screens in the box while lowering the price. So in order to have the mousepad material in there at the same price, we'd need a waaay bigger print run. In other words, *yes* it would be a terrific stretch goal and I'd love to do that, but I think we'd need hundreds more pledges to get there.

    4. Fb_profile_picture.small

      Creator Dante Gagne on April 23, 2012

      Would it be an absolutely insane suggestion that for a stretch goal, the player boards are the nice mats instead of printed cardboard?

    5. Missing_small

      Creator Trent Hamm on April 23, 2012

      You should give a code for every $10 pledged. So, if someone's pledging $130, you give them 13 codes. Just a thought as a big sweetener.

    6. Images.small

      Creator Sputang - Bringer of Devastation on April 23, 2012

      "Note that if you already have the 2nd Edition print-and-play, you'll get the 3rd Edition version for free automatically."

      Nice! Here I was thinking I was going to have to repurchase to original game along with the expansion PNP, but this is great news indeed for those of us that prefer cards to chips. Now I just need to wait for the strategy guide to separately go on sale to get the whole package.

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  • Pledge $1 or more

    1 backer

    SHIPPING COSTS - PER PACKAGE (NOT PER COPY) ___________________________________ USA = $0 ___________________________________ Canada = $20 ___________________________________ Non-USA & Non-Canada = $40

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $10 or more

    18 backers

    Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition print-and-play version. This gives you the digital files to print a card version of the game.

    Estimated delivery: Jun 2012
  • Pledge $10 or more

    20 backers

    Puzzle Strike Shadows expansion print-and-play version. This gives you the digital files to print a card version of the expansion. (Base set isn't required to play the expansion.)

    Estimated delivery: Jun 2012
  • Pledge $35 or more

    7 backers

    Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition print-and-play + Puzzle Strike Shadows expansion print-and-play + a 2 month STAR membership subscription to fantasystrike.com. Access to all Puzzle Strike and Yomi characters for that time. This actually gives *3* free months if you fully register as you redeem the reward. (Note: no physical copies of the game in this package, so a great way for international players to avoid shipping costs.)

    Estimated delivery: Jun 2012
  • Pledge $55 or more

    68 backers

    Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition, a physical copy of the game.

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $55 or more

    59 backers

    Puzzle Strike Shadows expansion, a physical copy of the game. (Base set isn't required to play the expansion.)

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $80 or more

    3 backers

    Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition base set + the substantial strategy guide (that covers both base set and expansion).

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $80 or more

    14 backers

    Puzzle Strike Shadows expansion + the substantial strategy guide (that covers both base set and expansion).

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $110 or more

    59 backers

    Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition base set AND Puzzle Strike Shadows expansion set. (But no strategy guide, oh noes!)

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $135 or more

    347 backers

    Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition base set AND Puzzle Strike Shadows expansion set AND the substantial strategy guide AND 5 copies of each of promo chip for even more gameplay variety. The promo chips are Combinatorics (new version!), Dashing Strike, and Custom Combo.

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $150 or more

    9 backers

    Everything in the above reward + a 2 month STAR membership subscription to fantasystrike.com. Access to all Puzzle Strike and Yomi characters for that time. This actually gives *3* free months if you fully register as you redeem the reward. (Note: you get the online membership months before the physical games arrive!)

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $210 or more

    2 backers

    Everything in the above reward, plus we'll send you the 2nd Edition of Puzzle Strike ($50 value + the Puzzle Strike Upgrade Pack right away ($25 value), when this kickstarter campaign ends. You'll get the rest of the stuff in September. (That's double free shipping for US customers, though Canada customers please add $40 for shipping and other international customers please add $80.)

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $350 or more

    17 backers

    The Dream Combo to support interesting asymmetric games! Everything in the above reward + Yomi Complete First Edition, Yomi Cursed Cards, and Flash Duel 2nd Edition. We'll send those along with Puzzle Strike 2nd Edition and the Puzzle Strike Upgrade Pack when this campaign ends, then send you Puzzle Strike 3rd Edition + Shadows Expansion when they're ready. You also get the Puzzle Strike strategy guide, all three promo chips, and 2 free months of STAR membership on fantasystrike.com (or 3 months if you fully register as you redeem the reward). You get double free shipping (lots of it) for US customers, Canada customers please add $40 for shipping, and other international customers please add $80.

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012