Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Tools of the Trade III

(or, how to show the ways to test your wife to make sure she really loves you)

Here's what's happening at LotFP HQ:

Box assembly! You wouldn't believe the mess when the boxes first came. They're all flat and have to be folded before being filled. Here is a stack of empty boxes from the first night of folding:


The place was an absolute mess because there were all the boxes filled with the individual components of the box in addition to the boxes to be filled. And then the filled and ready-to-go boxes had to go somewhere! It was bedlam!




Yes, that's a handtruck in our living room.

But I'm in the home stretch for filling the boxes. I've been able to clean up the area a little as the component boxes empty out:


Our clothes storage area in the bedroom has been commandeered for storing filled boxes (oh look, you can see my leg in the corner!). We are also storing the display rack for Ropecon on the floor of the bedroom, but that's not shown.


My current work station (note the table was moved from the earlier arrangements; it helped free up lots of space... we can actually eat meals at the table when we move the empty boxes here, and we can sit on the couch again too!):


We're up to 76 orders from individuals, 40 from vendors and distributors. For the first time ever, my business was in the black yesterday morning for about an hour, and that was after paying the invoices for the biggest of the Ropecon imported merchandise. Then we mailed all the comp copies. And the credit card bill came with all the Ropecon import shipping costs and some artist fees. And the printing bills haven't arrived yet.

But for an hour, I was profitable! Here's hoping I see that again in a few weeks...!

There is evidence that my distribution partner in the US is indeed working it. Cool. Can anyone hook me up with anybody in Europe... I have no idea where to look (besides Esdevium in the UK).

Thanks to everyone that has ordered, thanks to Phil Reed and Rob McDonoghue for the plugs.

I'm telling you guys who haven't ordered but are interested, order now. In a few weeks you'll have a lot of other options for getting the game, and some of them might be cheaper (I only control wholesale prices; I don't dictate how much stores mark them up after that), but by the time they're stocking you'll have your copy already. And if you're reading this blog, you're a supporter, and I make a hell of a lot more on a direct order than selling to the shops. ;) (how's that for pitiful begging?)

Make that 77 direct orders. Another just came in.

Ropecon is in three days. People are spreading the idea that my game is the only big release for the convention. The public will see and they will know.

Back when I was announcing this project I said "Death or Glory." I was wrong. It's both. Because I'm going to kill. :D

9 comments:

  1. Might be a cool idea to hand number the first 100 orders and sign them.
    Everyone will scramble to get a low number.
    Sales will explode!
    OK, I just want to be able to brag that I was one of the first 100.

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  2. I cannot wait for my box to arrive. Argh, it seems so far away! Blargh!

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  3. The animal skin on the floor,,, is it a beagle, or an aurok?

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  4. 1. Your wife is a Saint...I think the entire OSR owes her flowers or chocolate or something...

    2. I know you don't plan on the boxed sets to continue, but when the hardback comes out will it include the tutorial as well as the rules. Is it possible the tutorial will be available separately? How tied to LotFPWFRPG is the tutorial? Could it be used for S&W, LL, or even OD&D proper?

    3. Do you think you'll still have some yourself in a month. I want a copy to hold as a gift for a couple of years and would rather buy direct?

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  5. 2. Things are a bit different, but the process of play is identical so the tutorial should work.

    I don't know about it being available separately. It makes sense, but I'm wary of separating the game into a bunch of truly separate parts.

    3. It would be very optimistic to say that I'll sell out within a month. I'll be optimistic to say it's not impossible, but 600 or so boxes is a lot to sell in a month.

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  6. Hey, thanks for the mention! And good luck with the sales; I know I'm looking forward to seeing my copy of the game arrive in the mail.

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  7. James, your dedication really shows. You deserve to have the Ropecon people gobble up your game. Do you have a plan in case all the copies of your game that you bring to Ropecon sell-out on the first day?

    Your sales thus far are phenomenal. It took a whole year for Gary and Dave to sell the first 1,000 copies of D&D back in 1974.

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  8. The chances of selling out at Ropecon are 0.

    However, on Thursday we're packing all orders up to that point (and I'd set aside any orders that arrive just before we leave for Ropecon) so those wouldn't be available at the con.

    If they do sell out, anyone who ordered after the last check before we left will have their order refunded, the distros and vendors are SOL, and it's time to look at the next edition of the game. :)

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  9. damnit. all i can do while looking at your photos is think, "i know where that desk is at IKEA."

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