I’ll be releasing Act of Treason for open play testing.
You read that right. I’ll be releasing Act of Treason for open testing. As many of you know, I’ve been developing Act of Treason for over 5 years now. I am very confident of how solid Act of Treason is, so why open play testing?
Why?
- Additional Marketing: Marketing has always been a large hurdle for me and for Act of Treason. Everything else has been polished and tucked away. It is my last and only hurdle - hence the open playtesting. I figure it’s a great way to get the game out there, and get some marketing going. If people like it, it will spread organically.
- For The Fans: I have a lot of pride in Act of Treason, and I wanted to see it through to the end. Over the years, my interest in becoming a game designer has waned somewhat. I still want to make games, but I cannot dedicate as much time to it as I would like. It doesn’t help that getting Act of Treason across the line has been so difficult. I’m not complaining, it is what it is. I would never want to lock Act of Treason away from the world. Act of Treason has already cost me thousands in time and money. Some of that is my own doing - again, not complaining. It is what it is. I’d just as soon release Act of Treason and make no money than not release it at all. This is a thank you to all of those who were fans of the game, and who waited for it so patiently, and so eagerly, for so long. Thank you. I hope it was worth the wait.
- Feedback: While it will be unlikely that I’ll be making any sweeping changes, it will be great to get feedback on the game, and potentially improve it further still from where it sits currently. Every little bit helps, so feel free to share your thoughts. To that end I will provide feedback forms as well as an email address for feedback. All feedback will be reviewed and potentially incorporated into the official Kickstarter release.
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| An example Printout |
When?
I’ve managed to overshoot timeline estimates in the past. Things crop up that I cannot control, and I have to adjust my schedule accordingly. So I am reluctant to post a firm date. However, I will aim for the first week of December. It would be great to get it out to you all before the Christmas and New Years holidays, giving you ample time to prepare a game to play over the holidays with family and friends.
I’ll be removing the art, tweaking some of the rules and images used in the rules and on the cards. In addition I’ll need to make sure everything is set on the website, mailing list, and with Gamecrafter, in order for a smooth transition into a public trial. It’s a bit of work, but I imagine I should be able to get it done in time.
Where?
You’ll be able to get the game in two core ways:
You’ll be able to get the game in two core ways:
- Print and Play: Sign up to the mailing list and you’ll get a link to download the Act of Treason print and play PDF. I’ve had to remove all card art from the game, as I do not have permission to use it for this purpose. The print and play will be roughly 20 A4 pages + rulebook. It includes standard Magic: The Gathering sized cards, which can easily be sleeved, and a few larger printouts to make up the board, which had to be cut up into sections in order to fit onto A4. This trial edition, once released, will be available indefinitely.
Gamecrafter: I don’t like excluding those who might not have access to a printer. For those who may be willing to pay a little extra for the convenience of not having to cut up 20 pages worth of cards, I have decided to offer a printed trial edition of Act of Treason for a limited time. It is essentially the same as the print and play, but professionally printed and delivered to your door for your convenience. How much will this service cost? Don’t know yet, but I’m not trying to profit from this, and I don't want to charge people retail prices for what is effectively a trail copy. I will seek to make the cost as cheap as possible, but bear in mind that a large part of the cost will be determined by The GameCrafter, which is the service I'll be using.
Edit (2018/01/06): I would love to offer this service, but after some research it's sadly not viable as an option. However I am happy to offer a copy to reviewers for the purpose of evaluating. If this is you, you can contact me here.
I think that about raps it up. I look forward to the coming months, and to your feedback.
Cheers,
Tyson
