Meeple Source Premium Painted Wood Fish are ready
about 5 years ago – Wed, Apr 24, 2019 at 02:27:09 AM

Hi Backers, 

Last week we posted a poll to help Meeple Source design the custom painted wood fish meeples they're making for Oceans. 

Using feedback from more than 1200 backers, they finished the set. They got such an outpouring of positive feedback, they've decided to make 12 different kinds of fish, many more than originally planned.

You can order the Meeple Source fish here 

Speaking or myself, if these fish turn out the way it looks like they will, they'll be among my favorite game components of any kind, for any game. I'm as grateful as I can be that Meeple Source have gotten involved, and have done what they've done. 

They asked me to send along the following: 

"We really want to thank the 1200+ fans who voted in our poll about these fish meeples. We appreciate your input so much and because we received so much positive feedback, we have decided to make 12 different designs. We are including the 10 most popular designs in a set for the base game, and the next 2 most popular are included in a set that also covers the 5-6 player expansion.

These are beautifully painted premium wooden fish, and we know you are going to love them!

Simply choose any 5 types of fish (100 pieces) to cover your first 2 players, then add one type of fish (20 pieces) for each additional player in the game. Then, once you have your chosen fish types separated, take 3 more types of fish (60 pieces) for use once the game end is triggered. It is as simple as that! 

If you would like a few more fish options, or enough players for the 5-6 player expansion, the 240 piece set that includes two additional types of fish will cover you for that!

This set includes 20 of each of the following:

• Clownfish
• Jewel Damselfish
• Black and White Damselfish
• One Spot Fox Face Rabbitfish
• Orange Spotted Filefish (included in 6 player option only)

• Royal Blue Tang
• Flame Angelfish
• Copperband Butterfly Fish
• Saddle Wrasse
• Powder Blue Tang (included in 6 player option only)

• Seahorse
• Clown Triggerfish"

So there you have it. If you like what we're doing and feel we're treating you right, please share this campaign with others.

It's hard to believe there are only three days left. It's been like drinking from a firehose, but a strangely pleasant drink it has been. 

Thanks,

Nick Bentley, campaign manager and one of Oceans' designers.

Get your Evolution fix right now. Evolution: The Video Game is 20% off during the Oceans campaign
about 5 years ago – Tue, Apr 23, 2019 at 01:37:50 AM

Hi Backers,

We recently released the digital version to the game that started the Evolution series, Evolution.  In typical North Star fashion, we spent an untypical amount of time to make this digital game a great game experience for new players and veterans alike.  It features a learn by playing tutorial, a campaign with distinct boss opponents, and a multiplayer that quickly matches up players of equal skill.

Add it on? 

Among the add-ons for this campaign is an offer for 20% off  Evolution: The Video Game. You can pledge $12 to get a steam code at campaign's end.

However, not everyone wants the PC version. Many of you have told us you want the iOS or Android versions. Unfortunately, creating discount codes for iOS and Android is prohibitively tricky, so we can't extend the same offer for mobile users. And if we could, you'd have to wait until the campaign's end to claim them.

A Better Way

Rather than leave iOS and Android users out in the cold and make everyone wait, we've decided to make the video game 20% off for everyone, across all platforms, no code required, until this campaign ends. 

That way, you can get the video game right now if you want. $7.99 for mobile and $11.99 on Steam. Here's where you can go to purchase:

• Get 20% off Evolution on Steam
• Get 20% off Evolution on iOS
• Get 20% off Evolution on Android 

Note the North Star digital team is giving away 1 copy of Evolution the board game every day, for next 350 days, to a person randomly chosen from those who play at least multi-player game that day. Being able to get the game now gives you more chances to win one of those. 

Have fun!

As ever, If you like what we're doing and feel we're treating you right, we'd love it if you shared this campaign with others. Especially now that we're in the home stretch. 

Thanks,

Nick Bentley, campaign manager and one of Oceans' designers.

Meeple Source Painted Wooden Fish Meeple Poll. Also, Oceans now available in German
about 5 years ago – Sat, Apr 20, 2019 at 01:35:37 AM

Hi Backers,

Fancy Fish Feedback 

About a week ago, we teased some fancy fish meeples (see above). 

Here's what's up: Meeple Source, maker of premium game upgrade kits, will make premium painted wooden fish for Oceans, and they will offer them on their website. 

But we need your help: Meeple Source has designed too many fish, and they need to decide which to make. So...

Take this poll to help Meeple Source decide which fish to make

2nd...

German Oceans is a thing now 

To our infinite delight, we now have a German publishing partner: Schwerkraft-Verlag. 

...which means backers can opt to receive a German-language version of Oceans. As a reminder, you'll pick your language in the pledge manager after the campaign ends. You'll receive both the game and all unlocked stretch goals in the language you've chosen. 

A gigantic thank-you to Schwerkraft. There has been a Germany-shaped hole in the campaign for too long. We hope you Germans who have been asking why we've forsaken you won't feel compelled to email us quite so much anymore.

As ever, If you like what we're doing and feel we're treating you right, we'd love it if you shared this campaign with others. It helps tremendously.

Thanks,

Nick Bentley, campaign manager and one of Oceans' designers.

Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) this morning!
about 5 years ago – Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 07:07:51 PM

Hi Backers, 

The four designers of Oceans (Nick Bentley, Brian O'Neill, Dominic Crapuchettes, and Ben Goldman) are doing an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on the board games subreddit this morning. 

Check out the AMA and ask us questions here

Nick Bentley, campaign manager

Player Count
about 5 years ago – Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 02:28:45 AM

Hi Backers, 

This is Dominic, one of Oceans' designers, and one you haven't heard from yet. 

Lots of positive reviews have been rolling in for Oceans! However, a few said their first experience with 5+ players was rough, so I've been testing Oceans extensively at the Gathering of Friends game convention for the past week.

The game has been gaining buzz here, which makes us feel great, but I've also discovered something. Learning the game for the first time with more than 4 players is not an optimal experience. After thinking about it for a long time, I've decided to make Oceans a 2-4 player game. This was a hard decision for me, but I know it's the right thing to do.

We told you Oceans would be a 2-6 player game, so we will include the 5-6 player expansion in your copy of the game. I just want to caution you against playing Oceans at 5 or 6 players unless everyone at the table is experienced with the game. 

121 outside groups playtested Oceans and over 80% said it should be a 2-6 player game. Great right? But now I'm realizing that everyone who took that poll had played Oceans 10+ times. So Oceans can provide a great experience at 5 or 6 players, but only if everyone at the table is familiar with the game.

We are doing this to ensure an awesome experience for all of our customers. You will get the exact same game, but packaged differently so we don't misrepresent the game to anyone. I hope you understand.  

Dominic Crapuchettes, Founder of North Star Games & Co-Designer of Oceans

I don't want to end this on a downer, so here's a sketch that Catherine Hamilton did of me when we were roommates in 1989. Yes, I used to have hair! And strangely enough, I was working on a card game that Catherine and I used to play when she created this sketch. 

And here is some art we recently received for the Deep. Enjoy!