All of the samples are ready!
over 2 years ago
– Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 10:13:45 AM
So... I got a BIG box with all of the remaining samples, which include the Base game, 3D Monster board box, and the big 3D Mountain+Monster board box. Everything is so cool 😎
Check out this unboxing video:
And here are some pictures:
I already played with the Cube Monster braintrust, and the game looks and feels great (even though I lost...)
We are now testing everything, and will send feedback to the factory soon. Once everything is resolved, we will start production!
Stay tuned,
Vitali and Dor
Samples are almost done!
over 2 years ago
– Mon, Nov 06, 2023 at 11:59:35 AM
Hey all, today we have a cool update :) We got some pictures from the factory showing amazing progress.
But first - A reminder that there are still a few backers who did not complete the survey. To assure that you will get your copy of Cube Monster, please complete it as soon as possible. We send emails to the relevant backers.
So let’s get started with the base game
Base game samples have been printed (🥳), and every component has its own place in the custom box tray:
The game boards look stunning!
All four champion minis as well as the Monster die throne Kickstarter exclusive were produced with the mass production template and were ink washed. This really brought out the details (we will share better pictures when we get the samples):
One of the campaign's stretch goals was a print on the cube bag. Check it out:
Another stretch goal was an engraved Monster die:
It was also important to us to have the factory test that everything sits well in place within the box, and so we asked them to shake shake shake the box. We are happy with the results :)
Another important detail that we made sure worked well with the factory is that cards can easily be slid under the player boards as a part of the cool structure upgrade mechanic. This seems to work well:
All and all, looks good, and we can’t wait to get our hands on this to test that everything is as it should.
And now to the exclusive 3D components
These are big custom components and their packaging was a challenge. It is important to us that the components will sit well in place, and so we worked on custom trays and lids to ensure safe shipping and easy storage. After a lot of back and forth with the factory, we are almost done.
* IMPORTANT: both of the below videos show the 3D components before they were painted and in boxes that do not have art. Your 3D components will arrive painted and with boxes that have art.
For those of you who backed the Monstrous Pledge level (Base game + 3D Monster board), the 3D Monster board will arrive in a box similar to this (but with art):
For those of you who backed the All In Climber Pledge level (Base game + 3D Monster board + 3D Mountain), the 3D Monster board and Mountain will both arrive in one box. We are now working with the factory to find a better box than the one shown in the video below, as it is important to us that you will be able to reuse the box and store the 3D components conveniently. However, the custom tray and lids are ready and you can see them here:
What’s next? The factory is now producing the last components (Mountain stickers and printed 3D component boxes). Soon, all of the samples will be shipped to us. We will test them and make sure everything is OK. Then, production will start.
Until next time,
Vitali and Dor
Cube Monster October 2023 update
over 2 years ago
– Mon, Oct 16, 2023 at 10:23:12 AM
This will be a short update, and sadly we will start with something hard this time. Some of you may know that my partner Vitali and I live in Israel. In the past week, our country has been under one of the most vicious attacks it has ever encountered. This is a difficult and stressful time for everyone here. We are staying safe with our families, and are wishing well to our fellow Israelis. We will not respond to comments that delve into politics. Such comments will be reported to Kickstarter.
As for fulfillment, we are planning the shipping process with fulfillment partners. In case you moved to a different address or are planning to move, please update your address on Backerkit. Feel free to reach out to us in case you need help or if you have any questions.
In addition, there are still a few backers who did not complete the survey. To assure that you will get your copy of Cube Monster, please complete it as soon as possible.
Last, in a few days we will post another update, showing you our progress with the factory, images and videos of produced samples, some quality tests we asked the factory to perform, and additional status.
Stay safe,
Vitali and Dor
Slight timeline delay, game packaging updates, and more
over 2 years ago
– Mon, Aug 14, 2023 at 11:20:22 AM
Hi all,
In our last update, we shared sample pictures of the cool and unique Cube Monster 3D components. Those samples turned out very cool, which was a result of constant back and forth with our factory. We are still iterating with the factory, perfecting the components, their packaging and the core game for production.
When Vitali and I planned the timeline for Cube Monster, we relied on time estimation from service providers as well as other Kickstarter creators' project timelines. Once the campaign was completed, we started off great and finalized the game design, mechanics, solo mode, and art files for the factory pretty fast. Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned; the components and packaging design aspect of the process is taking longer than what we initially expected.
And so, we estimate a few months delay in our delivery, which was originally planned for October 2023.
So what’s taking so long?
>> Core game box tray
In the past few weeks we have been fine-tuning the core game box. We are very happy with the result, which has a dedicated spot for each component, mini-shaped place holders, and extra room for cards.
>> Core game minis mold
The 4 minis and the Monster Die Throne Kickstarter exclusive will be super detailed and high quality. Creating this mold is a process that takes time. It is almost ready, and once it is the factory will ship us samples of the base game.
>> 3D components packaging
A very cool Kickstarter exclusive we offered during the campaign is the 3D mountain which replaces the 2D board of the core game. It is a big and unique component provided in the “All In Climber Pledge'' together with the 3D Monster board (the 3D hand). Backers shared with us that storage space is valuable, and asked for these two components to arrive in one box that is as compact as possible. We achieved this by placing the 3D hand upside down inside the hollow mountain, having the components both set in place for safe travel. Placing these two components together in a safe and efficient way is more complex than what we anticipated. However, after several iterations with the factory, we are nearly done. Samples will be produced soon.
>> 3D mountain instructions refinement
After we got the samples for the 3D components samples, I performed a blind test for the Mountain setup instructions (meaning, I gave the instructions to people and watched them use it while saying nothing). I’ve realized that the instructions for how to apply the stickers and for setting up the table were not clear enough. This is exactly what testing is for :) We made fixes to both issues, and now there is a very clear indication both on the sticker sheet and in the Mountain setup instructions.
* A general note - when the factory sends us files for approval or samples and we find issues, we ask them to fix them. While this sounds trivial, these fixes take time. There are so many things to consider: materials, colors, having everything stay put during shipping and more. We try to think of all possible issues in advance to reduce the number of iterations with the factory and save time, but we will not compromise on quality - we hope this is something you would appreciate :)
What’s next?
- Last back-and-forth with the factory on the 3D components packages
- Finish making the molds for the minis
- Produce samples for everything, have them tested, and hopefully find no issues
- Start production
Kickstarter is all about supporting creators big and small (like us), and your patience and belief in our project means the world to us. Being Kickstarter backers ourselves, we know how it feels when a delivery is delayed, and we are truly sorry. However, it's all part of the journey, and there’s still a lot for us to do and learn. Rest assured that we are doing our best to create the most awesome, fun, unique, and cube-ful experience for you to enjoy :)
Thanks so much for your support and patience,
Vitali and Dor
Cube Monster 3D components samples are here! 📦
almost 3 years ago
– Thu, Jun 29, 2023 at 01:26:09 PM
Hey all 👋! This is an exciting one.
Cube Monster features various 3D components, including exclusives that are really not standard nor trivial to produce. After many iterations with our factory, Longpack, with whom made modifications to the models to prepare them for mass production, as well as iterated on different colors for the components, we got a BIG BOX with samples of all of the 3D components. Check out the unboxing (where I can't hide my excitement):
So what did we get?
Let's start with the super cool, detailed, and hand painted 3D Monster Board Kickstarter exclusive. After the adjustments we made to prepare it for production, it is even cooler and more stable than the prototype. It really turns out to be a unique piece.
Then we have the 3D mountain Kickstarter exclusive with its stickers. And... it is so cool and impressive! I really like the mountain's color. It only took my wife 10 minutes to apply all of the stickers. She said it was especially satisfying to place the numbered squares in the round tracker slots. And though she encountered no issues when applying the stickers, we'll be giving all mountain backers 2 sticker sheets so that you will have a spare.
Then, there are the four character minis. Big chunky minis. Amazing details. Super fun.
There is also the Monster Die Throne Kickstarter exclusive all backers are going to get, and it fits all nice and snugly in a special place we added to the top of the mountain.
And... of course we got cubes! We are nothing without cubes.
Check all of these out:
What’s next?
After we test the 3D samples and provide feedback to the factory, we will start working on the box trays that hold all of the components as well as the box art for the Kickstarter exclusive components (3D Mountain and 3D Monster hand).
Then, we will get another box with samples of the entire game for approval, and once approved, we will be able to move on to production!
Getting these samples is the most excited I've been since the campaign ended. I could never imagine how cool they would turn out.
Thanks again all for helping us bring Cube Monster to life.
