Do you have an FAQ video up?
Alright, so nobody’s asked this… But we do! Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwqGsFZp7kk I’ll be transcribing most of it in the FAQs here, but if you want elaboration, the video is a good listen.
Last updated: May 27, 2017 21:08
Where can I see more detail regarding gameplay and rules?
We recently completed a full Gameplay Intro video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLZjSLbaQ3k
And we have a preliminary download of the rules- http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/KickstarterSimpleRules.pdf
Plus, check the Kickstarter campaign updates. There’s a free online playable demo- hop in there, snag a partner from Discord, and get a feel for things.
Last updated: May 27, 2017 21:12
SKIRMISH is a tabletop game, but I'd like to play with my online friends. Is there an online version in the works?
We’re hoping to set up a license with Tabletop Simulator to make SKIRMISH playable online.
Initially, our answer to this question was ‘not yet’- developing a dedicated app seemed like it would be too complex to promise. Our focus has to be on developing and releasing the core items promised in the campaign- but, if things work out with TTS, there will be an online version of SKIRMISH available to backers.
Last updated: May 27, 2017 21:15
Will SKIRMISH be available only in this campaign, or will it ever be in stores or for sale on Amazon?
First, we’ll deliver to SKIRMISH to our stupendous Kickstarter backers. After that? I’m sure we’ll have leftover copies, and I’ll try to make them available far and wide. Amazon, stores, conventions, whatever we can line up.
Last updated: May 27, 2017 21:19
How do these Guest and Bonus cards work?
Beyond the Core Game, there will be an additional mode of play that makes use of ‘Partner Hero’ cards. Guest webcomic characters and Grunn will be ‘Partner Hero’ type cards. More info on this mode of play as development refines- we’ll probably make another video specifically about Partner Heroes.
Last updated: May 27, 2017 21:21
8 characters are planned for SKIRMISH, will more characters be introduced to the game as the Dreamkeepers graphic novels continue?
Yep! We plan to release expansion decks featuring new Leader Heroes as time goes on. The Dreamkeepers storyline should give us a lot of good possibilities to choose from, and we’ll make selections based on what will yield the best gameplay results. We want to be careful, and hone our choices to release expansions that maximize strategic options and the overall quality of play experience.
Last updated: May 27, 2017 21:25
If the expansion deck stretch goal is met, are there plans to have those two decks available as add-ons for lower tiers or will they only be available for Tier 5 and up?
I would say, that’s a solid ‘Probably!’ We plan to use BackerKit with this campaign- which will enable add-on purchases at checkout. However, based on how the manufacturing costs shake out- some stretch goals alter profit margins, and some Tier items won’t be profitable until we can attain a certain threshold of backers- basically, I don’t want to promise anything until we’re solid on it.
We can definitely deliver on what’s listed in the current tiers. And after the campaign, if we have the latitude to include items as add-ons, I’ll definitely do it.
Last updated: May 27, 2017 21:26
Why is the shipping so expensive? Is there anything we can do to make it cheaper?
Answer: Shipping cost varies based on your destination, package weight, and package volume / shape. I don’t know exactly how much everything will weigh, so I have to base shipping on our experience in years past.
…And, as to why shipping costs so much, I wish I knew. But it sure does. I’ve had domestic US packages cost me over $40 before, and international packages exceed $100 in shipping cost. We use media rate whenever it’s applicable, but at the end of the day, shipping is expensive. Even beyond outgoing postage we have to cover freight for all merchandise from the various manufacturers, plus handling fees and the cost of packaging materials.
Some enterprising backers have thought up an idea for group shipping- say, if there’s a group of five backers that all live in Australia, I send one package there which includes everybody’s items. Regarding this ‘groupship,’ here’s how I imagine it working:
Decide who your destination customer is- the guy receiving all the rewards. Back the Kickstarter like normal. When you fill out your survey, there will be a section for notes.
Write in there, “REFUND SHIPPING. MAIL WITH BACKER #X” Just make sure you know what his backer number is.
Then I’ll refund your shipping cost, and mail your rewards to the point man. And on that day, you discover who your true friends are.
Last updated: May 27, 2017 21:31
At least on the higher tiers there should be an option for a blank Skirmish card that lets you pick a character to be drawn.
This sounds very reasonable. For Tiers 7, 8, and 9, I’ll open up character selection from within the cast members of the Dreamkeepers graphic novels. Your backer survey will include an area for specifying your request. (No OCs, I don’t want to juggle references for these.)
For Tiers 6 and below, well, that’s potentially hundreds of customers- I think it’s too much for me to keep track of effectively, so backers in those tiers will have to endure some suspense, and they’ll get to be surprised by their character sketch.
Last updated: May 27, 2017 21:35
I want to back SKIRMISH, but I can't use Kickstarter. Is there a Paypal button somewhere I can use?
Yep! We now have a page up for backing via Paypal: http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/Paypal
Last updated: May 31, 2017 09:06
If we unlock Expansion Decks, will original art and other stretch goals apply to those decks?
Yes. If we unlock expansion decks, they’ll receive the same original art, gold gilt, metallic ink, and other upgrades as the initial game decks.
Last updated: May 31, 2017 09:09
What's the point in being short or long range? I got that one short range can become long and viceversa... but what's the difference.
Short range characters cannot flank or reinforce- they can only attack and block within their zone. Long range characters can flank and reinforce, even if their zone is contested. For more detail, check out our Rules Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLZjSLbaQ3k
Last updated: May 31, 2017 09:09
At a glance, it's hard to tell which number is attack and which is toughness on the Follower cards. It would be good to get an overview as well on what all the card icons mean, like the chevrons.
The chevrons- in this draft of the card layout- are meant to indicate rarity. Single chevrons mean it’s a common card in the deck, whereas three indicates it’s the only one in the entire deck. However, we’re still refining the card design- we intend to tweak a few things, and do a video about the card layout when we’re closer to the final design.
Last updated: May 31, 2017 09:09
What about those who want to collect cards?
Collectors will have an easy time of it- once you buy the game, you have all the cards! And future expansion decks will be sold with all of their respective cards, too. So- collecting may not be much of a challenge, but it is an option.
Last updated: May 31, 2017 09:09
When will you be streaming the original art for the cards?
Thanks to stretch goal action, we have a lot of art to create. Playmats, cards, desktop art- Once the campaign wraps, I’ll be drafting our projected workflow, and sharing it with backers. I can probably start playmats right away- but card art may have to wait a bit while we finalize card titles and tally cameos and such. I’ll post schedules when we expect to be entering streaming territory.
Last updated: May 31, 2017 09:24
It's said that the players must choose a side Dark or Light. Can the players decide to mash it up? Combining let's say Wisp + Vi? Would there be any problem with the cards not matching or something like that?
The official game is only designed with the Light and Dark characters on opposite teams. Refining that balance is our development goal.
If you want to play with nonstandard combinations, that should technically work- and it’d probably be pretty fun! Just be advised that unsupported modes of play may not be optimized for strategic balance.
Last updated: May 31, 2017 09:24
Do you have an FAQ video up?
Alright, so nobody’s asked this… But we do! Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwqGsFZp7kk I’ll be transcribing most of it in the FAQs here, but if you want elaboration, the video is a good listen. Last updated: Sun, May 28 2017 12:08 am EDT
Where can I see more detail regarding gameplay and rules?
We recently completed a full Gameplay Intro video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLZjSLbaQ3k And we have a preliminary download of the rules- http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/KickstarterSimpleRules.pdf Plus, check the Kickstarter campaign updates. There’s a free online playable demo- hop in there, snag a partner from Discord, and get a feel for things. Last updated: Sun, May 28 2017 12:12 am EDT
SKIRMISH is a tabletop game, but I’d like to play with my online friends. Is there an online version in the works?
We’re hoping to set up a license with Tabletop Simulator to make SKIRMISH playable online. Initially, our answer to this question was ‘not yet’- developing a dedicated app seemed like it would be too complex to promise. Our focus has to be on developing and releasing the core items promised in the campaign- but, if things work out with TTS, there will be an online version of SKIRMISH available to backers. Last updated: Sun, May 28 2017 12:15 am EDT
Will SKIRMISH be available only in this campaign, or will it ever be in stores or for sale on Amazon?
First, we’ll deliver to SKIRMISH to our stupendous Kickstarter backers. After that? I’m sure we’ll have leftover copies, and I’ll try to make them available far and wide. Amazon, stores, conventions, whatever we can line up. Last updated: Sun, May 28 2017 12:19 am EDT
How do these Guest and Bonus cards work?
Beyond the Core Game, there will be an additional mode of play that makes use of ‘Partner Hero’ cards. Guest webcomic characters and Grunn will be ‘Partner Hero’ type cards. More info on this mode of play as development refines- we’ll probably make another video specifically about Partner Heroes. Last updated: Sun, May 28 2017 12:21 am EDT
8 characters are planned for SKIRMISH, will more characters be introduced to the game as the Dreamkeepers graphic novels continue?
Yep! We plan to release expansion decks featuring new Leader Heroes as time goes on. The Dreamkeepers storyline should give us a lot of good possibilities to choose from, and we’ll make selections based on what will yield the best gameplay results. We want to be careful, and hone our choices to release expansions that maximize strategic options and the overall quality of play experience. Last updated: Sun, May 28 2017 12:25 am EDT
If the expansion deck stretch goal is met, are there plans to have those two decks available as add-ons for lower tiers or will they only be available for Tier 5 and up?
I would say, that’s a solid ‘Probably!’ We plan to use BackerKit with this campaign- which will enable add-on purchases at checkout. However, based on how the manufacturing costs shake out- some stretch goals alter profit margins, and some Tier items won’t be profitable until we can attain a certain threshold of backers- basically, I don’t want to promise anything until we’re solid on it. We can definitely deliver on what’s listed in the current tiers. And after the campaign, if we have the latitude to include items as add-ons, I’ll definitely do it. Last updated: Sun, May 28 2017 12:26 am EDT
Why is the shipping so expensive? Is there anything we can do to make it cheaper?
Answer: Shipping cost varies based on your destination, package weight, and package volume / shape. I don’t know exactly how much everything will weigh, so I have to base shipping on our experience in years past. …And, as to why shipping costs so much, I wish I knew. But it sure does. I’ve had domestic US packages cost me over $40 before, and international packages exceed $100 in shipping cost. We use media rate whenever it’s applicable, but at the end of the day, shipping is expensive. Even beyond outgoing postage we have to cover freight for all merchandise from the various manufacturers, plus handling fees and the cost of packaging materials. Some enterprising backers have thought up an idea for group shipping- say, if there’s a group of five backers that all live in Australia, I send one package there which includes everybody’s items. Regarding this ‘groupship,’ here’s how I imagine it working: Decide who your destination customer is- the guy receiving all the rewards. Back the Kickstarter like normal. When you fill out your survey, there will be a section for notes. Write in there, “REFUND SHIPPING. MAIL WITH BACKER #X” Just make sure you know what his backer number is. Then I’ll refund your shipping cost, and mail your rewards to the point man. And on that day, you discover who your true friends are. Last updated: Sun, May 28 2017 12:31 am EDT
At least on the higher tiers there should be an option for a blank Skirmish card that lets you pick a character to be drawn.
This sounds very reasonable. For Tiers 7, 8, and 9, I’ll open up character selection from within the cast members of the Dreamkeepers graphic novels. Your backer survey will include an area for specifying your request. (No OCs, I don’t want to juggle references for these.) For Tiers 6 and below, well, that’s potentially hundreds of customers- I think it’s too much for me to keep track of effectively, so backers in those tiers will have to endure some suspense, and they’ll get to be surprised by their character sketch. Last updated: Sun, May 28 2017 12:35 am EDT
I want to back SKIRMISH, but I can’t use Kickstarter. Is there a Paypal button somewhere I can use?
Yep! We now have a page up for backing via Paypal: http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/Paypal Last updated: Wed, May 31 2017 12:06 pm EDT
If we unlock Expansion Decks, will original art and other stretch goals apply to those decks?
Yes. If we unlock expansion decks, they’ll receive the same original art, gold gilt, metallic ink, and other upgrades as the initial game decks. Last updated: Wed, May 31 2017 12:09 pm EDT
What’s the point in being short or long range? I got that one short range can become long and viceversa… but what’s the difference.
Short range characters cannot flank or reinforce- they can only attack and block within their zone. Long range characters can flank and reinforce, even if their zone is contested. For more detail, check out our Rules Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLZjSLbaQ3k Last updated: Wed, May 31 2017 12:09 pm EDT
At a glance, it’s hard to tell which number is attack and which is toughness on the Follower cards. It would be good to get an overview as well on what all the card icons mean, like the chevrons.
The chevrons- in this draft of the card layout- are meant to indicate rarity. Single chevrons mean it’s a common card in the deck, whereas three indicates it’s the only one in the entire deck. However, we’re still refining the card design- we intend to tweak a few things, and do a video about the card layout when we’re closer to the final design. Last updated: Wed, May 31 2017 12:09 pm EDT
What about those who want to collect cards?
Collectors will have an easy time of it- once you buy the game, you have all the cards! And future expansion decks will be sold with all of their respective cards, too. So- collecting may not be much of a challenge, but it is an option. Last updated: Wed, May 31 2017 12:09 pm EDT
When will you be streaming the original art for the cards?
Thanks to stretch goal action, we have a lot of art to create. Playmats, cards, desktop art- Once the campaign wraps, I’ll be drafting our projected workflow, and sharing it with backers. I can probably start playmats right away- but card art may have to wait a bit while we finalize card titles and tally cameos and such. I’ll post schedules when we expect to be entering streaming territory. Last updated: Wed, May 31 2017 12:24 pm EDT
It’s said that the players must choose a side Dark or Light. Can the players decide to mash it up? Combining let’s say Wisp + Vi? Would there be any problem with the cards not matching or something like that?
The official game is only designed with the Light and Dark characters on opposite teams. Refining that balance is our development goal. If you want to play with nonstandard combinations, that should technically work- and it’d probably be pretty fun! Just be advised that unsupported modes of play may not be optimized for strategic balance. Last updated: Wed, May 31 2017 12:24 pm EDT
What is BackerKit?
BackerKit is a service that crowdfunded project creators use to keep track of hundreds to tens of thousands of backers—from shipping details, pledge levels, preferences and quantities, whether they have paid or had their card declined, special notes, and everything in between!
The BackerKit software and support team is independent from the campaign’s project team—BackerKit does not handle the actual reward shipping. For more information about the preparation or delivery status of your rewards, please check the project's updates page.
How does BackerKit work?
After the campaign ends, the project creator will send you an email with a unique link to your survey. You can check out a walkthrough of the process here.
I never received my invitation. How do I complete the survey?
The most common reasons for not receiving a survey email is that you may be checking an email inbox different from the email address you used to sign up with Kickstarter, Indiegogo or Tilt Pro account, or it may be caught in your spam filter.
Confirm that the email address you are searching matches the email address tied to your Kickstarter, Indiegogo, or Tilt Pro account. If that doesn’t work, then try checking your spam, junk or promotions folders. You can also search for "backerkit” in your inbox.
To resend the survey to yourself, visit the project page and input the email address associated with your Kickstarter, Indiegogo or Tilt Pro account.
How do I update my shipping address?
BackerKit allows you to update your shipping address until the shipping addresses are locked by the project creator. To update your address, go back to your BackerKit survey by inputting your email here.
When will my order be shipped, charged or locked?
That is handled directly by the project creator. BackerKit functions independently of the project itself, so we do not have control of their physical shipping timeline. If you want to check on the project’s status, we recommend reading over the project's updates page.
I completed the survey, but haven't received my rewards yet. When will they arrive?
As BackerKit does not actually handle any rewards or shipping, the best way to stay updated on the shipping timeline would be to check out the project's updates page.