Fulfillment, Fame, Photos, & FAQ
about 2 years ago – Thu, Mar 03, 2022 at 04:47:44 PM

Legacies continues to grace more and more gamers' tables as Kickstarter fulfillment nears completion.  Keep reading to learn how you can help others learn about Legacies AND how you can cement your own legacy!

Fulfillment

Fulfillment is complete in nearly every region meaning most of you have your copy of Legacies!  VFI has sent out or is consolidating shipments for a handful of countries in the Eastern Hemisphere.  For those countries (e.g. Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and more), you should get your copy of Legacies this month.  

If you happen to be missing any of your components, please contact QML using their contact form at https://www.qmlogistics.com/contact-us/ .  They will be able to get your missing items to you as soon as possible.  If you're more comfortable connecting with me directly, please feel free to send me a direct message through Kickstarter or through my website.

Fame

Have you played your first game of Legacies (or more)? How did your Fame stack up at the table?  Do you wonder how your Fame compares to other players around the world?  Later this month I will post the first Leaderboards for Legacies on our website.  Do you want a chance at personal fame?  Share the results of your plays to see how your scores stack up against those of other players.  

Speaking of Fame, I was shocked and humbled to see Legacies come in at #3 on this Geeklist on BGG for the biggest climbers last week and - more importantly - the company we kept in this list (Libertalia: Winds of Galequest, Tiny Epic Dungeons, Massive Darkness, and Ark Nova!)   If you haven't yet rated Legacies on BoardGameGeek, I encourage you to do so once you've played.  Your rating (whether good, bad, or neutral) will help other gamers know how you feel about Legacies AND help BGG know that people are playing the game!

Photos

I'm seeing more and more pictures of Legacies across social media (Facebook, Instagram, BoardGameGeek, Twitter, and more!).  Please, keep them coming and use #LegaciesBoardGame and tag me @brookspungames !  I'm particularly interested in seeing your Hall of Successors at the end of the game - your character, plus the photos of the 5 successors that carried forward your Legacy.  Here's mine from my most recent play.

For those who backed at the Immortalization level, I plan to share images of their cards on a variety of gamers' tables!  Your pictures will help me celebrate them while immortalizing your own play of Legacies!  

FAQ

I've received a number of questions - primarily on Board Game Geek and some through other channels as well.  These have been GREAT questions and I'm working on compiling an FAQ to share the answers back with everyone who is interested.  I will ultimately be posting this FAQ on both Board Game Geek and our website - www.brookspungames.com .  If you have a question about the rules or other aspects of Legacies, I encourage you to ask it either in the comments or in one of the forums on Board Game Geek.  I'm happy to answer it and may include it in the FAQ summary I'm pulling together.

Thanks for sticking with me through this update AND through the journey over the past couple of years.  While Legacies is hitting tables around the world and our Kickstarter journey is nearly complete, please know that I have more designs in the works and am looking forward to bringing more joy, challenges, and fun to your table in the near future.   In the meantime, I'm happy to field any questions you may have and will keep you apprised as fulfillment comes to an end in the remaining regions.

Take care, be safe, and happy gaming. 

Unboxing Your Game & Your First Play
about 2 years ago – Thu, Feb 03, 2022 at 09:57:11 AM

Legacies is just starting to land on doorsteps and - as promised - I want to share a few notes to keep in mind as you unbox your game and get it to the table for the first time. I also have an offer for you and an ask of you.  This is a long update, but it's full of good information - I promise!

Shipping Status

As I shared last week, shipping is underway in parts of Asia and the UK.  Here's the latest on shipping progress for Legacies:

US / Canada - QML should begin late this week with a replenished supply of shipping boxes.  Keep your eye out for your shipping confirmations! (To my friends up north, aka Canada, I learned this week that your copies get boxed down here BEFORE they head up north for their final leg through the Canadian shipping process.  That means they're not yet on the truck to your neck of the woods, but should be soon.  My apologies for misunderstanding the sequencing of their trek across the border.) 

UK - Shipment began last week and many of you already have your copies of Legacies!  Did you get that first play in yet?  If you don't receive your copy by the end of this week, please let me know.

EU - The latest update I have is that your shipments will begin as early as tomorrow so many of you should receive your game next week or the following depending on your location.  

Asia / Australia / New Zealand - VFI has begun shipping and Legacies has already begun arriving on doorsteps!  VFI's process varies based on your country so while some backers have already received their games, some may not receive them for another 4-6 weeks.  I do not have confirmation yet if certain countries left the warehouse before the Lunar New Year holiday, but hope to have more specific information for specific countries (like Australia & New Zealand) when they return in mid-February.

Unboxing

Deluxe Edition - Many of you backed the deluxe edition of Legacies so we'll start with what to expect when you unpack the big box of deluxe edition goodness!  

• All SORTS of wood pieces!  The wood components were some of the first production items to be created by the factory and were all counted, packaged, and ready to go before the last piece - the GameTrayz - were finalized.  All of those bits were packaged for loading into each game, but had not been grouped and packaged in a way that corresponded with the final GameTrayz design.  Additionally, there was not much "extra" real estate in the box in spite of increasing its height twice in the final months.  As a result, you'll see the wood pieces greeting you in a seemingly rainbow display of chaos inside of the GameTrayz.  That means you'll need to do a bit of SORTING to get the pieces into their final homes.  I don't know about you, but I personally enjoy putting pieces for my new games into their ultimate "homes" within the game box.
• Coins, coins, everywhere!  In the deluxe edition of Legacies I opted to keep the punchboard the same as that in the standard edition.  That means in the deluxe version you have not only the amazing metal coins (and bars), but also a complete set of cardboard coins.  The cardboard coins do not have a defined "home" in your deluxe copy but can be stored in the enclosed baggies and used either as extras in Legacies or in other games where you want a bit of variety.
• Dual-Layer Board - I'm truly impressed with how these turned out.  I have yet to play another published game that has a folding dual-layer main game board and am proud that we were able to deliver this for you!  You'll find that it really helps to keep everything in its place while playing (especially the century overlays).  My two pieces of advice with these to make sure they remain in great condition are: 1.)  take care when folding / unfolding the board so you don't put unnecessary stress on the seams and 2.) when packing your game, put the long trays (with the coins) on top of and on the outsides of the game board (with the much lighter player token trays in the middle).  The weight from the coins will help minimize any potential warping which dual-layer boards are notorious for doing.
• Keeping it flush.  You'll notice that your contents fill up the Legacies box completely when you first open it.  That won't be the case once you've punched out all of the cardboard components.  If you're the type of gamer that likes to store and/or carry their games sideways, I highly recommend that you use a tip I recently learned from a friend.  As soon as you're done punching out the cardboard pieces, remove the base tray from the box and place the cardboard sprues (the "leftovers" from the cardboard punchouts) under the base tray.  You'll never think of them again, but they'll help keep everything flush with the top of your box so if/when you store or carry your game sideways, you're less likely for things to slip out of place.  
• Sleeved cards. I worked with GameTrayz to make sure we left enough room in the trays for players to store sleeved cards if they wished.  While there is definitely enough depth to hold sleeved cards, depending on the sleeves you normally use, they may be a tight fit from a width/height perspective.  I'm a bit disappointed with this as I know some of you asked about this throughout the campaign.  I'm not well-versed in the variety of sleeves so it's possible the versions I own (which I use for prototyping only) are "bigger" than other brands of sleeves.  For those that are active users of card sleeves, if your version fits well, please be sure to share that brand information in the comments so others know what works best.

If you want to see how everything should fit in your deluxe edition box and trays, please check out Update #40: Production Complete and Pics, for pictures.  Note: The gameplay aid and player aids aren't shown in the pictures, but they have a home on top of the relationship overlays and global actions respectively.

Standard Edition - A number of you backed the standard edition of Legacies which has all of the same fantastic gameplay of the deluxe edition.  The storage for your game components is a bit different, but still very sharply designed.  

If you want to see how everything should fit in your standard edition box and trays, please check out Update #40: Production Complete and Pics, for pictures. 

Neoprene Mats - For everyone who ordered a Neoprene Mat (first of all, you're going to love it!), they are being shipped rolled up in their own box.  In SOME countries, those boxes are being placed into the same shipping box as the game so you will have one shipment notification.  In SOME countries, those boxes with the neoprene mat are being shipped separately so you may have a second shipment notification. When you open the long narrow box you will find that gorgeous looking neoprene mat AND a small bag with the 11 alternate art overlays already punched out for you. (Note: there are no separate overlays for the investment track - you would use the same ones as in the base game.) 

Missing Items - While I want everything to be perfect when you open Legacies for the first time, with nearly 700 components, it's possible that something was missed or doesn't look right.  Mistakes may happen, but I want to make them right!  If any of the contents of the game are missing or damaged, please use Quartermaster Logistics' support form and they'll help get the process started.  If you're more comfortable asking me first, please feel free to message me directly through Kickstarter or through the contact form on my website and I can help navigate the process on your behalf.  Important: If there is a bigger issue (like a claim for a lost or damaged package), please start with Quartermaster Logistics.   If your pledge is damaged in transit, please take a picture of the damaged product(s) and shipping box, and send those images to the Quartermaster Logistics customer service team using the contact form on QML's website. Please do this soon after receiving the damaged package, as carriers do have a limited window for filing a claim (14 days after delivery).

Your First Play

• How to Play - Video vs. Rulebook: If you prefer to learn how to play from videos versus the rulebook, you can find our most up-to-date How to Play video here thanks to JonGetsGames! 
• Rulebook notes - *sigh* I worked very hard to make sure I had zero typos in the rulebook, but alas, four have come to my attention since final manufacturing began.  None should have an impact on your gameplay, but the keen eye may catch 1 or 2 of them when they read or reference the rules.  I've corrected them in v1.1 which is now available on Board Game Geek.  I've also posted a thread on BGG that notes what typos were fixed in v1.1 
• BGG FAQ - I will do my best to address any gameplay questions posted in Board Game Geek (BGG) as quickly as I am able.  I have a day job and a family (and I sleep as well), so while you're unlikely to get an answer from me before the next player's turn, I will target having an answer in BGG within a day so you (and all other players who come across the same question) have the answer for the next time you play.  There are also several frequent playtesters who are BGG regulars and may reply with a rules answer in BGG in response to your question (thanks in advance, friends!).  In the meantime, just make your best interpretation and keep your game moving. 
• Player Count - I enjoy Legacies at all player counts (1-6) and even one day would love to try a 10-player game of Legacies.  With that said, for your first game, I highly recommend that you target 4 players or fewer.  The game plays well and has great interaction with 5 or 6 players, but if more than 1 of those players at that count are playing for their first time, it will likely be a LONG game.  
• In your very first play, your first century will be your longest as you learn the game - the second and third will go faster.  I think that's true of most heavy games like Legacies, but still wanted to reiterate that fact.  There's nothing wrong with opting to play 2 centuries for that first game instead of 3 if you find yourself pressed for time (and scoring all of the game end scoring tiles at the end of century 2).  The game is intended to be played the full 3 centuries as that last century generally has some of the most challenging decisions (selling investments, the tradeoff of keeping resources or getting more expensive heirlooms, those century 3 events that can have a huge impact, etc.), but if you just have time to finish 2, that's totally OK.
• There is a LOT to explore in Legacies and after your first play you will likely start thinking about how you'll play differently the next time.  In playtests over the years, I have often been torn as to whether I should give players tips or let them discover these "aha" moments on their own.   I've added a thread to the Legacies BGG strategy forum for those who want to scope out some tips from the designer in advance.  If you want to discover and uncover those learnings on your own, then save that link for another day.  If you want to give yourself (or fellow players) a couple of tips from the designer, then feel free to check them out. 
• Solo Cards - not just for solo games!  Whether you choose to use them for your first play or not, I strongly encourage you to consider learning the rules for the NPCs (Rising Star & Nemesis) and including them in future plays (even in 3, 4, & 5 player games).  Once you have the basics down for Legacies, the management of either style of NPCs is quite simple and having an extra set or two of heirlooms to choose from (and additional opponents to mess with your plans) can add yet another layer of flavor to your game.  If you don't want to risk losing to an NPC or want full control over the Global Actions - choose the Rising Star.  If you want competition and even more interaction from your NPC, then choose the Nemesis (which has 6 levels of difficulty).  

Leaderboards

Have you ever wondered how your score in a game stacks up against others who are NOT at the table with you?  Since winning a game of Legacies requires amassing the most Fame, I will showcase YOUR Fame by posting a Leaderboard (updated monthly) on our website.  To record your plays of Legacies and be included on our Leaderboard, complete this simple Google Form after each of your plays to record your group's results.  I'll maintain a Leaderboard for EACH of the ten characters (along with a breakdown whether you started playing Aboveboard or Underhanded).  There may even be a special "congratulations" for the person that sits atop each leaderboard at the end of 2022.

Tell YOUR Story

• While Legacies has an intricate set of choices and gameplay elements, one of the aspects I enjoyed - both while designing Legacies and while playing Legacies is the fact that the game tells a story.  If you and your fellow gamers enjoy adding your own narrative to the game, I highly encourage it!  When you're finished - in addition to having a winner and a set of scores, each of you will have a complete "Hall of Successors".  I encourage you to take a photo of yours each time you finish a game and share it on your favorite social media channel - along with "your story" about that play of Legacies.  Be sure to tag @brookspungames or use the tag #LegaciesGame so we can all see the legacy you put together!  
• You may recall that during the campaign there was an "Immortalization" pledge level for Legacies.  The backers at that level were all Immortalized as one of the Successors in Legacies.  As a small thank you to them, I'd like to build a collage of photos from YOUR games where their successors came into play.  Not only will they be able to see themselves on the Successor card in their copy of Legacies, but they'll be able to see that their successor hit gamers' tables all around the world!  
• To contribute your outcome to the greater story, you can either - complete this Google form with your game results and attach pictures of each players' Hall of Successors OR post the pictures on your favorite channel (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and either @brookspungames or include the tag #LegaciesGame .  Either way, we'll find your submission and add it to our collection of Legacies.  Here are a couple of examples.

For those waiting on translations, I want to acknowledge that I'm still finalizing the Italian and German rulebook translations (the translators have been done for a while - it's on me to load all of their translations into the rulebook - it admittedly takes a lot longer than I originally anticipated).  Thanks also to Chaps and Pardieu for your recent videos about Legacies for all of our French speakers!  

Phew! I told you that would be a long update and - it's possible it distracted you long enough that Legacies is now on your doorstep! (Go ahead and check - if it is, that would be AWESOME!)  If not, don't worry - it really should be there very soon!  If there's anything you want me to include in the next update, please let me know in the comments.  

I can't wait to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback as you began to crack open your very own copy of Legacies!!!

--Jason

Updated Shipping Status
about 2 years ago – Thu, Jan 27, 2022 at 12:45:54 AM

I have a bigger update drafted which I will save for next week with a ton of good meaty info as most of you start to receive your games.  In the interim, I want to provide an update on Shipping Status by region since I know things are SO CLOSE.   Legacies is starting to land on a few doorsteps and will be ramping up over the coming days.  See below for where things stand with your region.

US / Canada - QML expected to start shipping Legacies this week, however, a hiccup in their supply chain of shipping boxes has pushed that start to next week.  US backers should get shipping confirmations starting next week while Canada backers will get shipping confirmations as soon as the truck with your games finishes its drive north from Florida - so a few days later.  I had been refreshing the tracker every 30 minutes for the last two days waiting to see the first games go out from QML, but alas, now I know why I wasn't seeing that movement.

UK - If you follow Shipquest's blog for the UK, you'll see that Legacies is the next game in their queue to ship out.  I just got confirmation that all UK games should be out of the warehouse and on their way to you by the end of this week.  If for some reason you don't get your shipment notifications this week, I would expect you to have it by Monday.

EU - If you follow Shipquest's blog for the EU, you'll see that Legacies shows up in the data analysis phase.  I just received and approved their packaging plan for Legacies which should push it into the final data analysis phase.  There is a chance some of the shipments to the EU will start this Friday, but the majority will start leaving the warehouse early next week.

Asia / Australia / New Zealand - VFI has begun shipping and Legacies has already begun arriving on doorsteps!  VFI's process varies based on your country so while some backers have already received their games, some may not receive them for another 4-6 weeks.  If you've had other Kickstarter rewards fulfilled by VFI, you're likely familiar with the timeline, but if not - please know that your game is on its way to you but may take a few weeks depending on your country.

If you have questions about your shipment (after receiving shipping confirmation), you can contact Quartermaster Logistics directly here or feel free to reach out to me directly through Kickstarter.  I will do my best to respond within a day.

Look for another update next week with additional details on shipping status and LOTS of fun details including:

• What to expect when unboxing Legacies
• Recommendations for your first play
• An opportunity for you to see how your scores stack up against others and
• A fun ask of you as you build your first Halls of Successors

Thanks for reading and for your patience.  Legacies will be on your gaming table before you know it!

--Jason

Great News - Fulfillment Updates
over 2 years ago – Sun, Jan 09, 2022 at 01:29:46 AM

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a chance to relax, unwind, and celebrate safely with friends and loved ones.  I always enjoy this time of year (but often find the time for relaxation and revelry to be too short).

Speaking of short, I have a relatively short update for you today, but it's one I trust all of you will be excited to hear.  All of the containers with Legacies landed on schedule last week AND will be at their respective fulfillment centers over the next few days.  Based on each fulfillment center's schedule, I expect a good portion of you to have Legacies by the end of this month and nearly all of you to have it by the end of February.  See below for region-specific details (and a couple of other fun notes at the bottom).

For backers in the US & Canada:

QML's warehouse expects to receive the games today and after they've verified the contents, shipments will begin shortly thereafter.  I know a lot of campaigns are delivering this month so we'll see where we fit in that queue.  Two things for this group:

1.) Keep your eye out for the address confirmation e-mail from QML.  When you see that, you'll know your game will be on its way shortly (and if you have a new address - make sure to update it via the link you get in that e-mail!)  

2.) A subsequent tracking e-mail from QML will be your sign it has left the warehouse and is on the way to your doorstep.  

Canadian backers may see tracking info that doesn't "move" for a bit as the games make their way from Orlando to Toronto before embarking on the final leg of their journey to your tables. 

For backers in the EU & UK:

ShipQuest will have the games in their fulfillment centers early next week.  I got the sense that Legacies is a little higher up in the EU queue than the UK queue but in either case games should start making their way out the door from these two hubs in the 2nd half of January.

For backers in Asia, Australia, NZ, and more:

VFI should begin shipping any day (if they haven't already).  Some of you will receive your copy of Legacies in short order while those in Australia, New Zealand and a few other countries will have one more step as a "consolidated" shipment of games is sent from VFI to your country's respective final point of distribution.

Rulebook Translations

Earlier this week I uploaded the French version of the Legacies Rulebook to BGG.  Special thanks to Chantal MEUNIER & Séverine RIEHL for providing that translation!  

The Italian and German versions will follow shortly. (I've been a bit slower than I'd like to get those translations loaded into the rulebook.)

Note: I am also uploading a slightly updated version of the English rulebook to BGG later this week that fixes a couple of minor typos identified while the games were crossing the oceans.  I tried to upload it earlier this week, but it didn't stick so I'm working with BGG to figure out why.  

Legacies in the Wild

Some of you have spotted copies of Legacies out in the "wild" which were the advance preview copies I received along with the final proof copies of Legacies.   The most recent was a great blog post and video by Steph & Michael at All the Meeples of the Rainbow on BGG.  Another content provider (from the Man vs Meeple channel) has had Legacies prominently displayed on their shelf in the background of recent videos - in advance of their review to come in the next few weeks.  Have you spotted it? 

That's it for this update - great news, right?  I appreciate all of your patience and support while we got to this point.  My next update will come sooner than usual as there are a few things I want to share "as" you start to receive Legacies.  I'll be watching the comments closely to see when people start getting their tracking information and will target the next update when I know copies are actually hitting doorsteps.  In the meantime, stay safe and keep having fun!

--Jason

Ships, Timelines, Rules, and Address Changes
over 2 years ago – Wed, Dec 08, 2021 at 03:56:42 AM

It's December and I have some wonderful news!  All of the games are on their respective ocean voyages and passing through one of two canals, arriving in port just prior to the new year.

Ships

• Games heading to the US are aboard the Ever Fit approaching the Panama Canal.
• Games heading to the EU are aboard the CMA CGM Rivoli and just passed through the Suez Canal.
• Games heading to the UK are aboard the Cosco Shipping Galaxy approaching the Suez Canal.

If you want to follow along for the remainder of their ocean voyage, you can look up any of these ships at www.marinetraffic.com.  Warning - if you have never thought about how goods make their way across the oceans to various destinations, prepare to be in awe when you see the number of ships transiting the globe at any given point in time!  

• The games for Australia, New Zealand, and the eastern hemisphere are at VFI (no ocean voyage needed) and will begin shipping in the next couple of weeks.

Here are a couple of pictures of the containers.

Timelines

At this point you should be wondering - "They're so close, when will it be on my doorstep?"

For those being fulfilled from VFI, there is a chance your game could arrive before the end of December, but most likely it will be January (or February in some cases based on VFI's fulfillment process).

For those whose games are crossing an ocean or two via ship, timing depends on 3 things.

•  Ports - some have been overcrowded with long wait times for docking and unloading.  That seems to be getting better in many parts of the world, but is a variable to watch.  If you're tracking one of the ships I listed above, as soon as you see that ship LEAVE port (from UK, Germany (EU), or Georgia (US)) you know you've moved on to the next step.  
•  Customs - we do not anticipate any issues or slowdowns at customs, but it's safe to assume a few days to clear customs.  I've heard in bad cases it can take weeks but I have worked with multiple companies that do this all the time to make sure our ducks are in a row for this step so it should move smoothly.
•  Fulfillment - when the games arrive at our fulfillment partner in your region, they will be tantalizingly close to reaching your doorstep!  On average, I've heard that it can take as much 1-4 weeks to move to the front of the queue once arriving at fulfillment partners.  It all depends on the number and size of similar projects that arrive on their loading docks just ahead of Legacies.  

With all that said, a lucky few may get their game in December, with most games likely being delivered in January (or February if there are delays in any of the 3 bullets above).  I'm excited with how close we finally are to having Legacies in your hands!  

Rules

JonGetsGames posted the How to Play video for Legacies and I must say he did a wonderful job!  If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, I'd encourage you to do so.  

I also have two of the three translations in (Italian & French) which I'm integrating into the rulebook and will have published on BGG by the end of the month. The German translation should be in my hands this month and online in January.

Address Changes

I recognize some of you may have moved since you filled out your information in BackerKit.  If you need to change your address and:

• Live in the US or Canada, you will get an e-mail from Quartermaster Logistics a few weeks before fulfillment confirming your address.  If your address needs corrected, that e-mail will have a link for you to follow to change your address.
• Live anywhere else, please send me a message through Kickstarter and I will get your updated information to Quartermaster Logistics.

One last note I wanted to share is that a few copies of Legacies are officially out in the "wild" in YouTube videos and blogs.  You may recall I received some advance copies of Legacies to check out and make sure everything was good before GameLand finalized packaging and loaded the games on containers.  Those copies are now in the hands of reviewers who expressed interest in writing a review about Legacies and have been in regular contact with me since the campaign.  As they go live you should see them linked on our BGG page.  Feel free to check them out and see what they had to share!   

I continue to be truly grateful and humbled by the interest the gaming community has had in Legacies and am thrilled that the countdown to your first play is just a few very short weeks away.