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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Dec 2, 2013 12:43:07 GMT -6
I will have an update in the next day or two (my day-job is keeping me crazy busy) - but all remaining orders I am aware of are shipping out this week. I will also talk about what's in the second shipment.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Nov 5, 2013 8:28:28 GMT -6
Wulgar22 and Falconer: I made the appropriate changes to the blog post and here. Thank you for reminding me.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Nov 4, 2013 9:10:09 GMT -6
Can somebody explain what this means? I converted my order for the S&W White Boxed Set to DD just before it went public and was told that there would be an adventure of some kind (a print version of a small setting from memory). Does this mean that John is sending out something like that to everyone he's already shipped a set to? Thanks, Craig J. Brain Australia Hey Craig. Yes everyone who pre-ordered a DD boxed set is going to get a second shipment - there just was not enough space in the boxes to fit all of the material without damaging the boxes.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Nov 2, 2013 7:13:08 GMT -6
From the BHP Blog: carpgp.blogspot.com/2013/11/delving-deeper-boxed-sets-update.htmlHey guys, I sure do appreciate everyone’s supreme patience. In all it will have taken just over a year to get everyone’s order to them (after waiting two years for the actual product to be ready). I am not at all proud (actually, ashamed) of my handling of this project. But, my difficulties with the Delving Deeper project (that go beyond just printing & shipping) have taught me some great lessons about myself and hobby publishing that are already transforming BHP. We have spent the last month printing, binding and wrapping enough Delving Deeper Boxed Sets to fulfill all remaining, outstanding orders (there were about 20 more than we thought). These remaining orders should all reach their new homes before the end of November and everyone will receive and email with a tracking number (including international orders). The second shipment to those who pre-ordered a DD Boxed Set will follow AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. There are surprises in the second shipment, so I would like to not comment on its contents until they begin shipping. Lastly, during the last year, Delving Deeper RPG has continued to develop under Immersive Ink’s leadership. This has brought some significant changes to the game. Because I want to continue to provide support to those who purchased DD Boxed Sets, once Immersive Ink releases their final, updated pdfs of Delving Deeper (the “DD Reference Rules”), I will be happy to provide printed copies of those three booklets to folks who have purchased a DD Boxed Set. That way, you will still have booklets (3) that will contain the final form of DD in your Boxed Sets. I am guessing this might take place in early 2014 (but it is when Simon has the Reference pdfs ready).
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Oct 5, 2013 7:45:19 GMT -6
EThanks for the update, John. Does that 3 dozen represent the last of the orders, that you're aware of? If not, how do we know if we're on the list to receive? Will we receive a tracking email when these go out? Thanks! Hey Busman, yes it does represent the last of the orders. I have replied to over 400 emails this week (the vast majority of them for address updates for Appendix N Adventures). However, we failed to keep and adequate track of all the orders over two years (the index card system we were using to keep track off all DD orders did not work like we had hoped -parts of it got lost in the moves, others were not updated when addresses changed, etc.). Because of mistake on our part, I have the resources (boxes) to make sure everyone who ordered a DD boxed set will get one. But anyone who has not received an email from me in the last 30 days or so (or if you just want to be sure), you can still email me at john@bravehalfling.com. The new team is helping this process work some much better and faster than before. I think everyone should have their DD boxed set by the end of October.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Oct 3, 2013 10:24:34 GMT -6
Just a quick update - we are putting about 3 dozen DD Boxed Sets together (printing & binding the booklets - we have plenty of actual boxes. I do not know exactly how long it will take the team to do that (but the booklets for the boxes take about an hour per box to assemble). Once they are put together, we will ship them to everyone who is still waiting for one.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Sept 26, 2013 8:59:22 GMT -6
I know this doesn't mean much for folks who are still waiting on Delving Deeper Boxed Sets, but once Simon has the final form of DD completed and updates the DD Reference Rules pdfs, I will be happy to provide printed copies of those three booklets to folks who have purchased a DD Boxed Set.
That way, you will still have booklets (3) that will contain the final form of DD in your Boxed Sets.
I am guessing this might take place in early 2014 (but it is when Simon has the Reference pdfs ready).
This is one of the extras I have planned for folks with DD Boxed Sets. I cleared this with Simon a couple of weeks ago.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Sept 25, 2013 18:32:48 GMT -6
Hey John, do you know the status of my order? As I've mentioned earlier, I am waiting for X-Plorers, a gaming box, and the Kickstarter modules as well. I figured I was doing you a favour by asking it all ship together, but had I known it'd take this long I'd probably have had you ship X-Plorers and the Gaming Box right away. I mean, I paid for shipping when I bought them on your stuff. You are in the next batch to go out. I had to get a special shipping box to put all of your stuff in (that won't likely get damaged). I do appreciate your patience and letting me put them all together. Back when all of these orders were taken, I was unemployed and had been for a year, with all the time in the world to print and ship stuff (although some projects were not ready to ship yet). My day job requires me to be on call 24/7 for emergencies and I have had many, many of them in the last few weeks and that is what is still keeping shipping too slow right now (even with my new staff). It is all my fault and once I get through it all, I won't ever put myself or anyone else in this situation. I never dreamed I would be so behind on fulfilling orders. I have some neat extras (they are DONE) for folks who pre-ordered DD boxed sets and supported the Appendix N Kickstarter, but it will be a month or two before I can start shipping them. I hope they will help folks feel like they still got something special for all the problems I put them through.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Sept 25, 2013 13:57:33 GMT -6
There were a number of times I was ready to print and ship Delving Deeper, but DD was apparently not really ready yet and the DD team helped me see it once or twice. But since the fall of 2012, it has all been on me.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Sept 25, 2013 13:53:47 GMT -6
John, I received an email from you on Jan 29th, stating that DD had shipped. You provided a USPS tracking number, but the USPS did not recognize it, and I haven't received it. Any ideas? Thanks, Keith Thanks for letting me know. I has asked the USPS where it went because the tracking information is not working. But I will probably just need to send you another one. This will be the 5th Delving Deeper order lost in the USPS system this year for me.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Sept 21, 2013 18:59:07 GMT -6
Thank you John. I would like to apologize for the "ripoff" comment from last night. It was uncalled for. No need. Until you receive what I owe you, I feel like I have ripped you off.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Sept 21, 2013 17:57:36 GMT -6
Hello John, I noticed your website now has information about emailing you at john@bravehalfling.com. All of the emails I've sent have been either to brave.halfling.publishing@gmail.com, or in the case of my last response to your kickstater update, bhpshipping@gmail.com. Could this be the issue? I will gladly foward those emails to john@bravehalfling.com. My gmail account works just fine, and I did not use a "false" name to order from you. Thanks Just got them. It looks like WE DID MISS you with our last email recently. My apologies. Yes, you indeed were not one of the one's who are using a false name. I did not mean to imply that you were - I was venting a bit of my own current issues. Sorry.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Sept 21, 2013 16:11:22 GMT -6
I feel that I should respond further to this. I am not a troll. I am very frustrated at this point. I ordered this product almost two years ago as a birthday present for my son who was just starting to show interest in this great hobby that we all enjoy. I wanted to get him something unique. Something he wouldn't see on every store shelf. I found BraveHalfling after searching for OSR products and thought it would be a great introduction to the hobby. His website looked professional, and I thought I was dealing with an actual business. I did not at the time realize that I was dealing with a hobby publisher. In hind site, my mistake. I have a better feeling for the OSR movement now and realize that it is very much a hobby movement. I do feel for Johns problems. I myself was going through a very rough time when I placed this order. $40 to me two years ago was a hell of a lot of money. To Johns credit, I also order some game boxes and an X-Plorer box set and did receive those items in a timely manner. My frustration comes from the constant misinformation. I kept reading on his site that he was shipping orders. I emailed to ask about mine with no response. Then his website went dark... with a notice that he was shipping all orders by the 25th of August and if you didn't receive your order to contact him. I did so...nothing in response. My last attempt to contact John was in response to his mass email about his kickstater....which I helped fund. No response. If you want to call me a troll for calling John out on this that is fine with me. If it gets John to respond, that is all I care about. Hey "fedup." Folks have every right to be upset with me. We have tried to reply to all emails (going back to the beginning of August to be sure) since we asked folks who hadn't receive the first DD shipment by August 25. We sent out an email to all those people last week to let them know we are working to fulfill their order. In fact, we will be creating all of the remaining DD Boxed Set orders this week and they will most likely ship the week after that one. My new team and I are working to get everything organized and updated (our old index card system was a spectacular failure). However, a couple of folks (who purchased from me and continue to use false names) have emailed us recently are using email addresses that apparently can only send emails and not receive them. So they just keep emailing me, madder and madder and every one of my responses just bounces right back to me.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Sept 13, 2013 11:11:29 GMT -6
I must say I'm beginning to feel a little bit antsy. John hasn't responded to my email and previous question here yet and my package hasn't arrived. Another package that was shipped from the US on 28th August arrived yesterday and my BHP order that was supposed to be shipped on August 20th (and take 10 days - that's what I've been told by John) is still nowhere to be found...My first tracking number (btw, they never work for some reason) was on 16th March...That's 4 months of trying to ship a package and I don't think it's a USPS problem. So, again, John if you see my email or this thread please take a look into this. I think I just responded to you, but is hard to know for sure with all of the different forum names. jeffb: I am sorry for your previous problems, but I only had one S&W:WB boxes set problem (damaged in shipment and I replaced it for the customer). Did you contact me when yours arrived damaged?
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Aug 30, 2013 9:57:14 GMT -6
The first few quotes are from the Board Game Designers Forum and then it switches to the paper company. Board Game Designers ForumPicture of a box Marion Paper Box Co - Set-Up or Rigid BoxesBottom line the boxes are custom sized and you can get just a plain box or there are paper wraps you can have applied. If the order is at least a 100 it looks like the cost will be in the approx $250.00 range. Maybe if one or more old school publishers need a box of the 9 x 6 X 2 size they might also offer for sale plain boxes at a small markup plus shipping. Obviously there is a first time setup cost, but if someone got an order of boxes at a cost in the $2.00 to $2.50 per box range and were willing to sell plain boxes at the $5.00 or so per box range plus shipping they would likely sell enough to make the boxes for their own product free the first time around. The way to do it would be to make it known that they would take pre-orders and when they got (say at least 40) a predetermined amount then they would order the boxes. Yes, this is the company that I use. They are great folks! A couple of things you will also need to consider: First, you will need to figure in the cost of shipping the boxes to you. Most carriers cannot handle big shipping boxes full of empty boxes without damaging them (they want to stack stuff on top of them. Most box orders of 300 or more will require shipping via semi truck, which raises the price of each box quite a bit. I happen to live within a five hour drive of their facility, so I always go pick them up myself (in one or two trips) because it is still a much cheaper way of getting my boxes. Second, if you do want anything printed on the wrap they will place on the boxes, that will also add to the price. Black & white line art is the cheapest, but any kind of color will double (or more) the price of each the box. I believe they outsource the print on the wrap. Third, you will need to purchase very sturdy shipping boxes (mailers) from someone like Uline.com to ship the individual boxes in. They are around .50 each for bundles of 50. Fourth, you will have to pay the USPS around $6 for Priority Shipping (that gives you a tracking number) for US orders and at least $12 for the cheapest international orders. If I remember right, parcel post actually costs more to ship empty boxes in the US than Priority. You can ship them to Canada for around $8, but I think they put the package on the back of a mule and send it north (it takes forever to arrive). Plus, you have to store them somewhere too. If I can help, let me know.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Aug 28, 2013 19:32:30 GMT -6
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Aug 28, 2013 19:31:54 GMT -6
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Aug 27, 2013 19:00:14 GMT -6
I am sorry guys. I had to take some time off since my last post. I had a stress-induced heart issue that really scared me, but it is under control now (no damage or anything). I have had to change some of my work habits. Apparently, I ain't as young as I was just five years ago.
I will have a full update tomorrow here, on my blog and my website.
I have been fooling myself for over a year now thinking that I could do everything in BHP myself.
So I have rented plenty of work space from a local business and hired two reliable workers. Both have families and need the extra money. James is focused upon packing and shipping and Libby is focused upon rescuing and replacing our failed index card order system. James and Libby will stay with BHP until all the DD orders (1st and 2nd shipments) as well as all of the Appendix N Adventures Kickstarter rewards and Annual subscriptions have shipped.
Some of your orders are being posted from a 3rd party shipper as a way of trying to avoid any more USPS problems.
We hope to have all remaining DD orders out asap with confirmation emails. The second DD shipment will benefit from a team effort and a modern fulfillment system.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Aug 20, 2013 8:26:32 GMT -6
So sorry guys! I took your advice and I have been busy offline making sure we have all of the last DD orders packed and shipped. I did an update a few weeks ago on my website, but I did not copy it here. Here is it: legopaidi: I have fixed what was wrong with my shipment to you and emailed you about it. andreasdavour: I am trying to find out what the USPS did with your order and I will email you asap. *I do have plenty of DD boxes, so if some of them get damaged or lost in shipment, I can easily replace them.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Aug 2, 2013 12:10:49 GMT -6
John, my sympathies. We just think you’re shooting yourself in the foot by saying the second DD shipment will be “in September.” Can’t you see that’s a promise you won’t be able to keep? No offense. Just don’t give yourself more trouble than you need. Oh, yes, yes, I see what you mean now! While I do have almost everything ready to print for the second shipment, the second shipment is also dependent upon another writer as well and I cannot actually promise when he will be done with it. That's good advice. I haven't made any official announcement about the second shipment yet. My hope is to have it ready to ship in September. I will leave it at that.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Aug 2, 2013 11:24:45 GMT -6
I actually have a blog post about all of this that i've been sitting on, because it's hard to discuss this project and it being late without sounding like an not a very nice person. We are working very hard to make sure every remaining boxed set arrives at it's new home before the end of August so that I can ship the remaining DD materials in September. This line here is the what I think is has been your biggest issue with this project. You've done a poor job managing peoples expectations for the delivery of the project, and continue to do so. We've been told the project has been a couple months away from completely shipping since November. No one is setting unrealistic deadlines for you besides yourself. If it's going to take you 4 more months or 8 more months, you should just say so. I would add the following: you know how long it takes to make a box, and you hopefully know how long they take to leave your hands and end up at the post office. You should probably just have a running tally somewhere of how many boxes are outstanding, and just chart how long they should take to move. Then you could track your progress against that estimate, and both you and your customers could see how things are going. In software we call that a burndown chart. Good luck! I'm still really looking forward to my boxed set, x-plorers, a gaming box, and the DCC RPG adventures as well. I'm sure they'll all be great. Yes, absolutely. I have managed this project very poorly from the beginning. There is very little about this project that I would do the same. It is all my fault and I deserve all condemnation for it, period. I guess folks cannot see my personal anguish over the project. It may not mean much to most folks, but the personal cost of this project to me (emotionally, physically, in friends and in reputation) is not something I ever care to repeat and I am looking forward to the day (very soon) when my connection to it is over. What I failed to mention in my former post is that I was recently (eight weeks ago) diagnosed with a serious, but treatable medical condition. After six weeks of treatment, I must confess, I feel TONS better. In the last year, I was unable to work more than 8-10 hours a day, but now I am getting back to my old self and easily work 14-16 hours most days.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Aug 2, 2013 4:08:17 GMT -6
My apologies, guys. I did not realize that it had been about a month since I was last on this forum. I have been busy offline fulfilling orders.
I appreciate folks who have tried to make replies for me in my absence. Marv, I apologize as it seems that I may have helped cause the change in atmosphere of some posts on this board.
I have been trying to not share that much personally on the web anymore, since it becomes fodder for rampant speculation and shock bloggers, and in some cases, outright libel. Some have even made fun of my daughter's funeral, so I know folks can understand my retreat from saying that much online anymore.
I also apologize for many missed emails and promises that have not been kept yet. It is my fault, but it is very difficult to coordinate orders, emails, forum posts and facebook messages by individuals who use multiple online screen names (that is not a criticism, we all do it - it just makes it harder to track.
So here is an update as to where the DD shipping is at and an explanation of why it is taking so dreadfully long. Please read it as an explanation and not as an excuse.
We are working very hard to make sure every remaining boxed set arrives at it's new home before the end of August so that I can ship the remaining DD materials in September. We WANT to be done with this project so that we can free of the stress it has caused us.
While a shock blogger (YDIS himself I am told) has posted his thought that I am waiting for the money to ship the remaining boxed sets (an idea repeated in this thread), that is just not true. The real reason the boxed sets are taking so long to finish shipping is a perfect storm of conditions.
When the orders were taken for DD during its development (which was clearly a mistake on my part), I was unemployed with very little chance for full-time work, so I had all the time in the world to complete orders. I have a job now and one that will support my family but it requires me to work 50+ hours a week and be on call 24/7.
While not selling as well as S&W:WhiteBox, Delving Deeper is a much larger text - nearly twice the size of WB and when you add in interior art (which WB did not have), DD is a very labor-intensive enterprise. I create every single boxed set by hand (not POD) and it takes me just under and hour to sort, staple, fold, trim, and package for shipment each box.
My wife was in charge of organizing the orders for Delving Deeper, but since the loss of our child, I have had to try and repair her system. She does not use computers, but as one post already notes, using index cards in this day and age was a mistake. Every time it looks to me like just few orders are left to ship (and I would post "last batch") I find another group of orders still unfulfilled. I have also noticed that detailed paypal searches do not always display every order - which is not helpful.
Lastly, there are my on-going problems with the USPS. Many times (especially with international shipments) my shipments get delayed for weeks in Chicago - sometimes never even leaving the country. This is the most frustrating part of all of this for me. After putting in so much work, many international shipments (as many as a 1/3 of them) get delayed or lost. I have tried not to post much about this particular problem because my speculation on why it happens to me makes me look paranoid and a bit crazy. Having the name of a former US president, which I am told is often used by folks trying to get into the US to do us harm has automatically put me on a watch list. For example, I am always on the no-fly list and it takes much longer for me to renew my drivers license than other people as my background check is always extensive. Add to that the fact that in the last town where I lived, the nosey-parker post master was just sure I was shipping drugs in those little brown boxes and who knows what kind of red flags are still sent up each time I ship something. Plus, it has come out in the last few months that our government is now cataloging every piece of mail now too. Anyway, shipping has become a very stressful problem for me.
However, that is why I stopped taking new orders for products back at the end of February and why all future product fulfillment for BHP will be POD or by amazon.com (so many of my products cannot be simply produced by POD). But I have chosen to not set up new sales using amazon for fulfillment yet until the last Delving Deeper boxed set has shipped.
Anyway, that is where we are at and why shipping has taken so long. I am very personally distressed by the situation. I have learned my lesson and will not repeat it in the future.
While I know that DD continues to change, I hope folks will still like their hand-made boxed sets. If not, I hope they take on as much or even more of the current value of a BHP WB boxed set of $100 or more.
And yes, since the idea of third party fulfillment company was suggested to me for my Appendix N kickstarter last weekend, I have been looking into it.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Jul 7, 2013 11:55:02 GMT -6
I am just waiting for Zach to finalize his Holmes booklet. Once I have that, I can print it and start shipping the second Delving Deeper Shipments. The Second shipment will include dice, 3 modules, a cardstock map of Blackmarsh, the Holmes book and Alchemical Synergy. The last boxed sets are still going out and everyone should have theirs this month. I am shipping the first two Appendix N Adventures right now too, but that is 2000 modules to almost 600 different people and it is really tasking this one-man operation.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Jun 28, 2013 5:54:17 GMT -6
My DD boxed set arrived. I live in Hungary. Good to hear! Still none for me, and I live in Chicago. The last item I shipped to Chicago took eight days - priority mail. And I live five hours south of Chicago! I am still shipping the remaining boxed sets int he order they were purchased and many of them are international orders I held back until my problems with the post office were settled.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Jun 18, 2013 11:17:17 GMT -6
The only Delving Deeper order I have from February 18, 2013 was delivered on May 13, 2013 (according to the USPS tracking). Shoot me an email at john@bravehalfling.com and I will make sure you get your order. My problems with the USPS and international orders are supposed to be sorted out now, so I am shipping every remaining international order this week (with anything else I may still owe you). actually, it is the fault of USPS that do a terrible job and need to just simple die out to private industry. Terrible. It was to be delivered on May 11th and never got to me. ugh... im in NYC I will send you another one.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Jun 18, 2013 6:38:14 GMT -6
machpants, I have your orders shipping this week too.
It looks like just a handful of domestic and a couple dozen international shipments are left to ship.
I do apologize for this nightmare and I will do better in the future.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Jun 18, 2013 6:02:02 GMT -6
Hi John, apologies for the scattershot attempts to contact you across various channels. I ordered a Mullen gaming box during the final sale. Are you still processing orders from that time period? (Mine hasn't arrived. I've tried reaching you a few times over the months but haven't got a reply.) Cheers, Dallas (from Australia) Hey Dallas, I am sorry for missing your emails. I had some problems getting international shipments out of the country, but I am told that is resolved now. I had held some orders back waiting for the resolution. I will make sure and get it out to you this week.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Jun 17, 2013 19:26:57 GMT -6
The only Delving Deeper order I have from February 18, 2013 was delivered on May 13, 2013 (according to the USPS tracking). Shoot me an email at john@bravehalfling.com and I will make sure you get your order. My problems with the USPS and international orders are supposed to be sorted out now, so I am shipping every remaining international order this week (with anything else I may still owe you). Can't wait to see mine, I have got printed out stuff to go in the Mullen box and the version 2 of DD to go in that box as well (if they will fit) Cool. They are BIG boxes.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Jun 17, 2013 18:54:40 GMT -6
Hey Derv, this is nice! Sorry I did not see it sooner.
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Post by Haldo Bramwise on Jun 17, 2013 17:39:51 GMT -6
any luck getting my package that i payed for on Feb 18, 2013? The only Delving Deeper order I have from February 18, 2013 was delivered on May 13, 2013 (according to the USPS tracking). Shoot me an email at john@bravehalfling.com and I will make sure you get your order. My problems with the USPS and international orders are supposed to be sorted out now, so I am shipping every remaining international order this week (with anything else I may still owe you).
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