A legendary strategic tabletop game from the creators of Here to Slay and Casting Shadows
Latest Updates from Our Project:
BackerKit Surveys are beginning to send!! 🚨 (& a step-by-step guide on how to fill it out)
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Nov 06, 2024 at 02:34:07 PM
Hello :)
The day has come 🎉 We are officially sending out BackerKit Surveys!! We're starting by sending 5% of surveys to a random sampling of backers to ensure everything is working properly, so if you receive that email – don't be alarmed! It is official, and you can begin filling out your survey and shopping the BackerKit Add-on store today! If you experience any issues or notice something that doesn't quite make sense, please let us know.
We will be sending the majority of BackerKit Surveys tomorrow. We can only send a few thousand an hour, so with over 33,000 backers, this will likely trickle into the late evening. By Thursday night (EST) you should have received an email with a link to access your pledge and the Add-on store!
If you don’t see an email by Thursday night, please check your spam folder. Alternatively, you should be able to find your Survey here. If you still can't find it (or you need help completing the survey), email [email protected] and our team will assist you 💖
We use this survey to collect your shipping information so that your pledge is delivered to the right place! You will be able to edit your shipping information for a few more months until we announce that we are locking addresses (don't worry, we will post warnings before this happens). However, after November 20th, add-ons will no longer be available for purchase and you will not be able to make any more changes to your pledge. This means, for those of you who pledged $1 to access the add-ons, this is your only opportunity to secure the products you want!
If you selected add-ons directly with Kickstarter with our build-your-own-pledge options, please make sure you look at the "add-ons glitch" section after Step 7 below for information about how shipping charges will appear as you fill out your survey.
If you pledged $1 for Early Access before the Kickstarter launched, the credit should automatically be applied to your account. If you don't complete your survey by November 20th, you’ll lose your $5 credit. If this happens and you’d like to refund your dollar, just reach out to us.
If you were affected by the Command of Nature Sand token misprint, you should see a $5 credit automatically applied to your account. If you don't complete your survey by November 20th, you will no longer be able to access your $5 credit.
*If you fall under both of these categories, you should see a $10 credit automatically applied to your account.
If this is your first time backing a Kickstarter, or you just need a refresher, here’s a step-by-step guide of what you will see as you fill out your BackerKit Survey:
Step 1: Click the Survey Link or Login to BackerKit
If you click the survey link we send to your email, it should take you to Step 3. By using this link, you do not need an account with BackerKit to fill out your survey.
Step 2: Go to the Twisted Cryptids project in BackerKit
If you've logged in to your BackerKit account, select Twisted Cryptids from your listed projects.
Step 3: Confirm Your Desired Pledge Level
On the next page, you can review your pledge level. If you'd like to change to a different pledge level, just click on the link under Your Pledge Level and you will be allowed to select a new one.
Once you've confirmed the pledge level you want (and your shipping destination), click the green "Get Started!" button to move to the next page.
If you selected the $1 tier and are only interested in the returning Kickstarter Exclusive games and accessories from previous campaigns (e.g. Command of Nature or Unstable Unicorns: Control and Chaos), your screen will reflect the $1 tier and you will get to select those add-ons in Step 5.
Step 4: Answer the Pledge Question
On this page, select the "sounds good!" answer to the 'pledge question'
(we know this isn't really a question, but we had to put something) XD
Once you've done that, click the teal 'Next: Add-ons' button at the bottom to move on to the add-ons store.
Step 5: Select Your Add-Ons
Now it’s time for the fun part – choosing your add-ons! On this page, you're going to see a store full of items that you can choose to add to your rewards.
Scroll through and check out all of your options! If you want something, all you have to do is click the 'Add to Cart' button below that particular item. Once you do, it will show up in your order summary on the right-hand side under 'Add-ons'.
If you added funds beyond those needed for your pledge level before the end of the Twisted Cryptids campaign, you will see that money show up in green with text saying 'Credit Remaining' at the bottom of your order summary. Any add-ons you select will take money out of that credit amount. If your add-on items are more than the credit amount, you will see the difference needing to be paid displayed in the same summary next to Balance.
Once you're happy with your selections, click the teal 'Next' button to move on to your shipping info. If you don't want any add-ons, just hit the 'Next' button without choosing any additional items.
*Note: If you selected add-ons during the Kickstarter campaign and are picking up more add-ons now, please see the information about the known Shipping Glitch at the end of this update.
Step 6: Enter Your Shipping Information
We need to know where you live in order to send you all the goodies! Make sure you enter your address correctly here and be sure to double and triple-check (maybe even quadruple-check) it before moving on.
You’ll be able to edit your address on file in the coming months should you move in the time before fulfillment begins. We’ll post updates closer to that time letting you know when addresses are locked down!
NOTE: If you live in a country that does not use the Roman alphabet as its main alphabet, please write your address in Roman characters (if you are able to). The system doesn't easily understand non-Roman characters, so it may make it difficult for us to get you everything safely and on time if addresses are not formatted in this way.
Once you've checked over your address and are sure it's right, click the teal 'Next' button to move on to the next step.
Step 7: Pay for Your Add-Ons + Shipping and Place Your Order
If you added on any items and you didn't have a credit already loaded in to cover their cost, this page is where you'll be asked to fill out your credit card info. You'll also be charged for shipping (+VAT, if applicable) at this stage.
NOTE: Your card will not be charged for these add-ons until the surveys close on November 20th, so if you don't see a charge right away, do not be alarmed! Because you have two weeks to make adjustments to your surveys, we don't charge you until that date has passed.
Review your order information here one last time just to make absolutely sure that all is correct. When you're done, click on the big green 'Place My Order' button.
Add-Ons Shipping Glitch
If you selected add-ons during the Kickstarter and plan on picking up more add-ons now in the BackerKit store – I want to make you aware of a known glitch with the quoted shipping rate while you're selecting add-ons! We have notified BackerKit of this glitch so they can fix it for the future, but we don't anticipate this getting fixed while the add-on store is open for this campaign.
When you first get to the screen where you are selecting your add-ons within BackerKit, you'll see your pledge breakdown on the right side of the page:
You'll notice "Pledge Level" and "Shipping Total" - Pledge Level is the shipping charge for only your tier items, and shipping total includes both the tier items and the add-ons you selected while the campaign was live. There is no separate line item here listing the shipping charge for those add-on items, but you can subtract the pledge level from the shipping total if you want to see the charge for just the additional items.
Now here is where the glitch comes in: as you select more add-ons within BackerKit, suddenly the shipping total will drop because it will no longer include the shipping charge for the add-ons you selected in Kickstarter. You'll see a new "add-ons" item appear under "pledge level," but this only includes the items you selected in BackerKit.
When you are done with your selections and have finished entering your shipping information, you'll arrive at the confirmation page. On this page, you'll see that the shipping total has gone back up because it now includes the add-ons you selected during the Kickstarter again (and the number listed under "add-ons" now includes the shipping charge for both the add-ons from Kickstarter and the add-ons you selected in BackerKit):
What you see on the confirmation page is the correct shipping amount and represents what you will actually be charged. If this glitch occurs as you are checking out, please disregard the shipping charge you see when selecting add-ons and review the final shipping total on the confirmation page.
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I know this was a lot! If you experience issues while completing your survey, please reach out to [email protected] or let us know here in the comments and we’ll assist you!
Remember, the BackerKit add-on store closes NOVEMBER 20TH. After that date, you can still update your shipping information (until address lockdowns next year) but you will not be able to change your pledge or purchase any more add-ons. Once the BackerKit add-on store closes, we'll be able to submit counts to the factory so they can begin production.
Be on the lookout for an email with your survey link! I'll post a couple more Kickstarter Updates reminding you of the November 20th deadline in case you forget :)
<3
Ramy
Product updates! (+info about BackerKit Surveys) 😎
over 1 year ago
– Fri, Nov 01, 2024 at 01:50:29 PM
Hello :D
Ever since the Kickstarter ended, our team has been hard at work applying finishing touches and reviewing prototypes before we send everything to production (and send out BackerKit Surveys)! In this Update, I want to share some of the progress we’ve made, announce a few new developments, and go over what the BackerKit process will look like :)
Let's start with product development updates! Kicking it off with Here to Slay, we're ready to unveil our 10 new Party Leader Play Mats!
These will also come with promo cards with the new artwork for each of the Party Leaders. (If you are purchasing one of the Play Mat bundles that includes only some of the Play Mats above, that bundle will come with the corresponding Party Leader promo cards.)
While we’re on the topic of Play Mats, I want to share an update on the development of the giant Play Mat that comes in the Big Twisted Box! When I debuted it in Update #18, all we were able to share was a quick schematic diagram of what to expect. We decided to take a recommendation from the comments and include The Wilderness artwork and the Myth Track directly on the mat so that you can use this as the board if you so choose 💖 This mat is designed with enough space for all decks and discard piles, Unicorn Frenzy + Alien Invasion Mini-Expansion cards, space for score tracking, and additional space to the right of the Human Rest Area for something that will be relevant to the Yeti or Not Expansion (more on this to come in a future update) 👀 Needless to say, it's a pretty large mat, coming in at approximately 22" x 15.7" (55.8cm x 40cm).
This next one is less of a product development update and more of a product application update 😅 – we've seen your comments and questions asking about what the stickers in the Craft Kit/Human Meeple Set look like applied to the meeples, so we thought we’d share a preview for you! Stickers for the Unicorn, Vehicles, and UFO are the same for both sides, while Cryptid stickers show your Cryptid in the light on one side and in shadow on the other. (As a note, we are finalizing the design of these stickers and testing prototypes to ensure they will apply properly to the meeples, but the rendering below are intended to be a close approximation of how they will look.)
We also received a question in the comments about cards with the vinyl figures. Specifically, the question was asked if the future vinyl blind box series will come with a set of promo cards like we've done with a lot of our other vinyl series. Originally, we were not planning on it, but then we thought to ourselves...why not :) We took the custom artwork of each Cryptid from the Play Mats and turned them into a set of holographic promo cards. These will also be included in the Vinyl Figure Box Set as a special bonus 🤩
As a final add-on related update – While tracking the requests and comments we received during the Kickstarter, there were quite a few requests to bring back the Command of Nature Kickstarter Exclusive Edition (as well as the Exclusive Edition of Sand & Wind) for those of you who may have missed out during the project last year. Originally, we were going to wait another year before bringing this back, but then we realized that meant you'd be waiting 2 more years to actually receive this, and we decided to go ahead and add these to the options that will be available in the BackerKit Add-on store for you. Note: These will be marked with a 2nd Edition symbol.
I realize that for some of you this may be your first Kickstarter (and others may need a refresher) so I want to take this opportunity to go over some commonly asked questions about BackerKit surveys and the Add-on store! <3
What is BackerKit? BackerKit is the platform that allows us to manage your Kickstarter pledges and fulfillment! By logging in with your Kickstarter email you’ll be able to view your information for different crowdfunding projects you have backed, including Twisted Crypids!
When will I receive the BackerKit Survey? Soon! We will begin sending out BackerKit surveys on November 6 to a small number of you to ensure that everything is set up properly, and should have them sent to all Backers by November 7. We’re only able to send a few thousand each hour, so if you don’t seen yours come through right away, don’t worry :)
PLEASE NOTE:This survey allows us to collect information like your shipping address, making it 100% mandatory in order to receive your pledge. Completing your survey before November 20 also allows you access to the Add-on store! After November 20, you will still be able to submit your survey and get your order on-time, but you will not be able to customize your pledge any further!
Can I change my address after I have submitted my BackerKit Survey? Yes, you will be able to access and edit the address on your survey until early next year! In a few months, we will begin to post warnings about an address lockdown. We lock down addresses to make sure our fulfillment partners can ship out your pledges as efficiently as possible :)
If you complete your Survey after the address lockdown, you’ll still get your pledge! It is just likely that it will ship after we’ve sent out orders for the people who filled out their survey before the lockdown.
If your address changes after address lockdown, or between Wave 1 and Wave 2 of fulfillment, reach out to [email protected] and let us know!
When will my card be charged? Your card will be charged when the BackerKit store closes November 20!
If I missed the Kickstarter and opted for the Last Chance Pre-order, can I still get add-ons or other Kickstarter Exclusives? No, the last chance pre-orders are limited to the 4 Tiers from the campaign! You will still get all applicable stretch goals with each tier, but you will not receive access to the Add-on store.
All of the Social Stretch Goals were unlocked! When can we expect to see the Print ‘n Play Cryptids or the Tabletop Simulator file? You can expect both the Print ‘n Play Cryptids and Tabletop Simulator file in a few months! We promised that they will be shared with you before fulfillment begins and we will be sticking to that promise :)
Our priority right now is Production but these two items are very much still on our radar!
On the last day of the Kickstarter, we hosted a live playthrough of the Alien Invasion Mini-Expansion! Did a Cryptid win or did the Aliens takeover before the end of round 5? Find out for yourself 👽
All 3 live streams that we hosted during the campaign are public on our Youtube channel so you can continue to familiarize yourself with gameplay and start perfecting your winning strategy!
The next Kickstarter Update I share will be notifying you that BackerKit surveys are sending so be on the lookout for that post!
See you in 5 days :)
<3
Ramy
Thank you 🥹
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Oct 22, 2024 at 11:44:59 AM
Hello :)
As of 12PM EST today, the Twisted Cryptids Kickstarter has officially come to a close 🥲
33,209 backers pledged $3,131,477 to make Twisted Cryptids possible
Thank you.
Everything about this project has felt remarkable, from the overwhelming support to the suggestions we've received to the engagement with stretch goals. After 7 years, I am still dumfounded every time I see our community come together during a campaign like this.
I also want to take a moment to celebrate some of the behind-the-scenes heroes of this campaign. These are members of our team who have been working tirelessly to make every part of the project possible (and will continue doing so for another 10 months until every backer on the project has everything in hand). Thank you for all of the work you do to make a massive project like this possible. I know I don't make it easy with all of the additional items I throw in and promises I make mid-campaign based on feedback and requests we're receiving. You really are the best.
I also want to give another thank you to our entire creative team. Your passion for this project shined through in every aspect of the finished product. Your talent and creativity is limitless, and it is such a joy getting to work with all of you :) I couldn't be prouder of what we were able to create together.
And, finally, our customer experience team & game experts... Keeping up with the community on a project of this scale requires a lot of help! I've seen you keeping up around the clock to answer questions and share excitement with thousands of backers over the last few weeks, all while helping us track FAQs, Social Stretch Goals, and backer suggestions <3 I am so thankful for all of your contributions during this project!
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Pls join me for a round of applause 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I will be back soon with more information about pledge management surveys that will be coming your way in a couple of weeks. Please keep in mind that completing your BackerKit survey is 100% mandatory to receive your pledge, so there will be ample reminders – please keep an eye out :)
And, one more time, thank you 🥹
<3
Ramy
Less than 48 Hours left! (What to expect after the Kickstarter ends)
over 1 year ago
– Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 10:06:34 AM
Hello :)
We’re officially in the FINAL 48 HOURS of the Twisted Cryptids Kickstarter Campaign! 🚨🚨🚨Once the clock hits 12PM EST on Tuesday, October 22 – the project will officially be over.
I wanted to send out an update now telling you what to expect after the project closes. Two weeks after the Kickstarter ends, we'll send out BackerKit surveys, which will allow you to input your address, confirm your selections, access the full add-on store, and pay for shipping and taxes (as well as any additional add-ons you select). If you have any extra funds in your pledge when the project closes, you'll be able to apply those in the add-on store. You'll also have the option to switch tiers or reallocate funds, so don't worry if you change your mind about what you want to get after the campaign ends :)
Here's some additional detail on the timeline:
October 22 (12PM EST) - the Kickstarter will end, and your card will be charged for the tier and add-ons you’ve selected through Kickstarter!
Early November (~2 weeks after the project has ended) - we'll send you the Pledge Manager (BackerKit) survey to the email affiliated with your Kickstarter account to confirm your shipping address, pay for shipping, and give you an opportunity to shop any last add-ons. Even if you aren't picking any add-ons, this step is 100% mandatory for you to receive your pledge – we need to know where to mail your order after all! We are currently planning to send out surveys on November 6-7.
If you want to shop add-ons, you will only have two weeks from the time the survey goes out to access the BackerKit add-on store so keep an eye out for that email. I’ll be posting a few Kickstarter Updates leading up to surveys going out and before they close to make sure you have ample warning <3
Late November (2 weeks after we send out the survey) - the Pledge Manager (BackerKit) add-on store will close and you will no longer be able to add anything to your order! (You will still be able to submit and change your shipping information after this point.)
This is also when we plan to begin production!
January 2025 (estimated) - We will be lock down addresses in January 2025. If you don't confirm your address at a minimum by that point, we likely won't be able to get you your package on time! (I’ll be posting a few Kickstarter Updates reminding you to complete your survey in case you forget, but please don't rely on those late reminders 🥲)
You’ll be able to edit your shipping address up until the address lockdown. If you end up moving after the lockdown, you’ll be able to contact [email protected] and we’ll adjust your information for you as long as it hasn't shipped yet!
March 2025 - Production will finish, and we'll ship Twisted Cryptids (and all other related items) out to our distribution partners!
May - June 2025 - Wave 1 (all Tiers and Tier bundles) will be shipped!
July - August 2025 - Wave 2 (all Add-ons) will be shipped!
And speaking of add-ons, we've been keeping the main campaign page up-to-date with all the add-ons that will be available in the BackerKit add-on store after the campaign ends. A few of these are available as part of the pledge customization options within Kickstarter, but the selection in BackerKit will also include more of our other game titles and accessories (and some highly requested items, like Casting Shadows shadow meeples). The BackerKit add-on store is also where you'll be able to access the former Kickstarter Exclusives we're bringing back (with a second edition mark).
If you don't want to wait for the add-on store, though, and want to shop the selection of add-ons available through Kickstarter, you can use the step-by-step guide in Update #16 to manage your pledge and add whichever items you want.
And if you have any questions, comment below or email [email protected] and we’ll make sure you get the answers you need!
<3
Ramy
Many Questions Answered + Social Stretch Goal Rewards & Survey!
over 1 year ago
– Sat, Oct 19, 2024 at 03:09:37 PM
Hello :)
The final countdown has begun! In 3 short days, the Twisted Cryptids Kickstarter will come to a close 🥲 This time in the campaign is always so bittersweet, but I’m not trying to think about that just yet.
With 65 hours left on the project as of when I'm posting this, I’d like to take this opportunity to address more of the Frequently Asked Questions we’ve seen come up! (I also answered a few burning questions in yesterday's update about the Big Box, so if you don't see your question reflected here, you can also check that one as well. Plus, our Game Experts will be in the comments to help you out if you have something else you want to ask!)
Ok here we go:
Can you breakdown what’s included in each tier?
Yes! I put together a handy spreadsheet outlining what's included in each tier (as well as some of the most popular add-on items that you can select by managing your pledge directly on Kickstarter). All of the add-ons will also be available for you to select in BackerKit 2 weeks after the campaign ends :)
What fits in the Kickstarter Edition Box?
The Twisted Cryptids Exclusive Edition box includes the base game, Ness is More Expansion, Unicorn Frenzy Mini-Expansion, Field Trip Mini-Expansion, and Alien Invasion Mini-Expansion. All cards fit sleeved. The box also has enough room for you to add in the Nostalgic Wilderness Board.
The box is not large enough to accommodate the Cryptid Culture Expansion, Yeti or Not Expansion, new Human meeples (available as add-on), Play Mats, or Standees. If you would like all of these items in the same box, we announced a Big Box in Update #18 that you can add on :)
How do I select add-ons?
You have two options with add-ons with this campaign. The first is to manage your pledge directly through Kickstarter. (I included a step-by-step guide for how to do this in Update #16.) You'll also be able to select any add-ons you want 2 weeks after the project ends when you fill out your survey and confirm your address in BackerKit. So if you'd rather wait, you'll get a second chance!
(Also, as a note, the add-ons available through Kickstarter directly are limited to some of the most popular for pledge customization. The remaining add-ons will all be available in the BackerKit add-on store. None of the items currently listed in the pledge management options on Kickstarter will be inventory-limited, so you do not risk them selling out if you decide you'd rather add them in BackerKit.)
Can I see how the game is actually played?
We’ve hosted a couple of gameplay streams (with another coming up this Monday) - check them out!
We'll be hosting one final Gameplay Stream featuring the Alien Invasion Mini-Expansion before the campaign ends (October 21 @ 1PM CST (11AM PST, 2PM EST on Game Design Manager Jesse’s Twitch Channel)
How many sleeves do I need for the Twisted Cryptids Kickstarter Exclusive Base Game and Expansions?
To sleeve Twisted Cryptids: Exclusive Edition, you will need 3 sleeve packs. This includes everything you need to cover the Ness is More Expansion + the Mini-Expansions that are included in this box.
To sleeve the Cryptid Culture Expansion, you will need 1 additional sleeve pack
To sleeve the Yeti or Not Expansion, you will need 1 additional sleeve pack
If you backed the Deluxe Bundle or Ultimate Collector's Set, your pledge comes with 4 sleeve packs. That means you don't need any additional sleeves for what's included in your pledge, and if you decide to add the Yeti or Not Expansion, you will need just the 1 additional sleeve pack.
If I’m moving between Wave 1 and Wave 2 of Shipping, can I change my address?
Yes, if you need to make any changes to your shipping address after we lock shipping addresses, or between Wave 1 and Wave 2, please contact [email protected] and our team can help you out! Please note that this may cause a slight delay in your shipment.
Is the Wilderness Craft Kit a Kickstarter Exclusive?
It is now! Once we unlocked the $1.75M Stretch Goal, we decided to make the extra board inside the same 20% larger, and we also have added in stickers for all the Mini-Expansion characters. We will likely make a non-KSE version of this kit in the future, but we don't have concrete plans yet.
Will the Crafting Kit include stickers for the Expansions and/or Mini-Expansions?
Yes, the Crafting Kit includes stickers for all Kickstarter Exclusive Expansions AND Mini-Expansions! (Also, for anyone who does not want the extra board, we added a new option with the Human meeple set in yesterday's update. This set will also come with the same Cryptid, Unicorn, Vehicle, and UFO meeple stickers included in the Wilderness Craft Kit.)
Some of the returning Kickstarter Exclusives have limited inventory... which ones are they?
At this point, we do not plan to set limits on any of the former Kickstarter Exclusive games, so if you plan to get Unstable Unicorns Control & Chaos, Here to Slay (or its corresponding expansions), or Casting Shadows Exclusive Edition, you should be fine. The additional Casting Shadows items will be limited in quantity (with just a handful available).
For the Twisted Cryptids add-ons, we will not set any limits. For many of the other add-ons on the campaign, they'll be subject to current inventory at the time surveys are sent out.
How many Here to Slay card sleeves are needed to sleeve Here to Slay: Banner Quest?
Here to Slay: Banner Quest comes with 45 cards in total. 13 of them being the oversized Tarot cards (Banner and Monster cards), and 32 being standard sized (Hero, Item, Magic, and Modifier cards).
To sleeve them you will need 1 pack of standard-sized Here to Slay card sleeves, and 1 pack of 1 pack of tarot-sized Here to Slay card sleeves (unless you happen to have enough Here to Slay card sleeves laying around from when you purchased previous expansions 😅). Here to Slay card sleeves will be available in the add-on store in BackerKit when surveys go out 2 weeks after the campaign ends.
Will the cards have Expansion logos so we can differentiate between base game + expansions?
The symbols on the cards will be match their Kickstarter Exclusive box, so within the Twisted Cryptids Kickstarter Edition Game there will not be unique cards on the Ness is More Expansion cards.
We use these expansion symbols to differentiate which boxes the items belong in (and which set they came from), so we consider everything in the KSE box to be one set. The KSE symbol will be different from the symbol used on Ness is More in the future, and the Cryptid Culture Kickstarter Exclusive symbol will be different from the Cryptid Culture symbol in the future.
Whew! That was a lot, I hope you’re still with me. I have one last thing before wrapping up for today, which is a Social Stretch Goal Reward update!
With just 2 goals left to unlock (and one of those just around the corner 👀), we owe you quite a few things. In the links below, you'll find the Wallpapers, Coloring Book Pages, and Cryptid Playlists!
We received a ton of submissions to consider for the 3 Print ‘n Play Cryptids we will be developing for you! The team deliberated and we narrowed it down to 6 of the most highly requested Cryptids – cast your votes here!
