The Useful Box and Production Update
over 4 years ago – Sat, Aug 21, 2021 at 12:32:56 PM

Greetings! Our Kickstarter finished fulfillment in autumn 2020, and routine communication ceased earlier this year. However, I alluded to an announcement in the comments several weeks ago. The announcement was to introduce the odd thing pictured below called the Useful Box.

Please accept my apology for the delay, although delays have been the name of the game in 2021; production and shipping logistical issues have greatly impacted the gaming industry in general and the third printing of Obsession games in particular. For extensive detail on what is currently happening in our industry, please read my BoardGameGeek post HERE.

The Useful Box

► This Upstairs, Downstairs Kickstarter was a tremendous success, with the 2,000 extra copies of Obsession selling out in 7 months. I therefore planned a new printing in February.

► However, I am a perfectionist, and there were several things I wanted to fix; none of these fixes were related to gameplay, only to production issues or component counts. The current printing corrects these issues, which include:

• The bags were stitched poorly and easily frayed.
• There were not enough player aids for all six family boxes.
• An extra cook for the Howard family box was not included.
• There was a typo on the Housekeeper's Room tiles.
• The 2nd edition Objective Card rules were not clearly spelled out.

► I wanted to create a way that you, my Kickstarter supporters, could get these corrections at no charge. In my mind, it would be unethical to not ensure you had access to these modest improvements.

Therefore, I have created the Useful Box (same size as the Wessex box) to correct these mistakes. The corrected elements of the Useful Box are at no charge, but there is also additional new content (two new tiles, three new guests, new solo opponents, and new AI for solo play). Since I cannot offer a retail no charge product (this would create untold chaos), the price of the Useful Box will be $5 + shipping and all my distribution partners have agreed to honor this. The $5 is for the new content. 

► The Useful Box is presented in great detail HERE (note that the Small Library bonus tile changed a bit from what is pictured in this post). And this video gives a first look at the Useful Box:

Restrictions

This concept of making 5,000 Useful Boxes at such a low retail price is a gamble and comes with some restrictions:

•  One Useful Box per customer. The worst thing that could happen would be for 2nd hand marketers to order large numbers of Useful Boxes and raise the price 5x in the secondhand market. So, if anyone had a bulk KS order, please note that interested individual game owners will have to acquire the Useful Box directly themselves.
•  Shipping, Ugh. In 2021, shipping has, in so many ways, been a disaster, whether it is the transoceanic problems or just local shipping. I cannot itemize the countless delays, lost shipments, incorrectly delivered shipments, and damaged boxes over the last year, let alone the near doubling of cost for this wonderful substandard service. When one expands their view of shipping to include all the international issues and costs increases, well the days of tossing in free shipping are way behind us. The $5 in the $5 + shipping cost of acquiring the Useful Box will likely be the cheapest part of that equation. I apologize there just isn't the ability to subsidize shipping as was done in the Kickstarter. 

Availability

In the video, you saw that I just received my MPC (Mass Production Copy), which I have approved. The games are now being assembled, and I have finally secured shipping space, although the games will not be on the high seas until mid-September. I expect stock to reach destinations around the world in late October, but ALL BETS ARE OFF in the 2020-2021 years of insanity. Note: I will do an Update when stock is actually available.

Distribution

NOTE: IT WILL BE TWO MONTHS BEFORE INVENTORY WILL BE AVAILABLE. 

• THERE ARE NO PRE-ORDERS IN THE US. 
• THERE ARE PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE IN THE UK/EU AND CANADA (SEE LINKS). 
• THERE WILL BE ONE MORE POST WHEN STOCK IS ON HAND AT THE VARIOUS RETAIL OUTLETS. 
• THIS POST IS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE USEFUL BOX IS AND THAT IT WILL BE IN STOCK AT THE END OF OCTOBER.

US Distribution. I handle all online retail in the US via my Shopify site. Also, I am delighted to support any FLGS who wants to stock the game, and I currently have about 5 or 6 regular FLGS customers. Your local FLGS can contact me at [email protected] for details.

International Distribution: I have three exclusive distribution partners—Spiral Galaxy (UK/EU), BoardGameBliss (Canada), and Aetherworks (Australasia).

•  Distribution (UK/EU). Spiral Galaxy in the UK has a retail outlet, but they also distribute to any retailers in their region who wish to stock the game. So, if you are in Europe, it is highly likely the larger local retailers will have it available (most larger ones had Obsession available earlier this year). If not, ask them to stock the Obsession games (and inform them to contact Spiral Galaxy, whom they know very well).
•  Distribution (Canada). BoardGameBliss is the sole retailer in Canada using their online store.
•  Distribution (Australasia). Aetherworks has a retail outlet (they don't have the Useful Box up yet), but they also distribute to any retailers in their region who wish to stock the game. So, if you are in Asia or New Zealand or anywhere in that region, the larger local retailers have the same option to stock the Obsession games as their European counterparts (ask them to contact Aetherworks, who they also know very well).
•  Distribution (ROTW). I am sorry, but there is not a lot of good news here. Most geographies not mentioned can get a shipment from Spiral Galaxy or Aetherworks (depending on who is closer), but the shipping will be significant; the good news is that the box is very light and not large. Personally, I have chosen not to ship international retail, although at least 50 ROTW gamers went through Freight Forwarders here in the US (like Viabox) to get shipments from me. I wish I had better news here. 

Interview

Liz Davidson was kind enough to let me ramble on for almost an hour in an interview from about a month ago. You may find some of the details interesting as we dive deep into theme, history, literature, and other interesting topics.

BGG Rating

Obsession has reached the top 350 board games all time thanks to all of you!

If you haven't rated the game, please do. As always, BGG is the great equalizer for a small publisher.

So sorry for the long post and thank you!

Dan Hallagan, Kayenta Games

Obsession State of the Union (and important news)
almost 5 years ago – Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 05:50:06 PM

In Brief

• Thank You
• Success
• Meeple Source Kickstarter Features Obsession Meeples 
• Sir Meeple Obsession Apparel
• Announcement That There Will Be a Big Announcement

Thank You

Greetings! I foresee two more Updates before this Kickstarter goes fallow. Both of them will contain an expression of gratitude, but no hugs, no unseemly emotion, just typical (deeply felt) Victorian reserve: 

Success

Know, however, that all of you are the reason for Obsession's success, which has been substantial. Obsession now sits just outside the top 400 games of all time.

Obsession made it to the Geek Madness 2021 Tournament (that mimics the NCAA basketball March Madness tournament) as one of the top 64 games voted on by members of BoardGameGeek. Sadly, the legendary Puerto Rico ran us off the court, but it was a thrill to make the dance!

As of next weekend, there will be no more Obsession 2E games available anywhere in the world, except 2nd hand (I have 65 remaining). The 3rd printing is underway, and the world will be resupplied in late July, early August. I will have detail on this resupply in the final Update.

Meeple Source Kickstarter Features Obsession Meeples 

A sign of success is that quality businesses in our hobby seek to collaborate. Right now, the leader in game accessories, Meeple Source, has a Kickstarter for meeple upgrades that funded on the first day. In it, Obsession meeples reminiscent of characters in a certain beloved TV series are featured! 

I have consumed an embarrassing amount of Meeple Source in my day (wonderful materials to help with game design), and I am flattered to see Obsession meeples presented alongside meeples for Scythe, Wingspan, and Architects of the West Kingdom.

There are a large number of meeples in Obsession, so the whole package can be pricey, but there are options for a solo set, 2P set, and a 4P set, depending on how you play. And we are into Victorian excess, are we not?

(Note that I receive no compensation for this project, but have collaborated with Meeple Source on these wonderful designs that delightfully promote the brand; they have been great to work with. Cynthia is very active in the Kickstarter comments, and she will get rapid answers to your questions about the different configurations.)

Sir Meeple Obsession Apparel

Obsession apparel a bridge too far? I thought so, until I saw these:

Holy smoke, how cool! Similar to the custom meeples above, I am not financially compensated by Sir Meeple, but I do get T-Shirts! The proprietor, Tim Kulynych, contacted me because he is a big fan of Obsession, and he had an idea for a T-Shirt line. I couldn't imagine what he was talking about until he generated these images. Here's the amazing thing: he can take any art from Obsession and put it on a shirt for you. So, if the Riding Stables are your thing, viola! 

(Note that this shade of green is carefully chosen to reflect the tile color, as with the Cabinet of Curiosities above.) 

His store features some great initial designs, but as mentioned he will also reproduce game art of your choice (he is committed to designs that are faithful to Obsession game art, so freelancing is not in the Whist cards). The quality of the shirts for the right tile/graphic combos and the customizable process take these out of the realm of the discount rack, but for good reason. You are an aristocrat, what?

To celebrate this launch, Tim is offering Kickstarter backers free shipping on orders of $50 or more! Use the discount code FAIRCHILD during checkout.

Announcement That There Will Be a Big Announcement

I have a special treat for all of you that is being produced in the current printing, and this treat includes new content. Within the next week or two, I will announce what that is, so stay tuned! In the meantime,  consider supporting Cynthia and Tim, big fans of Obsession who have put their love of the game into fascinating new designs.

Stop...One More Thing

If you haven't rated the game on BoardGameGeek, please help a small publisher compete with the big ones by rating Obsession and it's expansions (if you have them). I can't tell you how much this matters to the entire staff at Kayenta Games (me).

Thank you again!

Dan Hallagan, Kayenta Games

Giving Thanks
over 5 years ago – Wed, Nov 25, 2020 at 01:19:53 AM

Fun Fact: I had a few questions about the cover art for the Upstairs, Downstairs box. Here is the original photo:

This photo is of one of the actual kitchen rooms inside Audley End! (Guy Carpenter, Gullwing Photography).

Thank You!

While 2020 has been forgettable for countless reasons, I find myself grateful for all of you who made this project a success. I would argue (and easily win the argument) that this community tops the list of great board game communities worldwide. There is a unique level of passion behind Obsession, and that passion was the fuel to take this project from an ugly duckling prototype in 2017 to inside the top 700 games of all time (and climbing).

It is not the slightest exaggeration to say that these results would be impossible without this community. Thank you! Please help a small publisher by rating the game on BoardGameGeek if you haven't already; the voices of individual gamers is the great leveler with the big publishing houses.

Notes

I continue to work on game content. 

• New Solo Opponents: I have started posting Print n' Play solo opponents here on BoardGameGeek; if you're a solo player, please head over there, print the new opponents as they get posted, and provide feedback!
• New Videos: I continue to post videos, including one moments ago, on my YouTube channel. I highly recommend you subscribe as I won't dedicate updates to videos in the future. You won't get bombarded; it is about 1 or 2 a month.
• My To Do List: I have many things in the works, including a Variant Catalogue, a revised rulebook PDF, a FLGS program, and distribution of the game outside North America. This last area has been a severe disappointment; it is absurd that a game set in Derbyshire is not yet commercially available in Derbyshire. The current global environment along with some failed negotiations have created delays. I hope to have this resolved by the end of the year.
• Remember the Kayenta Games customer service policy: Perfection. Your game must be perfect. If it is not, contact me at  [email protected], and it will be made so. Never a pence will leave your pocket. Let me take this one step further...if you have accidentally damaged a component or would like extra components for some reason, email me. I have a large supply of parts, and they are lonely. We'll work something out.

Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving to my stateside friends!

Dan Hallagan, Kayenta Games

RESOURCES (one stop shop for most questions)
over 5 years ago – Thu, Oct 01, 2020 at 03:18:47 AM

Several weeks into fulfillment, I have finally realized that it would be wise to gather into one Update all the best resources along with answers to the most frequently asked questions. I am listing the contents of this longer post up top, so you can navigate efficiently. Before you navigate, I wanted to offer a friendly reminder to please rate the game on BoardGameGeek; this is the second most powerful way you can help a small, independent game developer (you already did #1). Thanks!

Contents

• Kayenta Games customer service policy
• PDF with Rule Clarifications and a Few Errata
• New to Obsession, play the base game first, or I will be mad (video)
• Setting up for a game with all expansions (video)
• Integrating the expansions into your copy of Obsession (1E or 2E)
• How to store everything in the main box (video)
• Player Aids and Organisers
• Useful playthroughs (videos)
• Status of future videos, and where are the ones you promised me, lazy developer?
• Expert Variant, Cooperative Obsession, other variations...where are they?
• Retail after the Kickstarter

Kayenta Games Customer Service Policy

Perfection. Your game must be perfect. If it is not, contact me at [email protected], and it will be made so. Never a pence will leave your pocket.

PDF with Rule Clarifications and a Few Errata

This is a living document. I skimmed comments here, at BGG, and sent to me via email to create this document. Please add to it or correct grammar or other errors. Once all have had a chance to add to the document, I will finalize it.

New to Obsession, Playing the Base Game 1st

Note: Please consider Wessex as part of the base game. It was developed at the same time as Obsession 1E and employs all the base game rules. Here are the four simple steps for adding Wessex:

• Add the casual and prestige guests to your Obsession decks
• Store the extended play solitaire cards with your Obsession solitaire cards
• Add the Morning Room and Retiring Room tiles to your Obsession tiles
• Add the Wessex family (four gentry cards, two Wessex START tiles) to your Obsession family boxes and the Wessex player board to the others in the main box.

Now...you haven't played before, and it is time! You are listening to the developer and playing just the base game. This video is for you! 

Setting Up for a Game with All Expansions 

You've played the base game. You're ready for Upstairs, Downstairs!

Integrating Expansions into Obsession (1E or 2E)

As has been explained, a production error (me) resulted in the integration instructions being omitted from the Upstairs, Downstairs production run. I apologize. The silver lining is that those instructions were rather sparse. I've taken my penance to heart and crafted very thorough integration instructions, available here:

• If you have the 1st Edition of Obsession, download this printer-friendly PDF.
• If you have the 2nd Edition of Obsession,  download this printer-friendly PDF.

How to Store Everything in the Main Box

Here is my original video:

Player Aids and Organisers

There are six families in Obsession 2E + Wessex + Upstairs, Downstairs (and six beautiful family boxes), but...

• There are only four player aids in the 2E box
• There are five player aids specific to Upstairs, Downstairs in that box
• There are a total of five organisers in all the boxes

What gives with the Player Aids? As a player, I generally don't use player aids; at most, I scatter a couple around the table for others. So I failed to see the elegant symmetry of having aids for each family storage box. I are dumb. Mea culpa.

What gives with the five organisers? Six-player Obsession was a late stretch goal, and the only officially sanctioned version is cooperative teams. Given that I didn't anticipate this highest player count would be a frequent thing and that the additional organiser would have required I change the dimensions of one set of storage boxes (I designed the gap for 5 organisers), I decided to let the integrated organiser step up to the task in six-player games.

Useful Playthroughs

Some of these videos were made for 1E, but are nonetheless great videos covering the basics.

JonGetsGames 1E video:

New Solitaire Video Using the Upstairs, Downstairs Servants:

Tableau Obsession Playthrough:

Want to better understand Objective Card discarding and scoring, watch this (cued up):

And visit and subscribe to my YouTube channel for many other videos!

Status of future videos, and where are the ones you promised me, lazy developer?

Fulfillment and retail setup has overwhelmed me, but I am getting a handle on it now! I plan on starting up videos soon! Subscribe to the YouTube channel because I will be dialing back these Updates after this monster (and won't be doing Updates for video postings).

Expert Variant, Cooperative Obsession, Other Variants

• Here is the 1st edition Expert Variant.
• Here is Cooperative Obsession (also 1st edition). Here is the Dynamic AI print 'n play card.
• The Variant Catalog is my largest remaining project, and I hope to have it out by the end of the year. It's goal is to gather into one document all the variants of note.

Retail after the Kickstarter

• I will have US retail on Amazon within the week.
• I will have distribution in Canada through Bosco and BoardGameBliss, and preorders are open.
• I am in negotiation to have retail for Europe and the rest of the world by the end of the year. I will have an Update for that when it happens.
• I am out of steam.

Dan Hallagan, Kayenta Games

Quick Reference and Solo Video
over 5 years ago – Wed, Sep 23, 2020 at 11:43:41 PM

Just because.

Quick Reference (Rules Summary)

I have a massive Update that's sitting in drafts—it gathers together all the resources a new player might need—but some fool (me) is holding up the publishing of that update. While waiting on that fool to write up a PDF, backer Elizabeth Nugent uploads to BoardGameGeek a sublime Quick Rules Summary. IT IS A MANDATORY REFERENCE FOR ANYONE NEW TO OBSESSION. In Hamlet, Polonius said that "Brevity is the soul of wit," which therefore means Elizabeth is exceedingly witty, and I am as far from wit as that mountain above is from my camera.

New Solo Video

This video shows a playthrough of the original solo mode in Obsession with the addition of 2nd edition rule changes, the Upstairs, Downstairs servants, and promotional cards and tiles. It's long, fun, and I stagger to the finish line with several highly-entertaining forgetful errors! Consume:

Enjoy brevity and tediousness in the same Update!

Dan Hallagan, Kayenta Games