A Big Year | BackerKit Charging Cards | Pre-Production Images
6 months ago
– Fri, Jan 02, 2026 at 09:09:28 AM
2025
It's easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day development, details and organisation of manufacturing a board game, but today, I wanted to remind myself that one year ago, this project was still just a dream. Granted, it was a dream I'd spent years working towards, but I had no idea whether it would actually work out or not. This game is now becoming a reality, and yet again, I'd like to thank you all for helping make this happen!
I've spent the last couple of weeks in full Dad mode, snatching only brief moments to pester Panda (the manufacturers) and language partners, but here is where the project is as we move into 2026...
BackerKit will Charge Cards Soon
Most of you have input details to BackerKit, your delivery and taxes have been calculated, and your order is locked. Your addresses have not been locked—these can be updated until closer to the fulfilment of your order, and you will be given a warning. Your BackerKit charges have not yet been taken from your accounts, but BackerKit will be charging your cards on the 7th January. I was going to set this in motion before Christmas, but I thought it best to allow everyone to hopefully get their January payday first.
Pre Production Sample
In general, I'm delighted with how the pre-production sample (PPC) turned out from the factory. It's only digital printing for this sample rather than the full glory of lithography, but things are looking great. I particularly love the new Retail box with its artworked insert. There are a few things that need fixing for me to be completely happy, but we're almost there. Below, I've detailed some of the changes that we're making.
The Scale of a Legend
We've had to shrink the length of the packaging for the Legend Expansion Packs by 1cm so they fit in the largest insert area in the Deluxe Edition box—it's just something I foolishly never thought to check until the physical copy arrived. Luckily, it was an easy fix.
Insert Here
The insert for the Retail Edition has been adjusted after receiving the PPC to improve the structural integrity of the overall design. Originally, the lowest section was one long thin area to house all the tokens—this created a weak point at both the highlighted white section AND the highlighted red/orange section in the left image above. We decided to remove the divider in the orange section and place the components in that well. The small cards now fit in the bottom section, and the piece of card (highlighted pink in the right image above) now runs from top to bottom, creating a sturdier design overall.
This short clip shows the original design being replaced with an updated white prototype before a quick test with the colour again. I think this design makes a lot more sense and will stand the test of time.
Component Colours
I chose to make a game using only 8 colours, so trying to keep those colours consistent across multiple materials was always going to be a challenge. Panda has done a fabulous job with this so far, but there are a few pieces where we've had to try again.
In the image above, the player token on the left is from the recent PPC, which the factory had tried to colour-match to some printed components. The one on the right used a Pantone reference and was included in the prototype Panda made for us. This prototype version is far superior, so we have reverted to the initial prototype colour—you can see how well it matches the colour behind it.
Every example of the off-white was inconsistent with the off-white shown on the printed game board behind it. The factory had tried to colour match them, because Pantone colours are pretty rubbish with off-white colours, but I've asked for them to look at it again. Some of the pieces almost have that glow-in-the-dark kind of colour (but without any glow-in-the-dark capabilities). Anyway, it wasn't right, so I'm getting new samples from the factory soon.
What is on My Gaming Table?
I've been enjoying some solo gaming time in the evenings with Kinfire Delve, by Incredible Dream Studios. I was playing Scorn's Stockade (obviously, I chose the pink version), and it took me a few games to get good enough to win. It has beautiful artwork, a rich fantasy theme and a satisfying puzzle of efficiency each turn—something I think you Fame and Fable backers should be able to get behind.
Players use cards in different combos, triggering special abilities and burning through an enemy deck to face off against the big baddy at the end. I'd played it 3-player before (combined with Vainglory's Grotto), which I loved, but this was my first solo outing and the control it brought elevated it to a new level for me. You really have to plan turns ahead to make sure you're using your cards wisely, because refreshing them brings a penalty that can cause you to lose. I also love the little bit of dice-rolling, which added some luck and drama to each turn.
Bye!
See you in the next update!
November Update | Update on the Timeline | Photos from the Factory | Art
7 months ago
– Wed, Nov 26, 2025 at 08:07:39 AM
November Update
Progress Report
My Pre-Production Copy is due to arrive any day now, and all language files have been handed off to Panda Manufacturing, who is currently preparing the necessary digital proofs.
This game contains a huge number of cards, each with substantial text, which means a lot of translation work. It hasn’t been an easy task. We’ve worked closely with our language partners to produce high-quality translations for every card, and in many cases have gone through multiple revision passes to ensure players get the best possible experience in every supported language.
This level of care and attention, unfortunately, takes time. The one month I originally set aside for translation effectively became a four-month job. As a result, we have had to move the schedule. As always, I would much rather deliver an exceptional product a little later than send out a rushed, lower-quality version on time. I am sorry for the delay, and I appreciate your continued patience.
If everything stays on track, mass manufacturing should be completed and out of the factories before Chinese New Year begins in mid-February. Shipping is estimated to take around two months. After that, the warehouses will begin packing and sending out your orders. Realistically, backers will likely start receiving their games in April, with deliveries continuing through May. I will continue to keep you updated with any new information during that time.
Photos from the Factory
I love to see progress shots, so I thought I'd share some that Panda have shared with me:
You can see here the efforts they're making to get the closest colour matches for the wooden components vs the paper printed components (i.e. cards, art prints, etc.). It's not quite perfect yet, but we're getting close.
The colours in general are looking pretty spectacular from these shots, and I'm especially excited by how much the orange zings and how the two bags in the Deluxe Editions are looking. The white on the Action Trackers and the wooden components should be the same, so I've been chatting with Panda about fixing that, too.
To remind players of how many actions they have on their turn, I've added a little arrow to the design of the three (visible above). This number sits at the top of the design as well, so that when you place it the right way up in front of you, you'll already have it on the right number. These little user-friendly details are the kinds of things that I enjoy when playing games, so I hope you backers enjoy them too.
Artwork
More Monsters/Legends from the Legend Expansion and some Vanguard allies, which are in every game:
What is on My Gaming Table?
A little while back, I had the pleasure of meeting Hazel and Chris from Gamely Games, a local company that makes superb and beautiful party games. They are a carbon-neutral company that makes 100% plastic-free products and gives 10% of their profits to charity. They're all-around lovely humans. Their games have dominated my table recently — including their smash hit, Six Second Scribbles — but my kids are particularly into Bang Out of Order. This game forces you to guess numbers on the backs of cards and then place them in order from Zero to Infinity. Clues to those numbers are given on the front and may include 'Feathers on a Chicken', 'People who have ever climbed Mount Everest' and 'Blocks in Jenga' (I reckon I'd go Jenga as least and Feathers as the most in that combo). On your turn, if you think your opponents got it wrong, you shout "Bang Out of Order" and then turn the cards over. If anything is out of order, you win the cards, but if everything is as it should be, your opponents get them.
Anyway, this game is hard, but in the best way—and it's a lot of fun. It's great for letting my kids explore the idea of scale and use their logic, and it turns out they are often better at this than me. Plus, look, it's pink!
I thoroughly recommend you go check them out, and because they make small-box games that are beautifully presented, you could easily find a superb stocking-filler.
Bye!
See you in the next update
September & October Update
8 months ago
– Tue, Oct 21, 2025 at 01:50:59 AM
Thanks for your patience, backers!
I've been waiting this month to give you a more comprehensive update, but a few of you have requested information, so here I am. Honestly, there's not a lot to tell you, but here's what I can share.
Digital Files Approved
All the design and artwork for each tier level and add-on have been created, reviewed, prepped for print and approved for the English version of Fame and Fable. I'm waiting on a few details from the manufacturer before a Pre-Production Copy of the game is made and sent to me to check over. It's one of those weird things where you can sometimes think all the digital files are perfect, then you receive the physical copy, and several little problems become immediately obvious. Suffice to say, this is an important part of the process to help avoid any mistakes in the final products. After this stage, a mass manufacturing version will be produced to make sure everything is tickety-boo, before the metaphorical big green button is pressed and the full print run kicks off. These interim stages might be a little boring, but they're a crucial chance to spot any necessary adjustments or tweaks. On my next update, I should be able to show you a sneak peek of how everything is looking.
Language Partners
A lot of the last two months has been about coordinating, reviewing and approving the fantastic work of the language partners. Fame and Fable has a lot of components and a lot of text, so this has been no mean feat. The finish line is in sight for these alternate languages, and every effort has been made by the teams to ensure we make a fantastic translation that stays true to the original game. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their continued efforts.
Pledge Manager
90% of you have filled in your details, which is superb. Anybody who will be expecting a physical reward, please check your BackerKit Pledge Manager and fill in your details if you haven't already. Pledges are now locked, so you cannot change the contents of your package, but you will be able to change your address for a while yet, so no need to panic there. As mentioned before, I will notify you before your shipping and taxes are actually charged.
As always, if you have any issues, please contact [email protected] who will be happy to help you out.
Artwork
I know you fine folk like to see the artwork from the game, so here are a few more. Most of these are from the Legend Expansion, or cards created for Vanguard backers. Those of you who played the game at UK Games Expo 2024 or Paradice 2025 may recognise one of the allies as my amazing expo helper, Chris, who makes an appearance and absolutely deserves to be immortalised in this game.
What is on My Gaming Table?
Okay, so I've not had much time to play board games recently, which is both ironic and a little sad. I did, however, manage a couple of games of Joyride: Turbo with some friends last month. Dice rolling, big chunky components, push-your-luck, player interaction and racing chaos all wrapped up in a gorgeous design with excellent artwork by Pye Parr. What's not to love? I think this Rebellion game plays best with 3 or 4 players, and there's so much replayability to it. If it sounds like your vibe, I thoroughly recommend checking it out! You obviously don't need to go all-in on this massive box version, but I think my investment will pay off over the years. It probably already has.
Bye!
See you in the next update
August Update | Locking Orders | Upgraded Box | Bonus Bag | More Art
10 months ago
– Tue, Sep 02, 2025 at 08:34:03 AM
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
July Update | Results of the Poll | Local Pickup | BTS
11 months ago
– Thu, Jul 31, 2025 at 02:40:51 PM
Three Art Prints: Results
The Results are in! Thanks to all 1449 of you who voted for your top three Art Prints. Follow this link to see a Bar Chart Race graphic that shows how the voting went down throughout the month (it took me FAR TOO LONG to figure out how to show this, so please do give it a quick watch). Or just scroll to the bottom of this update to see the final numbers.
Local Pickup at Comics, Games and Coffee (CGC) in Worthing!
I'm excited to share that when the games ship, local pickup will be available from Comics, Games and Coffee (CGC) in Worthing, UK — my brilliant local independent games shop. It's wonderful to partner with them to offer this convenient (and free) option to local backers.
If you've already filled in your BackerKit Pledge Manager with your shipping address, you can now change your delivery method to Local Pickup. Since shipping hasn't been charged yet, selecting this option will save you a few bob.
When fulfilment begins in early 2026, I’ll notify everyone who chose local pickup as soon as your order is ready to collect from CGC. You’ll be able to pop in and grab your full order at your convenience.
Just a quick heads-up: CGC won’t be able to store your order indefinitely, so please aim to collect it within a reasonable timeframe once it’s ready. Thanks!
Translations Have Begun!
The final game files are now with our language partners. This part of the process should take a month or two to complete. I'm using this time wisely to figure out all the nitty-gritty details with the manufacturers, a surprisingly interesting, complicated, fun and frustrating process. More details to follow in future updates. Rest assured, we're working hard to ensure you get an amazing quality product at the end of this.
A Bit Sketchy
I know you love to see artwork and behind-the-scenes, so here's a little video of my drawing process for Fame and Fable. It starts off super loose and sketchy, then I use that as a guide to build a refined line. That line is used to guide the creation of a vector line, then I add some colour to finish it all off.
Art Print Spoiler Alert!
Drum-roll, please. Here are the final Art Print results...
The Multipede never stood a chance!
The Dragon looked to be joining the party, but came in at an agonisingly close fourth in the end, narrowly beaten by The Man of the Forest to the third position. He joins Grimalkin, which I think will surprise nobody (who can resist an assassin cat, eh?!), and The Knight — an absolute classic.
Everybody who has the Three Art Prints in their Pledge Manager cart will receive this wonderful trio of mini prints with their order when their games ship next year:
What is on my Gaming Table?
I've been lucky enough to be testing out the new North American Expansion for Mycelia: The Strategic Mushroom Game by Split Stone Games. For those new to Mycelia, it is an area control game that involves growing your mycelial network, fruiting mushrooms, releasing spores and decaying them again for special bonuses. You can disrupt other players' mycelial networks, steal their resources and block their movements — make no mistake, this game can be surprisingly ruthless.
The new expansion introduces a fifth player, trees and symbiosis bonuses. The trees are the biggest new addition, and once grown, they help you filter resources to new locations across the board. As expected, it's utterly gorgeous, plays amazingly, and is delightfully thematic. Plus, the new pieces are purple! You won't want to miss out on the Kickstarter coming soon. Sign up to be reminded when it goes live.
