Kickstarter Project: The Queen’s Cavaliers RPG
Creator: Bold Pueblo Games and Caiohme Ora Snow.
End Date: June 6, 2014.
Kicktraq Progress: At time of posting, The Queen’s Cavaliers Kicktraq estimates a final funding total of over $16000, or 400% of its original funding goal. This project has seen a very steady increase in funding throughout its duration.
Funding Needed: $4000. Funding achieved! Now breaking stretch goals and searching for more in the final week!
Product: Sitting at an approximate 300 pages with the stretch goal content now being added to the core book, The Queen’s Cavaliers is a Matriarchal, Victorian era game where your charater is actually a combination of two chosen classes (this allows for hundreds of unique characters! This game also boasts, “TQC’s combat system is flexible and designed to be entertaining, with more options than simply doing damage from round to round. Want to swing on a chandelier to gain advantage over your foes, or recite an epic poem to build style points? These are all valid and effective strategies in TQC.”
Quality: Great quality! Already the stretch goals have unlocked even more beautiful spreads of artwork and special map packs, as well as free map packs and detailed adventures and supplements! The setting and whimsical, swashbuckling combat system is an incredibly unique twist on your typical Clockpunk Victorian RPG, and with all of the previous goals achieved, the book is of an optimal quality.
Tagline: “A Baroque, Clockpunk tabletop fantasy role playing game.”
Estimated Delivery: February 2015, though it may be released earlier as much of the game’s content is already written, just the artwork, editing, layout, stretch goal content and printing left!
Pledge Levels: At $1 any backer has access to playtest materials and is welcomed to give feedback on their gaming experience, though the earliest copy of the game is available for $15 for the full digital copies. It is $35 for the .pdf and a physical softcover copy of the book. Then at $60 is the hardcover edition, after which the pledge levels jump to $150 for a personal character drawn up and inserted into the book as a sample character as well as the hardcover and .pdf.
Stretch Goals: All stretch goals have been unlocked except the most recent, improving the content by adding a couple map packs, extra funding for even more art, more adventure and setting modules, a system license for community use of the TQC system, and compiling the stretch goal content into the book! The most recent goal is for $15000, at which they will release an available add-on of a full deck of playing cards that also double as success reference cards (the digital, free to print file being made available to all backers, as well!)
Cost Effectiveness: Fairly effective. Well worth the price for the added content (not to mention all the free content and playtesting you can do in the waiting period!) The quality of the book has increased threefold through stretch goals and the initial cost for puchasing a physical copy is a discount of the estimated retail pricing.
Usefulness/Purpose: It is a full role playing setting with unique class combination abilities, whimsical combat options, and representation of women as well as bi/pan/homosexuality. It is new and very, excitingly different from your average Clockpunk or Victorian setting games.
Creator Involvement: The creator has been a regular in the comments and appreciates any feedback from backers, as well as being very friendly and enthusiastic about her game. She is also very upfront about the allocation of funding for their budgets, what goes into artwork, to Kickstarter for hosting, the editing, etc..
Regular/Relevant Updates: Updates are frequent, often dealing with the shattered stretch goals and impending rewards, but also with mechanics, artwork, and background.
Backer Enthusiasm: Everyone seems very enthused to see a new Clockpunk game, and a swashbuckling adventure at that! They are also very eagre to playtest, which any backer, regardless of pledge level, will have the opportunity to do!
Add-ons: Most of the unlocked content is being made available for free to all backers, and not just in digital form, but by incorporating it into the book! If the most recent stretch goal is met, backers may pledge an extra $10 for a physical copy of the success reference card deck.
Where Can I Buy Once the KS is Over?: The Queen’s Cavaliers will likely be made available for purchase in print or digital format through RPG Now, and links to purchase will also likely be provided on Bold Pueblo Games’ site as well as download links for their free content (maps, character sheets, etc..) The success reference card deck will also be available for purchase afterward through the site at a estimated $8-10 (not counting shipping.)
Should I Back It?: Yes! This game seems very unique, with a well tested system over a year in the making and an experienced creator who has had success in the tabletop industry before. I have rarely seen such an interesting combat system and setting go hand in hand, as well as representation of non hetero sexualities and non patriarchal values! And I would also like to note that it is typically the art which draws my interest to an RPG, and though the art is very nice, the content, system, and setting were my biggest compelling factors in my decision to back this game. It is filled wih quality.
Other Reviews: Check out GMShoe’s RPG.net interview with Caiohme, and Kristine Chester at Fanboy Comics is in full support!
Happy Backing and Gaming,
TheDungeonRat
I claim no ownership or affiliation with Kickstarter, Kicktraq, or projects and creators cited in this review. Any related information or images is the sole property of said company, person, or artist.
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