Check out the latest on the TTRPGkids works in progress to stay up to date on upcoming releases! This Dev Log will cover where we’re at with Mystery Snacks and what fulfillment prep looks like, a reveal of some of the art for Energeodes (my next project), and how I’m getting into more video content… and why.

Jump to: 

• Mystery Snacks fulfillment prep
• Energeodes art reveal
• Video content adventures (and why)

Mystery Snacks fulfillment prep

The Mystery Snacks bulk order came in!  That means, I’ve started to prepare for the physical fulfillment so most orders will be ready to ship within a week of locking backer addresses and shipping costs. 

I’m making sure I’ve got envelopes, boxes, labels, and customs forms ready, and I’m pre-kitting some of the easier orders (i.e. ones that just ordered the zine) and weighing them, so I just need to put the final address label and stamps on them later.  This gives me kind of a hands-on project to work on between writing articles for I feel the need to be busy with something besides typing AND it has made the fulfillment process seem WAY less daunting.  I’m fulfilling all this on my own and want to fulfill before I leave for Gamehole Con (mid-Oct), so if I can get 60% of the work done now, I don’t feel rushed. 

There are some prep items I can’t do until addresses are locked and shipping is charged like printing address labels, getting stamps (need final count), and actually filling out some of the customs forms, but that also seems like a reasonable task list. 

My takeaway here or advice for other folks is that breaking the task up into smaller parts can really help, and it’s good to plan for that.  From other projects, I learned to plan this 2-step prep into the schedule and to give myself enough buffer around fulfillment time to actually do that while staying on track with the promised fulfillment timing (for Mystery Snacks, this is October).

That said, I did have to push back the digital fulfillment slightly from the schedule I’ve been sharing because of when things would time out for the whole survey cycle (locking orders with final notice, locking addresses with final notice, charging shipping) to get all the final counts… and some events at kiddo’s school that mean I would not be able to fully focus on fulfillment on the original planned date.  The push is only from Sept 30 to Oct 2 and it’s because I want to be around for admin support on digital fulfillment day, so I’m hoping folks don’t mind.  Going back to the schedule buffer… this is also in line with my plan + buffer to fulfill in October, but I had hoped to get it out Sept 30 to not have it overlap with any physical fulfillment events.

COMPLETED:

• Feb – fund project
• Mar – kick off guest writers (send guidelines, formatting + style guide)
• Mar – set up pre-order store
• Apr – guest writer check in
• May – guest writer 1st drafts due
• May – review 1st drafts
• May – kick off guest writer 2nd drafts
• June – guest writer 2nd draft due
• June – kick off layout artist
• July – final layout due
• July – order proof (round 1)
• Aug – proofs arrive, check, review update (round 1)
• Aug – order proof (round 2)
• Sep – finalize surveys
• Sep – distribute surveys
• Sep – proofs arrive, check, review update (round 2)
• Sep – order bulk
• Oct → Sep – bulk order arrives

NEXT STEPS:

• Sep → October 2ish – close pre-order shop
• Sep → October 2ish – digital fulfillment
• Oct – ship to fulfill project (physical)

Energeodes art reveal

My next project is a revamp and print version of Energeodes!  Energeodes is about finding cool rocks that hold within them a spark of magic for you to use.  The power is limited and you can only use one at a time, so you’ll be swapping them amongst friends to keep the group stocked, and need to be on the look out for more to stay powered up!

My original version of this game is already released, and I now want to give it the same treatment that I gave Mystery Snacks, so it’s going to be getting an art update, sample adventures, and layout by an official layout artist.  

I’m also hoping to fund additional pre-made adventures by stretch goal writers in the crowdfunding campaign (pre-launch page coming soon, so sign up for the newsletter if you want updates in the meantime).

So far, I’ve gone through my whole project planning set up (budget, scheduling, sourcing plans, etc) and have commissioned Leo Assis (artist for some of my other projects: Making a TTRPG for YOUR Particular Kid, StoryGuider, and Mystery Snacks) to do the cover and some interior art pieces… and he has done a WONDERFUL job!  This is the art piece that will wrap from the front to back cover, and I LOVE IT.  

For next steps, I’m prioritizing cover layout so I can use that for the pre-launch page, and I want to get that pre-launch page set up by mid-October so I can have that kick off before I go to Gamehole Con AND so it cycles in just as Mystery Snacks finishes fulfillment.

Previously, I’ve only shown my timelines for after the campaign launches, so, with this one, I want to show you what’s involved with prep work since there’s A LOT that goes into this before the campaign even starts.  I like to plan for a 12-13 month cycle from planning to fulfilment, so project planning and initial steps start in August 2026 and final fulfillment is planned for October 2027.  It’s just over a year from start to finish even though the campaign will launch in February 2027… basically, it’s actually 13 months to do one of these, not 9 months (campaign to fulfillment period).  Some folks do this much faster than me, but I also like to give myself lots of buffer to make my targets so I fulfill on time and can handle random life events (like how I had a major surgery this year but left enough buffer in the Mystery Snacks schedule to absorb a major life event and still meet my target).  My takeaway/advice here is just… plan for the parts that the public doesn’t always see and give yourself time, if you can.

Pre-campaign launch tasks completed: 

• Aug – create project planning doc 
• Aug – commission cover artist
• Sep – cover art due/recieved
• Sep – commission cover layout artist

Pre-campaign launch next steps:

• Oct – cover layout due/recieved
• Oct – set up pre-launch page
• Nov – write 3 additional sample adventures
• Nov – mock up cards
• Nov – commission interior layout artist for base game
• Nov/Dec – lock in stretch goal writer team
• Dec – interior layout due/recieved
• Dec/Jan – base game playtest and revise
• Dec/Jan – submit project for Zinetopia
• Jan – finalize campaign page
• Feb – campaign launch

Video content adventures (and why)

I have started doing more video content for TTRPGkids, and, while not a lot of it is posted yet, I have pre-recorded quite a bit and have it scheduled or in the video editing queue so that I have a buffer to stay consistent with it (and do my recordings on days where I feel like I’m in a good mood to do it). 

I strongly prefer writing and I’ve been super camera shy, but I like helping folks learn about all-ages TTRPGs more than those preferences and fears. 

Since google started doing AI summaries for searches, my site traffic has been steadily decreasing (despite my returning traffic stats increasing), and my site stats that show where I am getting site hits indicate that TTRPGkids is very much getting scraped by AI bots. I’ve previously been really good at generating organic traffic (so folks find my site through google searches versus really needing to use social media) by making sure my articles and headers and images are clearly titled and structured, but that’s working against me now since google REALLY picks it up. 

This means that folks aren’t really getting past the quick AI summary and aren’t exploring the site to find more than the initial answer.  Once they see the top recs in the summary, they maybe don’t happen upon the cool review about a niche game that’s further down on the list or get the full deep dive on all my mechanics shift recs from my longer article.

I REALLY want to share this with people.  It drives me.

Less site traffic does impact my income to support the site and my projects, but I wasn’t really making a lot that way to begin with since I don’t use pop up ads.  Right now, I’m just kind of sad that it’s not fully reaching as many people because I WANT this to help folks.  I want this to help a parent connect with and see their kid.  I want this to help a lonely kid feel less lonely by having a game that works for them that they can build a friend group around.  I want to offer some screenfree options so we have fun activities that help us be physically present.

So, I can’t rely on organic traffic through google searches anymore to do that, and I’ve got to more actively reach people in a way that connects with them, and I think video content can help with that.

I’m still 100% going to keep up with my writing, and I don’t expect (or maybe want) to go viral, but I do hope that this grows its own community in a new location so either a new handful or a new crowd of folks can just find the resource again.  

To myself, I’m framing this as a way to more personally share my work with my voice versus my written words, and it’s just going to be another new skill I need to pick up to keep doing this in an effective way.

Over the next couple months, I’ll be ramping up my Youtube channel with some initial content to see how it works and how I feel about it.  This initial content test is going to include:

• Readalouds of StoryGuider for little kids
• Shorts/videos going through game rec lists
• Shorts/videos covering my own games
• Videos of my monthly review chats with my Patreon(s)

It’s been an interesting process getting used to recording myself and figuring out video editing tricks as I go, but there’s been something fun and rewarding about it as well, and I am hopeful that this will connect with someone who wouldn’t have found the site otherwise.

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Thank you for checking out this update and just kind of being interested in what TTRPGkids is doing! I hope it helps with seeing some of the self-pub, crowdfunding, and blog writing process for anyone who is thinking of getting into that themselves, and…

Until next time, happy gaming!

And… if you liked this post, make sure to subscribe to the TTRPGkids monthly newsletter and Patreon to stay up to date on the latest reviews, tips and tricks, game and podcast list updates, and more! Thank you for playing tabletop RPGs with your kids and sharing this awesome hobby with the next generation!