Dwarf board game

Stretch Goal Unlocked!
almost 5 years ago – Wed, Jul 24, 2019 at 03:22:30 PM

Since I last wrote to you, you've unlocked another stretch goal - more of Lars's fabulous art! This time it's for the back of the cards. I think card backs are generally overlooked - if you have a pile of them, face down on the table in front of you, in a game (as you do in Dwarf) then you actually spend a lot more time looking at the back of the cards than you do the front. That's why I'm really excited to see what Lars comes up with to illustrate the Mountain deck.

The next stretch goal is a big one but it's also one of the ones most often asked for in the comments - an upgrade to the cards stock to luxury linen finish. We're heading into the final 24 hours now. Let's see if we can reach that upgrade! Tell all your friends about the game - if you've already done that, tell them again now and let them know that the campaign's nearly over.

Lee and the DDP Team.

Knocking
almost 5 years ago – Tue, Jul 23, 2019 at 10:37:18 PM

Have you ever heard of knockers? I talked about the sidhe the other day and I'm guessing that if they were the enemy many people had the most trouble pronouncing, knockers may be the one people are least familiar with.

The sidhe have always been a part of Zanziar lore but Dwarf introduces knockers to the world for the first time. Like the sidhe, knockers are a part of Celtic mythology and, just as 'sidhe' is incorporated in 'banshee', knockers may be more familiar to you in a slightly different form.

Knockers live in the mines. I said they're Celtic, and they are - they're a peculiarly Cornish folkloric creature. In the nineteenth century, the Cornish were primarily a mining people. Just as with the dwarfs in Zanziar, they mined with steam power as well as with picks and shovels. It was a dangerous profession. People died. Shafts collapsed. Before they did, though, there was a noise. A knocking. That was the knockers. Some people thought that they were malevolent spirits, deliberately collapsing the mines. Others believed that the knocking was a warning - an alarm call that they should get out. Offering thanks for these warnings, they'd leave some food in the mines for them.

Whether people thought they were good or bad, however, everyone agreed that they played tricks. If something went missing - a pick, a lamp, a box of matches - that was because the knockers had taken it. In Dwarf, the knockers take one iron from you. They're a nuisance. You could do without them but, well, they're not that bad. Until you realise, of course, that the iron you thought you had - that you suddenly need - is gone.

Trading on their reputation as skilled miners, the Cornish travelled the world, forming a strong diaspora, and it is in America that the knockers were transformed. They lost their mischievous side and the debate between whether they were benevolent helpers, warning the miners, or malevolent spirits was decided. Tommyknockers are, well, recognisable but rather different to their Cornish ancestors. As a Cornishman, I'm really pleased to have knockers in the game and I think it may also be my favourite piece of art in Dwarf so far.

Can you hear that?

That knocking noise?

We're into the final 48 hours now. We're nearing the bottom of the mountain. There are just a few seams left to mine - but they're rich. They're good seams, full of potential. We'll be working hard to get new backers on board before 6pm on Thursday and I'm confident of a strong finish. Please do help us though - tell everyone about Dwarf and that there's not long left to back.

Lee and the DDP Team.

You Asked, He Listened
almost 5 years ago – Mon, Jul 22, 2019 at 09:41:42 PM

In case you missed it, J-Play recorded and posted the second half of his game of Dwarf, yesterday.

Would you have done anything differently?

Forging Unique Items
almost 5 years ago – Mon, Jul 22, 2019 at 01:31:31 AM

You did it!

Shortly after posting my update yesterday, we passed the target for the first stretch goal. Thankyou for making this happen.

As mentioned in a previous update, this will make sure that each item card has unique artwork, reflecting what you’re forging. I’ve already posted the ‘Forge Sword’ card, which I think has a powerful image. You may have noticed the ‘Forge Crown’ card, too.

This is the kind of thing Lars will produce for each item card now, bringing the game’s world to life. You may have noticed that that’s not a dwarf depicted on the card. Well, as you now know, the dwarfs in Zanziar don’t have kings. So the crown you’re forging is plainly destined for elsewhere and the art depicts you presenting it to a human ruler.

Of course, you may have also noticed that the stretch goal was for seven new pieces of art and we have two pieces of art for the eight forge cards already. The seventh piece is for the ‘Get Help’ cards, which are conspicuously blank in the playthrough videos you’ve seen. We had toyed with using the art currently seen on the ‘Turn Back’ Special Action card for this but now we don’t have to.

I love Lars’s art and I’m really looking forward to seeing what he comes up with. Speaking of which, we’re already close to the second stretch goal, which is for yet more of his art!

Lee and the DDP team.

J-Plays Dwarf
almost 5 years ago – Sun, Jul 21, 2019 at 12:55:56 AM

Today's been a good day - we're within a dwarf's touching distance of the first stretch goal. Thankyou for your continued help.

The latest news we get to share from our end is that the magnificent J-Play has done a playthrough of Dwarf, which you can find below. Like Slickerdrips, J-Play is playing the solo game of Dwarf but, whereas Slickerdrips played the tutorial game, this one is of the game proper. We think you'll agree, if you watch it, that it provides a more challenging game and we're really glad that J-Play chose to show it off.

At the end of his video, he offers to continue the game in another one if you'd like him to - so let him know in the comments on his YouTube page.

Lee and the DDP Team.