Canopy: Evergreen

Forest for the Trees
4 months ago – Thu, May 09, 2024 at 03:30:38 PM

Hi Canopy Comrade!

It took a few weeks longer than anticipated, but we finally received the 2nd Canopy Evergreen PPC (pre-production copy) this past Tuesday and reviewed it with our manufacturer rep yesterday. The PPC was by and large looking fantastic, with the important exception of the punchboard trees. I’ll get into all the details below and share our current plan and timeline. 

If you have been reading our previous updates, you are aware that the trees, which are the centerpiece of the game, have been the most difficult component to get right. We’ve been working with Panda Games (our manufacturer) from the get go to make sure the tree sections fit together nicely, without being too tight and tearing the prints or being overly loose and disconnecting easily. 

Each new PPC has brought us closer to the trees we want. The trees in the current version are mostly functional, but do not fit together as easily as we would like. Because the trees are so central to the game, we are requesting new dies be made so that the trees can be as close to perfect as possible. We’ve asked Panda to use the best fitting tree sections from the 2nd PPC to create a new die and we feel confident that the next version will be what we have been looking for. 

Go Time
With the punchboards as the only remaining piece of the puzzle to fit in, we’ve decided to press go on manufacturing. Creating new dies for the punchboards is already built into the manufacturing timeline so if all goes well we should be able to keep to the timeline below.

🌟 PPC Approved: May 9th

🌟 Begin Mass Production: May 13th

🌟 End Mass Production: July 10th

🌟 Games Shipped Overseas: August 1st

This timeline means we will likely begin fulfillment in late September or October depending on what region you are in and how quickly ocean freight is moving this summer. We apologize for the delay and we will be working diligently to keep the project moving forward as quickly as possible. We are getting so close to having this beautiful game finalized and we are very excited. Everything (aside from the trees) is feeling fantastic and very high quality and we cannot wait to transform your table into a forest!

Thanks!

Tim 

New Wood Samples and Timeline Update
5 months ago – Mon, Apr 15, 2024 at 01:43:19 PM

Hello Fantastic Canopy Evergreen Backer!

We received a new round of wood samples this past weekend and wanted to share photos with you and update you on the progress of the game. 

Wood Samples

The previous wood tokens were made using UV printing method, but the quality of the printings was not great and a good amount of detail from Vincent Dutrait’s fantastic illustrations was lost. The new version is made using the heat transfer process and we are pleased as punch with how they turned out. 

This is our first time seeing the wooden wildlife tokens and we are thrilled with how they turned out. Because wood is one the more time consuming components to produce, we are happy that we are able to sign off on these so the factory can begin production. 

Below you can see the difference between the UV and Heat Transfer methods. We're very happy with the Heat Transfer method because:

• The images are much crisper
• The colors are bright and vibrant
• They are sturdy and nicely polished. 

Tree Punchboards

These are by far the trickiest component in the game (and in any game we’ve made) so we’ve been working back and forth with the factory to make sure the fit is just right. They created a small test die template and the new trees are looking and feeling pretty great. Images show the white sample to test the fit, we’ll have a full color version to share in the next few weeks.

Next Steps

The factory is working on a new PPC (pre-production copy) and we should get that sometime in the next 10 days. If everything looks good in the new PPC (fingers crossed!) we’ll be able to start production by the end of April. That puts us slightly behind our goal of August fulfillment, but we will be working to keep things moving as quickly as possible and we hope to begin fulfillment in most regions in September. 

Thank you for your support and patience and we’ll be back with another update once we receive and review the 2nd PPC. 

Tim and the Weird City team!

Pre-Production Copy Arrives
6 months ago – Fri, Mar 15, 2024 at 02:58:34 PM

Hello, amazing Canopy Evergreen backers!

First off, we want to thank you for your patience. We were expecting the PPC (pre-production copy) to arrive in early February, but ran into some delays with the factory during the Lunar New Year holiday. Long story short, it ended up taking longer than expected to get the PPC and we wanted to wait to update you all until we'd had a chance to review the PPC. Below, we’ll go over all the details and give a peek at images of the PPC, which finally arrived at the GAMA trade show last week.

Last week, the Weird City team attended the GAMA trade show in Louisville, Kentucky. We were able to connect with industry folks, playtest some of our newer games, and most importantly, see our pre-production copy (PPC) of Canopy: Evergreen firsthand!

With our awesome rep from Panda, we meticulously inspected every pinecone, scrutinized each branch, and marveled at the intricate design details. The components that we were most interested in making sure that it was accurate were the punchboard trees. 

Unfortunately, the punchboard tokens in the PPC were cut by plotter so the edges were not as smooth as they will be in mass production and while the trees looked good, they were not as polished as we would like, and the fit was not as exact as in our prototypes. We've adjusted the files slightly to achieve a tighter fit for the trees, and we’ve requested updated samples to make sure the trees are as awesome as possible. We'll share an update and images of those once they arrive. 

Deluxe Double Layer Board

One exciting addition to the deluxe game that we decided to add as a surprise are double layer Forest Maps. We wanted to give the deluxe game that extra special feel and were able to fit these into the budget. The Ecosystem tokens fit nicely in the holes and the point and food trackers have nice tracks to run in.

Other Issues

The majority of the components look fantastic (more pictures at the end of this update). Panda has high quality standards and the colors of the cards and cardstock all look and feel great. Our dimensions for the storage tuckboxes were unfortunately off and they would not all fit in the game box. Panda is working on adjusting these so they offer a snug and secure way to store all the components. 

The deluxe wood tokens were printed with a less exact process so they lost a little detail, so we've asked Panda to use heat transfer instead and apply a varnish to give them a more finished look. 

We've made a few other updates to the rulebook and cards, based on our final playtesting sessions and we are sending off updated final files this weekend. 

Here's a quick recap of our journey ahead with newly updated dates:

Original Timeline 

🌟 PPC Approved By: February 21st

🌟 Begin Mass Production: March 1st

🌟 End Mass Production: May 10th

🌟 Games Shipped Overseas: June 1st

New Timeline 

🌟 PPC Approved By: April 8th ✔️

🌟 Begin Mass Production: April 18th 🚀

🌟 End Mass Production: June 10th

🌟 Games Shipped Overseas: June 30th

Unfortunately, due to the delays with the PPC it looks like we will be slightly behind on our estimated August fulfillment date. We will move as quickly through the remainder of production as possible (while maintaining the highest quality) and hope to be able to deliver the majority of the games in September. We'll continue to keep you firmly rooted in the loop with regular updates, sneak peeks, and perhaps a few more tree-related puns along the way. 

All the best!

Tim and The Weird City Team

Canopy Evergreen PPC is in Production
7 months ago – Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 09:19:03 AM

Hello, amazing Canopy Evergreen backers!

We hope this message finds you surrounded by the cozy warmth of a thousand tree hugs. 🌳 We're here to sprinkle a little bit of forest magic and share some exciting news – we're currently in the process of creating the pre-production copy of Canopy Evergreen!

Imagine our game as a tiny seedling, and this pre-production copy (PPC) is like watering and nurturing it until it's ready to bloom into a full-fledged gaming tree. 🌱🎲 This means we're getting our hands on a trial version of the game – the beta-tester tree, if you will. It's the phase where we scrutinize every leaf, branch, and root to make sure it's as resilient as an oak and as delightful as a field of wildflowers.

We expect to receive the PPC sometime in early February and will share an update with images of all the components and let you know how it is looking. If everything is looking good, we'll be ready to have the factory start mass production. If needed, we'll update any files, request any needed changes and then be ready to start printing.

After we approve the PPC, we gear up for mass production, getting our game ready to visit living rooms and tabletops everywhere. It's like we're sending our little tree off to join a whole forest of gaming greatness. We're branching out into the gaming world, and it's all thanks to you! 

Here’s a look at our current schedule:

• PPC Approved By: February 21st
• Begin Mass Production: March 1st
• End Mass Production: May 10th
• Games Shipped Overseas: June 1st

We'll keep you in the loop with updates, sneak peeks, and maybe a few tree-related jokes along the way. After all, what did one tree say to another? "Leaf me alone, I'm branching out!" 😄

Thank you for being the roots of Canopy Evergreen. Your support has been essential for the creation of Canopy Evergreen, and we can't thank you enough! 🙌

Tree-mendous regards,

Tim and the Weird Citizens!

Thank you Proofers, PAXU, and Production Update!
9 months ago – Thu, Dec 14, 2023 at 09:47:47 AM

Hello Canopy: Evergreen Backers!

First off, we want to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who helped proof the rulebook and cards! After reviewing hundreds of comments and updating the files, the rulebook and cards are now much easier to read and understand. You caught many errors both big and small and we are extremely grateful for your help improving Canopy: Evergreen. 

PAXU

At the start of the month, Weird City Games attended PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia. It was a great show and we were able to introduce a ton of gamers to Canopy, Canopy: Evergreen and Leaf and share our work in producing games more sustainably. It was our first time having a booth at a big convention and it was very exciting to share our games with so many people. Let us know what your favorite conventions are and maybe we'll see you there!

Production Update

We are finalizing all of the production files this week. Once we finish proofing them, we'll pass them off to our manufacturer (Panda Games) early next week. Earlier this month we sent in samples of the tree sections and Panda is currently working on printing a sample so that we have plenty of time to test them to make sure they are fully functional and look as awesome as possible. 

Once the files are submitted, Panda will review them and we'll likely need to make a few edits based on their feedback. Then, Panda will prepare the digital proof for us to review. Once approved, they'll begin work on the PPC (pre-production copy). This will be a physical sample that is very close to the final version of the game, but is made by hand and does not use the same machines as mass production. Once the PPC is approved, we will be ready to start mass production!

Estimated Timeline:

• December 2023: File submission and review
•  January 2024: Final Files approved by manufacturer.
•  February 2024: Manufacturer prints Pre-Production Copy (PPC) and ships to us for approval.
•  March 2024: PPC approved, production begins.
•  April 2024: Production continues.
•  May 2024: Production finishes, games are ready to ship, games on boats
•  June 2024: Games on boats.
•  July 2024: Games arrive at fulfillment centers. Begin shipping to backers.
•  August 2024: Canopy: Evergreen arrives!

We're feeling good about our current timeline. We've built in extra time to account for the Chinese New Year holiday and any unexpected hiccups or delays. As always, we'll keep you up-to-date on any changes that occur. We'll also share photos of the game throughout the production process. 

Thank you and we'll be back in the New Year with another update for Canopy: Evergreen!

Tim and the Weird City Crew!