Lessons learned at the Indie Games Fair

Feast of Ink, MECH WEEK, Indie Fair post-mortem, MÖRKTOBER, Undaunted: Callisto

Welcome to Exeunt Omnes, the official newsletter for loyal fans and sworn enemies of Exeunt Press, creator of games such as Exclusion Zone Botanist and Eleventh Beast. You can find digital games at games.exeunt.press and physical products at shop.exeunt.press.

TL;DR Summary

• 💀 Feast of Ink & Crown of Salt

• 🤖 MECH WEEK

• 🎪 Lessons learned at the Indie Games Fair

• 🎃 MÖRKTOBER + DOOM QUEST

• 🎲 Recently played: Undaunted 2200: Callisto

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💀 Feast of Ink & Crown of Salt

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be a “stretch goal” for Tania Herrero’s Crown of Salt crowdfunding campaign:

A compatible with Mörk Borg scenario, with 120 pages loaded with full color illustrations, each of them will take you closer and closer to madness and weirdness. An exploration of the unknown, a strange and otherworldly journey where the player characters chase after a legend buried under Grift's salt plains.

Beautifully illustrated by Tania and written by me, Feast of Ink is a one-shot scenario that expands Crown of Salt with more goblin shark goblins, one of which is convinced that eating books is the way to gain their power. It also has a rather large (and lost) golem made out of books.

I had so much fun putting this one together, and I can’t wait for people to check it out!

If you missed the Kickstarter campaign, don’t worry. You can still use the pledge manager to pre-order both digital or print copies.

PRE-ORDER: Crown of Salt by Tania Herrero

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🤖 MECH WEEK

Skeleton Code Machine MECH WEEK is coming!

I’m preparing for a week of articles about mech (mecha) board game and TTRPG mechanisms, and could use your help.

Take this four-question MECH WEEK survey in the next few days to help me decide which games I should check out. I’m looking for games that do things (mechanically or thematically) in interesting, novel, and unique ways.

You can also weigh in on important questions like, “Is a Star Wars AT-AT a mech?”

VOTE: MECH WEEK survey at Skeleton Code Machine

Skeleton Code Machine is an ENNIE-nominated weekly publication that explores tabletop game mechanisms. It’s been called a “Seemingly endless source of gaming ponderings” and a “Goldmine.” Check it out at www.skeletoncodemachine.com.

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🎪 Lessons learned at the Indie Games Fair

The revised EP table setup.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to visit the Exeunt Press table at the Indie & Local Tabletop Games Fair in Takoma Park at the end of September!

After each in-person event like this, I like to think about lessons learned — what went well and what didn’t go as planned (see also MEPACON and SAF notes). My hope is that other creators who are new to running a table or booth can learn from my successes and failures.

Not shown: Sweat pouring off me in the heat.

The Indie Games Fair was my third event, but the first one outside and under a tent. It was also the first time with a six-foot table instead of an eight-foot table (and with limited vertical space).

Here are some post-mortem notes:

• Table covers are worth it: Although I did have to order a new table cover due to the change in table size, I’m happy I did. The fitted cover stretches right over the table and immediately looks good. The round logo looked great in black and white print on the font and sides.

• Simplify the table: I have more products to choose from with each event, but last time I said I need to declutter the table. This meant I didn’t bring some items (e.g. MÖRK BORG adventures or Dead Horse copies), but it was the right choice. The table was clean and easy to explain. I’ll probably have a similar setup at the upcoming Save Against Fear convention.

• Stamped bags: This is an improvement from the last event as well. Customers were requesting bags at MEPACON, and with a chance of rain at the Indie Games Fair I thought having some protection for the zines would be a good idea. Used the rubber stamp on some simple brown paper bags and they looked good. Would do this again.

• Less cash, more cards: About 17% of transactions were cash at the fair, as compared to 18% at SAF and 37% at MEPACON. Cash represented 9.5% of the total revenue from the event. At a small convention like this, I remain convinced it is worthwhile to accept cash. Also, I was glad I ran all cash transactions through the “cash box” feature of the Square POS Terminal. Made it easy to keep track of everything.

• Prepare for wind and rain: I picked up some sandbags ahead of the event and used them to weigh-down one of the vertical banners. Had garbage bags ready in case it rained, and all product was safely stored in BCW comic book bins. Luckily it didn’t rain, but I think I was prepared for it.

• Mark the demo copies: This one was a miss on my part. I had mentioned before that I need to clearly mark demo copies so people (1) know they can pick them up and (2) don’t take the demo copies when they buy one. Signs aren’t enough. Next time I’ll have them clearly marked with stickers.

• Combos and bundles: Due to space constraints, I didn’t offer any deluxe boxes. There was, however, a Solo Bundle where if you bought all five EP solo games you’d get one of them for free (automated in Square). Would do it again.

• Broad range of games: I think I’ve (unintentionally) ended up with a broad selection of solo games that appeal to a wide range of people. You are a Muffin is a cozy low-agency journaling game and Eleventh Beast almost plays like a board game. Some are a little silly, while Tollund is quite dark. Made it easy to ask potential players what they prefer and then guide them to the right game.

Special thanks to Gene (Sticky Doodler) for organizing the event and to People’s Book for hosting it. They did a fantastic job handling the crowds with over 200+ people RSVP’d for the event.

I left feeling energized and excited to create new things, and can’t wait to do this again next year!

SHOP: Get your own copies at the Exeunt Press Shop!

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🎃 MÖRKTOBER + DOOM QUEST

SKUGGTRÄSK

The response to MÖRKTOBER 2024 has been amazing! There are so many MÖRK BORG (and CY_BORG) creations each day, it’s hard to keep up with them! Thank you to everyone who has joined in!

I’m expanding the Skuggträsk city setting that I started last year. They are all text so far, although I have posted a few on Instagram and Discord to share with others. Between last year and this year, I’ll have 62 locations, NPCs, items, and other bits of lore for this city of soot and flame. The goal is to put it all together into a hefty zine sometime after October.

DOOM QUEST continues with a new clue this week! Congrats to the 27 people who successfully solved the last puzzle and found the first Word of Doom. If you’d like to give it a try and have a chance to win prizes, start with An Offering of Sweet Honey.

CREATE: MÖRKTOBER is hosted by Exeunt Press

MÖRKTOBER and DOOM QUEST are independent productions by Exeunt Press and are not affiliated with Ockult Örtmästare Games or Stockholm Kartell. They are published under the MÖRK BORG Third Party License. MÖRK BORG is copyright Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell.

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🎲 Recently played: Undaunted 2200: Callisto

I love the Undaunted system created by David Thompson and Trevor Benjamin. It skillfully combines modern deckbuilding mechanisms with classic wargaming to create something new and incredibly fun. My first exposure to it was Undaunted: Normandy (2019), a game I thoroughly enjoyed… but wasn’t thrilled with the WW2 theme.

Undaunted 2200: Callisto (2024) changes the theme to sci-fi moon miners vs. private corpo security forces… with mechs! The changes vs. Undaunted: Normandy are all for the better such as elevation advantages, pre-made maps vs. tiles, and a slick way to handle line-of-sight (LOS).

Played two scenarios and can’t wait to try the solo mode.

PLAY: Undaunted 2200: Callisto published by Osprey Games

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- E.P. 💀