Sean Merwin

And so this prompted everyone to say, or not everyone, a lot of people to say, Ennies, we're done with you. If you're using AI or allowing AI stuff to get awards, we don't want to win an Ennie. And so the Ennies said, that's the past tense, said that they were working on a response and they locked the page on their site.

And so this prompted everyone to say, or not everyone, a lot of people to say, Ennies, we're done with you. If you're using AI or allowing AI stuff to get awards, we don't want to win an Ennie. And so the Ennies said, that's the past tense, said that they were working on a response and they locked the page on their site.

And they said they won't be able to make any changes this year, but they're listening and considering. And just moments before we started the show, literally as we started the show, there was an update. Teos, fill us in.

And they said they won't be able to make any changes this year, but they're listening and considering. And just moments before we started the show, literally as we started the show, there was an update. Teos, fill us in.

I think it was probably inevitable, and we're getting to that point where I don't want to say war, because that's a very strong, loaded term, but it's pick-aside time, right?

I think it was probably inevitable, and we're getting to that point where I don't want to say war, because that's a very strong, loaded term, but it's pick-aside time, right?

We've seen all of this, Web3, NFTs, all the hype. And it captures people who would otherwise not fall for it because of the technology, because of the details, because of the granularity of it. You see the trees and love the trees, but you don't see the forest for it. And anyone can be subjected to that. Sure.

We've seen all of this, Web3, NFTs, all the hype. And it captures people who would otherwise not fall for it because of the technology, because of the details, because of the granularity of it. You see the trees and love the trees, but you don't see the forest for it. And anyone can be subjected to that. Sure.

sort of thing, if it touches the right part of your brain that focuses in without seeing the bigger picture. So kudos to the Annie Awards, and we'll continue to keep an eye on AI on how things go. We get word from Cobalt Press about the state of pay. Kobold Press and how they use Kickstarter in their business. What did Wolfgang have to say about Kickstarter and Kobold Press, Deus?

sort of thing, if it touches the right part of your brain that focuses in without seeing the bigger picture. So kudos to the Annie Awards, and we'll continue to keep an eye on AI on how things go. We get word from Cobalt Press about the state of pay. Kobold Press and how they use Kickstarter in their business. What did Wolfgang have to say about Kickstarter and Kobold Press, Deus?

No, I can take a little bit of this. So Wolfgang shares an example of this project math and how the funds aren't necessarily what they look like to an average person taking a look at the Kickstarter. So he provides this fictional example of a project that funds for $100,000 from 2000 backers.

No, I can take a little bit of this. So Wolfgang shares an example of this project math and how the funds aren't necessarily what they look like to an average person taking a look at the Kickstarter. So he provides this fictional example of a project that funds for $100,000 from 2000 backers.

each backer paying $25 for a hardcover plus a PDF book or $100 for a deluxe hardcover and PDF or a hardcover and a virtual tabletop implementation. So first the money goes to the platform, the creatives, marketing, manufacturing, shipping, staff, business expenses, and taxes. He breaks it down this way. Kickstarter takes 9% to 10% of the total right off the top. So already $100,000 is $90,000.

each backer paying $25 for a hardcover plus a PDF book or $100 for a deluxe hardcover and PDF or a hardcover and a virtual tabletop implementation. So first the money goes to the platform, the creatives, marketing, manufacturing, shipping, staff, business expenses, and taxes. He breaks it down this way. Kickstarter takes 9% to 10% of the total right off the top. So already $100,000 is $90,000.

Creating a Kickstarter first means that you've created a game design manuscript to know what you're going to be putting out. You have to show everybody. So this could take like $20,000 or more or 20% of this project, leaving around $70,000 now. Editing needs to be done. Art, layout requires about $10,000 in costs for Cobalt Press or 10% of the budget. So now $60,000 is left.

Creating a Kickstarter first means that you've created a game design manuscript to know what you're going to be putting out. You have to show everybody. So this could take like $20,000 or more or 20% of this project, leaving around $70,000 now. Editing needs to be done. Art, layout requires about $10,000 in costs for Cobalt Press or 10% of the budget. So now $60,000 is left.

And I can tell you right now, if you're creating new art for all of this, it isn't 10%. It may be 30%. It may be 40%. Cobalt Press has a backlog of art that helps them be able to fill their books with art without having to always get new art. So keep that in mind for other Kickstarters. Then we have printing and software costs, getting the PDF ready, getting the virtual tabletop stuff ready.

And I can tell you right now, if you're creating new art for all of this, it isn't 10%. It may be 30%. It may be 40%. Cobalt Press has a backlog of art that helps them be able to fill their books with art without having to always get new art. So keep that in mind for other Kickstarters. Then we have printing and software costs, getting the PDF ready, getting the virtual tabletop stuff ready.

So that costs 25 to 30,000 or 30% of the budget. Now you have 30,000 of that $100,000 left. But you have products. You have a book. You have PDF. You have VTT. Now we get into shipping. Shipping to the US and Canada for 1,300 hardcovers costs about $17,000 and may cost a lot more if these tariffs that we're hearing about kick in. or they may not, we don't know.

So that costs 25 to 30,000 or 30% of the budget. Now you have 30,000 of that $100,000 left. But you have products. You have a book. You have PDF. You have VTT. Now we get into shipping. Shipping to the US and Canada for 1,300 hardcovers costs about $17,000 and may cost a lot more if these tariffs that we're hearing about kick in. or they may not, we don't know.