I hope everyone out there is okay during this tough period. I hope you've found the silver linings in your life to pull you through. For me, it has been particularly poignant and tough as I do work on the front lines in health care. And yes, this thing is the real deal, if you don't already know. I've lost a couple patients both directly through Covid-19 or indirectly. That being said, my silver linings are spending more time with my wife and spending more time moving Koalatie Games forward.
Upstaged Update
It's been about 6 months since Upstaged landed on U.S. shores. By now almost all of you have the game in your hands. If you don't, message me and let's get it to you. It would make me happy to make YOU happy by using Upstaged as a vehicle to spend great quality time with your family!
Speaking of family, many of you have younger kids at home who may be able to handle a "junior" version of Upstaged. Help us develop it by becoming a playtester! Currently, we are developing the Junior mode and a Cooperative mode. You can sign up to be a playtester through the (new and improved but still in the works) website or just email us at [email protected]. Also, we can even test via Internet as Upstaged is now available on Tabletopia and soon-to-be on Tabletop Simulator! It's not the real thing, but hey, it's close and we get to play games with each other while keeping a super-safe distance.
Also, the game is now available on our website through Shopify and on Amazon. We were planning on doing a lot of conventions and local shows to sell and distribute the product, but yeah….
Due to these rough times, we also decided it's necessary to offer the product on sale at 25% off retail. That way, we can continue to get product to the masses, and (hopefully) earn enough money to continue development of our upcoming game, Icon.
So Icon...How's That Going To Move Forward With All This Going On?
Glad you asked! We are now playtesting Icon on an online platform, Tabletop Simulator. If you have access and would like to help out, sign up to playtest on the Koalatie Games website! Things are moving along, and we hope to hit the next stages of development by summer. We can definitely hit those goals if YOU help us!
Online Play...Let Me Teach You...This is the Way
Overall, times are tough, but as you can see we are still trying to build a great gaming community that is especially welcoming to those who are new to the hobby. Please consider playtesting online, and if you know others that would be interested, they are more than welcome to help!
As for you, the backers that have been with us since the beginning, I would like to offer this. If you haven't learned how to play Upstaged yet, let me personally teach you through Tabletopia and video chat! It's free! It's fun! It's interactive! And I want you to be able to then take that experience and play with your loved ones at home, or even other loved ones over the Internet! If you have learned to play and just want to beat me at my own game, I'd like to see you try! Email me at [email protected] if you are interested in doing a personal online session of Upstaged and let's have some fun!
Anyways, while I'll say the new popular goodbyes of 2020, "stay safe" and "hang in there," I also want to say stay positive and keep looking for your silver linings.
Mike
Update #14 - More Events!
over 4 years ago
– Thu, Jan 16, 2020 at 10:05:59 PM
Koalatie Games is swinging into gear for the New Year (new decade) by going to events! Not only are we selling Upstaged at some events, but we will also be testing out our upcoming game, Icon.
If you chose the Local Pickup option for Upstaged, below are a list of events we will be at. Please note that not every event is an official Koalatie event, rather, some are just events that we will be attending. Also, please note that some of them have cover charges and/or you must pre-register. If you plan to be at any of these events, please email Mike directly at [email protected] so he knows you’re coming.
If these dates or places will not work for you, don’t worry. We will work something out with you. Also, if you haven’t received your copy of Upstaged and are not planning to attend any of the events below, email Mike.
For those keeping count, I officially made this Update #14 so the numbers don’t look off on the Kickstarter Updates. Update #13 was just a correction :)
Mike
Setting Up the Game and Gameplay
In case you need help, here are the instructions on how to set up the game board.
Bend the flaps of the 4 runways. Place them against the sides of the bottom half of the two-piece game box.
Close the top half of the game box over the bottom half, making sure the flaps of the runways sit in between the two halves of the box.
Your assembled stage should like this and easily rotate on your table without the runways coming loose.
The easiest way is to: 1) put the game box together, 2) turn it upside down, 3) insert the runways into the slits created by the top and bottom of the box combined, 4) then turn over the whole stage again and set it on the table. I posted this method on Update #8 on the unboxing video. But here’s the link again. Start at the 3:08 mark to see how I do it.
And just so you have it for easy reference, here’s the How to Play video once again. Please note that the setup for the game is now a little bit different in that you place 4 singers on the stage right at the beginning, each facing a different direction.
Update #12 - Local Pickup for Upstaged! - CORRECTION
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Dec 10, 2019 at 08:03:19 PM
The wrong date was listed for the Local Pickup event at Koalatie Headquarters. The correct date is Sunday, 1/5/20. The Google Forms survey has been updated to reflect this change as well. Thanks!
Update #12 - Local Pickup for Upstaged!
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Dec 10, 2019 at 07:59:27 PM
If you chose the Local Pickup option for Upstaged, below are the dates and places for pickup. Please fill out the THIS FORM so we can keep track of who to expect at each event. If these dates or placed will not work for you, don’t worry. We will work something out with you. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
EVENTS (listed in chronological order)
The Dragon and Meeple (via The Parlor: Los Angeles Board Game Night)
12/13/19 (Friday), 7-11pm
$7.50 cover charge
3742 Flower St., Los Angeles, CA 90007
Comic Hero University
12/19/19 (Thursday), 6pm - close, no cover charge
12/20/19 (Friday), 6pm - close, no cover charge
12/21/19 (Saturday), 1pm - 4pm, no cover charge
1001 S. Lemon St., Fullerton, CA 92832 (next to the AMC Fullerton Theaters)
Koalatie Headquarters Pickup Party
1/4/20 (Sunday), 12pm - 8pm, no cover charge
17518 Thornlake Ave., Artesia, CA 90701
GameCraft Brewing
1/23/20 (Thursday), 6pm to 10pm
23301 Avenida De La Carlota SUITE C, Laguna Hills, CA 92653
*Stay tuned for more events to come!
Fill out THIS FORM (same as above) so we can track who’s coming to pick up the game :)
SETTING UP THE GAME AND GAMEPLAY
In case you need help, here are the instructions on how to set up the game board.
Bend the flaps of the 4 runways. Place them against the sides of the bottom half of the two-piece game box.
Close the top half of the game box over the bottom half, making sure the flaps of the runways sit in between the two halves of the box.
Your assembled stage should like this and easily rotate on your table without the runways coming loose.
The easiest way is to: 1) put the game box together, 2) turn it upside down, 3) insert the runways into the slits created by the top and bottom of the box combined, 4) then turn over the whole stage again and set it on the table. I posted this method on Update #8 on the unboxing video. But here’s the link again. Start at the 3:08 mark to see how I do it.
And just so you have it for easy reference, here’s the How to Play video once again. Please note that the setup for the game is now a little bit different in that you place 4 singers on the stage right at the beginning, each facing a different direction.
All righty. That’s it for now. Hope to see you at the Local Pickup events!
Mike
Update #11 - Upstaged is Being Shipped!
over 4 years ago
– Sat, Nov 30, 2019 at 01:08:05 AM
Upstaged is now being shipped by our fulfillment company, Quartermaster Logistics, just in time for the holidays! I know we said May 2020 during the Kickstarter, but hey, things went way smoother than planned :)
If you are having your game shipped to you, please check your email for your tracking number to see when it will arrive.
Local Pickup!
If you have chosen the Local Pickup option, we are finalizing dates and places for pickup. We will send another Kickstarter update next week with further details and dates. If the dates that we announce will not work out for you, don’t worry. We will work something out with you. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
How to Play Video
Since the game will be in your hands soon, here’s a How to Play video, in case you want to learn by watching. Please note that the setup for the game is now a little bit different in that you place 4 singers on the stage right at the beginning, each facing a different direction. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get the updated video up and running shortly.
Assembling the Stage
While the How To Play video, the instruction booklet, AND the runway components of the game all describe how to assemble the stage, we thought we’d post a quick picture tutorial here, just in case.
Bend the flaps of the 4 runways. Place them against the sides of the bottom half of the two-piece game box.
Close the top half of the game box over the bottom half, making sure the flaps of the runways sit in between the two halves of the box.
Your assembled stage should like this and easily rotate on your table without the runways coming loose.
To be honest, the easiest way is to: 1) put the game box together, 2) turn it upside down, 3) insert the runways into the slits created by the top and bottom of the box combined, 4) then turn over the whole stage again and set it on the table. I posted this method on Update #8 on the unboxing video. But here’s the link again. Start at the 3:08 mark to see how I do it.
PAX Unplugged!
This Dec. 6-8 we will be attending PAX Unplugged, a huge gaming convention in Philadelphia. We will be playtesting and demo-ing our upcoming game, Icon. Also, we are hoping to have copies of Upstaged in-hand. Come say hi either at the Unpub room or the open gaming area, check out Icon, and check out Upstaged as well!
