About two weeks ago I had 3 Kickstarters I backed arrive in the mail, and it felt a bit like it was Christmas in the summertime :)
The first one was the Fog Monster by Real Game FX. This one had no special packaging, just came in several boxes. This project funded on August 31, 2017, almost doubling its initial goal with 778 backers. The estimated delivery for the machine was December 2017, so about six months late - not horrible in the world of Kickstarters. In addition to the fog machine I also got some LED lights with a remote where you can change the color of the lights. I also got a fan to increase the output of fog, and an adaptor for machine where I can hook up six small tubes to get fog to spread throughout the table more efficiently.
I will say, and you can see it on the comments of the project, that Real Game FX really mucked up the shipping to a level that almost ruined the whole project. It's a bit too complicated to go into here, but hopefully they will have learned a valuable lesson on free shipping for anything planned for the future.
So what do I think of this little machine? It's absolutely brilliant!! It worked straight away, though it would have been nice to have an instruction sheet in the box instead of a link to the YouTube channel. Regardless, I was both smiling ear to ear and laughing a bit at how boss it was as it was cranking out the fog! The photo above doesn't do it justice, so I think I'm going to have to reactivate my YouTube channel so you can really see the effect lol! Look for this to be used in a game in the future for sure.
About a day later my Viral Outbreak figures showed up. This project funded on October 6th 2017, going over 10k over its goal. Planned delivery was for February 2018, so only 4 months late, which is really good.
The packaging on this is top notch. What initially drew me to this KS was the fact that every figure didn't have a weapon. I like to be able to have just regular figures on the table not armed to the teeth, and these looked like they would fill that void.
But for whatever reason, as the project was in production I just wasn't "feeling" the excitement for these figures - and I even mentioned that in my Kickstarter post earlier this year that outlined everything I backed in 2017.
And now that they have arrived, unfortunately I still am not excited by the figures.
I thought they could work for The Walking Dead, but no way.
Pretty close to Warlord's Bolt Action figures in size.
And next to some Walkers. Unfortunately this box of figures is going into the sell pile.
And finally the last KS to show up was the Everlasting Wet Palette by Redgrass Games. This project was created in Paris, France and funded on October 17th - crushing their goal by 280k with almost 8,000 backers. Estimated delivery was March 2018, so again about four months past that estimate which is really on time in my eyes.
This is definitely a project I was looking forward to, as I really hope it will help improve my painting. The packing on this one is top notch as well.
This is what everyone got who backed the project, the only difference would have been the amount of extra hydration paper and hydration foam packets you ordered. The cost on everything in the above photo was $30.00 usd.
I got two packets of the foam pads.
And two packets of the hydration sheets.
Until next time, thanks for looking!
Cheers!
Ivor
Hi Ivor, I'll be interested to know how the pallette works. I use a flat box with a lid and paper kitchen towel as a moisture pad and I've been using daler Rowney paper but it wrinkles very badly. It's useable but not good, would you let us know how your paper is when wet.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing the fog shrouded streets of Victorian London.
Cheers
Hi John, I used a home made pallet some years back when I'd this silly notion that I might be able to paint well, have you tried using grease-prove paper ?
DeleteLooking forward to giving the wet palette a go 🙂 I've seen similar set ups to yours John except using wax paper (for baking cookies for example) like Frank mentioned. I'll keep you posted on how the new palette works 👍
DeleteAnd I'm sure it'll be an improvement over the bathroom tile I've been using as a palette for the last five years lol!
DeleteStrange that I still use a bathroom tile even though I bought a posh ceramic palette, I'm travelling in a campervan at the moment and the tile is easier to store and clean.
DeleteI've not tried the wax or greaseproof paper yet, it's on my to do list.
I loved the tile, used one for years. Definitely give the wax paper a go, you'll be quite happy with it 🙂
DeleteHi Ivor, I remember the fog machine from when you posted you'd backed it & how you have it I want to see it in use with Z's shuttling forth out of the mist :)
ReplyDeleteTo bad the outbreak figures don't work for you as they look cool, I hope you can move them on without taking a lost, a wet pallet is something that anyone big into painting really needs & I hope it works out for you mate.
The ideas are already flowing on how to utilize the fog machine lol! Can't wait! The only issue is that it does leave a bit of moisture about so I'll have to be conscious of the terrain I'll be using.
DeleteShould be interesting to see how the palette works out, hopefully I can give it a try this week.
If the minis are same size as the bolt action minis from Warlord Games, then maybe they will work with Warlord Games's Project Z game minis, might be worth finding out and put it into consideration when selling them :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion! I actually have some boxes of the Project Z figures unassembled so I'll be able to size them up no problem 🙂
DeleteDamn shame about the VA minis Ivor, there looks to be some interesting sculpts in there. The coloured sabot bases look pretty deep, so perhaps they factored them into the scaling??
ReplyDeleteAs for the fog machine - bring it on! Can't wait to see some moody photo's when you get that set up :-)
"Wet pallet" is definitely beyond my rough'n'ready painting talents, but sounds just the thing for an atriste like yourself!
Agreed, I was really bummed when I opened the box. Oh well, win some lose some lol!
DeleteCan't wait to see what the fog machine can do on a table, could be a really fun addition to a game 🙂
Ha! I don't know about that my friend, I'm right there next to you at the rough and ready table believe me!
I had been following the fog machine before it even went to Kickstarter, but some questions answered by the folks who were running it ended up scaring me away. The moisture issue would wreck havoc on most of my terrain, and I wasn’t confortable risking what they might do to my painted miniatures. Be curious to hear more after you’ve had a chance to put it on the table a couple of times. As a result of my trepidation for this fogger, I spent a bunch of time researching ways to use dry ice to similar effect but have not as of yet pushed ahead with that option either. Good luck! Hope my misgivings end up being groundless...
ReplyDeleteAgree 100% Joe, as I mentioned to Frank in my reply to him I'll definitely have to be conscious of the terrain on the table. I don't think there should be any kind of issue with the figures, but we'll see. All my 4ground buildings being MDF could prove a problem. I also wonder what kind of issues may occur if using say a Cigar Box Battlemat - will the fleece material absorb the moisture? I can't imagine having or needing the fog monster on for any extended period of time, but we'll see. Definitely lots of questions to answer in the future 🙂
DeleteHi Ivor,
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I should comment here but thought I would give it a try. I have just launched a Kickstarter that I thought you might be interested in. It's Pirates :)
It is Pirates of Treasure Island and the link is
www.kickstarter.com/projects/656177818/pirates-of-treasure-island
Would you like me to send you a couple samples?
Cheers
John
Hey John! Absolutely! I'd love to see them 🙂
DeleteYou can email me at ivorevans13@yahoo.com
Oooooo ... it is summer xmas! Sucks about those outbreak figures ... they are tiny! Fog machine is sweet! I have some Kickstarters coming up here soon ... in theory. After all this time you'd think people would understand it will likely take them double the amount of time and shipping will cost more (or at least have a cost!).
ReplyDeleteWe do love a summer X-mas! Yeah, that new B&P should be showing up very soon I'd imagine :)
DeleteYou can't advertise "free shipping" and then try to say the only way you're getting your package is to pay an expedited shipping fee - I simplified the problem but essentially that was it. It was a huge debacle though.
I'm enjoying the wet palette although I have to watch the water during our first heatwave since 1976. According to the news we won't wait forty odd years for another one, yeah right :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Glad you're enjoying the palette 🙂 Set mine up last night, we'll see how it looks today, as we're in a bit of a heatwave ourselves.
DeleteWoo a fog machine. That could make for some cool walking dead pics! Shame about the outbreak stuff not fitting the walking dead scale wise they are some really nice minis!
ReplyDeleteYeah, pretty chuffed with the fog machine! Really looking forward to seeing what I can do with it. Definitely disappointed with the Outbreak scale, oh well, hopefully they can move on to a good home.
Delete