Preparations

I'm hoping to receive the It's Alive! print run in a few days time. In that spirit I've spent much of today preparing for its arrival. I've contacted most of the shops and distributors who have placed orders with me to confirm quantities and warn them it's nearly ready. I've also developed a new version of my website (which I'll not post for a few days) which takes out all mention of the It's Alive! pre-order and adds a 'Stockists' page listing everyone I know who will be stocking the game.

Meanwhile, Carpe Astra is coming on, I've a final quote from the manufacturer in Germany, which means I can start laying things out (now that I know the exact combination of pieces on the boards, etc.). I've also started getting final art back from the artist, and it's looking mint :-)

Because of the delays getting It's Alive! ready (I was originally hoping to have it in stock in July!), I'm suffering a bit of a cashflow crisis. Pretty much all my money will go on the It's Alive! manufacturing costs, so I've no money left to do Carpe Astra. It's going to be a month or two before I start getting that back too. I have to pay for It's Alive! up front, but I'm invoicing my customers, and they'll have a month to pay. I want to get Carpe Astra out soon though, so tomorrow I'm off to see about a bank loan. I'm hoping they'll lend me enough money to tide me over until I start recouping the It's Alive! costs, that way I can get on with Carpe Astra. Once I've two products out I can afford to slow down a little, with my third game targeted for next Spring.