The Plan
Posted: July 6th, 2010 | Author: Jason Scott | Filed under: production | 21 Comments »This is the last update before the ISOs go to the duplicator. There’s just no time.
What’s going on now is a final flurry of transcription, edits, renders, fact-checking, and laying down of menus, slides, data, and what have you into the two ISOs that will be sent to the dupers and turned into the DVDs.
The packaging is sitting in a warehouse, awaiting the DVDs. The final shrink-wrapped pages will then be sent in massive sets of boxes. The last time I had this happen, it looked like this.
Ideally, Ideally, I can be selling these things at the upcoming DEFCON conference, where there’s a showing. It’s looking like I’ll be at the Classic Gaming Expo, which is the same weekend in the same city. I will not have copies for physical sale at HOPE or Readercon, where I am having showings this month as well.
The thing is, I absolutely refuse, by honor, to not sell a single physical copy until all pre-ordered copies are shipped. Same with the coin numbers, which will go out as the same numbers as received orders. If I can’t pull that off, no sales until it is pulled off.
Things are snapping together fast. Almost done. Talk soon.
Hey Scott, I hope you’re back to sanity again – last update looked a lot like a case of severe cabin fever to me
Anyway, I hope your coins are already numbered in the packages you recieved or you will have to go mental again going through all those preorders.
Anyways, I really appreciate your dedication towards your customers and that is after all the key for success. Even if we’re going to stream movies to our computers in future or might never leave home because Amazon does not only deliver food but they will also carry away the trash from you – there will always be a space for the guys like you who care and go the extra mile. Don’t loose it and keep on rockin’.
-Daniel
I’m looking forward to seeing the film at DEFCON, will you also have copies of your BBS documentary as I’d really like to pick up a cased copy?
Sounds like a good plan! I can’t wait. I will do my best to help promote it.
Excellent.
Also, that pic is a clever way to tell us how you’ll be celebrating, once you’re finished.
Spending it with Roberta Williams, perhaps.
Jason, you may be proud of yourself. This is a great moment. Congratulations from Delft (where hundreds of very loud people are celebrating… No, not the completion of GET LAMP, but the Dutch defeating Uruguay in the World Cup).
Yup. My first IF game was written in BASIC too. And man, it wasn’t very good.
But when I adapted it to Inform 6 in 2008 it took fifth in a field of 35 in the IF Comp.
You are right to ship your pre-orders first. Still, if you had to sell some at a con to keep going, I’d remain patient.
Can’t wait!
Sean.
Can’t hardly wait until this clears customs and gets across the border into my hot little hands. I have nothing but confidence in the fact that this will be as good as (if not better than) the BBS documentary. Congrats on another job well done my friend. Absolutely cannot wait for the finished product.
Totally exciting, can’t wait. Curse me living so far away !
You certainly are a man of principle, putting them before profit. Totally respect that.
I wish you the best success with this project, and look forward to seeing it. There’ll be a day off work to enjoy it…!
By the way … I am only speaking for myself, but as someone who pre-ordered two copies, it wouldn’t bother me if you began selling copies before I physically received mine. Again this is only my opinion, but I pre-paid because (A) buying a copy (or two) was a given, so it didn’t really matter to me when I paid, and (B) it seemed to me like the money could be better used at that time (during the creation/duplication process). I didn’t pay so I could get mine “first”. As long as my copy was in the mail on the way, or at the very least set aside, I wouldn’t have any problem with copies being sold before mine arrives. In fact, it seems like you would be losing out on a huge sales opportunity, so I almost feel guilty and selfish that you won’t be selling there! I don’t know if an anonymous poll or something would be of use, but I guess what I’m saying is, don’t miss out on hundreds or thousands of sales on my account. I can wait!
You are in a relative minority, Rob. I know I’d be a bit cranked.
Hey Jason,
I have to say I agree with Flack. I preordered the DVD last year to get a copy when it’s done. Much as I want my copy, I have no problem with you selling copies when you’re at an expo before I receive mine. It’s not like you not selling copies at these events will make mine arrive any sooner. To be honest, I’d actually think that having an upcoming show that you planned on selling the DVD at would give you that extra push to final the disks a little sooner.
Now I would be a little peeved if this would mean I’d get a higher numbered coin, but haven’t you allocated numbers for all the preorders already?
I’d assume the people here who preordered are pretty hardcore fans; we’re certainly a patient lot!
But I doubt there’s anyone here that has a problem with you making a few more sales. If you’re in any doubt, why not just poll us?
I agree with Flack as well – sell the DVDs wherever and whenever you can. I’ve waited this long, I can wait a little longer.
A delay of a couple days wouldn’t bother me, but the numbered-ness of the coin would. I figure missing DEFCON would cost you quite a bit in sales, so as long as the pre-orders are set aside so people that should get the lower-numbered coins do, waiting a week or so on top of waiting since December isn’t really going to change much. Go recoup some costs.
The numbering is set in stone, there will be absolutely no way to buy a DVD at the end of this month that is numbered lower than 1000.
Gotta love the Applesoft basic! What game is that in the program listing?
That’s Super Stud Adventure, the predecessor/first version of Softporn Adventure, which eventually became Leisure Suit Larry.
Oh god – I’m suddenly massively excited!!
I keep forgetting about Get Lamp for weeks on end with the happy knowledge at the back of my mind that one day it will just appear on my doorstep to surprise me. but I remembered it this morning and swung by to check that it hasn’t all ended in tears and tatters.
To coin a very British phrase: “Get In, Jason!”
Just read back through the comments (was at work yesterday, so didn’t have time), and wanted to lend my voice to the ‘don’t give up an opportunity to make sales and get paid the maximum for all the effort you’ve put in to Get Lamp’ camp! I’ve been waitings years – not patiently as patience never entered in to it, but in hope and deep admiration. Another month or two (or 6!) is really not going to make any difference to me.
Some of the people who did preorder will probably be at DEFCON. I for sure will be.
Although it might be a small nightmare to coordinate, it may be worth trying to hand them their copies at the screening. Besides saving postage, those based outside the US will probably get their copy faster — and maybe even a signed one?
.
Worst thing would be if you ship it, I go to Defcon, it arrives at my home while I am gone, will be held at the post office for 7 days (that’s the rule over here), and then will be sent back just before I can collect it… Even thinking about this makes me shiver….
In any case: Congratulations. Almost done. It will probably turn out fantastic. Thanks.
As much as I picked on you in the MUD, I to have no problem waiting a little longer (as long as I get it before December, 2012 (before the end of the world) I’ll be happy.