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Program FAQs - Pledge Program PDF Here - Pledge Games - Status

Dispatch 16 Pledge
Pledge Program Overview

The Decision Games Pledge Program is an advance order system in which gamers may "pledge" their support for future games, thereby directing our efforts to the games customers have the most interest in seeing published. Pledges are a commitment to purchase a game when published, and payment information is required in order to make pledges; however, payment will not be collected until a game starts collating in our warehouse.

As pledge support builds, we'll add more detailed descriptions, sample artwork, and rules drafts to the web site. Pledge orders will receive up to a 25% discount from the final retail price. We will provide estimated pricing based on the latest information we have about the game components and print pricing; however, the final price is subject to change (largely due to the variable cost of paper).

When a project is ready to go to our printers, we send out an e-mail or letter indicating a project is close to completion. This is to confirm payment methods and credit numbers and expiration dates in case customers need to make a last-minute switch. It is critical to the pledge program that customers respond immediately to this notification (our "final boarding" call). Credit cards are not charged and checks not deposited until a project is in our warehouse being collated and prepared for shipping

The Decision Games Pledge Program has published many games. For your convenience, we are listing the projects already in the works for the next year in the first section of the pledge list. Beyond the next year, there is no specific timeframe for publication as each game varies significantly in size and complexity, and the availability of outside part-time developers to work on some titles means a longer timeframe. We generally expect to publish two to four games each year with the priority given to the highest ranking games. We may publish a game from farther down the rankings when we need a good fit to optimize component gang-printing.

The pledge games are divided into the same eras we use for Strategy & Tactics and World at War games. Many of the proposed games have longer descriptions or a complete web page with sample artwork. Games that earn sufficient support work their way up the rankings until they are in the top 10 and begin the process of design, development, artwork and printing. Game proposals that are not making sufficient progress are dropped to make way for new game proposals.

To pledge your support, select the game proposals you wish to pledge by either using the form in the current Dispatch, or use the on-line form in the pledge area of our web site. You can check your list at anytime by going to the Decision Games web site, click on "Pledges," then click on "Pledge Status" (lower left side of any Pledge area page) and send your request, or a paper copy can be requested through Customer Service. Questions about the Pledge Program and the games are handled by Doc at ccummins@bak.rr.com .

Pledge Program Update
(26 Sep 08)

There are big changes afoot in the Decision Games Pledge Program, so read closely for the latest information!

The following pledge games were published earlier this year: Highway to the Reich, China: The Middle Kingdom, Flying Circus: Down in Flames WWI, and the WITP Extension Kit. We also published Lightning Poland. More information about these games is available in the current Dispatch or on the DG web site.

We expect to publish War in Europe Windows Edition later this year. Pledging is closed, but the game can still be pre-ordered.

We have moved all of the games (and books!) that will be published in 2009 to the first section of the pledge list to make it easy to find and take this last opportunity to pledge for these games. Pledging for these games will end as soon as they head into printing (which is currently projected to start on 05 Jan 09, so don't wait too long!). Our 2009 line-up includes five solitaire games, two books, a book/game combo, a mini-monster, and two expansion kits.

We're also expecting the foursome from Excalibre Games (The Conquerors, Mighty Fortress, Ancient Conquest, and Battle for Stalingrad) to make it out in the fall. After the 2009 games is the regular list of pledge games. There are special sections at the end for books, SF games, S&T Special Editions, and computer games.

First, let's look at Lost Battles. This is a special project we've worked out with the author of Lost Battles, Phillip Sabin. We'll produce game components for the game described in his book and then package the components together with a copy of the next printing of his book. There is a catch to this project: we must have 500 pledges for it by 31 Dec 08 in order for it to go ahead for publication in 2009. This is an opportunity for customers to see a very fast turnaround on a pledge project; so if you are interested, please pledge for this game project immediately (and if this project comes together as planned, we'll see what other projects could be fast tracked as well).

Second, let's look at the books. We will be publishing Quest for Annihilation (Chris Perello) and Crowns in the Gutter (Ted Racier) in 2009. Looking ahead to 2010, we expect to publish the Custer book and the WWII book. We have four different authors, all of whom have written for Strategy & Tactics and/or Command in the past. The books will include many maps and illustrations in our S&T style.

Then we have Struggle for the Galactic Empire, a great solitaire fiction game. Depending on its success and your pledges, we'll continue with Free Mars and the StarForce Trilogy. Miranda is the designer for SGE and the update developer for BattleFleet Mars and Star Force. Essentially you are getting some of Miranda's most creative game design ideas unfettered by historical constraints.

Next are the S&T Special Editions. These are double-sized games like we did in S&T before World at War started publication. These games will go into production for S&T when they get to about 500 pledges. Six of the eight have passed 100 pledges and two of the proposals have over 200 pledges at this time.

Finally, we have a new category for computer games. We ran the idea of doing a computer game with S&T in feedback three years ago and got great response, but couldn't put the team together to move the project forward. We went on to propose the idea of World at War magazine two years ago which also got great response. Now that World at War has launched successfully, we have the teams to do conversions of our board games and eventually design new computer games. We need your support to determine what we'll be working on. Once we've got the design, development and production pipeline in place, and sufficient pledges have accumulated, we'll initiate a new subscription program for S&T with computer games. This subscription will be unique in that it will be a flexi-sub situation where subscribers will buy a set of subscription units at a discount and then be able to choose which games they want to receive from the pool of games available. We'll feature a new game every issue, but subscribers will be able to choose the game they want from any available. If this sounds like something you'll want, please indicate "yes" to the last pledge item (#100), and feel free to provide a list of the DG/S&T/SPI titles you'd like to see in the future.

Click HERE to view info on all games that we currently have in our pledge system.

Click the Pledge Status button to the left to check your pledge list. Pledge orders and status checks are processed on weekends, so depending on the timing of your request, it may be several days before you receive an email with your list.

P.O. Box 21598, Bakersfield, CA 93390-1598
661 587-9633
661 587-5031 FAX
e-mail: dgservice@earthlink.net

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