Alice is Missing: Silent Falls

1st Wave of International is Finally Shipping Out and the Core Games are In!
over 1 year ago – Mon, Oct 14, 2024 at 08:30:20 PM

Its the news we have all been waiting for!

I got confirmation this morning that that first wave of just the expansions for international customers has finally been shipped out are are on their way to you! You will be receiving tracking information from Easyship once your package it scanned by the post office, which should be in the next few days.

ALSO! The Core games have finally arrived at Whalebacker! They will begin packing and shipping domestic orders this week! This package will also include the Search cards, Candle, and Pins if you added those onto your pledge. International orders will begin being packed and sent to our international distribution center at Easyship end of this week beginning of next week. As soon as I get confirmation they are on the way to that center I will update everyone here.

If you are waiting on Tokens, Backpack, and Playmat, we have gotten confirmation they are on their way to our fulfillment warehouse and are estimated any day now. I will update here as soon as they arrive.

 Additionally, The Keepsake experiences are currently being quality checked and packaged up! We hope to get them shipped out directly from our workshop the beginning of next month.

Thanks, as always, for the support and patience!

International Fulfillment Update and Add-On and Extras Delivery. (And a special secret at the top of the update!)
over 1 year ago – Mon, Sep 30, 2024 at 11:02:52 PM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

Where we are as of now.
over 1 year ago – Tue, Sep 24, 2024 at 11:06:34 AM

Hello, again! We’re back with further updates as we work hard to complete fulfillment of the Alice is Missing Silent Falls campaign.

To those of you that are waiting on rewards, thank you— again— for your patience. We truly appreciate it. We know the delays that we’ve been working through have been frustrating for you, trust us we are just as frustrated. This is not typical of our campaigns. Typically our games get to backers before the game releases to the public, but because of multiple issues we were sideswiped by various issues outside of our control and we were unable to provide all of you the games for this campaign before they became available for retail purchase in most zones. 

We have already made changes internally to insure that things like this won't happen in the future and are currently looking into new fulfillment centers for the future use and building safe guards with our manufacturer and distribution houses.

We also know that this update has been highly anticipated. It has taken us a while because we wanted to make sure we had all of the correct, most up to date information to report. We are dedicated to handling this and will continue to update more than our typical monthly cadence to help keep you as informed as we move forward. Unfortunately getting some of the information that we are reporting took more time than we would have liked but we now have it. 

So there we go:

 

The Expansion and Core games Fulfillment.

US domestic orders

Though our fulfillment center informed us that all US orders had been shipped out, they were mistaken. Pledges that only ordered the expansion, not the core game added-on, in their order have been shipped out. Our fulfillment center ran out of stock of the core Alice is Missing games so not all of  those orders have been packed or shipped out yet.  Many have.  If you’re one of the remaining people that have yet to get both games, know that we are working to resolve the matter as soon as possible. We have ordered more base games from our publisher and are waiting to hear when they will arrive at our fulfillment center. We do not have an exact date on when those will arrive but we hope to hear from them soon.  

International Orders

For international orders, our fulfillment center has packed all pledges that just included the expansion. Those are currently on their way to our international distributor to get labeled shipped out. Those should be landing there this week and tracking information for those packages will go out once they are on their way to you.

There is a second wave of international orders that, just like the US orders, were unable to be packed because they ran out of core Alice is Missing games. Once the core games arrive at our fulfillment center those will be packed and be on their way to you. 

The Expansions and core games are still being shipped out separately from the Add-ons and Keepsake Experiences.  Here is an update on where we are with the fulfillment of those.

Add-ons

So far the Searching Cards, the Candles and the Pin Set have arrived at the fulfillment center. So we are going to start shipping out pledges that have one or a combination of those out ASAP to those that already have had stuff shipped out and will be included in your package once the Core games arrive.

Unfortunately, we are still waiting on the Backpack, Tokens and Playmats. We have gotten confirmation they are on the way, but do not have an exact date on when those will arrive. Unfortunately cargo shipping does not have tracking like a postal service, but we estimate that they will arrive within the next 30 days. If your pledge had any of these three added on then we will wait to ship out your order once everything arrives. And will continue to update you as things line up. 

 

Keepsake Experience

After an extended delay with material arriving, we are in the last phase of packing and  manufacturing the props for the Keepsake Experiences—which really is amazing but highly complex. We are now starting to finalize things and expect them to start shipping within two weeks.

We have also decided that we will be doing the shipping and fulfillment of the Keepsakes experiences from our workshop in Los Angeles, as well, to minimize further delay.  You will not be charged additional shipping, as promised.  We are taking that cost on to do our best to set things right and make sure that everyone has the games as close to retail release as possible. Our hope is that this direct domestic shipping will speed up the process and get you these really intricate experiences as fast as possible. 

We want to reiterate, again, that though this campaign's fulfillment has not gone according to plan and has been delayed, you will still be receiving everything in your pledge. If you have any more questions, concerns, criticism, etc. Please feel free to email us at [email protected] and you will receive a response to your email within 48 hours.

To facilitate better and faster communication, we have hired a dedicated team member that will be assisting us in fulfillment and customer service.  To those of you that have been kind in your requests, we thank you and ask that you treat our new crew with the same respect. 

Again, thank you all for your patience and support.

The Hunters Entertainment Team.

Quick Update: First wave of International orders are on the way + Add-on, Keepsake and Roll20 Status
over 1 year ago – Thu, Sep 05, 2024 at 12:22:25 PM

Hi Everyone.

Again, thank you again for your patience.  I wanted to give you a quick update as I have finally received a solid confirmation from Whalebacker regarding the state of the remaining Alice is Missing Silent Falls campaign fulfillment.

International Orders of Expansion and Core game

The first wave of International orders has been packed and are on its way to our international distributer EasyShip. Once it arrives at Easyship I will update again with the estimates for delivery. 

There is a second wave that is currently being packed. Once I have confirmation from Whalebacker on when that wave is on its way I will also update again. 
 

Status of Add-ons

I am waiting on more of the add-ons to arrive at Whalebacker warehouse, the Search Cards--after further major bungles from our distributor-- just arrived at the warehouse at the beginning of this week. Again, I will update everyone here as soon as things land and when we begin packing those outstanding items.  We know that it is frustrating to have to wait longer for these items, we took a huge hit sending out the game without the other items to expedite the process of getting as many people their games after the preemptive retail release.  

Roll20 version

The Roll20 version of the game is coming soon.  We have had some big issues with making the expansion function inside the platform. The short of it is that when a user selects Silent Falls content, there are cards that are swapped out from the core set--which needs to be owned by the user--while integrating the ability to go back to the original.  We have a fix happening and it should release to all of you soon, with the open release happening 1 month after that release is complete.  

Status of Keepsake Experience

Lastly the keepsake experience is on the way and we'll share more images of the final builds soon.  While they were very complex to produce, they are handmade with love and care that doesn't come from overseas manufacturing and  we think that you'll all love them and he detail that they bring to your games.  Their inclusions are under the same delay as the other add-on shipments. 

We've never stopped working to complete this process and are focused on getting you everything that you have been promised.  

Thank you again for your patience.  

If you have further questions or concerns, please reach out to me directly at [email protected] 

Announcements, International Shipping, and Gen Con Wrap Up
over 1 year ago – Fri, Aug 30, 2024 at 04:06:12 PM

Thank you for your patience. We have exciting updates to share, and we’re here to listen to your feedback.

Shipping Update - International

Exciting news! We have received the following information from Whalebacker:
“The first wave of international shipments are on their way to EasyShip and international distributors, and will be out in the mail soon.” To our friends in Canada, the UK, and further beyond: thank you for your patience, and we hope you'll be holding your copies of Alice is Missing: Silent Falls in your hands soon!

Gen Con Wrap Up

Hunters Entertainment had an incredible Gen Con 2024. This convention is our biggest activation of the year, and it’s how we connect directly with so many players, fans, and friends. Many of our staff, including our Art Director, Editor, Operations Manager, and Community Director, were boots on the ground in Indianapolis, doubling up as event staff, organized play coordinators, panelists, and mentors! We also want to apologize for a gap in communication during the event, as many of our team members work hard and wear many hats during these big conventions. But you might have seen some great pictures on our social media!

We ran two panels, “The Business of Making TTRPGs” and “The Creators of Hunters Entertainment,” and offered office hours to connect with new creators and accept pitches. We also brought back our annual mainstage show, this year featuring Markeia McCarty, Ivan Van Norman, Christian Navarro, Joseph Johnson, Diana Dimicco, and Patrick Keefe playing through Kids on Bikes 2nd Edition! 

Our partners at Pixel Table also came out in full force at the Campfire Lounge, running demos of the Digital Edition of Alice is Missing: Silent Falls! Every year our offsite activation gets bigger, better, and more cozy. It was so wonderful to get to see many of you in person face-to-face there, and we hope to meet even more next year.

By the way, if you’re interested in supporting us at conventions or running our games in the future, the best place to get connected with us is our Discord server.

On the topic of connecting with our supporters, we wanted to share this neat fan-made Opening Credits trailer. This video was made by SarahTheDemigod for a home game of Alice is Missing!

In other convention news, Alice is Missing will have a presence at PaxUnplugged 2024. Running this immersive silent RPG at crowded convention spaces has stumped us in the past, but we’re making some cool moves with some amazing partners to bring Alice to your favorite Philly tabletop con this year. More information soon! 🤫

Announcement: A New Digital DLC

We're beyond excited to unveil our brand new DLC for Alice is Missing: Whispering Pines! This expansion is brought to you by our partners at Pixel Table, with oversight from AiM Creator Spenser Starke and the creative team at Hunters Entertainment. This expansion will not be released until late 2024, but it’s available for preorder now: right here!

Prepare yourself to step into the shadows of Whispering Pines Summer Camp, where every path leads to a new secret. This camp-themed adventure is packed with fresh content that will challenge your story-telling instincts and pull you deeper into the mystery of Alice's disappearance.

• 🕵 Investigate a Brand-New Storyline. Immerse yourself in a thrilling new narrative as you probe the unsettling mysteries of Whispering Pines Summer Camp.
• 🌲 Explore New Locations. Whispering Pines is filled with fun activities and eerie secrets—discover pivotal locations that shape the unfolding story.
• 👥 Unmask New Suspects. The list of potential culprits just grew longer—can you uncover who's hiding the truth?
• 🔍 Intensify Your Search. Clues reach new heights with fresh searching cards that might bring you closer to finding Alice...or lead you further astray.

Again - this is a Digital-only DLC being developed mainly by our partners at Pixel Table, and it will not affect or delay any of the Silent Falls releases or Kickstarters by Hunters Entertainment.

Launch: Your Hub for Alice is Missing

We're thrilled to announce the launch of www.AliceIsMissing.com, your central hub for everything Alice is Missing. Whether you're a new player or a seasoned investigator, this site brings together the entire world of Alice in one place. Here you can find easy access to our gorgeous digital tools, along with tutorials, walkthroughs, game resources, guides, and printables for your table.

No matter which version you're playing—the original card game, the Digital Edition, or exploring new expansions like Whispering Pines—you'll find everything you need to dive deeper into the mystery. And we're just getting started! Expect even more features and content as we continue to expand the site in the coming months.

Communication and Questions

We’ve been working hard to navigate communication issues with our distributor partners over the past month, and we understand how frustrating it is to not be heard. We want to apologize for the lack of communication and clarity, and to thank you again for sharing your concerns. To assist, here are answers to some recent commonly asked questions, in case you missed our last update.

Have Keepsake items, playmats, backpacks or QR searching cards shipped yet?

• Currently, only the expansion and core game are in transit or arrived. We have not yet shipped any of the Keepsake Experience items. In order to avoid many of the distribution issues we have been experiencing, we are hand packing and mailing these, at our own cost, in order to get them to you as promptly as possible with tracking information. Additionally, the KS exclusive searching cards have not yet been mailed, but they should be on their way soon. Playmats, backpacks, and other items are still in production and quality assurance at this time.

Why didn’t I receive a tracking number for my game yet?

• Our distributor unfortunately sent out multiple orders without tracking numbers while attempting to rush fulfillment on our request, due to an issue with the street date release of the expansion. We are actively looking into current and future solutions to avoid this ever happening again. If you have received your order or part of your order, marking your Backerkit as fulfilled or partially fulfilled is incredibly helpful for us to get as much information as possible to make sure that each backer is satisfied with their pledge! Please refer to Update #30 and Update #31 for more information on this.

Why haven’t we heard from you recently?

• Our previous dedicated Support Lead and Fulfillment Manager is still on extended health leave, so the incredible Operations Lead Fabienne is working double duty on managing multiple crowdfunding campaigns, surveys, shipping information, and working with our distribution partners. Additionally, Gen Con is our largest activation of the year, and we rely heavily on this convention for income, marketing, playtesting feedback, future collaborations, and supporting our current partners. We had almost all of our staff working additional hours in-person in Indianapolis to cover double duty, and they worked above and beyond. Now we are back from the convention and getting all hands on deck to prioritize communication with our supporters, and deeply apologize for the lapse.

I still have questions and concerns. How can I best be heard?

• Please email us at [email protected]. Emails are likely to have a 2-4 day delay on responses while we catch up on fulfillment issues, but it’s also the best way to make sure your information is processed into a support ticket. For more immediate responses on non-fulfillment issues, reach out to us in our Discord server; we have a new, dedicated Community Lead, as well as a hardworking team of Moderators and Action Rangers. Additionally, we welcome every comment on our Kickstarter page; again, thank you for being honest with us about your feedback, and please be respectful to the team members who are catching up on replies.

Thank you again for supporting indie games. We couldn’t do this without you!

-- The Team at Hunters Entertainment