Bones II Update 10-17 Discussion

[dsmiles]

That was the intent behind the ks, AFAIK.

[LittleBluberry]

Last I heard moving production stateside is a long term goal but they couldn't possibly ramp up fast enough to actually produce all the kickstarter products in anything resembling a reasonable time.  They apparently need all new molds, too, because the old ones say "Made in China" on every mini. 

 

Or in other words, they have one machine and they're learning how to use it.  Eventually they'll be able to produce Bones minis in Texas.  I believe right now it's busy churning out plastic bases. 

[Darsc Zacal]

Okay, perhaps I panicked.  Other retailers (like Paizo) have that Pathfinder Red in stock in Bones.  It *is* a very popular dragon, though.  I've already bought an extra beyond what I got in KS1. 

I bought two through the 1st kickstarter to add to the metal one I already had, cause y'know, 3 dragons.

[ctsteel]

 

 

 

Alternate joke: Has MSP been tested for anti-fouling?

 

Curiously enough, this is a good question considering that some minis can make nice aquarium pieces.

I'm not concerned out fouling so much as fish safety - they tend to be sensitive to chemicals especially in the closed environment of an aquarium.

 

I keep threatening to paint Cthulhu, seal him with polyurethane, plumb him for oxygen release ideally near his tentacles and gift him to a Lovecraft obsessed friend but I dunno if the Bones plastic can be considered aquarium safe or not. I don't want to find out the hard way when all her fishies succumb to the malign indifference of an Elder Good and start floating upside down.

Sounds like a sensitive but inexpensive fish in a small tank with a bones model or two is an experiment that needs to happen.

 

I wonder how products at Petsmart® are tested?

 

ETA:

This is a really good read: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=96441

 

You'd think stone and rock would be pretty safe.. ..it seems not so much.

 

The Bones plastic feels a lot like the plastic used for fake fish tank plants ... But I'd be willing to bet there are aquarium enthusiasts inclined to tell you those are not safe.

I remember a thread on this topic a while back - found it via search:

http://forum.reapermini.com/index.php?/topic/48805-aquarium-safe/?fromsearch=1

[Reaperbryan]

So realistically where does that leave us with shipping?  I know you don't have an ETA on all your items, but what percentage of items are contained on the inbound ships?  40%? 90%?  Are we waiting for 15 more containers or 1?

 

I had ordered some minis that I had planned on giving as Christmas gifts (and some that I promised for birthdays that happened...yesterday...I had to give my friend a printed picture and say "See this is what I bought you but it hasn't got here on time.  No I don't know when your birthday gift will arrive, sorry.")  Do I get to give my gifts on time?

 

More info is required.  The information you've given us says (in my estimation) that in the best case scenario you cannot even start shipping until around late November (10 days shipping + customs clear, for minimum two separate shipments I'm assuming is about 30 days).  What's the worst-case scenario?  My gut says this is Bones 1 all over again, and we're looking at May?

 

I feel like my expectations have not been properly managed.  The Aug 22 update says "We are currently optimistic for a late October, early November Wave One ship" and "It is conceivable that shiping could be delayed into late November, although we do not yet have information on how likely that is".  Is late November now very likely?  Is late October out of the question entirely?  Is November even on the timetable?  Updates since Aug 22 haven't shed much light, and 2 months is a long time to go without some proper updates.

 

Inquiring minds want to know.

I'll begin with our August 22 update. At that time we ourselves had no reason to believe that this was not the final shipment - our manufacturer had not communicated that to us. When we got the communication last week that confirmed shipment on the water, we also got a copy of the manifest.  Upon checking, we discovered that there were items not on the manifest.  So, the answer as to why August said one thing and October said another is because we have different information in our possession now (more accurate information now) than we did then.  Sometimes, when information is learned, it causes the answer to change.

Late November is now more likely than we believed it to be at that time.

When we have a solid, confirmed ship date for the balance of goods, we will have a solid timeframe for shipping, minus variable time for Customs.  Without that precise date, Any additional time I quote is pure speculation.

 

I can appreciate that you want to know, but the fact is, that is a date I do not have, and therefore cannot share.  

 

Also, I'd like to talk about our Original Shipping Estimate. We calculated that number 13 months ago. 13 months ago we were looking at spreadsheets and making phone calls and sending emails, but educated as it all was, it was a guess. A guess from us, based on guesses from our vendors. I can assure you that everybody here is as anxious to begin shipping as fast as possible - we want to be on time as much as you do, if not more. But there have been quality control issues*, there have been timing issues, and these were not known factors at the time.  We had a lot of data, and a pretty solid estimate, but at the end of the day that's all it was, an estimate.  

 

Your mechanic estimates the work will be down Wednesday and he calls you Friday to say he's done. This is like that, but our mechanic had to make 6,250,0000 miniatures and apparently won't be finished in early August as originally scheduled. We're not happy either, but there is little we can do to accelerate the process. We did our part, and now are at the mercy f their revised shipping timetable, which has not been shared.

 

 

I'm more pleased with communication this time around, but I have to admit that this all seems a bit familiar. Seems like we'll be lucky to have shipping start in late November, and I'm half expecting to hear about international shipping to be held up further. Still, I'm happy to get my Bones whenever I get them. If it's before Christmas I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

International Parcels will be shipped in Their Correct Waves.  Wave One Internationals will go out simultaneous to Domestic Wave One shipments.  We will NOT be shipping all international parcels last.

 

We specifically set up our shipping this time in Waves to eliminate that particular problem from last time.  

 

Slightly off-topic question that's probably been answered elsewhere, so sorry: I thought I read, some time ago, that all the Bones productions were being moved stateside. Was that incorrect, or is this somehow different, or is that still in the works, or what?

The facility that we use in China has at least 14 of the Injection Machines - I forget the exact number, it's either 14 or 16. We have ONE of them.  It has taken them 12 months thus far to produce the product for our order, and by all records we possess they are not finished.  Our records suggest that this production will be 6.25 MILLION figures, approximately - give or take a few ten thousands.  For us to have produced as much as they have would have taken US on our ONE machine 14-16 times longer than it has taken them - 168 months, minimum - and we'd probably not be finished either.

 

What we ARE doing is manufacturing the Bases in the USA - all of our bases.  We are also having specific model molds sent to us, for us to produce restocks of those pieces.  It is simply not time effective, at this point in time, for us to produce the majority of Bones product in house - although it would be faster in terms of shipping, the difference in output capacity means that in order to even be a tiny bit late, we have to outsource, for the time being.

 

*After this is over, I'll show off some of the pieces that were run in the wrong color. And I don't mean the wrong shade of blue, I mean entirely the wrong color. 

[Werkrobotwerk]

Were the wrong colors atleast interesting ones?  Because something like pink shades or orange ice would be pretty funny to me.

 

[buglips*the*goblin]

Were the wrong colors atleast interesting ones?  Because something like pink shades or orange ice would be pretty funny to me.

 

Same thought occurred to me. Behold the mighty power of my Wall of Popsicle! It is a most tasty and menacing orange. And also some are grape.

 

But I'm also the person who put all my gem dice in a candy dish to mess with people's minds. It looks like treats, but the treats are a lie.

[Reaperbryan]

 

Were the wrong colors atleast interesting ones?  Because something like pink shades or orange ice would be pretty funny to me.

 

 

The Gelatinous Cube & Slimes were shot in the ghosty green that the Haunts are done in instead of clear. The slimes looked grey, the Cube ... looked like Jello.

 

Clear was apparently difficult to explain.

[Sirithiliel]

cube of jello! XD

[Werkrobotwerk]

Ah that is pretty funny.

[Reaperbryan]

Ah that is pretty funny.

I did not find it funny at the time.

 

Now, the bad cube occupies my desk, and I have even used in a Pathfinder game, but professionally, no, We Are Not Amused.

[buglips*the*goblin]

Yeah, but you should know by now that if you tell us stuff like that then a good portion of us will then suddenly crave a Cube of Lime of our very own.

[Pegazus]

Some little cubed pears sculpted, placed at the bottom, and explained away that it's a mother and that's the normal reproductive cycle. Effect complete!

[Harrek]

 

Ah that is pretty funny.

I did not find it funny at the time.

 

Now, the bad cube occupies my desk, and I have even used in a Pathfinder game, but professionally, no, We Are Not Amused.

 

 

Picture?

[Dan Goodchild]

*After this is over, I'll show off some of the pieces that were run in the wrong color. And I don't mean the wrong shade of blue, I mean entirely the wrong color. 

 

Ooohh… Bumblejumpers! Any of those miscasts going in the auction at next year's Reapercon, or winding up at paint 'n takes?