Alchemistresses

First Milestone Awakens: The Character Sheet's Secret
almost 2 years ago – Sun, Jul 17, 2022 at 10:07:37 PM

Hello senshi!

Thanks to your support, we hit an exciting milestone today: $10,000 CAD, and our first stretch goal! This means that quickstart character creation tables will be added to the core rules. Allison's concept for these is extremely fun and I've loved the playtests we've done of them. 

Even more more importantly, though, we are both so excited and moved to have made it this far. We have both (and in particular, Allison has) worked so hard to make this game and to bring it to Kickstarter. There's so much anxiety attached to running a Kickstarter, something we've both done before but not for a project we've both invested so much time and love into. When we started, the possibility that we'd fund didn't feel entirely real, and when we funded it really felt like we might just top off there - and we still would have been grateful! So every new milestone - and every new backer - is still cause for celebration for us. Thank you so much.

Speaking of celebration, Allison created this thread on twitter, showcasing old character sheets and how the game has evolved (or in some ways, stayed the same) over the years. Please check it out and enjoy.

Happy first stretch goal, and thanks as always!

- Dora

In Search Of An Extra Copy: The New Add-On's Secret
almost 2 years ago – Tue, Jul 12, 2022 at 09:00:40 PM

Hi all,

We've had a lot of questions about how to get an additional physical copy of Alchemistresses! Our plan was to make extra copies available as an add-on through our pledge manager after the campaign concludes - and we still will. We know a few people have pledged a specific amount with that in mind, and your plan will still work fine! 

However, since so many people seem interested, we've also added a Kickstarter add-on for additional physical copies, so as of today you can add an additional physical copy right to your pledge if you want!

While we have you here, one of our favorite series on twitter has been folks telling stories of their time playing Alchemistresses. If you'd like to get a taste of what the game is like, reading through these might be a fun way to do it (and by the way, all of these people are amazing and worth a follow). 

Jess talking about their favorite setting in multiple games of Alchemistresses 

Willa's account of a mathlete competition, with a romantic twist 

Your correspondent tells a tale of a love triangle unfolding in two lifetimes 

Elissa tells a story of a secret kept beyond the end of the world 

Thanks so much for your support, as always!

Dora

To Design A Game: Dee and Allison Join Forces
almost 2 years ago – Sat, Jul 09, 2022 at 04:46:38 AM

Hello everyone!

It's been a great few days since our last update, and we're creeping steadily closer to our first stretch goals! 

Throughout the campaign, Allison and I have been periodically sharing some thoughts about the game and how it was designed on twitter. We wanted to put together links to the different threads we've done here, so that you can find out more about how the game was designed and our inspirations for it. In addition, using the amazing technology of copy and paste...I have recreated one of my personal favorite threads, where Allison explains a little about what our episode guide is.

Enjoy the game design talk, and thank you as always for all your support of Alchemistresses!

Thanks,

Dee

Allison talks about her inspirations

Dee talks about HER inspirations

Allison talks about the episode guide

Allison gives more details about filler episodes

Allison's thread on the episode guide

One of the things we keep talking about in interviews is the episode guide that comes with the game, and I’d like to tell you a bit about what that even means! 

I’ve played primarily in two types of games: campaigns that will never end, or one-shots that end in a couple sessions. Both of these types of games are amazing and have a place, but I really enjoy that middle ground and was missing it in my gaming life. Changing characters/setting/mechanics/tone every week can get tiring, where as *never* changing them can get dull. My group's go-to for a game that lives in the middle of those has been Avery Alder’s Monsterhearts, and I’ve loved the feel of that length of experience.

Alchemistresses can be played in other lengths, but was designed to optimally have a campaign last a single “season” of an anime. The season is 10 episodes long, and takes 12 sessions to complete (with the season opener and finale being two-parters of course). A season of Alchemistresses takes a year if you play monthly, 3 months if you play weekly. There is enough time and space for very deep connection with the characters, while giving the chance to experience something I haven’t gotten enough of in TTRPGs: an ending.

So what does the episode guide do? It introduces the GM to the tropes and structure of the genre: There’s that first episode where you all realize you’re magical girls. An episode where the magical mascot reveals something about vague and mysterious about the past world, a filler episode where you go to a hot spring or have a slumber party, the season finale when you battle the great evil...

But it also gives the GM guidance on how to play with the mechanics to develop their story and world with the players. For example: Each Alchemistress gets an episode focused on them. The episode guide gives questions the GM can ask the focus player before their episode, to help the GM curate and build the most emotionally impactful story.

It also guides the GM in ways to build both the high school shenanigans and magical battle around the focus character’s convictions (oh, so it says your greatest fear is dolls, eh?).

One of the most special compliments I’ve gotten is when a friend said that they had never run a game before, but that Alchemistresses made them feel like they could!

Our stretch goals include one where Dee and I get the time to work on more detailed example scenarios for the episode guide (senior year scavenger hunt anyone?!), and fingers crossed we get to : )

A New Reward Tier: Allison's Power-Up
almost 2 years ago – Tue, Jul 05, 2022 at 10:53:55 AM

Hello everyone! Allison here.

I woke up this morning to the wonderful surprise that this game I have been working on for so long was funded! It’s been so amazing to see the support this game has received– and to see how people connect with it. I’m looking forward to having it out in the world and seeing all of you play it : )

As we mentioned before, as a celebratory add-on we’re adding a very limited edition item where you can get your VERY OWN HANDMADE MAGICAL GIRL ITEM.

I’ve combined my passion for unique handmade items, my experience building custom video game controllers, and my girlfriend’s willingness to drive to as many thrift stores as I want into these works-in-progress:

None of these are finished yet, but you can get an idea of what you’re getting into. At this backer level your item will be a total surprise, so be prepared for that!

We’re going to have two sizes, both at the same price. “Small” will be a jewelry piece (a brooch or necklace) whereas “medium” will be a compact, jewelry box, bell or other magical-girl-appropriate-item.

Every item will be wired with LEDs to light up, and be designed and handcrafted by me with lots of love. They will also be one-of-a-kind because in addition to the base items Dee and I are sourcing from thrift stores all around Montreal, I am using my personal stash of thrifted costume jewelry, collected over the last 15 years, to create them.

We wanted to price them at a pretty accessible point, so they will be 30$ CAD but please remember if you’re getting a medium-sized item, it will impact your shipping costs.

Now let's make our way to some stretch goals! Especially the ones that get our contributors more money, because they’re definitely worth it ; )

In the name of the moon!
Allison

Believing In Love And The Future: Alchemistresses Funded!
almost 2 years ago – Mon, Jul 04, 2022 at 04:51:44 PM

Hey fellow senshi,

I'm really excited to announce that...we did it! As of this morning, Alchemistresses is FULLY FUNDED!

We are so grateful and excited. There's been a lot of hard work leading to this moment, including from many of our backers and contributors who helped to promote the game and make it something worth getting excited about. Alchemistresses is officially coming to all of you!

For right now, the campaign goes on - we'll keep pushing to make Alchemistresses as big as it can be and try to unlock some of our stretch goals. To that end, as promised we're going to create some new add-ons new so you can get HAND-CRAFTED LIGHT UP TRANSFORMATION ITEMS. Allison always needs several projects going on at once and making these has been it for a little bit now - she'll post some previews soon.

Thank you as always, and we hope you're as excited as we are!

Dora (for the Alchemistresses team)