Videos: Machine of Death FATE BLITZ

Over the weekend I posted some ARCHIVAL VIDEO of Kris Straub and I talking about our ongoing Machine of Death card game Kickstarter. Basically we recorded a bunch of stuff in advance to cover any possible eventualities that might occur once we launched the campaign.

Here they are for your edification! Video 1 / Video 2 / Video 3

I also posted a new infographic to the MOD Kickstarter to try and clarify all the cool stuff that everyone will be getting as rewards! That and some other videos and nonsense are right here.

The Machine of Death card game is GOING NUTS

My heart has been racing at about 200 beats per minute nonstop for the last four days and I can’t get it to quiet down. Why? Because our Machine of Death card game Kickstarter hit its funding goal in its first 16 hours, doubled its funding the next day, tripled it the next day, and just hit $90K a few minutes ago. It’s…intense.

If you’re curious about the game, check out our first gameplay video (above or here). There are lots of different ways to play the game, depending on your preferences, but this is a good example round.

I’ve been posting video updates every day as I increasingly try to process what’s happening. Already we’ve smashed through tons of stretch goals and have approximately doubled the number of game cards going to every backer. (These include free bonuses that will only be included with Kickstarter orders! The retail version of the game, when it goes up for sale this summer, will come with fewer cards.)

Pledgers have also unlocked THREE FREE PREVIEW STORIES from the upcoming Machine of Death sequel, This is How You Die! You can go read them right now for free:

“OLD AGE, SURROUNDED BY LOVED ONES” by ’Nathan Burgoine
“ROCK AND ROLL” by Toby W. Rush
“DROWNING BURNING FALLING FLYING” by Grace Seybold

I’m thrilled and humbled by the incredible response to the campaign and I apologize if it’s all I’m able to talk about for a little while. Ryan warned me, after his own campaign blasted into the stratosphere, that I wouldn’t be able to get anything else done while this was going on. “Pshaw,” I thought to myself. “Surely I can continue all other things apace while answering dozens of backer questions per hour, crunching data to try and track the campaign’s progress, corresponding with artists and game manufacturers, and making video updates!”

It’s a challenge I’m up for! LET’S DO IT, LET’S ROCK THIS THING

Machine of Death Volume 2 updates

For those keeping score at home, our second volume in the Machine of Death series, This is How You Die, is still scheduled to come out in July, premiering at the San Diego Comic-Con! We’re really excited for it. But in the interim, while we wait, Kris Straub and I have been working on something else: a Machine of Death card game!

It’s called Machine of Death: The Game of Creative Assassination and it’s as wacky and ridiculous as the book is serious and reflective. I’ve been developing this game for over a year now, and I’m thrilled to announce that we’ll be launching a Kickstarter for it this week! It’s finally done and I’m excited for you to see it.

Also, over at the MOD site, I’ve just posted an interview that Kris conducted with Ryan North and me on the subject of This is How You Die. We talk a little about how we chose stories for the second book, as well as some of what we’re looking forward to about it. Here’s the link!

MOD Magic show & canned food drive!

This Thursday, the 17th, is my Machine of Death magic & variety show in Hollywood! It’s totally free to attend, and in addition to magic, music, and entertainment we’ll also have fine friends Kris Straub, Kevin McShane and (via Skype) Ryan North on hand. More details here!

We’ll also be doing a canned food drive for the LA Food Bank at the event. Every donation of a unit of canned or nonperishable food (including canned meats such as tuna and staples such as peanut butter and cereals) will earn you a raffle ticket, and we’ll be giving out some cool MOD and Wondermark prizes at the event, including T-shirts, signed books and more.

More details at the MOD site here, or we also have a Facebook invite here! (updated with correct link)

The Super-Stupendous Machine of Death Magic & Variety Show
Thursday November 17th, 8pm
The Fake Gallery, Hollywood (4319 Melrose Ave, 90004).
Admission is free. Drinks and snacks will be served.

Hope to see you there! But even if you can’t make it in person, tune in to our livestream at machineofdeath.net on the night of the event. I declare that it will be…MAGICAL