📚 Alba - an Open World Adventure Book 📚

Chapter 8...
over 3 years ago – Sun, Jan 24, 2021 at 02:03:54 PM

Hello Explorers! Here’s what we’ve achieved so far, great work my peeps!!

Since our last update, we have absolutely smashed the 65k goal to have a linen finish on the special edition cover! Hallelujah, it’s going to look GORGEOUS!

Those of you with eagle eyes may have noticed that our 80K stretch goal is currently all question marks - we have a few ideas in mind that we’re in process of pricing with the factory, but if you have any ideas of what would make cool stretch goals, feel free to comment below! We’re open to any suggestions you have and we'll take it on board!

This is also a final reminder for submissions to our first writing competition - we’ve had an amazing turnout in terms of entries, and we’ll be announcing our winners tomorrow! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - you have not made this easy for us!

To those of you asking for samples from within the book, we’re sorry it’s taken so long to get them to you - however, you can download a sample of the first two chapters of the book, check them out via this link!

These are just the starting chapters - you can start to see how your choices impact how you go through the story, but we’re keeping the main narrative chapters secret for now.

That's all from us for now, again, all of you have been absolutely amazing and we can't thank you enough for your support! Team Inside the Box x

Chapter 7...
over 3 years ago – Wed, Jan 20, 2021 at 12:23:04 AM

Hello Explorers!

Another amazing day for the Alba campaign! Let's see what we've achieved since our last update...

We've unlocked the map print effect (WOOT WOOT!) - this will be on all the Special edition maps, whether they’re included with the book or in a recharge pack!

On top of that, overnight we smashed 2000 backers - meaning that the Bases of Alba art card set has been unlocked! We’re keeping an eye on all our socials, and it looks like the next set of cards (Alba’s Landmarks) will be unlocked through our Facebook page soon! If you’re on social media and haven’t given us a follow, you should - we’d love to unlock all the art cards, but we can’t without your help!

Let's take a look at what we'll be unlocking next! 

Stunningly, we also keep getting a steady stream of entries for the Prologue competition - everyone who’s entered so far, you are NOT making our jobs easy! Please remember that the deadline for entry is at 11:59pm GMT on 21st January - this Thursday! Only a couple more days, so if you want to enter in this week’s round, make sure to get your entries in soon!

Until next time, keep safe, keep sound and keep adventuring. Team Inside the Box x 

Chapter 6...
over 3 years ago – Wed, Jan 20, 2021 at 12:21:30 AM

Hello, Explorers!

Welcome to day 7 of the Alba campaign! It’s been just under a week since we launched, and all of us here at Inside the Box are blown away by the response we’ve had so far! Since our last update, we’ve unlocked two more stretch goals!

You guys are absolutely smashing it! All paperback copies of the book bought through the campaign will now have special endpapers. Art Cards will also now come with Dyed Cores, and due to the feedback, we’ll be looking into adding the option to keep them plain (we hear you boo).

On top of that, we’re so so close to unlocking another art card pack (the Bases of Alba), because so many people have been backing the project! We’re also steadily climbing up the follows on our social media platforms, so keep your eyes peeled for when we smash those goals! 

Let's take a look at the stretch goals we'll be hitting next...

In addition to this, you may have noticed that the Dagger’s Dagger pledge level is no longer available, as we’ve reached our limit of 100 backers. We originally put this limit in so that it would be fair to our contributors who have to hand sign the prints/ bookplates.

After confirming with both parties, due to *very* popular demand, we’ve opened up another 100 Dagger’s Dagger pledges - with the same fulfilment date as the original pledge level!

*** Please note anything that is numbered will be allocated at random by pledge level. If you’re a backer of the original Dagger’s Dagger pledge, you will get a number between 1-100. If you’re a backer of the new Dagger’s Dagger pledge, you will get a number between 101-200. ***

Again, we're truly blown away by the response so far. A huge thank you and virtual hug to all our amazing backers, we're excited to see what's in store for the next two weeks! That's all from us for now, see you in our next update!! 

Team ITB X

Prologue Part 1
over 3 years ago – Tue, Jan 19, 2021 at 09:14:15 AM

Hello explorers, and welcome to our first writing challenge!

As we said in the most recent update, it’s a bit experimental, so feel free to ask any questions if you have them!

Below is the prompt for this week (the beginning of the prologue chapter), and the three directions you can go with it - choose one of those directions, and write what you think should come next! Each entry should be between 200-500 words long.

** A note on how to end your section, and the choices that are made afterward **

Since this competition will be running throughout the campaign, we already have endpoints written and the path charted out (check out Update #3 to check out the flow!).

Most of these directions are choices your character actively makes, but some of them happen to you instead - if you’re not sure how to write an end for your section, try keeping it more open-ended so your character has time to either make the decision or have something happen to them.

Section 1:

You blink as a cheer rises through the crowd. You look at your friends and colleagues surrounding you, your eyes moving from face to face, trying to make sense of what’s just happened.

They said your name.

They said your name.

You stand up and head towards the stage at the front of the Vault’s assembly hall, smiling at the raucous applause you’re getting, partly in shock from the reveal. You’d studied, yes, but you didn’t think you would get chosen to go. It looks like your hard work has paid off.

You’re going to the Old World.

The mayor clasps your shoulder as they shake your hand, grinning at you, but you can’t hear what they’re saying, still lost in your shock. As you stand in line next to two others – your crewmates, you realise, the people you’ll be facing the open water with – you allow yourself an unguarded grin.

The mayor begins their speech about the brave young people who’ve come before you, those who left the Vault in their twenty-fifth year to brave the Old World and try to rebuild from the rubble that they found there.

You risk a furtive glance at your new companions.

Viktor, the man, stares straight ahead, his mouth set in a firm line. He either doesn’t see you trying to make eye contact or is ignoring you on purpose, swept up with the grandeur of the moment. Probably for the best. He seems like he’d be a reliable man to sail with.

Your eyes flicker over to the woman, Gaia, to find she’s looking right back. She gives you a little wink and you find yourself stifling a laugh. She seems proud of that, a cheeky grin forming on her lips at your reaction.

Perhaps it’s not sunk in for either of you yet that your lives are about to change forever.

After the Mayor finishes their speech, you’re given some time to say goodbye to the Vault and its people - the only world you’ve ever known, the only people you’ve ever known. Viktor goes off to speak quietly with his family, and Gaia nearly launches herself at a young girl - probably a sibling.

You’ve already said your goodbyes, though. Well, most of them.

Writing Options:

1. Speak to Vola (must be able to lead to “Given a Gift” and “Find nice coat”)
   
2. Go to the Library (must be able to lead to “Find nice coat” and “Steal a pocketknife”)
   
3. Go to the Commissary (must be able to lead to “Steal a pocketknife” and “Buy nice rations”)
   

Submissions for this week’s competition can be made until 23.59GMT on 21 January, 2021 - we’ll be announcing the winners of this first round on 22 January, 2021, as well as opening up the next week’s submissions!

How to enter:

Choose one of the writing directions, write what you think should come next, and post your entry as a comment on THIS UPDATE - we’ll keep it pinned throughout the week so it’s easy to find.

We’ll choose at least one winner for each category, who will receive a FULL Dagger’s Dagger pledge free when we fulfill the campaign.

** Notes on Characters **

There are three characters from the book that you can interact within this prologue chapter - Vola, Viktor, and Gaia. If you haven’t read any of Alba yet, here’s a quick rundown of who they are:

Vola is like a grandmother to the reader, an older woman in the Vault who’s very protective of them. They’re excited for the reader to go on their journey, but also a bit worried about what it will hold.

Viktor is the stoic first member of the crew, very quiet and reserved, and totally dedicated to his mission. He’s basically the total opposite to Gaia, who is fun-loving and excitable, ready to take on whatever the old world has to throw at her! The reader hasn’t had many interactions with either of them before being selected to explore the Old World.

Team ITBx

Chapter 5...
over 3 years ago – Tue, Jan 19, 2021 at 08:52:50 AM

Hello, Explorers!

All of us on the team may be having quiet weekends at home, but this campaign sure isn’t!

We’ve managed to unlock the gorgeous slipcase for the special edition (HYPE) and at the time of writing, we’re also well on our way to getting dyed cores on our art cards (as well as the next set of art cards unlocked through our achievements)! Here's a sneak peek at some of our other stretch goals, what's your favourite so far?

Not only that, but we’ve also had some absolutely stellar responses to our prologue competition (which you can check out in our pinned update). We’ve run writing competitions for pretty much every game Inside the Box has put out on Kickstarter, and all of us on the team have been absolutely blown away by both the number and the quality of responses we’ve had so far.

Seriously, if you haven’t checked them out yet - do that now. You’re not making our decisions easy!

We hope you all have a great rest of your weekend - we won't be posting updates on Sundays but we'll be back in full force the coming Monday! We can't wait to see what Week 2 has in store!! 

Team ITB X