Duffers

Created by Duane Wheatcroft

Golf for Gamers. The Game for Golfers. Get the golf-inspired, deck-building game backers are calling "a breath of fresh air."

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Making the Approach
over 3 years ago – Mon, Nov 09, 2020 at 02:58:23 AM

Hey Duffers!

Just a quick update for everyone today, and it's all good news. You can tell I'm excited by what I'm about to share because of the sheer number of exclamation points in this update. 


  • We've Got Games!
  • JonGetsGames Playthrough!

 We've Got Games!

And soon, so will you! Duffers has arrived -- we've got the pics -- and fulfillment from TGG will start next week. They'll be handling the games and the playmats. All other tier goodies will be coming from me, so watch for each in your mailbox.

Taking Duffers off the truck, storing the bounty, boxing up each game.
Duffers in the wild! Seen here at a Gaming Goat in Chicago.

The game is also now available at The Gaming Goat and on TGG's new website. Just in case you know anyone who wants their own copy, or if you want to get your holiday shopping done early. 

 
JonGetsGames Playthrough! 

Jon walks you through Duffers, shares some of its nuances, and provides a thoughtful, calm-inducing introduction to the game. I couldn't have done a better tutorial video if I tried. And I did. Several times. Check it out or watch right here:
 

 
That's all for now. It's hard to believe we're at this point already. Who am I kidding? I can't believe it! But I  have a box of my very own and I frequently pinch myself to make sure I have not imagined the last few months. I'll send out another update when all the games have shipped. Until then, be safe, stay well, and keep on swinging!

  Cheers,
  Duane!

Sweet Shots. Bad Break.
over 3 years ago – Thu, Sep 17, 2020 at 12:44:46 AM

Greetings Duffers!

When you step up to the tee on the first hole of any course, you have no idea how your round is going to go. Sure, you've practiced, you've mentally prepared, maybe you've played the course a time or two. But until you start swinging, you don't know if you'll have a day full of sweet shots, bad breaks, or a mix of both. I'm learning that publishing a game is much the same, and this Duffers Update definitely has both. I'm also learning that there's nothing for it but to keep the ball moving forward, even if it's just a chip to the fairway.  

Now that I'm done waxing philosophical and overworking this golf metaphor, let's get to the update!  

  • Sweet Shots
  • A Bad Break
  • My Latest Golf Obsession

SWEET SHOTS

Recently spotted in the wild, Duffers pre-production awesomeness straight from the printer! If you follow TGG Games on the Facebook, you may have seen the Duffers unboxing live. It was humbling to say the least. I'm getting my hands on a copy this week and can't hardly wait to feel that upgraded linen finish. Until then, I'll just have to be content with these beauty shots TGG sent me. They include the redesigned play mat that comes with the higher-level pledges (Don't worry, if these photos have you jonesing for one, they'll be available on the newly revamped TGG Games website soon). 

Box & Play Mat
The Good Stuff Inside
Setting Up to Play a Round

We're getting so close! It brings a tear to this club-swinging fool's eye. Speaking of tears...  

A BAD BREAK 

I won't sugarcoat this with a clever pun or turn of phrase... Simply put, there was an issue at the printer that has caused a one-two week delay in Duffers delivery. The plastic inserts that hold everything in place inside the box came out with a flaw and had to be redone. This is going to result in a late October, early November arrival. I know, it breaks my heart, too. On the plus side, the game materials printed spectacularly and are just waiting to get cozy with the new inserts. I'll definitely keep you up to date if anything changes. I am happy to answer any questions you may have in the comments or feel free to DM me directly. 

MY LATEST GOLF OBSESSION

I've traded golf balls for golf discs...

This summer, I spent a lot of time (responsibly) out in the woods, throwing round pieces of plastic at chained metal baskets. I am hooked on Disc Golf. I love figuring out which disc to throw for each situation, and how much more the wind and the landscape come into play in your shot selection. It doesn't stop me from hitting all trees, though. You may be wondering: does this mean there will be a disc golf version of Duffers? I'm not saying there will not not be one (if those double negatives make sense), but there is already a disc golf board game out there called Birdie, made by former pro player, Steve Dodge, that has a lot of deep cuts for fans of the sport. So for now, I think I'll just keep playing IRL until the snow flies (and probably even after that), and plotting new expansions and mechanics for the game you all have helped bring to life -- a fact I am grateful for every single day.

Be well, stay safe, and keep on swinging... or throwing!

-- Duane

The Proof is in the Putting
over 3 years ago – Thu, Jul 23, 2020 at 02:10:16 PM

Hello Duffers!

Okay, I may have been stretching a bit for that pun to work, but it doesn't change the fact that the Duffers proofs came in and we've got updates. So get out of the heat, pour yourself a cold drink, and check out the latest! 

  • Proofs and Printing
  • Print & Play Supplement
  • Goats Just Wanna Have Fun

PROOFS AND PRINTING

That's right, TGG received the proofs and  print dummies (blanks) from the printer! If you follow TGG Games on Facebook, you can watch the video as Matt goes through everything. Don't let the screen grabs above fool you. They are gorgeous! This might not be as exciting for you as it was for me, but it does mean that we are very close to being on press after we make a couple minor fixes. 

Now to be completely transparent, Duffers is printing later than I originally estimated, something I take full responsibility for. Because I created the original files, the very capable and most amazing David Sookochoff (the Duffers illustrator) had to go in and rebuild some of the files to make them press-ready. This will likely push delivery back a little. However, TGG is upgrading the cards to have a linen finish and I hope this makes up for any delays that may occur. 

PRINT & PLAY SUPPLEMENT

With improved gameplay coming to the published version, we couldn't have our PnP supporters missing out on any of the fun. For those of you who got in on this tier, you should see a new supplement in your inboxes this week. If you don't see an email from BackerKit in the next few days, DM me directly and I'll sort things out. And please remember to check your spam filter.

For those of you interested in the updates, you can take a look through the latest manual here: 

Download the latest Duffers instruction manual

GOATS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN

Who couldn't use a few more goats in their life? We're making promo cards for the official retail launch of the game and I wanted to give you all a preview of two of them.

Am I the only one who wants plushy versions of these?

Watch for more promos and fun at TGG launch events and conventions (when we can have launch events and conventions again). 

As always Duffers, feel free to send me any questions or comments directly or share them in the comment section. And if you're getting out on the greens, remember to practice safe golf this summer and keep swinging!

Cheers,

Duane 

Big News just Popped Up!
almost 4 years ago – Wed, May 20, 2020 at 04:34:32 AM

Hey Duffers,

Some big news today! After the Duffers Kickstarter completed and I was finalizing everything for print, I began talking to the newly formed TGG Games about working with them to publish the game. And today it was announced that we are a go! Watch here: The TGG Games Announcement 

What does that mean for you and your pledge? 

A few things:

  • We are still on schedule for an August delivery  
  • I'm still paying for the printing and shipping of all games and playmats for those who pledged and pre-ordered through BackerKit
  • You are getting a better game with more in the box at no extra cost to you. 

Better game? More in the box? Tell us more!

After playtesting with the TGG Games team, we identified a few spots that could be improved. To that end, I've added a new driver to the Stacks, new equipment and Crew that let you better manage your deck weight, and a brand new Caddie mat to hold your deck, track your tokens, and give Players additional abilities, including storing an unplayed card on the mat to use on a subsequent turn. Now instead of discarding that unused Putter, you can keep handy for when you really need it. Here's the Caddie Mat and a few of the new cards:

Take control of the game with your Caddie Card
Replaces Chip Shots in the Stacks
Clean up the course and manage your Duffs!
We've trained this little guy to deal with your unwanted cards...

But why work with a Publisher at all?

My one desire through all of this was to make the best Duffers possible and without a doubt, Jeff, Matt, Eddie and the rest of the folks at TGG have help take Duffers to the next level.  I have no doubt, you'll see that when you open the box this summer. I am beyond thrilled and very grateful for their insight and support!

And what about us Print n Play-ers? 

I haven't forgotten. I'm currently prepping a brand new PnP package for folks to download. You won't have to reprint every card, if you've already started playing, and I'll be sure to indicate which ones are new. 

And that's the update. I'm happy to take any and all questions, either here or in a direct message. I'm so excited and can't wait to send this to press in the next week or two. 

As always Duffers, stay safe, be well, and keep swinging!

-- Duane

Getting in Shape for Summer
almost 4 years ago – Sat, Apr 04, 2020 at 09:45:43 PM

Hello Duffers!

It has been too long. I'd like to say that it's because I've been stuck in a sand trap all this time, but the truth is the world has become chaotic and unpredictable. As a one-person shop, the new normal has affected me more than I would like to admit. However, it looks like things are back on track, and so without further delay, let's get to the update proper.

In this episode:

  • Look Who Joined the Crew
  • Don't Be Shy -- Finish Your Survey
  • When Can We Get It?

Look Who Joined the Crew

Duffers was fortunate enough to have a backer pledge the "Join the Crew" tier. Illustrator and all-around brilliant human, David Sookochoff, created a portrait for the backer and to avoid any copyright issues going forward, we created a second version for the game. Check 'em out! 

The Reed's Ginger Beer crew going for a ride.
Here they are ready to save the day!

Don't Be Shy -- Finish Your Survey

There are still a few Duffers out there who need to complete their BackerKit survey. 

Even if you just donated to the cause, there's still a question or two for you. Generally,  it takes less than a minute. If you lost or deleted any of those emails, you can get back to the survey here.  

And When Can We Get It?

Ok ok... So way back in Update 8, I noted that due to the pandemic the physical game would now be shipping in August. That's still the plan. The caveat being, as with all things in life right now, that this timing is subject to any further complications from current or future global upheavals and the issues they may cause (directly or indirectly). To that end, if anyone wants to order the Print and Play (PnP) version, I'll leave the BackerKit open to the very last possible moment. The PnP itself will be finalized and ready for download in the next few weeks, so watch for that update, too.

Thank you everyone for your continued support and general awesomeness. We'll see you back on the links before you know it.

Be well, stay safe, keep swinging...

Duane