Back from Hiatus
over 3 years ago – Sun, Aug 02, 2020 at 03:29:09 PM

Hello folks~

Thank you to everyone for their patience while I take care of family matters.  For the forseeable future, I will probably be taking a week or two every month to be with my family.  During this time I will try to keep up, but based on how this last trip went, I likely won't be available.  I will be catching up on all of the new comments and messages over the weekend, and will update again on Monday with any needed responses, as well as a more complete update.

I will go over some new information that I've learned since I last updated.  In particular, I'm trying to figure out the best possible outcome for this campaign, while simultaneously trying to figure out how things can work going forward with regard to the tables, and backers whose pledges may be lost.  One important distinction for me was the understanding that Michael's disappearance is a betrayal of my trust in the same way it is with all backers.  I want to help backers, but I'm beginning to think that trying to help Michael and Warmwood LLC out of the situation may not be the best way.  I'm not saying that I will stop doing what I can to track refund requests, or to get Michael to return and fulfill his obligations, only that, as I've mentioned in previous updates, I will be spending time trying to find a way to help everyone here as a separate entity.

We have a new deadline, which is August 15th.  This date will be when I officially give up on trying to contact Michael.  Between now and then, I will be using several options to reach him that we haven't tried before due to the cost involved.  If we don't hear from Michael by that date, then I will begin sharing my personal plans going forward.  I will continue to try to contact Michael after this date, but I will no longer be making the assumption that he will respond; this will free me to make certain personal changes, and take actions on behalf of the backers that aren't related to Warmwood or Wooded Realms.

I understand this information is vague.  Unfortunately it has to be this way, as this platform and space are for information about the 2nd Breakfast Kickstarter specifically.  Once again I'll be responding to messages and post responses and some more information next week, and after the 15th of August, I will post another update.  After that, I may be gone again for family time; I'll let you know when that happens.

Stafe safe everyone!

~Nathan

A Short Hiatus
almost 4 years ago – Fri, Jul 03, 2020 at 05:22:17 PM

Hey Folks~

Over the last few days, I have had a personal family issue arise.  I will be traveling to rural Washington to self-quarantine before spending time with my dad.  During this time I will have extremely spotty access to cellular networks and internet.

The main people affected will be those who requested samples.  When I return in a couple weeks I'll email each of you separately to set up a new date/time for pickup.  If you are interested but didn't contact me, you can do so during this time, as I have a few samples left.  The rest will be thrown away.

I've also received a bunch of refund requests, those will be added to my list.  I will try to respond to messages and emails when I have access, but for the next 12-18 days I can't guarantee I'll be available.  I will be using this time to continue looking for ways to provide a good outcome for the campaign, and I have other people who are still maintaining our connections in China.  I'll be able to re-focuse on moving things forward when I return.

Talk to you guys soon!

~Nathan

Samples in Seattle - Locals only!
almost 4 years ago – Wed, Jun 24, 2020 at 11:01:52 PM

Hey folks in the Puget Sound~

I'm hoping to clear out all of the Wooded Realms samples and spare parts in an effort to minimize ongoing storage costs.  Rather than just junk all of this wood, I'm going to offer it to folks to pick up next week.

Here are the items available:

• coffee table
• XL table
• Standard table
• "Standard Mini" table  - The "Standard Minis" are around 3-6" smaller on the long side than a standard.  

https://www.flickr.com/photos/188996924@N06/albums/72157714785009498/with/50023964886/

Most of the above items I only have one.  All of these tables have legs. Some of them have leaves to cover the vault.  Most of them have the RGB LEDs installed, but I can't guarantee that they will work, or include the necessary AC/DC voltage adapter or Bluetooth controller.  Bolts, screws, and other small hardware components are mostly gone.  The Standard Mini tables in particular are extremely basic, and the legs will need some method of attachment.  All are in various stages of completion and disrepair.

MOST IMPORTANT: You should come into this assuming that anything you pick up is only good for scrap wood.  Hopefully the pictures will help you decide, but regardless you will be expected to take it with you.

Here are some details on pickup:

• You must bring a second person with you to maneuver and carry out everything
• I have a couple of dollies you can use and moving cloths you can keep
• Please bear in mind the size of the tables; they do NOT break down any further than shown, and they will NOT fit in a sedan; standards and smaller will fit in most vans and SUVs, the XLs may not fit
• Please DO NOT drive a great distance to pick these up!  They are not worth it!
• Social distancing and Masks will be required

So, how do you request something from this pile of stuff?

• Choose the top 3 items you want.  NOTE:  You will only receive one item, and I cannot guarantee which item you will receive.  Therefore, if you only want the coffee table, then only put the coffee table.  If you are chosen to pick up one of the items you requested, you'll be expected to pick it up
• Email me at [email protected] with their top three items you want, and the dates you can come pick up (see below for available dates/times)
• If you are chosen, you will only get one of the three items you picked, you will not know which until I email you to confirm
• Which of the three items you get will depend on rules similar to my "refund priority" rules, but first email received for each item will also be a factor
• You must agree to pick up whichever of the three items you are offered.  So if you only really want one item, you should only request that one item
• For the dates you choose, you must be available between 1:00PM and 6:00PM on that day
• If that date/time doesn't work for you, we can arrange another time.  If 1-6 won't work for you on any of the available days, let me know which days you can do between 6 and 9

Here is the list of available days:

• Mon June 29
• Tue June 30
• Wed July 1
• Thu July 2
• Fri July 3

Please read everything carefully before sending your email.  Sorry for all of the info and hoops, I'm just trying to make things as fair as possible for everyone who is interested.  Two final notes if you do pick something up.  First, I ask that you not share details or photos of the item, good or bad.  Second, picking up anything from this will not change your pledge or order in any way.

Deadline to email me is Friday, 06/26.  Everyone picking an item up will receive a message via Kickstarter on Saturday, 06/27.

~Nathan

What-If... Answers, Sample Info, Refund Info, & More
almost 4 years ago – Wed, Jun 24, 2020 at 03:05:59 AM

Hello Realmfolk~

It's been a while, and I've got some more answers to questions about the campaign that have popped up.  I've also got news about the samples I'll be getting rid of this week, and a few other tidbits.

Nathan's What-ifs

So these are not my what-ifs, but backer Nathan's questions he posted in the comments last week.  These questions cover several scenarios so people can see in a single update some of the ways I plan to move forward depending on how things go.

What if...

• you are not able to reach Michael any more?
• I'm already operating as if this will be the case.  There are business implications over time. For example, since I'm not getting paid, I won't be renewing the business license in 2021.  It will be on Michael to maintain operating expenses and other costs that I'm fielding now.  What I'm working on now is a way to continue handling things here before any of that happens.
• you get in touch with Michael and he gives you no/fake information
• Pretty much the same as the first scenario.  I've spoken with my lawyer about my options here, and I think our current plan can happen with or without his assistance.  Any new information he does provide will need to be verified.
• you are able to get the 100 tables in some sort of completion
• The 100 tables are mostly complete now.  The issue is paying the full amount of the contract, shipping, customs, and storage.  The real question here is what happens if the factory decides to scrap the tables; if this happens then we may have to start over.  Thankfully for now, the factory is willing to wait until we can pay the contract in full.
• you are not able to get a hold of tables or materials
• if the tables are lost, Wooded Realms will continue to work on alternative solutions.  Realistically, in order to get everyone's tables we will need to manufacture more regardless of whether the first 100 are shipped.  Getting those 100 tables shipped will make everything faster and easier, but it won't be impossible without them.  I'm still working on details which I can't share yet, but what's important is we won't have to rely on whether or not those things are made available to us, but it will be a big benefit if they are.

Plans for The Table

I've had a few people ask about the plans for the table, either as something I can use even if Wooded Realms fails or as a sort of option for folks who haven't received a table yet but want to try building one.  I think this would be a fun idea, but there are a couple of reasons why we can't do this.  First, I don't know that I have the legal right to distribute the designs.  Second, the table's design requires specialized equipment, materials, and components, things that most people won't have the access or ability to create.  Finally, even though things are tough now, this Kickstarter is still an ongoing campaign.  It would feel particularly unfair for people with the means and money to build 2nd Breakfast tables while others have some documents.  It's possible in the future that we will create a version of the table that is open-source and capable of being produced, but at this time, it's not a good option.

Refund information

Here's a little more clarification on refunds.  Since the campaign is still ongoing, and because of the current situation in which we find ourselves, I cannot provide a refund.  However, for folks who want a refund (eg they decided to purchase an alternate board game table, or are no longer in a situation where they need a table), you can request one by messaging me via the Kickstarter platform.  I will add your name to a list of refund requests.  The plan currently is to keep working on producing tables, and as this happens, and as money starts coming in, folks who requested refunds will begin receiving them.

If you request a refund through KS messaging, and I add you to the refunds list, then when tables begin shipping, I'll give you the option to choose your original pledge item.

If however, you initiate a chargeback or other process, I can't guarantee that you will receive anything since the chargeback will be coming from an empty bank account.  However, chargebacks are a pretty definitive cancellation of one's pledge or orders, so  it will be cancelled completely, including any refund requests.

Finally, refunds will be handled on a type of priority system.  If you pre-ordered instead of backed, if you were charged in backerkit, the total amount you were charged, when you made your refund request, and other factors will help to determine the order in which refunds get processed.

More Updates

Finally, I've had several requests for more frequent updates.  I'm going to try doing this starting this week, but since news about the campaign may not always cooperate, I'm going to try to post more frequently.  Since I don't want to bother everyone with more frequent, less info-packed updates, I'll only send notifications for updates that include details relevant to everyone, and I'll try to only post such updates 2-3 times a month.

On that note, I'll be posting tomorrow about the samples that I am distributing.  It's been a while, but if you live in the area, keep an eye out for the update in the early afternoon.  I'll have pictures, a list of items, and instructions for making requests.

Ok, that's it for today!  Talk to you all again soon.

~Nathan

Samples and Wood (Puget Sound News)
almost 4 years ago – Sat, Jun 06, 2020 at 12:22:31 AM

Okay guys~

We are still in process of working on the next steps, but for now I have some literal housekeeping to take care of.

Over the last 20 months or so, I've had samples built or brought back from China, usually for taking photos and videos to show backers the table, but also to send to various trade events and demonstrate the design and overall feel.  I met several backers this way, and it was a great way to show off the design of the 2nd Breakfast.  Now, we've reached a new stage.  The tables I have no longer represent what the 2nd Breakfast is, and I don't see myself attending any more events that will show off the table.  The next time I demo a table, it will be a retail model.

So I want to save on storage.  Instead of tossing these items into the trash, I figured I'd see if anyone here is interested.  I am happy to give these items away to any backers who might want them.

WARNING:  These samples and accessories are NOT what I would consider a 2nd Breakfast table.  If you want to pick up one of these samples to use as your own board game table, please understand: All of these samples have been through a lot of travel, assembly and disassembly, and none of them have all of the features in a standard table.  At this point everything has been moved around several times, so I can't confirm that I have all of the bolts, screws, or other pieces to put these tables together properly.  The accessories come from several different iterations, so an accessory made for one table won't fit on another, and so on.

I would go far enough to say that these are project tables at best, scrap wood at worst.  I'm just trying to set expectations here; if you want to see the evolution of these tables, or if you just need some good scrap wood, then these things are for you.

If you live near the Shoreline, Washington area, and would like to pick some of these items up, I'll be posting a date and time later this week when I'll be available for backers to stop by.

~N

Among the items pictured below:

• A few standard and XL tables from China.  NOTE: These are NOT in good shape; one of them was cut entirely in half to fit into luggage.
• Several "trade show" samples.  These were made in Seattle, using Poplar, and they are smaller than a standard table, with a 3'x5' table size.  The legs are very simple, meant to be quick to take off and store.  These were meant to convey the style of the table in a small booth setting.
• The Wooded Realms Coffee Table - The only sample that was shipped to the US.  This too is in rough shape, but you could do some interesting things with it if you were motivated.
• Assorted rail accessories - Some useful wood if you need it
• Assorted other items - Some Acrylic sheets (1/2" thickness), metal cup holders, sample fabrics, and more.

ALSO NOTE:  If any backers come to pick this stuff up, this will NOT count in any way towards your pledge or other obligations.  This is purely an opportunity to get ahold of some free wood.