Hagglethorn Hollow

Hagglethorn Hollow Floor Plans - Series 1
over 3 years ago – Wed, Aug 26, 2020 at 11:23:24 PM

Hello everybody,

By popular demand, we are pleased to release our first set of Hagglethorn Hollow floor plans. Starting with these four to-scale ground floor plans we will be releasing further building levels and floor plans over the coming weeks. They are free to our community to download for personal non-commercial use only. 

Link - https://tinyurl.com/y3hplzsw

The four plans released today include:

• Ground Floor Small (GFS) - This works with the Cottage and Homestead Roofs 
• Ground Floor Medium (GFM) - This works with the Chieftains Hall and Guild Hall Roofs
• Ground Floor Large (GFL) - This works with the Longhouse and Tavern Roofs
• Ground Floor Tower (GFT) - This works with the Tower and Barracks Roofs

These images have been designed to be printed at A3. As printing software and printers are varied, you may need to tweak some scaling settings on your setup for improved accuracy. To increase accuracy, adjust your settings so that the grid is at 1" spacing. Most printers will be fairly accurate but for those of you wanting even more accuracy, you will have that guide to aid you.

More Plans Coming Soon

We will release the other levels and floor areas which include the Dungeons, the Soothsayers Hovel, the Wizards Hut, and the Ruins over the coming weeks. Please let us know if you have any suggestions and we will try to accommodate where we can in future versions or issues.

Shipping Address Changes and Adjusting your Orders

Please know that we are getting your messages, however, there has been a fair bit of workload on the team as we wrap up production and respond to shipping address changes and order adjustments. If you haven't had a response after 48hrs to any DMs, please drop JK a note in the comments and JK will follow up with us directly as an extra precautionary measure. We will be able to make changes to shipping addresses for some time, but any order adjustments will need to be confirmed by midnight, on the 27th of August PST. (48hrs time from this post) This will need to be the cut off date for those requests and is still stock dependant but we will always do our best.  

Thanks again to everyone for the continued support and passion.  

The TTG Team

The Final Stages - We are almost there!
over 3 years ago – Thu, Aug 13, 2020 at 03:37:16 AM

Hello everyone, let's kick this update off with a quick video to show we are still alive down here in New Zealand. 

A quick recap on a few subjects that seem to be coming up with more frequency. Some of this information may seem repetitive but we acknowledge that not everyone gets the chance to read every update.

Shipping Dates and Production Status

We are on track to finish up production in China in late August which means everything shipping out early/mid-September. In the video above, we do say we expect to ship everything out in late August, however, after some additional clarity on the packing/shipping logistics from our team at the factory in the last few days (post-filming the video), early/mid-September to ship out of China is more accurate. From there shipments head out to one of 5 fulfillment centers in the USA, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the UK. Please be aware that each region may have its own challenges relating to COVID. We will do our best to pass on any relevant information to our customers as we are made aware of it.

Your response to the Kickstarter was amazing, and meant we had over 60,000 pieces to produce, we have approx 6,000 to go. Approximately, 5500 of those pieces are to be fully painted. Without going into specific numbers and items, the majority of the items are the tile roof sections from the Wizarding District. We have now signed off on all the final paint/cast samples. These were the last items to be signed off for Hagglethorn Hollow.

Changes to Delivery Addresses

Please also inform us if you have had a change of address. Address changes are very easy, but you will need to DM us as they need to be done manually by us.

Will BREXIT affect orders in the EU?

We have had assurance from our shipping partners that BREXIT will not affect the fulfillment of the Kickstarter orders. Their process for fulfillment in the EU is one they have been utilizing for a long time, and Hagglethorn Hollow is set to fulfill before we would foresee Brexit potentially affecting that process.

Packing/Protecting Shipments

After all this effort making sure production is achieved to the best quality, we want to minimise as much as possible any potential risks with the packing and shipment of these items. To achieve that, we have had almost all the pieces packed in full poly enclosures. The exceptions to this are the walls sections and some of the more robust smaller stretch goals (eg. Stone Heads) which are bubble-wrapped.

Floor Plans of Hagglethorn Hollow

Early on in the campaign, we were asked if floor plans could be released of Hagglehtorn Hollow. We loved this request but we did plan to release them just before delivery of Hagglethorn Hollow. We did not expect such extensive delays to delivery, so we will now release floor plans to Hagglethorn Hollow earlier on the 24th of August. Keep an eye out for some previews on our social media pages. Our plan is to have both a version with a 1inch grid overlay and another without.  JK will also let people know through the comments (for those who don’t use social media).

The Making of Hagglethorn Hollow Book

We are so excited to produce this book and have been humbled by the number of pre-orders for the book. As the book documents the entire journey of Hagglethorn Hollow, from design to delivery, it means that the final chapters are yet to be completed. The book will deliver separately to the Hagglethorn Hollow range and those costs are accounted for in our backers orders. So backers can be assured there are no additional costs for that delivery.

Can backers add to their orders?

We appreciate that even after these delays, we still have backers eager to add to their orders. We do have some allowance for changes but it is a very case-by-case basis as production numbers are locked and we will not be increasing them for this first production run. If we can accommodate requests and it does not risk affecting the excess stock buffers we have, then we will. However, there will be a cut-off date which we will need to make backers aware of. That date would be approx the 21st August but will confirm that with our backers as soon as possible both by an update and in the comments if you are thinking of adding anything, please contact us ASAP.

Do we anticipate any further production delays?

In these surreal and unpredictable times, I don’t think we can say that with 100% confidence. From the first hurdle we faced that threw out of production timeline to the ongoing effects of COVID, it’s been a rollercoaster of events to navigate. Again, we thank everyone for hanging in there with us. We have done our best to ensure that the final stages of this production are a smooth process and we don’t see any further issues. Our shipping/fulfillment partners are also diligently working with us to ensure all possible aspects are accounted for.

The Hagglethorn Hollow Forum

As JK has mentioned in the comments we are initiating the forum project and working through which platform and structure will best suit us and our community. Please feel free to add ideas and suggestions in the comments section. We aim to have this established in time for when you start receiving your pledges and rewards. We really look forward to seeing the creativity, mods, paint schemes, games, and setups. We hope the forum will be a great addition and resource for fans and enthusiasts.

Thank you all again for your support, feedback, and patience. It is greatly appreciated and we know you will absolutely love your Hagglethorn Hollow and adventures that await within.

The Northern Dwarf Winner has been chosen!
almost 4 years ago – Fri, Jul 10, 2020 at 08:31:15 PM

Thank you to everyone who submitted entries for the Northern Dwarf Comp that we ran in our previous update. The selection of the winner was a task given to our creative director, Johnny Fraser-Allen. We asked him to give a us winner's name and a few words for why he chose them, and in typically 'storyteller' fashion, Johnny has given quite a few words to really show his journey in the selection he made...

Hagglethorn Hollow is just part of a larger story that I have been working on since the age of fourteen, and its characters are very real, and very dear to me. As a world builder, naming characters is one of the most enjoyable yet often most frustrating parts of the build, and I look for inspiration from many sources. In my work designing creatures and worlds for film, I have had opportunities to adapt notes from some of the industries leading creative minds, including Richard Taylor, Peter Jackson, Stephen Spielberg, and Guillermo DelToro, to name just a few. The ability to offer collaborative creative engagement with the backers and fellow residents of Hagglethorn Hollow through this comp has been a really great experience, and I have not been disappointed.

There was not a single suggestion that I didn’t like. As an avid reader of fantasy and a long time amateur writer myself, the creativity of your suggestions really made me feel good about the homes we are sending Hagglethorn off to. Well done to all. Honorable mentions must go to the excessively creative Tim Boer with ‘Bundirim Mossheart’, ’Wulfrik Tumblefoot’, and ‘Komberlag Chiselwick’ and Andrew Cosby for ‘Blarney Rubble’. With that said, the winner of this particular competition came as a bit of a surprise to me, because of how it struck me so emotionally. The winner is the obviously Monty Python obsessed backer, ‘Biggus Pledgus’ with his entry of ’Terry Stones’.

I love that somebody saw Terry Jones in this sculpture. It was never my intent to sculpt Sir Terry in this piece, but now I can’t unsee it. More importantly, Terry Jones has been my favorite python my whole life, long before I even came to learn in my teens that he was who Jim Henson entrusted the third and final draft of ‘Labyrinth’ to. That film truly started me on my creative journey. It was one of my most secret life goals to one day illustrate a book for Terry, a dream that will now never come true, So I’m so thrilled to honor his genius and gift to us all by dubbing this statue Terry Stones, however, to aid in keeping Hagglethorn Hollow to its own unique untouched world, I offer up the addendum that we call him ‘Teary Stones’. This naturally relates to the sadness of the stone figure while keeping the glorious pun.

Thanks again to all for participating. This won’t be the last of these kinds of comps, and I’m very excited to have you, the Hagglethorn community help name the world you will have in your homes.

Johnny Fraser-Allen

The Color Palette of Hagglethorn Hollow and a new Comp!
almost 4 years ago – Thu, Jul 02, 2020 at 08:30:07 AM

Hagglethorn Hollow Color Palette

We have had a few requests for the color palette of Hagglethorn Hollow, so we thought we would give everyone a sneak peek at the section from the book that covers some of that information. In this section, Johnny discusses not only the palette but the benefits and his process for using household paint over model paint for the Hagglethorn Hollow range.

***Please note this is not the final draft and the book will feature different photos than shown here and more examples.

Johnny: I love painting miniatures, and the convenience of having access to a vast range of paint brands and colors from my local gaming/model store is fantastic! However, with the cost of model paint in mind, it seemed a little impractical to use the same mini-figurine painting method on these larger pieces. That’s not to say you can’t, but I wanted to show a result that I believe most painters can achieve. So here is a practical and economic solution that has worked for me and that I highly recommend.

When tasked with painting multiple sets of Hagglethorn Hollow, I turned to my local hardware store over my game store and I’ve never looked back. For the same price as a standard 12ml bottle of model paint, you can have a 250ml test pot custom mixed to the color of your choice. I have found that 250ml gives me just over 4 meters of painting coverage and could even stretch that out to 6 meters if I thinned it down a little. Using these paints, I’ve now painted almost seven sets of Hagglethorn Hollow for various production requirements, and I’m still using some of the original test pots I purchased.

So that’s affordability sorted, what about quality? As someone who has painted thousands of miniatures with a lot of care, I can honestly vouch for the merits of good quality (time tested) house paints for these larger pieces. The thickness is excellent for building-sized models, and it often means that only a single coat was required. Be sure you ask for the ‘lowest sheen’ paint option available too, unless of course, you want a glossy Tavern for your adventures.

Another benefit of the house paint option is you get a really extensive color range! I’m a big fan of the Citadel paint range and love the vast array of color options, but I soon found that with the house paint option available to me, I was overwhelmingly spoiled for choice in the available color range. It seems that people who paint their houses are fussier than tabletop gamers!

When it came to my color palette choices, I felt it was essential to keep a minimal color palette rooted in a sepia-toned foundation. I wanted the township to feel rustic and have an illustrated feel like that of the works of Arthur Rackham or Brian Froud. A strong color palette over every building will ensure the overall impact of your setting feels very organic.

Hagglethorn Hollow has ten specific building elements across the range with each element having 1-2 colors. Here are the key elements of Hagglethorn Hollow and their *Pantone codes (See this good article on Pantone here).

1. Tile Roofs - 7628, 7580
2. Thatch Roofs - 458, 460
3. Rope (Rigging on Thatch Roof) - 615
4. Windows and Doors - 467
5. Wood (Walls and Framing) - 464
6. Brick Walls - 7501, 7499
7. Cobble Floors and Walkways - 7539, 457
8. Spackling (wall plaster - stippling) - 7500 (mix 50% White)
9. Rock - 7536
10. Stone (Stretch Goal Statues) 7539, 428
     

*Please note. The Pantone codes here are a base starting guide. While these are the color choices I started with, when you account for additional custom mixing (lighten, darken, and color tweaks to your preference) and also the effects of the final wash, you will find your final result can be quite different. You also need to consider what your undercoat is as well. However, you need to start somewhere, and this is where I started.

What about aging your building up? When it comes to painting my figurines, I’ve come to rely on the fantastic results that can be achieved with washes, and again, Citadel has been my brand of choice. However, covering an entire Hagglethorn Hollow building in a Citadel wash would really be stretching my budget. Fortunately for me, I was introduced to the magic of using liquid ‘wood stain’ years earlier on one of my previous artistic endeavors. For me, wood staining a building is a crucial part of the process. It adds so much depth and lived in reality to the sculpture, but there is a trick to it. First off, it has to be the right wood stain. I swear by the ‘walnut’ color wood natural wood stain variety from Resene, a brand available in New Zealand and Australia.

When applying it, make sure you are in an area you don’t mind getting messy or put newspaper or a drop sheet down. Also, have several clean, soft cotton rags about napkin size readily available, this is key.

Now, this is the only part of the paint job that requires timing and precision as wood stain sets very fast and won’t wash off, so there are no do-overs! The best way to counter this is to apply it in small parts and don’t rush it.

Pick an area to focus on, an outside wall, the interior of one room, etc. Then, generously apply (brush, sponge, or rag - experiment with what works best for you) a coat of the wood stain to it. Once the area is coated, immediately wipe off thoroughly with the cotton rag. This process gives a darker tone to the recesses of all your color choices while leaving the raised surfaces popping. It also works wonders on adding depth to the details of masonry, cobblestones, beams, and tiles. Be mindful in this stage to carefully choose the next area as overlapping a stains coat with the previous one will double its effect and possibly leave you with some unwanted dark streaks.

Now this ‘house paint’ method is just one of many methods you can use on your Hagglethorn Hollow. There are numerous resources online using different paint styles, washes, and even the use of foliage or powders to finish your models. We really want to encourage people to experiment and try things, and in most instances, you can always repaint so don’t get discouraged. Even after all my years painting for myself and for work, I often find myself at some point in a project where I start to question my choices and wonder if it will come together. I just keep working, keep trying options, and don't give up, and I always seem to find a way through and so will you. You will be surprised how often venturing beyond your capabilities and experimenting with new techniques can lead you to really unique results that you will be proud of.

We will be adding further information on painting and finishing your pieces in future updates and additionally, JK (who is not a professional artist) is documenting his painting approach on an early Hunters Lodge prototype which he is doing in a very candid and accessible way. Hopefully, this will be informative and encourage others to take the leap as well. We can't wait to see what our backers come up with for paint schemes, customization, and how they integrate it into their gameplay or just for display.

Production Updates

Just a quick note on production. Since our last update, things have been progressing at the expected rate. No quicker or slower than our expectations. These new working conditions are still challenging especially for turnaround times, but we are still confident to be shipping out of the factory in August. We will have another update out soon which will have some more accurate figures in regards to what is left to be produced.

The Next Competition - Naming the Northern Dwarf

We apologize for those of you who were eagerly awaiting the release of our next competition. Our last update stated we said it would probably be run in a week's time but we decided to hold off until the previous competition winners confirmed they had received their prizes. We wanted to just be cautious around the impact of COVID affecting courier services. However, we have had confirmation now from all our winners, so we are good to go!

This time it is for the 1:1 scale cast of the original sculpt of the Northern Dwarf Statue, which was one of the unlocked stretch goals. This particular piece is just under 11” tall and was cast at Weta Workshop and painted by Johnny Fraser-Allen.

All you need to do to enter is “Name the Dwarf!”. Be the Hagglethonian who coins the nickname for this stalwart statue. What would you name him on your way back from the Tavern to your Cottage? To enter just leave your choice of name in the comments and Johnny will select the winner after the comp ends this Friday the 3rd of July at 11 pm EST.  Terms and Conditions here.

As always, if you do have anything you need to address to us personally regarding your order or anything at all, please DM us directly through Kickstarter. It’s the best way for us to track and resolve any correspondence. 

We will also get another video up soon too. It has been a while since we have done one, and we do owe everyone some 'proof of life!". Thanks again everyone. As we have said many times and can not say it enough, we are so incredibly grateful for our backers for their ongoing patience and support. The journey continues and the finish line is getting closer. Thanks again for all your patience and support and we look forward to having more updates out to you soon. 

Stay safe, take care and keep rolling dice, 

The TTG Team

General Updates in strange times. Stay safe everyone.
almost 4 years ago – Sat, May 23, 2020 at 02:08:40 AM

Please note: Some information may be repetitive as it has been stated in previous updates. This is intentional as we acknowledge that some of our customers don't always have the time to read every update. We also ask that if anyone has questions that are specific to their personal order that they message us directly via Kickstarter. This is a more accurate way for us to track queries that need personal follow up.

We hope that everyone out there is safe and healthy in these very strange, surreal, and challenging times. We also hope you all are finding a path through this, staying positive, still finding time to paint a few minis, play a few games and binge a show or two (a special thanks to those who have reached out to us personally with care and concern). We would have loved for you to have had the world of Hagglethorn Hollow much earlier and appreciate your patience and support as we make out way through these final stages of production towards that goal.

Thanks again everyone for being on this journey with us.

Production Status

About 5 weeks ago, our factory in China was able to reopen after almost 8 weeks of lockdown due to the COVID-19 lockdown that was imposed in their region. However, as is the case across many aspects of life now, the pace of output has slowed due to the social distancing measures in place as well as increased hygiene practices.

They have been steadily producing the final products that require sign-off before mass production, however, the sign-off and QC are our biggest hurdles and biggest change in process for us. Throughout 2019 we were able to freely travel to China every few months for sign-offs and QC but with that no longer being an option, it has proven a challenge to move things along at the same pace.

We mentioned previously, we had around 25% of the range to still be produced or signed off. We do as much sign-off as we can through video with the factory, but we do need to inspect the casts in person before we mass produce. About half of that remaining range is now in transit to us for the visual QC round. We made several efforts to solve the QC component by other means but decided that to physically see the item is the most effective way to ensure you get the best quality product. The courier times for these shipments are still variable, but we are trying to get things sent as soon as possible to mitigate any additional time delays. 

As requested, we will have the factory take more photos for us in this manner as the last items go through the production process.

Shipping/Delivery Update

At this time, we are estimating to have everything produced by July and then shipping out from China July/August. This will mean we are about 1 year late on the campaign's original delivery date, for which we apologise.

We have been told that shipping times by then will be on par with normal (pre-COVID) shipping times.  That has been positive for us to hear but our partners have made us aware that regions around the world may differ for domestic delivery.

3D Campaign- Recap

We still receive passionate messages about the 3D campaign and we want the 3D community to know we have not forgotten them. We have digitisied the entire Hagglethorn Hollow range and the work continues with our 3D partners, Printable Scenery, to have them ready for a 3D campaign when the time comes.

While the 3D campaign is still being planned for 2020, we have made a commitment to deliver (or at least be in transit) the physical campaign first. Once we have the product in transit, we will then be able to announce a launch date for the Hagglethorn Hollow STL range.

Communication

We have heard you and will endeavor to be more communicative with production and some of the process. However, we do want to maintain a level of brand quality in production, and these updates will be when there is something new to say, not already covered previously. Looking back we are issuing updates roughly every 4-5 weeks, but believe now that things are back up and running a 3-4 week cycle will be more likely, perhaps more frequent as we near shipping.

JK, our comms manager continues to monitor the Kickstarter comments for us but we are able to deal directly with the other platforms and direct KS messages. For those who don't know JK, he joined the team some time back and is a local NZ longtime TTG supporter and backer. He will be the main one responding to KS comments and will likely be the lead for when the forum kicks off. Think of him as a bit of a backer / TTG hybrid. He advocates very strongly for the backer group and provides us with feedback, questions, and concerns.

For direct pledge related questions or to update your address please use the KS message system.

Competitions

Thanks to everyone who has been actively supporting the competitions. The recent Adam Savage book giveaway was received extremely well. Our winner from the draw exclusive to our Kickstarter backers was Pam Martin from Texas, and our winner from the social media draw was Sean Wainwright (who also happened to be a backer) from Idaho.

We have a few more giveaways that we can run and will probably launch the next one in about a week. This time it will be a 1:1 scale cast of the original sculpt of the Northern Dwarf Statue, which was one of the unlocked stretch goals. This particular piece was cast at Weta Workshop and painted by Johnny Fraser-Allen.

We are thrilled by the support each of these competitions have received and really hope they are not perceived as anything but a way for us to express our continual thanks and appreciation for the community.

TTG and Future Campaigns

Even with these production delays, TTG is in good shape. We run very lean and the delays have really only cost time. We have used the time to consider future Kickstarters, release dates, and how best to optimize production moving forward.

You may have seen some hints of future products posted on our social media pages but we are intentionally not releasing too much info until Hagglethorn Hollow is delivered (or at least in transit). But we are dying to show everyone what has been created here! It’s so exciting and we can’t wait to share it.

In regards to future campaigns, one very significant change we will be making is the scale of them. For example, the Hagglethorn Hollow campaign had 27 key pieces (not including stretch goals) and the next campaign plans to have just 6 key pieces. That may seem like an extreme cut but our rationale behind it is simple - if we were to face every challenge again for the next campaign that we faced on Hagglethorn Hollow, what is the most assured way to cut production time? The answer is fewer pieces, so that is exactly what we plan to do. This all also allow us to run more campaigns, more often.

Additionally, with COVID-19 affecting international travel for some time to come, we need to address how we work with our factories and allow the extra time required to produce and QC the range (as we are finding now). We hope that this is not the case and that international travel will reopen soon but until then, we will pursue this approach as a precaution.

Coming up next...

Painting Guide Preview - We are doing the final prep for the color/paint guide for the range. This is something that will be included in the Hagglethorn Hollow Book, but we are happy to give everyone a preview (especially for those wishing to start scenery projects to complement their HH). We aim to have that posted up in a few days time.

In addition, JK will document his painting of a Hunters Lodge prototype using the guide. We hope that this will be an inspiration for people to approach their own sets and a reflection of what the TTG forum will be able to provide the community in the future.

Thanks again everyone. We thank backers for their ongoing patience and support, especially their sensible approach to voicing their concerns in the comments. We are late, but still pushing forward. It's certainly has been a journey of trials and challenges and we can't express how appreciative we are for your patience and support and look forward to having more updates out soon.

Stay safe out there everyone, 

The TTG Team