Hike It! – The Backpacking Board Game

Hike It! Update #21 - The Manufacturing Process Is Under Way

Hello Backer Packers

Manufacturing Has Begun

After many (extra) months of pain-staking reviews, proofing, edits, testing and touch-ups… production design files have been handed off to our manufacturer.

Again, sorry for the delays, but I wanted to do my due diligence and be 100% sure of everything before I sent files off to be printed and manufactured (especially for my first game). Luckily my manufacturer - Gameland - has been a valuable source of knowledge, support, and patience during this process.

Over the next 8-9 weeks we will be getting the games produced, boxed up, and ready for shipping to their ports of call.

Pledge Manager Ending

The pledge manager will be closing on August 7th in order to finalize manufacturing quantity as well as shipping addresses.

We still have 237 (out of 1,317 total backers) that have NOT completed their pledge manager. If this is you I urge you to do so now. Once the pledge manager is closed, it will be more difficult to get your game during the standard shipping process, and will most likely incur additional costs.

Please visit https://www.hiveinteractive.net/pledgemanager to complete your pledge today.

Final Design Samples

I wanted to give you a glimpse into some of the final designs of some of the game's component so you know what you are getting, especially since some of these designs have changed a bit (for the better) since the Kickstarter campaign preview designs.

As you may know, this game will be made with over 163 wooden components - there are NO punch board tokens or tiles in the game. This rendering displays the final designs of a Hiker Meeple, Bear Meeple, Vehicle Meeple, Campfire Token, Scenic Tokens, Health Marker, Waypoint Marker, Skill Set Tokens, Gear Tile, and a Water Tile. All of these items are fitted with custom screen printing (no stickers).

Next are some final designs of the TRAIL cards that will either challenge or reward you during every day of your hike.

Then we have the Weather cards with the Weather dice that play a big part in how you plan each day on the trail.

Here are some final designs of the SKILL cards that will help you master specific outdoor skills that could make your life easier in the backwoods, as well as maybe help maneuver around some bears in your path.

These Side Hike cards give you an option for additional points during your hike.

Here is the final box top and bottom art 

Here is a close up of the Packboard from the box-bottom image. Your Packboard not only helps you organize and carry items during your hike, but will also offer you extra actions and bonuses as you add or remove components. (Packboard will be dual-layered!)

Lastly, here is the final version of the double-sided gameboard - side A & B. (the neoprene mat will also be double-sided)

The board was made by a professional cartographer & designer - Ron Halliday. The result is a 1:100,00 scale version of the Great Smoky Mountains and uses existing camps, trails and scenic spots in their accurate location. For an added touch of realism, every space in the game is approximately one mile in the national park. Here is a close up to show the level of detail of the topography, elevation shading, water ways, trails, etc.

I will share some pics of manufacturing samples with you as I get them.

Gen Con

We will be demoing and discussing Hike It! at the Board Game Rundown booth with that awesome crew at Gen Con Friday, August 4th between 4:30 - 6:00pm at Booth 1931. If you are there, swing by and say 'hello'.

Solo Mode

The solo mode will be presented next week with the rules, the cards and the solo AI player board. Solo mode is part of the reason for the delay in manufacturing as I wanted to be sure it was fully tested and fleshed out properly. While it was being finalized, we had some good feedback for ways to enhance it and I didn't want to pass up on that opportunity. For those solo players out there, HIKE IT! Solo will have you competing against an AI opponent that will play differently every game. He will be moving across his own map (at his own pace), competing with you for regional supplies, skills, locations and points,... with multiple difficulty levels to chose from. If he beats you back to the trailhead, then you will be facing an aggressive bear for the remainder of your hike.

That is it for now. I will send out an update next week for the solo stuff.

TJ