Update from the Post-Apocalypse: Surveys, Presale, and More!
almost 11 years ago – Tue, Jun 09, 2015 at 10:57:11 AM

Greetings to our fellow survivors and the extended horde!

We have a few points of business to share in order to keep things moving along smoothly toward our planned press date.

Attack of the Cons! 

Sharyn, our valiant graphic designer, braved the hordes of fans at Origins Game Fair in Ohio this past weekend. She claims to have survived, but as worn out as she seems, we think we may need to check her for bites. 

If you missed her, don't feel bad. We weren't vending formally, but it was an excellent networking opportunity. She met many wonderful other creators who we hope to be working with in the future. Keep an eye on our updates, as we have found some great new games currently on Kickstarter that we're likely to share with you very soon! 

BackerKit and Surveys! 

As you've probably noticed by now, we've gone live on BackerKit. This means we've sent our surveys and opened up the extended presale for MZM (and a few spiffy add-ons). Thank you to everyone who's already responded to our survey. We are currently at 68% complete on surveys. For those who have not yet replied, please do so as soon as possible to guarantee that we can go to press and fulfill your rewards on schedule. 

If you have any questions or did not receive your survey, please contact us directly at [email protected] or via Kickstarter message. 

Also, during the survey period, we are operating an extended pre-sale of the game, so this is your best opportunity to get additional decks, upgrade your reward tiers, and purchase any add-ons you may wish. Preorders are open to non-backers, as well! Find us at mzm.backerkit.com for details.

We will be locking down the presale around press time to guarantee full delivery on time, so time is limited to upgrade. As of this update, all the Un-Lifetime of Brains card tiers are sold out, but every other options for art or prototypes still has room for now. Get in while you can! 

Answers for Our Future Zombies! 

We have had a few inquiries from some of our very special zombies who pledged to receive a prototype or art reward regarding how to handle surveys and responses. For those of you with questions, first of all, it is particularly important to hear back from you in the survey as soon as possible to make sure that we can meet your expectations in full. We aim to please but can't do it without you! 

If you pledged for an art reward, please send your selected image and proposed zombie name to [email protected] along with any further information or questions you may have. 

Thank you again to all of our backers and survey respondents. Remember to spread the word that the extended presale is open to backers and non-backers alike, so it's okay if you have a friend who missed the Kickstarter! 

You can also join our mailing list here. And don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, while you're at it!

With love and brains, 

Team MZM

A word to the survivors...
almost 11 years ago – Sat, Jun 06, 2015 at 03:34:05 PM

Dear Backers,  

So we survived...now what? Let's find out!
almost 11 years ago – Thu, May 14, 2015 at 10:22:43 AM

Well, we got our much-needed sleep and hope everyone else did, too, because there's a lot more yet to come! Please bear with us and read carefully. We've got more announcements today than some zombies have missing limbs.

But first...

Thank you again from the bottoms of our unbeating zombie hearts for your amazing support. We had a banner last day of funding, with new backers right up to the literal last minute. Your support for MZM continues to impress and amaze.

Now that we are in the post-campaign phase, we are getting straight back to business. There's no time to rest when there's so much yet to do! 

In the coming days, we will be finalizing things with Kickstarter and our backers. Once we know that is all well in hand, it will be time to make sure the game is made press-ready and that all the final details are in place regarding production and fulfillment.

With all that in mind...

Watch your inbox!

Team MZM is pleased to be working with BackerKit to fulfill the post-funding needs for the game. Our backer survey should be complete within the next few days, and prompt replies will absolutely expedite production and shipping.

We will also be permitting pledge upgrades and running and limited ongoing presale via BackerKit until the point MZM is ready to hit the printers. The upgrades will be open to all backers, and preorders of the game will be available for anyone who was unable to pledge during the Kickstarter campaign.

So, keep a close eye on your email, as we will be sending further updates when this is all ready to go. 

NOTE: If you received notice from Kickstarter that your payment did not process correctly, please make sure to update your billing information ASAP. We would hate for anyone to miss out on the fun by accident!

Let's get artsy!

Were you one of the lucky backers to get in on our art rewards? The horde thanks you for your dedication! But as they say: "With great power comes a great need for photography." At least, that's what we say, because we can't finish the deck without your help.

Our graphic designer is working hard to finalize the MZM files for print, but first our illustrator has to finish making them all. That means we need reference pictures for those of you (or your chosen victim) who pledged for custom art at the Big Bite of Brains ($80) and Unlifetime of Brains ($120) reward tiers. 

While you wait for your survey, start picking out a good headshot (of the variety that does not involve snipers, please), so you're ready to go when the time comes. If you have any questions in the mean time, please don't hesitate to get in touch through the campaign email.

Support our friends!

Our Kickstarter may be over, but there are so many great games still in active funding.

Why not have a look at two of our team's favorites?

Astrum Resurrectione is in its final countdown! Only 2 more days left to get this amazingly original card game!

Funding for Astrum Resurrectione has more than met the initial goal. Now they're having fun heading toward some great social media stretches. Stretch Goal #1 is already met, and they're so close to reaching several more. Check out their most recent update for details, and read here how you can participate!

Plus, it's only $17, so what on Earth (or any other planet) are you waiting for?
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1126076452/astrum-resurrectione-the-space-themed-card-game

Another Stupid Game with Monsters has 6 days left and needs you! Yes, you!!

These delightful monster-makers recently announced that they have received the final art for all of their darling beasties—including the unlockable ones! They've also doubled the size of the game without changing the already VERY reasonable price. Save even more by getting a 2-pack, but that reward is limited, so get it while you still can!

Let's help these charming monsters get a final push to funding...and beyond!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/905563559/another-stupid-game-with-monsters-tabletop-card-ga

More releases from Team MZM!

As we discussed in this update, our team is far from done after we send Midnight Zombie Marathon to the printer. We are already moving into alpha testing for the MZM strategy expansion and Foil Me Not, the second stand-alone minigame in the paranormal world of Earl. 

Psst...don't forget, there is still time to upgrade your pledge to playtest the alpha deck of either game on BackerKit once our surveys are sent!

We also have a children's game tested and ready to finalize, pending some fine tuning, and the team is progressing with the worldbuilding and mechanics of several more substantial games. These more serious releases are shaping up nicely, and we can't wait to present them when the time is right. As you can see, we really needed that one good night's sleep yesterday, because our designers never truly rest! 

Follow our progress on all of this and more. You won't want to miss out! 

• Get onto our mailing list here. We promise you'll get no spam, only news.
• Stay up to date about the post-funding process on our site and blog.
• Follow our Twitter and like us on Facebook for breaking news from the team and lots more plugs to all the things we love most in the world of games.

Thank you again to everyone who backed, shared, or otherwise supported our campaign. We are truly indebted to the Kickstarter community for making our little zombie dream a huge successful reality.

With love and brains,

Team MZM

Survivor's Log, Day 30: Beyond mere survival! Great success! So enormously grateful!!
almost 11 years ago – Wed, May 13, 2015 at 11:33:49 AM

Greetings and gratitude to all our loyal backers and followers...

...and a HUGE thanks to our new backers in the last 24 hours!!

We're glad we keep a nice stock of sparkling cider and hankies in our zombie apocalypse kits, because we are just overcome with emotion. The outpouring of support for Earl and our lovable horde is just too much for words.

190!!!

Because of all of you, we sit here tonight at 190% funded, having hit 2—and very nearly 3—stretch goals, seeing too many retweets and shares on social media to count. We can't say it enough, but here's an attempt:

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, and thank you to our backers, reviewers, interviewers, followers, and supporters of all stripes.

We'll be back soon with a more detailed update on what to expect in the post-funding stage. (And can we just say now nice it is to be able to say "post-funding stage"?!) 

But for tonight, we are going to sleep like the actual dead so we can be on our feet and back to the business of the undead with fresh eyes come morning.

With so much love and all the brains we have left between us,

Team MZM

From the Desk of Earl: More Details on the Expansion and our New Game!
almost 11 years ago – Tue, May 12, 2015 at 11:03:25 PM

I dunno why the rest of these guys think I got a desk. Who's got room for one of those things when you're always on the move?! But I know you want some more details, so here I go, writing from my so-called "desk"...by which I mean the tailgate of my trusty pickup.

Where are we now? Day 22? 23? That's a long time to be dealing with these zombies, but we still have about a week before I hope to have them under control for now. You see, we got a few more problems coming our way. The zombie plague ain't going nowhere and on top of that, aliens are invading as we speak. Believe me or don't, makes no difference to me. I know they're out there, and as soon as we can get this show on the road, you and I can start sniffing them out!

The rest of the gang wants me to tell you more about how things are going to work from here out. Seems like a decent idea, no doubt. Better to be prepared, I always say. Just like eating month old clam dip, bad things are coming our way and nothing is gonna stop it!

Here's how it's gonna go down: 

MZM Expansion Prototype: Zombies, zombies, everywhere! 

When we started our marathon, things weren't too bad in the sewers. Sure it smelled, it was plenty gross, and we could go on for miles down there. Well, just like drainage off the street, we got a lot more than water coming down the pipe, and I'm gonna need your help. I got some tricks up my sleeve, but I don't know that they're all gonna work out so well. So grab your packs and gear, get ready, and let's start putting down those deaders! 

• Additional cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes so you can help out (or take out) your friends.
• Find new tools do more than run and really fight back against the zombie horde.
• New weapons, abilities, and even extra uses for those gas cans and food boxes.
• Learn the true power of a squirrel on a stick!

New Mini-Game: On the road again!

Keep your foot to the floor, and let's burn rubber to the outskirts of Nevada for a slice of pie and some new adventures. I got word of some crazy lights in the sky, some crashed spaceships and even aliens dressed up as humans. 

That is right folks, believe it or not, we are being invaded and about to have a close encounter with their strange kind. Grab your roll of tin foil and start making hats to pass out to your friends that you trust. Can you find the hidden tourists from outer space? Or are you gonna get probed?

• Aliens have invaded a small diner and it is your job to figure out who they are.
• Be one of 6 possible characters as you try to lie your way to victory.
• Hand out a foil hat on your turn as you try to save (or take over) humankind.
• Use your powers of deception (and the power of hats) to ferret out all the aliens or conceal yourself among those pesky humans.
• Be a human or an alien, but either way, you'd better be the last one standing.

Now I hope that's enough to answer all the questions people been throwing our way. I gotta get out of here. It's late, them zombies love the dark, and I have more new weapons and foil hats to make. We're all gonna need 'em...

Catch you again soon,

Earl

PS: For more info on all this new stuff, make sure you follow us on that social media stuff. I hear we got a Facebook and a Twitter and some new details on the rewards in our FAQs.