1st. container on the ship on its way

[Kendachi]

With how many times they've said they're out of the loop, do we think they even know the ship's name?

[The Beast]

With how many times they've said they're out of the loop, do we think they even know the ship's name?

Do they know what ocean it is on? hopefully not the Pacific with a typhoon and 2 tropical storms building up there. (those storms might slow up the ship if so).

If it's coming from China I doubt it would be sent via the Atlantic...

[Kendachi]

With how many times they've said they're out of the loop, do we think they even know the ship's name?

Do they know what ocean it is on? hopefully not the Pacific with a typhoon and 2 tropical storms building up there. (those storms might slow up the ship if so).

If it's coming from China I doubt it would be sent via the Atlantic...

Well, it can go anywhere... with the power of rainbows!

[Jorel]

I still have my doubts it will even be there in time for GenCon

[MurderCityDisciple]

I still have my doubts it will even be there in time for GenCon

I thought they were air mailing a couple hundred.

What a debacle that would be if after all the drama over RRt, that in the end there weren't any to sell to the GenCon folks.

[Jorel]

They have yet to make any mention of air freight, they have repeatedly said if the boat gets there on time...

[Phaze]

Lets put some PROTOCULTURE in those engines! It'll be in port tomorrow.

Every order this month from 'CHINA DIRECT' arrives two weeks early, so your grandma gets her garden gnome before her garden is weeded.

On the other hand, Hawaii gets hit with unusually large waves from the wake of a passing cargo ship that appeared to be 'on plane' creating a surfing sensation not seen since the Beach Boys... Kawabunga Dude.

[wilycoyote]

I keep asking but if this first container is now on the boat can someone at Palladium finally tell us who their UK distributor is - the FAQ is well over a year old and still no name?

Also though this is the start of the shipping what is the expected scheduling to ensure all backers (even those outside the US) get their product as promised before Retail (obviously discounting the early sales at Gencon).

The continued silence on this is deafening.

[jaymz]

Also though this is the start of the shipping what is the expected scheduling to ensure all backers (even those outside the US) get their product as promised before Retail (obviously discounting the early sales at Gencon).

The time frame for every backer to get their pledge is going to be weeks at minimum and I mean on the order of 4-6 weeks. It could be a few months though. Palladium is using what seem to be local volunteers to pull the orders and then you have the shippings services they are using for this. Overseas is likely going to be a couple of months by the time it is in your hands....

And that is IF that boat actually gets here, the container clears customs, and the container gets to Palladium's warehouse in exactly 3 weeks as stated.....whihc in my opinion is very highly on likely at best and delusional at worst.

[jaymz]

Rock - I was just answering the person's question. I was pretty sure weeks at minimum but likely months could cover most of what you said not to mention I did say the ship getting here in the time frame listed was unlikely and/or delusional.

I already expect a similar "vote" to take place in September in regards to selling at retail.

[wilycoyote]

Thanks both, of course I know that is what we probably should expect. The worry is that the need to prepare and fulfil US retail will take priority in the lead up to the holiday season - not the first KS to do this CMON often do this amongst others - so EU/UK and ROW backers being pushed to the back of the queue

I do have real concerns are around the lack of information about the UK agent, this is not directly shipping times, but that if this falls through we could be staring at additional costs on top of everything else in VAT and customs duties. There is also a nagging doubt about the CE (Child safety Registration) which is enforced accross the EEC especially with regard to goods from China. Would be nice to get the official line.

[jaymz]

Best thing you can do is to contact Palladium directly by phone and ask. About the only person that MIGHT see this is Wayne Smith and even then he isn't that active on here.

[NMI]

I've sent an email to Wayne, Alex, Jeff Burke and Kevin with a link to this thread.

[NMI]

Also though this is the start of the shipping what is the expected scheduling to ensure all backers (even those outside the US) get their product as promised before Retail (obviously discounting the early sales at Gencon).

The time frame for every backer to get their pledge is going to be weeks at minimum and I mean on the order of 4-6 weeks. It could be a few months though. Palladium is using what seem to be local volunteers to pull the orders and then you have the shippings services they are using for this. Overseas is likely going to be a couple of months by the time it is in your hands....

And that is IF that boat actually gets here, the container clears customs, and the container gets to Palladium's warehouse in exactly 3 weeks as stated.....whihc in my opinion is very highly on likely at best and delusional at worst.

JKaymz you forget they have to pack each individual product boxes too, while maintaining Quality Control and weeding out broken or missing item sprues and warped and short shot product.

not too mention there might be 3 storms which will be slowing up PB's ship, then the potential strike of the west coast dock workers, or any number of things PB did not consider.

Also you forgot to mention it would not be beyond the realm of improbability if PB "Asks" if they can ship to retail before backers since it is detrimental to the game to survive.

Correction ... any number of things that YOU ASSUME PB did not consider.

[Forar]

If I'm not mistaken, the ETA has only shifted a few hours since it left port a couple of days ago, so whatever storm dodging it's doing doesn't seem to have massively impacted their time table.

Though that may have changed in the last 16 hours since their position was reported to the site.

And obviously with a week and a half (or more) left in the trip, there's plenty of time for things to change.

Personally I think customs and travel time by rail/truck are the bigger question marks at the moment.

[Phaze]

Got to find out what train its on... It will go through my little town in Indiana on its way to Detroit.

Got to plan a celebration!

[Phaze]

If the OOCL Italy was the ship, its in port as of 4 am this morning...

Not that I'm watching or anything...you know...cause that would be creepy...

[Forar]

4am UTC. EST is -5, I believe PST is -8, so 4am UTC on the 31st is actually 8pm on the 30th, if I haven't screwed up my math or time zones somewhere.

Apparently there was a second ship that could've also qualified, but as that one doesn't arrive until this afternoon/evening, I'm hoping it's the Italy.

[Kendachi]

Why can't they tell us what ship it is/was on?

What about the second container? It should have shipped a day or two ago.

Please, Kevin? Pretty please? We'll be good!

<puts out cookies for Kevin, sugar-free of course>

[Forar]

An excellent question regarding the second container.

According to Update 148, "When we return from Gen Con, we’ll be assembling a small army of volunteers to help us pull Kickstarter orders and ship ‘em out as fast as we can. Our second container of Robotech® RPG Tactics™ product should also be arriving that same week."

Gencon ends August 17th. Given that it appears to be a 2 week trek across the ocean, plus unloading, customs and transport time, even if we're generous and say that's a 3 week endeavor, that container should either be on the boat now, or close to it, if it's going to have even a fighting chance of being there in the time frame allotted.

[Kendachi]

It feels to me, in my opinion, that not knowing what ship your valuable cargo is venturing the high seas on, is a really bad idea.

Just my thoughts on it.

So, about that second container?

[Phaze]

Normal people don't care to know to the level of detail about the name of the ship...which container number its in, or where that container is located in the stack. That sort of information is usually reserved for an officer of the ship, a company insurer, and fanboys.

now, you wouldn't be refering to me?

I agree with you. As a project manager, I could care less about what ship it is on, as long as it gets to its destination when I need it. Unless my inner 'fanboy' beast comes through on a project 30 years in the making...

[Kendachi]

It feels to me, in my opinion, that not knowing what ship your valuable cargo is venturing the high seas on, is a really bad idea.

Just my thoughts on it.

So, about that second container?

It happens all the time. I've personally been responsible for getting multiple tons of equipment transitioned by sea from the US to Europe. I never really cared about the name of the ship. I was given an approx. date that it would be delivered to my final destination, and which port it was coming in. How does knowing the name of the ship matter to me? It does absolutely z-e-r-o to make things go faster.

I'm sure you have raised the same complaint to Amazon that they don't provide the UPS truck number that has your box. Nooooo. All they do is update their website at 5am with the message that it's on the truck to be delivered today </rant>

Normal people don't care to know to the level of detail about the name of the ship...which container number its in, or where that container is located in the stack. That sort of information is usually reserved for an officer of the ship, a company insurer, and fanboys.

Your feelings may be different, I feel that way. Why are you attacking my opinion? Calling me a fanboy? I am not.

Please, no need to bait, or troll, around here.

[Forar]

I was just pointing out that *not knowing the name of the ship* isn't uncommon, and is not really a sense of concern; and I used my professional, real world experience on my statements.

Perhaps you're not aware, but letting the backers know details of the shipping process, up to and including the name of the ship, is something that some KS campaigns have begun doing. From what I've seen, it's a minor boon given to show that, yes, things are in fact on their way, which can be a nice salve to the frustrations of ongoing delays.

Do I care what ship will be bringing over 99% of my products? No. But 99% of the companies I buy from don't sit on my money for a year and a half either.

Do I expect PB to know off hand the name "OOCL Italy" or whatever it actually is? No. But presumably they paid a lot of money to said company to move their product, and I have a hard time believing that it would take much to submit a request for such information, especially with it being a 2 week journey.

Does it change anything? No, but it'd be a nice little nod to show off another vital step towards this product actually ending up in backer hands.

Well, assuming 'a few hundred boxes' aren't the only thing in the container.

Long story short, it's a way to perhaps curry some favour with those who are thirsty for details and feel that PB has been rather opaque about many aspects of this project.