Narrative board game in solo or cooperative, in a post-apocalyptic saga with giant insects !
Latest Updates from Our Project:
đŠ Once Upon a News : November 2023
about 1 year ago
â Thu, Nov 09, 2023 at 07:33:30 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
Time flies and we haven't forgotten you. So here's the latest news on the development of your Once Upon a Line boardgame...
đïžACHIEVEMENTS!Â
The Trance of the Silverfish: It's ready!
We're delighted to announce that The Trance of the Silverfish saga is finally complete (in French), and we're really enjoying it! Cecilie, our translator, has now started to work on the English translation, and she's making excellent progress. Our friends at Lucky Duck Games will soon be able to offer playtests in English to a few motivated people.
Why did you start with an extension?
We knew that we'd have to get to the end of one of the boxes to be able to select the right design tricks and validate numerous mechanical, technical, and structural points, as well as find our cruising speed in all the tasks that fall to us.
So it occurred to us that this saga, which is the smallest of the 3, would be the quickest to finalize.
This saga has undoubtedly proved to be more demanding than the main saga, insofar as we have two or three times fewer cards to hold a story together from start to finish, while guaranteeing total immersion, and with grids half the size.
This forced us to find ergonomic and mechanical tricks that we can now put to good use in the main saga. As a result, we're all the more confident as we return to The Butterfly's Breath.
đŠThe Butterfly's Breath
In recent weeks, we've further improved and refined the Prologue, but above all, we've finalized the first two Chapters, for which a second round of corrections was necessary. These scenarios are now incredibly satisfying and full of little stories within the big story. Each player is free to explore this first chapter a little, moderately or thoroughly. But beware, Dystopia is lurking just around the corner, and it diminishes our chances of getting the best possible alternative ending. So, venture out, but don't lose sight of the grains in the hourglass...
âïž NEW!Â
So ... what's new in this main saga?
Surely you remember the addition of a little reminder flag for cards with permanent instructions to remember so as not to get stuck? Well, this flag now has an additional use: it can accommodate a target icon, as in the example below.
WHAT'S IT FOR?
When you enter a new story zone, you may discover this symbol in the top right-hand corner of the map. It means that the start of a Secondary Mission is lurking nearby.
At each stage of the mission, you'll discover the next keyword that will enable you to move forward in this adventure. It's up to you to pay attention and not get lost in all these side missions, as only the first stage is announced by this icon, the following ones relying on your observation, analysis, and narrative intuition...
đ LUKANE'S TRAVEL LOG
Lukane the Elder's Travel Log is now almost finished... we've written all the content and Alexandre, our insect artist, is currently working on the last creatures to be illustrated for this naturalist journal.
We're leaving a few pages vacant for the time being, as we're still unsure which insects to represent... and also because this journal is the subject of a social StretchGoal that hasn't yet been released!
Would you like to take the next step?
All you have to do is like and/or share this post on Facebook :Â
If we reach 1000 likes and/or shares (on the French and English post combined), we'll improve Lukane the Elder's Travel Log by increasing its size by over 40%!
More than 87% of you have entered your delivery address, thank you! For those who are late, here is a little reminder:
đ You haven't received the email: check your spam messages and if you don't see it there either, then send a return request to [email protected] specifying your last name / first name / backer number/email address used during the campaign.
đ You have received the email: all you have to do is let Backerkit guide you. If you completed the Backerkit survey during the Kickstarter campaign, then the choice of language for your pledges was made after the Add-ons page of the survey. Otherwise, it will be done AFTER payment.
đ You did not support during the campaign: you can still support, however, the Deluxe Metal Scraper will not be given for free. You can still buy it in the Add-Ons section.
đ For any problem on Backerkit, write directly to [email protected] for a fast processing of your request!
đ Vous n'avez pas soutenu durant la campagne : vous pouvez toujours soutenir, cependant le Grattoir Deluxe Metal ne sera pas offert. Mais vous pourrez toujours l'acheter dans la rubrique Add-Ons.
đŠ Once Upon a News : September 2023
over 1 year ago
â Fri, Sep 15, 2023 at 04:13:34 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
Back to school! We, too, are back to school in earnest, and back to work on this exciting project. So it's time to tell you all about our progress, new features and improvements...
 đïžACHIEVEMENTS!Â
Many of you have been waiting impatiently for this information, so we've finally taken the time to list our progress on the project as a whole.
So, without further ado, here's our current state of play:
đïžWhere do we stand on the provisional timetable?
During the Kickstarter campaign, we indicated a delivery to contributors in May 2024. In our minds, this implied that we would need to provide all the files for printing to manufacturing around November 2023.
Since then, we've taken a step back and decided to improve a large number of components (more maps, more pages, more Heroes, etc.) as well as a number of game mechanics (particularly for the expansions).
It's therefore likely that we'll be running behind schedule and won't be able to send the game into production as planned in November of this year.
As things stand, we're looking at early 2024, which means delivery to your door in the summer of 2024.
Of course, we'll keep you informed of developments as soon as we're more certain. But we haven't said our last word, and we've already put in motion solutions to try and reduce this additional delay as much as possible (see "With A Little Help From Axel" đ).
English translation work will accelerate as soon as each box is 100% finished in French.
We hope you understand our motives, and that this in no way affects your confidence in us.
Let us know what you think in the comments.
 âïžWith A Little Help From AxelÂ
As you can imagine, over the summer we've been brainstorming solutions to try and keep to our announced deadlines.
One way of saving time was to surround ourselves with one or more scriptwriters/authors.
But this is hardly possible on sagas that are already well underway, as you need consistency in the writing, a leveling of information, and an incompressible amount of time to learn to trust each other.
âïž During the Paris Est Ludique convention, we had the immense pleasure of being helped by two game author friends to animate the Once Upon a Line tables (see KS News #29). It was an opportunity to see that not only did we have with us people of great generosity of heart, but also people who were sufficiently at ease with the game system to make its soul their own. And so we decided to ask Axel CUISIN to collaborate on the writing of The Water of Our Discontent saga, a story quite distinct from the other three (even if there are connections in the universe) and above all a story for which we only had the main framework and where, therefore, the whole field of possibilities was open! Axel immediately expressed his delight at joining the project and decided to put his own narrative game, La Cyclodie, on hold for a few months.
âïž As you can imagine, Axel's writing and game design skills are ideally suited to the task! Fittingly, his name will appear alongside ours on the boxes for this underwater extension.
He has already written almost 30 pages on The Water of Our Discontent universe, a necessary task to validate the concepts, chronology, locations, and events of this saga. Then he finalized each of the synopses of the four Chapters that make up this game box. And now he's working on writing the cards and composing the grid for the very first scenario.
We're obviously keeping a close eye on his work to ensure conformity with the elements already enshrined in the main saga, but we're giving him plenty of room to develop his literary creativity.
 đYOUR IDEAS / YOUR GAMEÂ
Do you remember the Once Upon a Line competition, in which we asked you to imagine different ways in which the residents of Kell could cohabit with certain insects? Well, the winner of that competition, whom you nominated, suggested that Kellians use ladybugs as sails for boats with their elytra. Â Not only has this creature joined Lukane in the Travel Log, but we've also decided to give it a special place in the Transe of the Silverfish saga.
Here she is, in context, on the first map of one of this saga's scenarios, as a good wind engine on a cruise along the Arno.
So here's the first card of one of the first three to play (in the order of your choice), visually and narratively integrating the concept of the contest winner.
đHeart winner
Sometimes, without warning, we're touched by a word, a smile, or an outstretched hand.
This was the case for us when a complete stranger, a few weeks after testing this game in Cannes, spontaneously wrote to us and sent us a little homemade story, the fruit of his imagination on what the story could have been if his version of the ladybug had been selected.
If you, too, have been touched by the Once Upon a Line universe and would like to send us a text, drawing, music, haiku, or other creation, we'd be delighted to hear about it, and perhaps publish it in a future newsletter.
But don't let's get bogged down in chatter, and enjoy this idea-packed text by Francis LACHAND.
đTravelling Caravan
Come, come, in a few moments our two young apprentice acrobats will introduce you to their...
The "Festival of Colors" was in full swing in the city of Kell. Jugglers, musicians, storytellers, authors, dancers, magicians, and artists of all kinds were in every corner of the city, regaling the inhabitants with their new creations.
It is rumored that some of the greatest artists and authors received private commissions from Kell's wealthiest families: shows, children's stories, and even political speeches.
Twice a year, the Ladyluscious faction entered the city and stayed for three weeks. Three weeks of celebration, during which clan quarrels were put aside. This was the strength of the Ladyluscious acrobats: to put stars in the eyes of little Kellians, a little magic for the duration of a festival. In return, they filled up on victuals, drinks, and pollen.
This grand display was a welcome break on the migratory route of the ladybugs. True scarlet flying chariots (the largest could reach 6 meters in height), their wings were decorated in a thousand ways. And it was from this multitude of hues that the name Festival des Couleurs was born.
Each company had its own giant ladybug, with which it built up a very close relationship. Sometimes, these graceful creatures even took part in performances, but they remained above all a home for the artists and an ostentatious mode of transport. However, the Ladyluscious faction, with its ladybugs, always remained dependent on the rhythm of migration.
For a very long time, red-spotted giants had remained in the wild, in the time of Lukane the Elder, because of their corpulence and uncontrolled strength. Until an artist-poet discovered what gentle allies they could become if only they were looked after.
Merzhin, 17, was learning magic and Ewie, 14, the art of drawing. Brother and sister were both born under the wings of Cassiope, the family ladybug. They cherished her like a matriarch. Now they were off to perform with their parents, and even though they knew their act inside out, there was only one thing on their minds: to finish it and finally join their friend Larve...
Francis LACHAND
 đĄNEXT CONVENTIONSÂ
You haven't tried Once Upon a Line yet, and you're dying to?
We'll soon be demonstrating the game at some of our favorite events.
Meet us at :
 Je Joue en Beaujolais (Belleville en Beaujolais - France) Oct. 27-29, 2023
By now, you've probably seen it: we've launched a social stretch goals campaign to improve the content of all your Once Upon a Line boxes.
The principle is simple: you help us spread the word about the project, and we commit to improving the physical content of your game boxes.
We're less than 100 likes and/or shares on our two posts before we can unlock the current tier and find out what's behind the next one.
đŻSo how do we get these goals down?
It's easy: if you haven't liked the two Facebook posts, don't delay! And share as many times as you like in your favorite Facebook groups, associations, etc.
Every share and every like counts!
 Together, let's unlock Lukane the Elder's Travel Log upgrade and discover the next surprise...
PLEDGE MANAGER
More than 86% of you have entered your delivery address, thank you! For those who are late, here is a little reminder:
đ You haven't received the email: check your spam messages and if you don't see it there either, then send a return request to [email protected] specifying your last name / first name / backer number/email address used during the campaign.
đ You have received the email: all you have to do is let Backerkit guide you. If you completed the Backerkit survey during the Kickstarter campaign, then the choice of language for your pledges was made after the Add-ons page of the survey. Otherwise, it will be done AFTER payment.
đ You did not support during the campaign: you can still support, however, the Deluxe Metal Scraper will not be given for free. You can still buy it in the Add-Ons section.
đ For any problem on Backerkit, write directly to [email protected] for a fast processing of your request!
Beaucoup dâentre vous attendent cette information avec impatience, nous avons enfin pris le temps de vous dresser un listing de nos avancements sur lâensemble du projet.
 Venez Voyer Jouez (Voyer - 57) les 18 & 19 Nov. 2023
đĄCes salons sont trop loin de vous ?
 Testez gratuitement en ligne Once Upon a Line sur la plateforme Steam - Tabletop Simulator
 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2983227325
đ Vous n'avez pas soutenu durant la campagne : vous pouvez toujours soutenir, cependant le Grattoir Deluxe Metal ne sera pas offert. Mais vous pourrez toujours l'acheter dans la rubrique Add-Ons.
đŻ New Social Stretch Goal!
over 1 year ago
â Thu, Aug 10, 2023 at 07:39:33 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
 đŻ NEW SOCIAL STRETCH GOAL
đ It's down! The 750 level has just given way... so we're going to upgrade the cardboard with stepped storage! Thank you for your unfailing mobilization!!!
If you didn't take part, please note that your help can help us reach the next level!
All you have to do is Like and/or Share this post on Facebook:
If we reach 1000 likes and/or shares (on the French and English post combined), we'll improve Lukane the Elder's Travel Log by increasing its size by more than 40%!
đ So, it's up to you...
ÊÄÉ ââââ± French Version starts here â°âââ ÊÄÉ
đŻ New Social Stretch Goal
over 1 year ago
â Sat, Jul 15, 2023 at 02:38:22 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
 đŻ NEW SOCIAL STRETCH GOAL
đ You did it!!! So, as promised, we're adding 8 more pages to the Travel Log of Lukane theElder. You'll learn a lot more about the universe of the main saga, the big insects, the customs and habits.
If you didn't take part, please note that your help can help us reach the next level!
All you have to do is Like and/or Share this post on Facebook:
Â
If we reach 750 likes and/or shares (on both french and english post), we'll be upgrading The Butterflyâs Breathâs cardboard traywith an ingenious staircase system to organize the decks of cards by chapter.
đ So, it's up to you...
ÊÄÉ ââââ± French Version starts here â°âââ ÊÄÉ
 đŻ NOUVEAU STRETCH GOAL SOCIAL
đ Vous lâavez fait !!! Comme promis, nous allons donc ajouter 8 pages de plus au Carnet de Voyage de Lukane lâAncien.
Vous en apprendrez beaucoup plus sur lâunivers de la saga principale, sur les grands insectes, les mĆurs et coutumes.
đŻ The goal is dead, long live the goal!
over 1 year ago
â Thu, Jul 13, 2023 at 02:29:53 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
đŻ NEW SOCIAL STRETCH GOAL
đ In less than 24 hours, you've broken the first SG! The UV selective varnish will be applied to every The Butterfly's Breath box. Thank you very much...
If you didn't take part, please note that your help can help us reach the next level!
All you have to do is Like and/or Share this post on Facebook:
If we reach 500 likes or shares (on both french and english post), we'll add a 8 pages in Lukane the Elder's travel log!
Remember, each box of Once Upon a Line - The Butterfly's Breath will come with a travel log from Lukane the Elder, recounting his long journey through Kellian lands.
You'll learn a great deal about certain insects that play an important or notorious role in this universe. You'll also discover how castes and guilds function, and lots of other fascinating information about this world.
Admittedly, 24 pages instead of 16 to immerse yourself in this almost infinite universe is no luxury.So we'll be happy to add 8 pages to all the travelogues if we reach this social Stretch Goal.Â
đ So, it's up to you...
ÊÄÉ ââââ± French Version starts here â°âââ ÊÄÉ
Avouez que 24 pages au lieu de 16 pour s'immerger dans cet univers presque infini, ça n'est pas du luxe.Nous serons donc ravis d'ajouter 8 pages à tous les carnets de voyage si nous atteignons ce palier.