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I wonder how much combined monies were lost in total after everyone's pre-orders.

Short answer: A lot.

These were the prices:

Single ungilded
First 24 hours: $33.95
Original Price: $35.95

Single gilded
First 24 hours: $47.95
Original Price: $51.95

Set 2-pack (1 gilded + 1 un-gilded)
First 24 hours: $78.95
Original Price: $83.95

Set 3-pack (2 gilded + 1 un-gilded)
First 24 hours: $118.95
Original Price: $132.95
(Mixed sets or additional add-on decks will always attempt to match your existing numbers if possible.)

Full set (5 Blind Tiger 2022 NPCCD Decks (3 gilded / 2 un-gilded) + 1 Exclusive 2021 NPCCD Deck)
First 24 hours: $239.95
Original Price: $275.00

There was no cap on orders, but there was a time limit. Given that in previous years there were 500 sets printed and those sold out, you could easily assume 500 x $240 as a minimum amount that was ordered. Now some did get refunds (I was actually one of them) but others have never heard back. At 400 sets within first 24 hours price we are talking abotu $100,000. This money was supposed to go to production of the deck, along with maintaining Portfolio 52 (and I would have guess funding UC as well). We have no idea what has happened to this money.

Just curious, since this was a true pre-order and not a KS style "support a creator" project, is it more legally actionable to report/sue/etc.? Not that I personally care to, I just wondered.

I messaged Alex's wife(?) on Facebook and a couple people with the last name Chin on his friends list, hoping for any response on Alex. This was a few days ago and I've yet to hear back from any of them.

Somewhere on his FB (edit: nvm it's on his LinkedIn) I think there's a link to his personal portfolio website. There's a number. If someone finds it try calling or texting him (it might not work anymore though)

bdawg923 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 11:36 am Somewhere on his FB (edit: nvm it's on his LinkedIn) I think there's a link to his personal portfolio website. There's a number. If someone finds it try calling or texting him (it might not work anymore though)

Someone had mentioned calling that number before and it perpetually rings with no answer or voicemail.

I probably mentioned it before. Didn't realize someone called it already

wingedpotato wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:53 am Just curious, since this was a true pre-order and not a KS style "support a creator" project, is it more legally actionable to report/sue/etc.? Not that I personally care to, I just wondered.

Of course it is, problem is the small (relatively) individual amounts and the costs to go after him for it. I mean even the KS stuff is bull, there have been lawsuits against creators that have "won" but of course in those situation it's unlikely anyone but the lawyers make out. There is also the problem of jurisdiction, which is what plagues those who go after KS. In fact at least one attourney general of a US state did go after a KS but again, did anyone really collect?

There's a thread on it here: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/329121 ... al-channel

It's almost more of a surprise there just haven't been more out and out scams on KS, I guess they must do some vetting, albeit not much.

bdawg923 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 11:59 am I probably mentioned it before. Didn't realize someone called it already

Yeah, someone had made an FB comment stating they had called the number, not me personally.

I have his last known (to his inner circle among the card community) phone number, and I have left a message or two. I have received no response, nor any confirmation that it's even still his number. I and others have texted and e-mailed. He was last heard from, as mentioned elsewhere on this board, sometime in... mid-February, I think? And he *did* ship out the other project (Limbo, I think it was) that was also waiting for delivery, at around the same time.

Alex is not scamming anybody, folks. Whatever his issues, his integrity is not one of them. I am concerned for his or his family's health. Hopefully Kevork's reaching out to potential family members yields some response at some point.

GandalfPC wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:04 am In the case of optimism v realism, you do hold the odds.

I definitely understood those individual words, and that entire sentence. No confusion here, nosiree!

Timmargh wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 7:30 pm

GandalfPC wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:04 am In the case of optimism v realism, you do hold the odds.

I definitely understood those individual words, and that entire sentence. No confusion here, nosiree!

What's there to not understand? You hold the odds:

Strag wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:47 am There was no cap on orders, but there was a time limit. Given that in previous years there were 500 sets printed and those sold out, you could easily assume 500 x $240 as a minimum amount that was ordered. Now some did get refunds (I was actually one of them) but others have never heard back.

For the record, I requested a refund on a full set, and I promptly received it. I am sorry to hear that this was not the case for everyone.

I foolishly did not request a refund at the time as I still had hope. I bought 2 sets so I am out about $500.

To be honest, I am (was?) a big Alex fan but I can't comprehend a scenario, outside of incarceration or commitment, that an update could not be made. I understand people go through tough times but that does not alleviate your obligations. I have definitely become jaded and less sympathetic to the issues card creators seem to often endure such that they completely go radio silent.

In in for 2 sets as well

Having led a long and colorful life, can imagine many things and know there are many more I cannot.

I went all in for the first time, but only for one set.

rousselle wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 6:46 pm Alex is not scamming anybody, folks. Whatever his issues, his integrity is not one of them.

I disagree completely. If you can give me ONE, just one good reason why someone in this day and age, can't send out an update relative to this particular project in over 6 months... a year... longer? (someone will have to remind me the last time Alex updated about this project, specifically) then I'll eat my words and say he has integrity.

But until someone convinces me otherwise, his integrity is garbage. Our hard-earned money was taken from us with promises of playing cards but he has not delivered and more importantly, has gone radio silent. Call it scamming, lying, cheating- whatever you want. But the fact remains that until he, himself updates us, our money is gone.

The last update was June 3rd, 2023, so over a year ago now. I had emailed him and he was corresponding all the way up to July 27th, 2023.

In his last update in June of 2023, he had stated:

The estimated timeline for delivery will be around October, which I recognize is a full year since the order. The delay is due to unanticipated issues with plastics manufacturing for the main series and the longer than anticipated assembly time of the bonus deck simply due to its design.

So whatever happened August 2023 onward regarding this project is a mystery. Limbo started to arrive at people's doors on January 2024, which I believe is the last time people were hearing from him. It appears that a 6-7 month absence has happened before with him; somehow feels much longer considering this project sale was October 2022.

I had ordered two sets and asked for a refund on one of them in October of 2023, but have not received a response.

Integrity is seldom within reach of a drowning man.

I’ll wait until he gets to shore.

GandalfPC wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2024 2:21 pm Integrity is seldom within reach of a drowning man.

I’ll wait until he gets to shore.

I would love for him to get to the shore. And I'm not rushing him. But it wouldn't kill him to send a message in a bottle. I think that's all most of us are asking for at this point.

For all I know he is in a room he can’t get out of trying to remember his own name - in every case of my imagination he is doing less well than I am, thus I am just going to stick with worried about him and wishing along with you and the rest of the bunch, that he drops us a line.

vasta41 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2024 4:59 pm

GandalfPC wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2024 2:21 pm Integrity is seldom within reach of a drowning man.

I’ll wait until he gets to shore.

I would love for him to get to the shore. And I'm not rushing him. But it wouldn't kill him to send a message in a bottle. I think that's all most of us are asking for at this point.

I think asking for a message in a bottle is totally missing the point of the metaphor of a drowning man…

Next to no-one actually knows what’s going on with Alex.

It’s a shame that people seem to be quick to assume foul play on his part, with no actual basis other than speculation.

Might be easy for me to say, as I have no stake in this project as I didn’t go in on it, but those people who know Alex and are genuinely concerned for him (not just about the project or their money) most likely know he’s not one to scam anyone and he is likely going through something that a lot of us probably can’t actually fathom.

Yes, other established creators have scammed the community, so people have every right to be wary, but there seems to be a growing lack of compassion in the world about people having real problems.

Oneiros88 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:19 pm lack of compassion

This also goes both ways. It’s a respect thing at this point.

I would’ve assumed we’d see somewhat of an update by now but obviously something has Alex holding that back.

Until then we continue to wait..

Cheers,
KW

Oneiros88 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:19 pm Next to no-one actually knows what’s going on with Alex.

Exactly the point. Anyone who thinks Alex is scamming us is merely speculating. Anyone who thinks Alex would never do such a thing is also speculating. Do you know how this gets resolved?

ALEX NEEDS TO SEND AN UPDATE.

The guy has tens of thousands of our hard-earned dollars in his possession, for a project that is well beyond overdue. To all you bleeding hearts out there: IS AN UPDATE TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR??

But we aren’t asking him. We are asking the universe at large and it’s not listening.

His circumstances are entirely unknown, asking the universe does not change that - no problem asking - also no point.

Still leaves us with no update, no answer - which leaves us where? Assuming the worst or hoping for the best - neither compare to an update, but thats what we have.

I think the obvious intimation is, speaking of compassion, that Alex have some for the backers. This would entail not needing to ask at all, but instead trusting that he would have the wherewithal to understand the frustrations of completely ambiguous timelines and silence on the part of the creator.

"I'm sorry, I'm going through some hard shit, I apologize to everyone, I think I might be able to get back to this project in roughly 18 months, until then I am in your debt. Please do not lose faith."

That took me 6 seconds to write. I struggle to imagine a scenario in which he would not be able to type, write, dictate, or even mime out some kind of update that would let his backers know that all is not lost. All the best to him and his, but as far as I'm concerned, there is no excuse for complete disappearance.

I don’t know if everyone understands what a life turned upside down can look like or how tough it can be to find one of those space pens to use at the moment to write with but let me assure you - your struggles to imagine are not making it above the chin bar.

I have been trying not to say it, but it’s not some private information - we all saw Alex go through the Limbo project - not the delivery of it, the creation. It was clear he had gone through a “rough patch”.

All evidence suggest that that rough patch came back and bit him in the ass hard, that he came out thinking he could soldier on and delivered some Limbo and then found out the hard way he wasn’t done with his issues yet.

The pressure that is exerted by his owing decks to us would be just the type of thing that upon the third attempt (assuming one was yet finished with the second) would not be the immediate need to deal with - it would not help to deal with it - for though it might put our mind at ease it might slow his ability to recover, or cause a relapse.

No idea whats up with him, but I am not blind to what was up with him, and that is but one possibility that isn’t “he doesn’t care about us” or “he is a crook”

Will this year be another missing annual NPCCD deck?
If it is, then wallet is saved again

PS: we are REALLY HOPE that Alex is fine and well - that he just simply stay away from the Internet so that he keeps personal reasons to himself (maybe)
PPS: Should he returns and still wanting NPCCD annual decks to keep happening, I say this (again and again): it needs to be watered down - no more multiple decks in a set, just simply one deck like first one

Oneiros88 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:19 pm
Next to no-one actually knows what’s going on with Alex.

And why is that? Complete lack of communication.

Oneiros88 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:19 pmIt’s a shame that people seem to be quick to assume foul play on his part, with no actual basis other than speculation.

And why are people only left to speculate? Again, lack of communication. Also I don't see people assuming foul play, but instead asking for PLEASE be comunicated with.

Oneiros88 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:19 pmMight be easy for me to say, as I have no stake in this project as I didn’t go in on it, but those people who know Alex and are genuinely concerned for him (not just about the project or their money) most likely know he’s not one to scam anyone and he is likely going through something that a lot of us probably can’t actually fathom.

Yes, other established creators have scammed the community, so people have every right to be wary, but there seems to be a growing lack of compassion in the world about people having real problems.

I see quite a lot of compassion in this thread for Alex. However you are also missing the point that people who had faith in him, gave him their hard earned money in expectation of receiving something in return, are being ghosted. What about them? Do you think that this has no effect on others mental health?

My point is it's not a one-way street. Relationships do not break down because of a lack of caring (for the most part). The break down because of a lack of trust and bad communication. That's what is happening here. In my view it's not ok to dismiss the concerns of those who put faith and trust in Alex only to hear nothing for months.

I sincerely hope he's well. I also hope that he can come back to the community and update in the near future. I also think people should be free to share their concerns, fears and frustrations.