CAMPAIGN COMPLETE!!!
We are delighted to announce that the final stretch goal of the campaign has been achieved with the official release of the Elven City of Myrindel!
"Myrindel is a place where ancient power meets tranquil beauty, filled with the sounds of rushing rivers and the soft whispers of wind through its majestic trees. This city stands as a beacon of knowledge, magic, and harmony with nature, where every stone and leaf carries the rich history and legacy of its people."
This final addition fulfils the final backer-voted Extra Legendary Stretch Goal, and we couldn't be more proud of how it has turned out. Myrindel is now available in our store and is part of the newly renamed Empire, Tactician, and Explorer bundles. It has also been added to the Location Collection and is ready for download for all our Gold Tier supporters.
Wrapping Up
Looking back, we realize that we underestimated the scale of what we initially promised during the campaign. The workload and timeframes were more ambitious than expected, but they also drove us to innovate. To ensure our backers and customers had the flexibility to create their maps exactly how they wanted, we made significant improvements to our tile creation pipeline. On top of that, we developed an entire free web app to support the product—a resource we continue to evolve, fully self-funded, and developed alongside the tiles.
The campaign launched just before the COVID-19 pandemic, which undoubtedly impacted development. Additionally, Daniel's workshop was severely affected by a series of unfortunate events, starting with cowboy builders who left the structure unsafe, and later an arson attack that left half the roof destroyed. The stress, anxiety, and financial strain of rebuilding were significant, adding unexpected delays to our timeline.
Despite these setbacks, we’ve experienced some incredible positives over the past four years. Both sides of the guild have welcomed two new family members, and we've had the pleasure of connecting with enthusiastic hobbyists who have kept us motivated and passionate. Through all the challenges, your support and excitement have been the driving force behind our commitment to seeing Hexton Hills thrive and continue to grow.
Now, with the final stretch goal complete, we’re more eager than ever to dive into our next campaign and build on everything we've accomplished so far!
That being said, there are still a few final tasks we need to complete before we can truly call this campaign finished:
Missing Tiles: A few tiles were overlooked, such as basic road connections and dock/land transitions. We'll be adding these to their relevant sets, meaning they'll automatically be added to your libraries once completed.
Tile Guides: The guides haven't been updated in a while, but now that the campaign is complete, it’s the perfect time to revisit and refresh them.
App Images: Some of the more recent sets are currently missing from the app. We'll be adding those, along with the Mega Tiles, as soon as possible.
Renaming Tiles: We're renaming many of the tiles to add some extra flavour. While the tile codes will remain the same, the updated names will appear in the tile guides and within the app.
Pathfinding has been added to a test build of the app, but it needs a bit of additional work before it’s ready for release.
Mega hexes and group rotation options will be implemented in the app soon.
App Feedback
The app has been live for quite some time now, but we want to make it clear that we don’t consider it finished—and that’s something we’re excited about! Our goal is to ensure the app becomes a stand-alone, easy-to-use, and reliable resource for helping backers and customers plan their maps. While most of the core features we envisioned have been implemented, the fun part starts now: focusing on making those features as intuitive and user-friendly as possible. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be polishing the app’s usability and aesthetics, with the goal of having it shine by the end of the year.
Both Graven Guild and our amazing partners at Studio 316 already have long lists of ideas on how to enhance and improve the app’s functionality. We’ve put a lot of thought into the next steps, and we’re thrilled to keep building on the solid foundation we’ve laid. That said, we know your feedback plays a vital role in helping us make this app the best it can be. We’re not asking the community to tell us how to fix things—instead, we want to hear what you love, what could be even better, and what new features would enhance your experience. Together, we can make this app something truly special.
Even after we reach our next milestone, the journey won’t stop there. We have big plans for expanding the app in the future and are committed to continuously investing in its development. With every new feature, update, and idea, we’re making the app an even more powerful tool for all of you. This project has grown alongside Hexton Hills, and we’re so excited to continue pushing its limits.
What's Next?
We’ll continue to post updates for Hexton Hills here on Kickstarter until we’re ready to launch Campaign 2. This way, you’ll stay up to date on everything, including our plans for the app, exciting collaborations, additional files from Campaign 1, Tribes?!, and, of course, our next big adventure—Campaign 2!
The next major endeavour for us is Campaign 2, and we’re beyond excited to share some early details with you. Drawing inspiration from our Wasteland set, this campaign will take a deep dive into the world of science fiction. Our aim is to create a much more focused and well-thought-out campaign, building on everything we learned from Campaign 1. Just like before, the core set will feature around 70 tiles, but this time, we’ll be introducing universal tiles—perfect for both fantasy and sci-fi settings, offering an exciting new biome to enrich your maps.
Outside of the universal terrain, the locations within the core set will be categorized into six thematic sets, each designed to allow for plenty of narrative exploration and maintain aesthetic consistency across your creations. This will add depth and richness to your maps, helping you craft stories that are both visually and thematically cohesive.
In true Hexton Hills fashion, there will be ambitious new features for the app and loads of exciting stretch goals, including universal and sci-fi tiles. We’re aiming to launch Campaign 2 in early 2025, and we promise it’ll be hexciting every step of the way!
Here's a sneak peak from the military themed set:
Pew Pew!! RATATATA!!
Thank you all for your incredible support and enthusiasm throughout this journey. We’re so proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and we’re even more excited about what lies ahead. Whether its adding additional tiles, the ever-evolving app, or the exciting launch of Campaign 2, we can’t wait to continue this adventure with you!
As always
KEEP IT HEXY
With gratitude,
Dan and Jax