Howdy folks! I know that Q-Workshop and Paizo are working together to produce some really fancy and pretty dice. Their kickstarter has funded and is wildly successful. Heck, I'm one of the backers!
However, I wanted to let you all know about another kickstarter producing metal dice that is currently active. It's called Zucati Dice: Plain and Simple.
What's up for sale?
These are solid metal dice in a variety of metals that are simply gaming dice.
-Solid Brass
-Solid Copper
-Solid Stainless Steel
-Solid Tungsten Alloy
-Solid Aluminum (available in 8 different colors!)
These dice are simple: They look just like the normal dice that we all use, but they are solid metals. Very pretty, very cool!
It would be awesome if you could at least take a look! Thanks!
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Hmmm. Not sure about the tungsten alloy dice; in the durability video they didn't seem to roll much, but that may have been because he was trying to keep them in the picture. With that density, though, you're going to have to put a bit of oomph into a toss if you want them to roll. Still, the cool factor is strong with these, and I am a metallurgist....
Those tungsten dice can double as armor piercing slingshot bullets :)
One of my ideas (that I'm still trying to work out the budget for) is to get a set of Aluminum dice for each of my kids as a "coming of age" gift.
You are correct that the heavier metals are, well, heavier. I would love a set of Brass dice for myself. I don't know if I can work that in along with dice for my kids. Probably not...
Hey folks! This is copied from a recent update. Support the Kickstarter, get free metal dice!!
1. If we can reach 250 backers by lets say Friday the 9th, I'll give every single backer their choice of D20 die or D6 pair of dice in any metal except Tungsten. Free.
2. If we can reach 300 backers by Friday the 9th, I'll add on a set of 7 Aluminum Polyhedral Dice or a set of 6D6 dice in any aluminum finish. Plus everything from #1 Free.
3. If we can get to 400 backers by Friday the 9th, I'll include a free Tungsten D20 for all backers or a Tunsten D20 Spindown. Plus everything from #1 and #2 (You can sub out the tungsten for any other metal if you want) Free.
4. If we can reach 500 backers by Friday the 9th, I'll include a pair of Tungsten D6 dice, plus everything from #'s 1,2 and 3.(You can sub out the tungsten for any other metal if you want) Free.
So there you go: A potentially huge amount of dice on the line. Its now in your hands... I'm not setting a dollar limit, just a backer limit. You make the rules,l and you're in control. Want free dice? Want this KS to succeed... you've got the power. The power to get FREE dice.
- Hal Zucati
In addition to everything offered above.....
I'll make one more offer just cause I'm in the mood.
If we can reach $40,000 by Friday the 9th of October (Midnight Pacific Time)
I'll randomly choose from all the current backers on this campaign using the very dice shown in this campaign to roll the number of 8 backers who will receive one of each of the 8 sets of aluminum dice polyhedral sets shown in this campaign. The actual sets, FREE. One per backer for 8 lucky backers.
I'll also roll for 4 lucky backers to receive each of the rare metals, Brass, Copper, Tungsten, and Stainless Steel.
I'll also roll for each of the add-ons in every metal and color of aluminum. It'll be a massive roll-fest.
And I'll do this all on camera. So what do you have to do to be in this dice mania?
1. Be a backer of this campaign for at least $25
2. Be a backer of this campaign through the end of the campaign.
3. Be a backer of this campaign and have the campaign meet its funding goal.
4. Have a backer number.Your backer number is the number that will determine the roll order for these FREEBIES!
So tell your friends how they can get FREE DICE and help you get FREE DICE.
Thanks everyone for your support.
Ok,
I'm done now.
See ya all Friday?
- Hal Zucati
Thanks, John Woodford!
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And he replied--he's working on titanium and magnesium, but I infer that'll come after the kickstarter--in the description he'd said that the funding level was set based on the cost for the alloys he's already working with, so adding more alloys would have meant a higher total for the KS. So I backed for the tungsten d20; will probably also get some anodized aluminum for my wife.
Titanium dice would be awesome!
Hey folks! If we can get 5 more backers before Midnight Pacific time, Backers #1-200 will each get a free set of 7 Aluminum Dice in the color of their choice! All you need is a minimum $25 pledge!
In order to get the free dice the project does have to fully fund, of course.
These dice are simple, awesome and simply awesome!
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He got his 200, and has promised the free set of seven to backers #1-234 if the project funds. Kicktraq currently has it on track to finish at 99%, so it might be close. I'd pledged extra to get a set of aluminum percentiles for my wife, but since I'm getting the full set as an extra I'll give her that and get steel percs for myself. It's a tough call, because I don't want to get too much now--I'd really like to save up for a set of titanium dice, and I'm guessing that they'll be on the order of stainless or copper for price. (Ti6Al4V costs as much per pound as tungsten, but at less than a quarter of the density the materials cost per die should be much lower, and IIRC it's more machinable than tungsten. Even so.) OTOH, if this doesn't fund my chances of ever getting titanium drop considerably.
There was a HUGE mistake with Hal's Kickstarter account. His son accidentally deleted it, ending the project. Hal is working to get everything back, and will get the project back up and running as soon as possible.
The way I see it, stuff happens. It happened to this kickstarter. The creator now has his account back and he will be restarting the Kickstarter again soon with more options. John Woodford, your titanium option will be there now.
I agree with John Woodford's comment above. I would not have believed that he could get metal dice at the price offered if he did not have several campaigns (10, I think) in the past with happy backers.
I'll be back on board when the new campaign launches and I'll post a comment here to let others know.
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And it's live. New goal $25k, and 45 minutes after launch he's up to $9478 with 75 backers. I'm in for a set of titanium and a tungsten d20, and as a previous backer I'm also getting an aluminum set.
ETA: Here's a LINK, if anyone's interested.
Update: less than two hours in, and it's 50% funded. I think a lot of people were waiting for this after the first one folded.
I certainly was waiting for it to restart. I jumped in very early on the new campaign. I'm also in for a set of Titanium dice, but I may switch back to Brass.
Bumping this back up to the top. Here's the link again:
Zucati Dice: Minimalist Metal Dice
These are awesome dice available in Stainless Steel, Brass, Bronze, Titanium, Aluminum, Copper, Magnesium, Tungsten, and METEORITE! Minimalist means that they are simply polyhedral dice crafted from solid metals. If you think the Q-Workshop dice are too fancy looking, these could be the dice for you.
Quick update:
At this point all backers are getting a free D20 of Curiously Strong Attraction. That's a d20 with a really strong magnet in one face. It's supposed to be strong enough to hold pictures on your wall (if you put it over a stud).
As soon as we hit $40,000, there is going to be an option to purchase a metal chest that will hold a set of dice. That stretch goal is really close.
Hal got some more meteorite fragments, so a few more meteorite dice will be available for those with deep pockets.
I am in awe that he retained Sanity after cutting Tungsten into dicey shapes already...
A must have if only to show you are a hard (dense?) core gamer
Funding currently at $44k! Numbers are climbing, albeit slowly. Nearly all that was "lost" is back again. Nearly 300 backers have supported the campaign.
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It's the downside of having some very high-value single options--one supporter gets cold feet/gets downsized/has their spouse find out, and it's an immediate and marked hit. AIUI, the drop was entirely due to one person who'd pledged for the full meteorite set canceling their pledge.
ETA: Up to 300 backers!
Campaign has passed $50k (spheres of influence for all backers) and is moving towards $60k where the option opens up to purchase leather dice cups and pigskin leather dice bags!
As a note, the creator has stated that these are the best price you can find for solid metal dice. After the Campaign ends, he's planning to continue selling them, but the prices will be significantly higher. Also, some of the current options (meteorite, sterling silver, possibly some others) won't be available outside the kickstarter.
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Following from the Zucati kickstarter, I found this one, for carbon fiber composite d6s. They looked kind of cool, so I backed for a pair of 16mm dice. My timing was impeccable--one of the early bird backers had just dropped out, so there was one slot left.