Personal Demons

Intro

Overview

How to Play

Contents

The Artwork

Languages

The game will be available in English and German through this Kickstarter. Decide in the pledge manager which language you'd prefer. The German localisation was lovingly done by Board Game Circus, a long-standing partner of Tettix Games with an outstanding track record for creating faithful and well-considered German editions of great games. 

NOTE: 

• German is only available in DACH countries and will be fulfilled directly by Board Game Circus via Fulfilment Europe in Germany.
• Your entire order must be the same language. It's not possible to mix English and German for shipping reasons.
• Sol's Low-Key Guide to Demons, the artbook add-on, is ONLY available in English but can be added to German-language orders.

What other languages are coming after this Kickstarter?

Only English and German are available via this Kickstarter, but discussions are already underway with partners from other regions to localise Personal Demons into a variety of languages! Nothing is announced yet, but stay tuned. Regardless of future announcements, only English and German languages will be available via this Kickstarter or the pledge manager.

Pledge Levels

Add-ons

Why Kickstarter?

• It ensures you get the game. This is a hard reality to face at the moment, but the uncertainty of the market and unpredictable tariffs make it very difficult to bring games to retail, especially in the US. Kickstarter allows publishers to retain much better profit margins and operate despite extreme tariffs. The intent is still to reach retail in as many markets as possible, including the US, but we can't make any promises right now.
• It gives full creative control. By self-publishing via Kickstarter, we get to maintain complete control over the IP (Intellectual Property) - define the gameplay, the art style and even the manufacturing. That means the end product is a cohesive and unified vision direct from the mind of the creator, Judson Cowan, to your table with no third-party interference. 
• It reaches a wider audience. As a small publisher with a limited library of games, getting broad distribution can be difficult. Not only does the Kickstarter platform provide a trustworthy place for people to support small businesses, it also allows for broad global distribution meaning more people get to enjoy the game.
• It generates funds required for manufacturing. Being a small company, the capital required to front marketing and manufacturing costs would deplete our entire operating budget and leave us in financial jeopardy. So Kickstarter provides a way to generate the funds needed to produce the game and tell the world about it.
• It supports companies you love directly. Simply put, Kickstarter equals more money for small businesses. That means we can spend less time making ends meet and more time making games!

Shipping & Taxes

Friendly Shipping

Friendly shipping means you don't have to pay additional customs charges and fees when your game is delivered. We are able to ship friendly to the following locations:

The full list of friendly shipping countries is: Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, EU, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Oman, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, UAE, UK, US, Vietnam.

Unfortunately, we are unable to ship to the following countries at present: Afghanistan, Brazil, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazahkstan, Lebanon, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Ukraine & Yemen.

Estimated pricing

The following price table shows our estimated shipping cost. Actual shipping and taxes like VAT or sales taxes (where applicable) will be charged in the pledge manager. Do not add shipping or taxes to your pledge. 

Please note:

• These rates account for likely cost increases by the time we ship
• These rates could be subject to change due to potential future supply chain challenges or factors beyond our control
• Some specific destinations (e.g. islands and Overseas Territories) may be subject to higher charges

US Tariffs

Tariff information

Backers receiving their pledges from the US fulfillment centre will also need to pay a small additional fee in the pledge manager, to cover some of the costs created by US tariffs on Chinese goods. Since we won’t know the definite tariff rate until goods are leaving China, we will charge those backers their main shipping fees earlier in the process, and only charge the extra tariff fee later on.

Our approach to tariffs is as follows:

• Currently the tariff rate is 12.5% for imports from China to the US. This amount is charged on the manufactured cost of the goods imported, not the retail cost of the good.
• All costs associated with tariffs will be passed on to US backers at cost, with no mark-up applied.
• The charge to US backers will be applied as a separate charge AFTER shipping costs, once the goods have left port in China and the tariff rate has been locked in. This means that while the price of your pledge and shipping will be charged in October, your card will be charged a second time in summer of 2027 when the goods are on their way to warehouses.
• The charges will be applied as a separate line item in the pledge manager, Backerkit, using their new dedicated tariff manager tool.
• If these rates increase or decrease, the charges passed on to backers will increase or decrease accordingly. The highest rate from the last three years was 145%, but congressional approval is now required to enact rates over 15%, so it's likely new rates, if any, will be slow to implement and easier to anticipate.

Subject to change

The 12.5% rate above is the most likely charge based on the current situation, but the current US administration has shown a determination to enact tariffs and is actively exploring all routes to do so. Know that we may need to pivot to react to extreme changes in international trade but our commitment is to minimize the cost to US backers as much as possible.

Plastics

Earth is hellish enough already; we don't want to make it worse. Tettix Games always aims to keep the amount of plastic used in production to a minimum. That means swapping out plastic minis, plastic bags, plastic wrap and plastic components for biodegradible wood and paper alternatives. The game is not entirely free of plastic, since some laminates and coatings are required to ensure the game does not mold during storage and transit, but our goal is to remove as much as possible.

We believe that personal responsibility for protecting the environment is overshadowed by the impact of a handful of massive corporations causing the most harm. We – as a mass manufacturer of physical goods – have an opportunity to reduce our impact on the environment, and to pave the way for others to do the same. The Deep Regrets and expansion campaigns proved that companies can be green and still be profitable. Your support for this and all Tettix Games projects sends a signal to other manufacturers, publishers and developers that the public holds them accountable for the state of the planet. Be vocal about it outside of this project; demand to see change in the industry.

Timeline

Sleeving Info

If sleeving cards is important to you, my best recommendation would be: DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. It is unfortunately VERY sleeve-unfriendly. There are four cards sizes and none of them are standard sizes, not even the main deck (this was done to make the game fit on a standard table, and it's still very tight). Here are the details, if you're a glutton for punishment, but take my word for it: this is probably more trouble than it's worth. Go support another great publisher, there are oodles of them.

Will cards fit in the box with sleeves?

Not where they started, no. There's a removable card caddy that contains all the cards and it is tight to the cards to keep them from sliding or escaping. You could potentially remove the caddy, the tray that keeps it in place, and put sleeved cards back into the box loose or in a bag.

What are the card counts and sizes?

• 145 Base-Sized Cards: 2.25x3.25" (57.2x82.5mm)
• 52 Small Cards: 1.625x2.25" (41.2x57.2mm)
• 12 Large Cards: 4.75x3.25" (120.6x82.5mm)
• 16 Huge Cards: 4.75x6.675" (120.6x169.5mm)

Why is the game so inhospitable to sleeves?

This is a chonky boy! The game loooooves a generous helping of table space. To make it friendlier to the average dining table, I scaled everything down a bit so more players can enjoy the game without anyone having to sit on the floor.

Sleeves don't last. They get binned. They go in the sea. Lightweight plastics like sleeves and plastic wrapping are one of the worst offenders for destroying our world's oceans. Even when disposed of properly, they are too often carried by wind out of lorries, dumpsters and landfills and are inevitably deposited into the oceans that cover 70% of the earth's surface. Then they break down into microplastics and kill sea life, destroy entire ecosystems, and are nearly impossible to remove. So, while I didn't specifically set out to make my game un-sleeve-able, it's a welcome side effect.

Press & Reviews

Meet the Team

Tettix Games was founded by Judson Cowan in 2020 with the launch of our first successful Kickstarter for Hideous Abomination. Previously a creative director in the advertising world and freelance musician and illustrator, Judson has been running the company full-time now for three years and has successfully delivered four Kickstarters. He does all the design, illustration and development for every game from start to finish. Hell, maybe even a bit of directing, VO, music, filming and acting for the trailers! Anything that needs doing, honestly.

Recently joining the team in July is Stuart Wright, who has taken up the role of Business Operations Manager to help keep all of this madness running smoothly. Stuart's background in project management and mobile game design balance out Judson's marketing and creative background nicely. Turns out they're decent at puppeteering, also.

All this is, of course, with massive support from…

My mental health support team:

Blair Cowan: Media and marketing consultant, puppet entrail creator, proofreader, booth assistant and just generally being a great wife.
Connor Robertson: Primary play-tester, expo booth assistant and hype-man
Hugh Beauchamp: Expo booth assistant, Play-tester
Key Play-testers: Ken Clark, Pablo Clark, Andrew McKelvey 
Editor & Proofreader: Roz Leahy
Group therapy consultant: Brook Close
Hollywood-level acting talent: Amber Leanpus Lin, Morgan Edmonds, Muse en Lystrala, Roz Leahy
Puppeteers/Grips/Assistant Cameras: Andrew McKelvey, Hugh Beauchamp, Ken Clark, Robert Gelb, Roz Leahy
Puppet maker: Ruth Marin for Picture to Puppet
Vocals for the trailer music: Julia Doogan

...plus a host of other people who have generously given their time to help with play-testing, production and feedback. Thanks so much.

Mental Health

This game is autobiographical. I have demons. I set out to make a game about mental health, using demons as a blunt metaphor for inner turmoil, and I'm proud of the result. The destigmatisation of mental health issues has always been important to me and in my previous career, I took time to share and educate my colleagues on the warning signs and treatment options for things like depression and anxiety—I struggle with both. This is a game about not just acknowledging your demons, but overcoming them. 

One of the things that helps me most (aside from fluoxetine) is playing games with friends. There's scientific evidence to suggest that play in a social environment has positive effects on our wellbeing, and I love that even though this game is a metaphor for mental health, it could also literally help your mental health. But it might not. Everyone's demons need a bespoke approach and what helps me may not help you.

The gameplay is competitive, but kind. All the player interactions are positive ones and the game is very much a "solo-multiplayer" experience. It falls into the parallel-play category so you can focus on having fun and solving problems in the presence of your friends and loved ones without necessarily needing the energy for conversation or discussion.

I'm not saying this game will solve any real problems, but I hope it might at least start some productive conversations about mental health. Take care of yourself and as for your demons... give 'em hell.

- Judson 🖤

Our Partners

Tettix Games would be nothing without our incredibly helpful external partners that make creating the games, telling you about them, and getting them into your hands possible. We work with:

From factory to front door, Back Office by Naylor Games does all the work required to get games into the hands of backers like you.

We manage every part of a campaign's logistics (tax, customs, freight, fulfillment and more), freeing the creator to focus on making a great game and getting the word out about it.
Are you a creator? If you'd like someone to manage logistics for your own project, visit us here to learn more.