Upcoming Patreon Update

The plan is to update this Patreon campaign before the summer is out. Back when I started my Patreon in 2013, the only model that existed was the “per creation” one instead of the flat monthly subscriptions. Patreon phased out that campaign style several years back, and every time they add new features, those features are not available to those of us still using the classic format.

Further, last autumn Patreon announced they were completely removing "per creation" campaigns - even for existing campaigns. This was rolled back last month, but the wheels are already in motion, and I'm going to follow through with it.

At some point in the next few months, we’ll be switching up to a “per month” instead of “per map” model. The Patreon product team are going to switch the platform over in the back end for us.

They will be changing everyone's subscription from $X per map to $10X per month, but not exceeding your already stated monthly limit.

So if you are supporting at $5 a map with no listed limit, the new campaign will have you supporting at $50 per month (no change for you).

If you are supporting at $5 a map with a limit of 2 maps / $10 per month, then the new campaign will have you supporting at $10 per month (no change to you).

Patrons will also receive a few other benefits (most of these are already part of the current campaign):

• Backstage Pass

  • At the beginning of each month, patrons receive a zip file containing all the maps that will be posted to the blog during that month.

• Colour Map

  • Each month, at least one map from that month’s collection will be released in colour as a Patron exclusive (my goal is to release 2-3 per month in this manner).

• Monthly Collection PDF

  • At the end of each month, Patrons receive a PDF compiling the text and maps from that month’s releases.

• Kraken Map Releases

  • Every month, Patrons vote on which maps from the back catalogue will be re-released under a Patron-exclusive commercial use license. These maps are re-released under the same commercial use license as the four commercial releases every month, but are only available to Patrons of the campaign that month.

Some of these items will be available at specific tiers; however, we will not have any tiers exceeding the $50 per month limit from the current campaign.

We will see how the transition works out. But this will allow for the integration of merchandise into the Patreon campaign, and reduce some of the unreliability (and confusion) caused by the per-creation model (most patrons these days expect the subscription model and not the per-creation model and sometimes subscribe at a much higher level than they meant to - which leads to a big surprise at the end of the month when they are charged their full pledge times the number of maps released).

Other features that are only available to subscription model campaigns are annual subscriptions at a 20% savings, 'rewards' systems triggered by certain cumulative payment thresholds, and, for my benefit, a backend that accurately reflects what's going on with my campaign.

(Everything in this message is subject to change as we progress through the transition, except the hard cap of nothing over a $50 tier until we've established some exciting reason to subscribe at such a level.)