From 5-Hour Prototypes to Tournaments and Printing Progress 🎲
7 months ago
– Sat, Nov 08, 2025 at 02:51:57 AM
Hey friends,
I found an old photo this week—a real throwback. One of the very first printed copies of Nataterra. Back then, the game was clunky as hell. That session lasted nearly 5 hours, and we didn’t even finish it. 😂
But looking at it now, I realise how far this project has come. From a broken prototype to something real—thanks to friends, family, and all of you.
I also had a chat with Josh from OVRBoard Games. They’re interested in adding Nataterra to their product list for retailers. They mainly focus on miniatures, so I’m not 100% sure they’re the right fit.
I’m glad to see that some of you have already expressed interest in the Nataterra Tournament straight away! But I’d love to see a few more hands raised before locking it in. So here’s what I’m thinking 👇
🎲 8 players on Tabletop Simulator
⚔️ Straight elimination rounds — winner moves on
🏆 1st place: Deluxe copy of Nataterra
🥈 2nd place: Core version of the game
🥉 3rd place: $50 discount toward any copy from the store
Entry is completely free — I’d never ask anyone to pay! This is all about having fun. Players can practice beforehand using the digital version of the Learning Mode, and I’ll soon release a version with Naga and Humans (since right now only Beasts and Velathi are available). The tournament itself will be run in Advanced Mode.
You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain! If you want in, drop a comment on Meta with “TOURNAMENT,” send me a text, or shoot me an email so I can count you in!
Talking about progress: I’m organising paperwork for EU fulfilment right now. It’s wild how much admin you need to do just to sell games in Europe if you’re an international company. Basically, we have to hire an EU representative to officially represent Game Tribe for trading purposes. A label with an EU business address has to go on every box that goes into the EU (and a separate one for the UK). All this has to be done in China before the games get packed.
I’m sharing this because I’m learning as I go — and I like keeping you all in the loop. In the meantime, we’re still waiting for UK VAT registration. Honestly, all these bureaucratic hoops don’t seem to exist in other regions. But hey, I’m glad I started all this early, so hopefully everything will be ready even before the games reach fulfilment centres.
As for LongPack, they’re reviewing the files for printing, and I haven’t heard anything back yet — which might actually be a good sign. I do expect a few small mistakes (there always are), but nothing major. I’ll keep you posted on this as soon as I receive an update.
What else to say! Here in Australia, it’s spring — which means wedding season! Working in a wedding venue has me running nonstop, and my back can definitely feel it 😅. Still, it’s another way to express my creativity, even if it’s not through game design. Here’s a picture of what I do when I'm not working on Nataterra!
Squid marinated 24h in purple cabbage, raspberry couli, Jerusalem artichoke chips
AH! And don’t forget — you can still win back your pledge by inviting a friend to join the tribe. That option is still live in the store, so spread the word!
👉 https://nataterra.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
With love,
Amir :)
Subject: From Paperwork to Presales – Win Back Your Pledge! – Nataterra keeps moving 📦
8 months ago
– Tue, Oct 21, 2025 at 04:31:11 AM
Hey friends,
For the past five years, I averaged about 20 hours a week doing graphic design for Nataterra. Every day was Inkscape, tweaking icons, testing layouts, trying to make it just right. Now that part is done. And honestly? It feels weird not opening my files daily. The creative grind has been replaced by… bureaucracy. VAT registrations, trademarks, and manufacturing quotes. Don’t get me wrong—I enjoy this side too (never thought I’d say that). It’s the business end of the dream, and it means we’re close.
Speaking of close—the trademark for Nataterra in the EU has been accepted. There’s still an opposition window open until January 12th, but we don’t expect issues. The trademark in the US is now under review, so we’re making progress there too.
Talking about manufacturing—files are READY! I just sent them off to the manufacturer. In the next few days, they’ll review everything and likely come back with some notes or small issues. There will be a bit of back and forth, but nothing concerning. We’re officially in the production zone!
And here’s a big one: the Pre-Order Store is open again! 🎉
I’ll be honest—I tried to switch to Shopify to look more professional for you all, but it turned into more time and setup than I could handle right now. So, I went back to BackerKit Pre-Order Store, and to be fair—it does its job just fine!
👉 https://nataterra.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
Now, for my dear backers who supported the Kickstarter—this one’s just for you. I’m launching a “Win Back Your Pledge!” campaign!
If you refer a friend who buys a copy of Nataterra from the Pre-Order Store, you’ll get $50 back from your original pledge. And yep—you can do it multiple times. Three friends = $150 back.
Here’s how it works:
Your friend goes to the Pre-Order Store: https://nataterra.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
They select a copy of Nataterra AND the item called “Refer a Goblin.”
During checkout, they’ll be asked: “Which cheeky goblin lured you into the hunt and said, ‘Trust me, you’ll love this!’?”
They must enter your email address (not your name) so I can track it and send your $50 reward.
Go ahead and bring more people into the world of Nataterra. Let’s grow this tribe together! 🏕️
Even more exciting: our friends at Atherworks are organising a presales campaign for retailers in Australia and New Zealand. Combine that with ongoing distributor talks in Europe and the US, and Nataterra is starting to take its place on the shelves. It’s surreal.
I’d also love to organise a Nataterra Tournament soon! Entry would be free, and the winner would take home a Deluxe copy of Nataterra. I don’t know—just thinking out loud here. Whether you already bought the game or didn’t manage to grab a copy, everyone’s welcome (except my playtesters—you guys sit this one out and let others play 😄). If that sounds fun, I’d love to know how many of you would be interested! Shoot me an email, send me a text, or even better—drop a comment on one of our posts on Meta with the word “TOURNAMENT” so I can start counting heads!
I can’t thank you enough for sticking with me through the years. Whether you backed the Kickstarter or just joined the journey, your support is why Nataterra is about to exist in the real world.
Much love,
Amir
Big steps, bittersweet goodbyes, and huge plans 🚀
8 months ago
– Mon, Oct 06, 2025 at 09:25:27 PM
Hey friends,
First off — sorry for the radio silence. Between my full-time job getting busier and moving houses, I lost track of the regular updates I promised you all. Totally on me. But — I’m back on track now, and I’ve reorganised how I’ll keep you in the loop 👇
🎯 Meta will be reserved for short updates moving forward.
💌 Email newsletters & Kickstarter will be the main places for the big milestones and deep dives.
🎲 Discord will stay alive for gameplay sessions, tournaments, and community chat.
🚫 I’m retiring channels that didn’t get much use, like Patreon — keeping things simple and focused.
If you haven’t joined our newsletter yet, now’s the time → https://www.gametribedesign.com/
I’ll also try to post something every week and keep an email update every three weeks — even if it means sharing my latest duck ragu recipe when nothing big is happening (I’m a chef in my free time after all!).
Now, onto the exciting stuff 👇
This past week has been a rollercoaster. After three years of working side by side with Andrew, my illustrator, we finally wrapped up the last little tweaks based on your feedback. Honestly, it was tough to say goodbye. He poured his heart into Nataterra and shaped so much of the world you’ll soon be holding in your hands. If you want to see more of his work (and send some love his way), here’s his ArtStation: https://www.artstation.com/andrewdavenport. Good people deserve support.
On the production side—big moves. I re-engaged with LongPack for our final manufacturing quote. Artworks are ready, and files are getting converted into the right format right now. We’ve also decided to go with Bridge Distribution for our distribution in the US, Mexico, and Canada. Contract is signed and locked in, and the freight quotes are looking good. These guys will take the games from China, move them into the US, and distribute them to you.
Even bigger news: I’ve brought Joshua from LeftBearSolutions on board as a consultant. This guy’s a veteran—10+ years in board games. He’ll be carrying Nataterra with him to Essen, Germany, one of the largest conventions in the world. He’s already lining up retailer chats and even eyeing Gamma next year in the US. To be real, I’m both excited and nervous—but this is the kind of step that gets Nataterra into shops worldwide.
And yep, I’m shooting my shot for Game Expo here in Melbourne next March, plus eyeing GenCon in the US. Right now it’s just an expensive spreadsheet plan (and a reminder I need my Aussie passport sorted, since I just became a citizen 😅). But the big vision? 2026 with Essen + PAX Australia + Games Expo (UK) + GenCon US. Let’s see what I can line up with my Qantas points... ✈️
Thanks for sticking with me through the ups, downs, and everything in between. Couldn’t do this without you.
With love,
Amir :)
Nataterra Update: Velathi Revealed, Pre-Orders Coming, and Production Progress!
9 months ago
– Sat, Sep 06, 2025 at 09:15:34 PM
Hi everyone,
Sorry for the delay on this update! We’re finalising the files for printing — this will take a few extra days as we’re also reviewing quotes for manufacturing. In the meantime, we’ve been coordinating with our logistics partners and now know exactly how many copies we’re producing and where they’ll be sent. Soon, I’ll have more precise shipping costs for you all, so hang tight!
We’re also collaborating with Spiral Galaxy Games to bring more copies into the EU — a potential long-term partnership that’s super exciting!
Big NEWS: We have a new name for our purple civilisation! The one previously known as Atari will now be called Velathi. The team voted this as the best option from the suggestions I gave. Fun fact: in Italian, “Velati” is the plural form of “velato”, which literally means veiled, covered, or shaded/obscured, that is perfect for a civilisation that’s spent the last 500 years underground!
On the administrative side, we’ve filed for VAT in the UK for EU fulfilment — ensuring everything is in order before the games even enter the region. We’ve also completed trademark applications, so NATATERRA is now registered and protected. These applications typically take a few months, but at the moment, everything appears to be on track.
We’re also setting up a pre-order store on Gamefound, coming very soon. If you missed the campaign but are now ready to join, you’ll be able to grab your copy!
We’re just two more playtesting sessions away from finishing the last scenario. Our translators are doing a fantastic job, and once the games are on their boats in the sea, I’ll invest some time in importing all the different languages to our website.
As always, thank you so much for your support and patience — I’m working hard to get everything to you as quickly as possible!
With love,
Amir :)
⏳ Final 72 Hours to Join Nataterra! ⏳
10 months ago
– Tue, Jul 29, 2025 at 08:00:26 AM
Hello there!
If you have missed the campaign, this will be your LAST chance to get your hands on the Kickstarter Exclusive Deluxe Edition of Nataterra!
Once the pledge manager closes, it’s gone for good.
👉 Grab your copy now:
https://nataterra.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
📬 Still Need to Complete Your Survey?
If you backed the campaign but haven’t filled out your survey yet, please do so ASAP — it only takes a minute, and we need your info to deliver your game.
👉 Complete your survey here:
https://nataterra.backerkit.com/backer/share
🧥 New Nataterra Merch Is Live!
We just opened our official merch store! Get cozy with a hoodie or grab a mug featuring your favourite civilisation — perfect for game nights with friends. 🎲🔥
👉 Check out the store:
https://www.gametribedesign.com/category/all-products
Thanks to the community's support, we’ve started working on the translations for the rulebook in:
🇮🇹 Italian - 🇪🇸 Spanish - 🇩🇪 German - 🇫🇷 French - 🇵🇱 Polish
New edition of "Humans go too tall too fast"
Your feedback has also inspired us to revise the design of the three resources in the game, making them even more beautiful and consistent with the overall art style.
⚠️ Name Change for the ‘Atari’ Civilisation
Sad news on the legal front — after much thought, we’ve decided to rename the “Atari” civilisation to avoid any potential issues with the company Atari.
While it wasn’t strictly illegal to use the name, we believe it’s safer to make the change now. I’ve been using the name since I was a teenager, but this gives me the chance to come up with something even more fitting and thematic for this fierce civilisation. I will come up with a new name and share it with you as soon as possible!
🌱 Fewer Plastic Cubes, Same Great Game
To be more environmentally conscious, we’ve reduced the number of plastic resource cubes per civilisation from 25 to 20. After testing, we found that 20 is more than enough to enjoy the full experience!
We’re now integrating the new resource's designs into the game file by file, so we can then move into production. We're so close!
Thank you so much for your patience and support 💛
With love,
Amir 😊
