We've been working on things in the background, with new characters, story arcs, designs, and concepts being worked on.
The scope of this project has always been large, but one of the things we've come to learn while making it is simply that something like this can't exist and be created in a vacuum-- that is to say, we need YOUR help to see if the lessons being created actually work as intended, and the experience is what we want it to be!
If you're not a backer, then... well, a second chance at it will be coming very soon! You just won't have all the benefits that the backers had.
Meanwhile, if you're a backer... then please make your selection on if you want to:
1. Join the Alpha Test
If you join the Alpha Test, you'll be sent an NDA to sign before being admitted. Afterwards, you'll join the Vite Discord, where we'll be conducting the Alpha Test, and be part of an exclusive group who will help review lessons, storylines, and the overall experience. You will not be allowed to share any information without authorized clearance.
You'll receive all the items as soon as they come in, in their default packaging and configuration when they arrive, and give feedback on the items, as well as how the lessons are constructed and how things can be improved.
There will be responsibilities to adhere to, else be removed from the group.
2. Get all the items without joining the Alpha Test
You'll receive the items once they arrive, but in their default packaging, without the full experience. You'll have the option to get the manual later for free, however, and an extreme discount if you'd like the full experience later. You will NOT be able to join the Alpha Test.
3. Wait for the full experience(6+ months)
Elect to wait for the full experience. If you choose this option, you WILL be able to decide to get all the items later, if you so choose, without the full experience. You will NOT be able to join the Alpha Test.
So if you're a backer:
Check in the "Exclusive Content" for the VKS Alpha Test link!
Y’know when you have so much to write for an update that you put it off but then you keep doing things and it just compounds more and more and more and then you’re left wondering how the hell you’ll talk about all the things you’ve done in a coherent way?
Well.
I’m at least abandoning the coherent part of things. Strap in, ‘cuz it’s gonna be a long update with a lot of parts to it. I’ll do my very best to cover these in a shorter, more summarized way so it’s not... too long.
First, I’d like to thank everyone for your support and patience! So, where are we?
...Well, that’s hard to answer. Right now, I think the easiest thing to do is to split this into three general topics to cover:
1) The kitchenware themselves
2) The story and experience
3) Decide when you want to get your stuff
Let’s start with the items, as that’ll be more straightforwards to talk about. First of all, the items are in production! Since we’re using the same manufacturer that we normally do, the delays on another project we had did impact this one, and then moving into holiday season and then Lunar New Year means that things won’t be arriving in January.
At the moment, we estimate that March or April may be a more likely target. However, we haven’t spent all the time just sitting idle, either...
We’ve spent a lot of time testing, and have made some changes, and added new things for FREE to the kits as well!
Let’s talk about the upgrades first, some of which were revealed during the Backerkit phase, and others that we’ve talked a little bit about on Discord.
1) Free inclusion -- Peeler in all Tier 3 and up
2) Free upgrade -- Resin handle honing rod to all Tier 3 and up
3) Free item -- Diamond Sharpening Stone to all Tier 3 and up
But wait, that’s not all...
As I’ve been testing and using these, I’ve noticed some issues with the cutting board. Specifically, I have a granite countertop, and stone is COLD-- this means that when I place a cutting board on the counter to dry, even if I’ve already wiped it off to the best of my ability, it’ll start slowly warping. Doesn’t matter what kind of wood it is, or how well it’s been oiled, it seems, it’s just gonna warp because of the difference in air temperature + drying of the top surface, and the slower drying and cold of the bottom surface.
Cutting boards should always be dried on their side, but also... we all get lazy about it sometimes, so.
Now, while this may not happen to everyone, depending on how humid, dry, cold, etc their environment is, I did want to see what we could do about it.
#1: We increased the thickness of the cutting board by a bunch. It’s now at 1.5 inches thick, which is 50% thicker than the roughly 1 inch thickness of before! It’s also... way heavier, at 12.3lbs compared to 8.2lbs before, which means more expensive shipping, but we’ll eat that cost. There’s also the consideration that with it being heavier, we might also need to add finger grooves into the sides in order to make it easier to handle, at the expense of it being a little more annoying to clean.
What do y’all think? Add finger grooves, or not necessary?
#2: We’ll be shipping out these bamboo drying racks for the cutting board and knives as well for free for all Tier 3 and above!
Another issue I’ve personally always run into is... where and how do I dry cutting boards and knives once they’re wiped down?
There’s some big stands and other stuff out there, but realistically, especially because we’ve increased the weight and size of the cutting boards, it’d be highly impractical and expensive to get those. And as a starter kit, we wanted this to be more flexible, so that as you learn more, potentially get other knives and cutting boards and tools, you’ll have space to dry them as well, side by side. Sometimes for me, I’ll be drying a paring knife, gyuto, cai dao, 2 cutting boards, and some other tools as well, especially during holidays when there’s more cooking.
So, enter the bamboo peg drying rack! It’s pretty simple and effective. Knives can be set on there safely to finish drying, and you can slot the cutting board on its side to dry as well! Better maintenance, easy, and also flatpacks for easy shipping!
Fun fact: The first sample we got was sized for the old cutting board... and then we had to go sheepishly ask for a new size after we upgraded the size of the cutting board, since the old one no longer fit.
#3: New knife sheaths with every knife!
This one’s pretty self explanatory. As of the moment, they’re kinda carbon-fiber ish looking, but we might swap up the design a bit as we go. This applies to both the VKS and VKP!
#4: New free microfibers for all Tier 3 and above!
Some nice microfiber cloths to help dry your stuff with! We’re deciding on specifics for this at the moment, but it’ll likely be somewhat basic, so no edgeless waffle pattern weaves or anything for the starter kit. Not that you’d really need something like that either... I mostly use paper towels, but y’know, quality of life and all.
Whew. I know that was a lot to read, to start with. I think that covers all the updates on the items, at least.
Part 2: The Story And Experience
Alright, this one’s a bit of a doozy. The work on this has been... interesting, to say the least. There’s a TON of lore written, and the ending of Season 1 has been planned out, along with the general beats across the various chapters.
It is, however... rather large and expansive in nature. As of now, we have:
-12 “main” characters, most with art, all with backstory and things written. Some of the first ones you’ll meet are:
- Vivian Blake
- Mira Gerhardt
- Katalina “Kat/Katlass” Mercado
- Ryder Sinclair
- “The Vendor”
- Alix Valentine
And a bunch more!
-World building manual
-Slang and terminology reference guide
-Lessons
-Feedtek Hub website plans
-Feedtek real life set
And more to come. Simply put, the more we write, the more things we want to explore, and... well, we’re looking at this as a whole and trying to figure out how and where to cut things, and refine the scope of.
Part of the problem is that to build everything completely out via animation and artwork and renders would be wildly expensive, and that fundamentally, some amount of live action video needs to be used in order to show exactly how to do things.
How do we implement all of that into the world story, and not break immersion meanwhile?
There’s a lot of considerations in how to theme things and to otherwise tie together a complex world that aims to be both entertaining and educational, while using a mix of different kinds of media and mediums to tell the stories.
It’s certainly ambitious, but when have we been anything but those who push the limits of what can be?
I actually have so much written, so many pages, that I’m not even sure where to start talking about things, which actually brings me to the next part...
Part 3: Beta Testing and Getting Your Stuff
With what I want to be doing, there’s no way that we’re going to complete all the experience, story, and testing of all of that before the actual items are ready. My guess is that it’d be ready in Q3 2025, with all the things we’re wrangling... But it also seems a little silly to hold onto perfectly functional knives, cutting boards, etc.
So, here’s where you can make your choice.
1) Wait until the full experience is ready and launched
2) Get your items early, and just use ‘em
3) Get your items early, and join the VKS Alpha Test
The first choice is pretty self explanatory. Just hold on everything until the full release, with the full packaging and everything else associated.
The second choice too, is pretty much just get the stuff, use them as regular kitchenware.
The third choice is where it gets more interesting. It would be getting the stuff, and then signing an NDA to join the VKS Alpha Test, where you’d be able to see exactly what’s going on behind the scenes, how I’m building things, the storylines involved, and test out the videos, instructions, and other lessons and experiences being built, and provide feedback.
Anyone who enters the VKS Alpha Test program will also be given a permanent discount forever for all future drops and items, and the chance to join future test events as well.
When the full experience is ready, you’ll also be sent everything that was missed(the packaging, feedtek manual, etc), and receive a special pin and medal as well, and special options to get a full experience set at, quite honestly, a ridiculous discount that’s probably a little below cost(I dunno it exactly right now-- this does depend on exactly how it all comes together, after all).
We’ll be sending out another update with forms to make these choices, so stay tuned!
Whew. I think that’s about it for now. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask them! You can also join our discord and the discussion with this link:
The original projection was to ship out in January, so can we get an end of the year update? Everything still on track? Production looks good? QR codes working the way you thought? You know, any update.
We're ending this project 830% funded and it's thanks to everyone for believing in this project with a pledge!!
We can't wait to get the ball rolling with production, updates, and more. Be on the lookout for the survey to confirm your shipping address and the option to add additional items to your pledge.
My hands hurt from marathon editing and filming sessions, I'm on 2.5 hours of sleep, and we're quickly approaching the end.
There's been so much to do. Over the last month, I wanted to be able to do more, but unlucky circumstances meant that our focus had to be turned towards other things. A lot of people got sick, some even hospitalized, and it's been tough.
But here we are.
Almost at the finish line. Just a few steps away.
This video took a ton of work, a lot of editing, and a lot of passion. It's both the explanation of how the VKS was designed, but also has... some interesting quirks about it, let's say.
There's a puzzle to solve, a link to find, and the story of VKS has already started.
Good luck.
ALSO:
Livestream will be on August 28th, 2PM PST at https://twitch.tv/vitekitchens! Don't miss it!
Go check out the stream as Tim cooks up some delicious food and maybe even hear ‘NO HAMMER GRIPPY!!’ live. Tim will also be talking about the project and dropping hints about hidden clues from the latest video! (here if you haven't seen it)!
Whew, we’re getting into the last week, and we’re just around $60,000 raised so far. Just $15,000 to go and we’ll reach the next stretch goal: The Apron!
We’re going to be giving FREE practice knives to ALL Tier 3+ kits now!
More details in the video below, which also shows off the rest of the items.
