SONY DSCCheapass games is looking to print a deluxe version of Deadwood. To do this, they’ll be setting up a Kickstarter project on March 1st to generate the initial print funds, and to gauge gamers’ interest in the new version.

Deadwood was initially released in 1999, and it free to print-and-play from the Cheapass website. The publisher hopes to pull in $35,000, and will be offering multiple reward tiers: (keep in mind this list may not be final)

Fan: Pledge $1 or more. Thanks for supporting Deadwood. Backers at this level will get all of our updates, and a warm fuzzy feeling of helping a great game come into the world.

Contributor: Pledge $15 or more. As our thanks for supporting Deadwood, we’ll send you a “Deadwood Studios, USA” souvenir travel sticker, ideal for ruining your mom’s luggage or decorating the bumper of your car.

Sponsor: Pledge $40 or more. At this pledge level, you’ll get everything described above, plus a copy of the board game. Deadwood will have a $40 retail price, so this is like getting a copy of the game for $40. Insane!

Friend of Deadwood: Pledge $80 or more. At this level, you will receive everything above, plus a second copy of the game, perhaps as a gift for your mom because you ruined her luggage with the travel sticker.

Preferred Contributor: Pledge $120 or more. Receive all the items above (including 2 copies of the game), plus a listing in the “We Love You Guys” section of the rules and website. You will also receive a deluxe limited set of sixteen Western-colored game dice, which are much cooler than the dice that will come in the normal game. Also, your games will be professionally unwrapped and autographed by designer James Ernest and artist Phil Foglio! Limited to 150 backers.

Writer’s Package: Pledge $375 or more. Receive all the rewards above, plus you get to create an entire card in the game. Write the movie title, scene synopsis, and all three character names (hint: put yourself in the movies!) Cheapass Games reserves the right to edit whatever you give us, of course. Limited to 50 backers.
Director’s Package: Pledge $500 or more. Receive all the goodies above, plus you’ll be invited to our exclusive release parties at Gen Con (Indianapolis, August 15-18) and Rein Fire Ranch (Seattle, shortly after Gen Con). And with parties come goodie bags. Just sayin’. Limited to 25 backers.

Producer’s Package: Pledge $1500 or more. Receive all the stuff above, plus one original sketch from the game board. The Deadwood Studios Backlot is built of ten stages: Main Street, the Saloon, and so on. Phil will be drawing them all separately (in pencil, probably) so we can give them away to our favorite backers! There are only ten stages on the board, so this is a very limited level. First pledges pick first! Limited to 10 backers.

On Location: Pledge $6000 or more. Receive nearly all the items above (we only have ten pieces of board art, but this one’s better). Plus, Phil Foglio and James Ernest will arrange to come to your house anywhere in the USA for an “Evening of Deadwood,” with silly hats, bad jokes, and the playing of the game. While he’s there, Phil will also draw a sketch of you as a character from the game! Limited to 5 backers.

Deadwood Studios, USA is part of a new 2013 lineup from Cheapass Games that includes Unexploded Cow, Fish Cook, Veritas, and Captain Treasure Boots. I’ll be interested to see if the project gets funded or not, though Cheapass and Kickstarter seem to be a pretty good fit.