Failed Kickstarters are an interesting subject to me since I've put in for over a dozen projects, and the closest thing to a no deliver is Exalted 3e, and that will be more late and disappointing than failed.

I think that the correlation between game projects, failures, and sudden serious illness disturbing, but so far, some stuff's been late, but never let down.

Is it because the majority of the projects I've backed are NOT game related?

Quote from: Bobloblah;857398:rotfl:
That there is some serious understatement. For anyone who is familiar with what has happened, he has utterly destroyed his reputation, possibly beyond repair.

Sadly, that doesn't mean much in this industry.  Folks have burned bridges as they've fled the industry, and then crept back in to rejoin it without that much trouble.

True. We'll see, I guess.

I really enjoyed Hong Kong Action Theater.  I feel bad for GMS' illness, but illness is no excuse to be a dick to your backers.

Being late is less important than being realistic, friendly, and apologetic with your backers.

When I launch my KS, I am adding at least 6 months to my assumed delivery date. I'd rather tell people its coming in 12 months than have it arrive in 11 months after I promised it would arrive in 6.

Quote from: JamesV;857748Is it because the majority of the projects I've backed are NOT game related?

I've backed somewhere north of 50 projects, most of them gaming related, and only two disappointments. I expect I'll eventually get something from the Appendix N kickstarter, eventually, but the shipping rate is ridiculous. And it seems he may have shipped to some folks twice, and think he's shipped to someone he hasn't, due to poor record keeping.

The other disappointment is City State of the Invincible Overlord. James Mishler has essentially lost interest in the project and abandoned it, with Bob and Bob and others taking up the slack. Hopefully, as with Dwimmermount, something good comes of this.

Quote from: JamesV;857748I think that the correlation between game projects, failures, and sudden serious illness disturbing, but so far, some stuff's been late, but never let down.

Is it because the majority of the projects I've backed are NOT game related?

What I've noticed is that at least half the time the "illness" comes some time after the KS. Think about it. How many people go two, three, four years without getting sick, or seriously sick. Especially when probably holding down a job at the same time? The longer the delay, the more likely "I got sick!" will come up.

And also the more likely to see a "I got sick and had to use up all the funding! No game!" as a sympathy scam just before the villagers gather the pitchforks and torches.

Backers patience is wearing gradually thinner and thinner for this over-used excuse. And few people have any patience for "I was sick! Game delayed" when the person had years of stalling and excuses up to that.

Maybe there's a parasite that targets game designers specifically, kickstartus nurglesi.

Quote from: Saplatt;857309Nor me.

From what little I know, the guy has had some difficult health problems and I wish him the best on that.

Health problems are bad, but let's be honest it only accounts for a small part of the 4 years.  There is really no excuse.

I have never funded a kickstarter and this doesn't give me much confidence on them in general

Quote from: Nastasha;857837Health problems are bad, but let's be honest it only accounts for a small part of the 4 years.  There is really no excuse.

I have never funded a kickstarter and this doesn't give me much confidence on them in general

Most deliver. Often late. But they deliver.

The ones that dont. Those tend to go down either spectacularly, or with a wimper. Remember. Most of these are amatures with no idea what really goes into production till too late.

There is a reason why people sell games to publishers instead of self publishing.

Quote from: Nastasha;857837I have never funded a kickstarter and this doesn't give me much confidence on them in general

Welcome to the RPGsite Natasha!

What I really like about KS is there are plenty of forums to discuss projects and many bloggers who get early drafts and playtests so you can often get a good sense of what is being proposed and by whom.

I'm a big Conan fan and when the Conan boardgame KS was launched, I was able to watch actual play videos (too damn long, but useful) to see how the game played via the prototypes.

Also, some RPG KS projects are mostly looking for cash for art and they already have a beta PDF to share as soon as you pledge.

I have not yet pledged for a "I have a dream" style KS where the creator is looking for money before doing substantial work and I doubt I would support those unless the creator had a sterling track record.

But if Kevin Crawford of Sine Nomine started a KS for "Mystery RPG supplement" and wanted $10 for a PDF that he could not tell us about until it was done, I would absolutely give him $10 because I have greatly enjoyed everything I've bought from him.

Quote from: Nastasha;857837Health problems are bad, but let's be honest it only accounts for a small part of the 4 years.  There is really no excuse.

I have never funded a kickstarter and this doesn't give me much confidence on them in general

Welcome to the site.

I'm with you. I just can't bring myself to back KS's. It feels too much like buying a pig in a poke.

there IS a reason that the writers of the Andorian source book for the Last Unicorn Star Trek RPG had his last name translate to "this person is feeble-minded"

I have no doubt that a lot of people doing Kickstarters may really have health problems or other personal crises that emerge unexpectedly and sidetrack the whole project.

But to me this is just why it is so important that you pretty much have your writing done BEFORE you start the KS.

Quote from: RPGPundit;858300I have no doubt that a lot of people doing Kickstarters may really have health problems or other personal crises that emerge unexpectedly and sidetrack the whole project.

But to me this is just why it is so important that you pretty much have your writing done BEFORE you start the KS.

I'd be hard pressed to disagree. Those tend to be the betters KSes.

I just received my digital rewards for Art of the Genre's The Folio #4. Scott Taylor runs his Kickstarters crazy well that I see. They may not be the biggest or baddest, but damn does that guy deliver ... and it's clearly how he manages his process, writing and production in advance.

Quote from: Omega;857842Most deliver. Often late. But they deliver.

The ones that dont. Those tend to go down either spectacularly, or with a wimper. Remember. Most of these are amatures with no idea what really goes into production till too late.

There is a reason why people sell games to publishers instead of self publishing.

This may be true, but I can wait until something is  printed and available to buy it.  I don't need to spend money on something on a chance it will get done.

Not to mention I don't have a lot of money to begin with so I have to be careful