I feel for you on shipping,Melan,  but that's the one thing everyone I've talked to says "watch out, shipping will KILL you.." on the creator end. Most of that is just the U.S. stuff too. Its a shame there isn't a less costly version of shipping anymore.

I will look into it when I get to that point, if I decide to kickstart.


Thanks everyone so far for the feedback! Good stuff.

I admit I've been hesitant for kickstarters myself, after early "hostage" style works didn't work out for me on the buyer's end. Yet at the same time I've gotten several good books from Khepera for Hellas this way, and Jerry has been an awesome sort all around in involving people in the process.

 I'm looking into a number of things in order to make my "funding," if I go that route to be solid. I also want the games finished, or mostly finished before I get to that point.

I've financed both High Valor and the 1st H&S mostly out of my own pocket, and that's not easy on my end.

 However, I want to improve the art in H&S and get rocking art for Derelict Delvers, to make those games worthwhile to consumers, and if this is the way I have to do it, then so be it.

Anyone who hasn't piped in, I'm still reading and paying attention to this thread.

I've backed a couple of Kickstarters now.

Rewards wise I like things, rather than the "name something after me"/"put my name in the book" stuff. Things can be electronic - extra PDF supplements or whatever - as well as physical, mind.

Generally I'll back an RPG at the printed book level. For Deadlands Noir I've gone higher because I like the little add-ons PEG sell (I usually buy their books at the book+PDF+poker chip level, so I was happy to do the same kind of thing on their Kickstarter).

In general I'm better disposed to Kickstarters that are clear about what they're doing and why they need the money, rather than just looking like pre-sales drives.

Quote from: Silverlion;547914Do you kickstart games you are interested in?

Would you kickstart one of my games? (Hearts & Souls 2E, Derelict Delvers, Cold Chrome Knights, E.o.N: Empire of Night, or others?)


What kind of pledges have you made, and what kinds are you willing to make?


What kind of "rewards" do you expect?

I'm down for CCKs, H&S2, and DD... get them rolling and I'll be there. I've Kickstarted OotS, Dwimmermount, Mermaid Adventures (for the kids), ACKs, the Wierd West minis, Cityographer, and Trav5. Trav5 is my biggest at $150, with Cityographer second at $70, but usually it's around $20-25

Quote from: trollock;548035No. I don't support beggars. People used to publish their games without somebody giving them the money in advance.

I'm not saying you have no right to your opinion, but I just wanted to point out that this business model is not actually new. Folks have sought out investors for projects for a long time now. It's new to our hobby, and this format is new, but the idea and practice of it is not new at all. I personally would not describe it as "begging" since to me it's a perfectly legitimate way to gauge interest and level of commitment to the project. For a niche, fan-based industry it's not actually a bad way to go. All in my opinion, of course, and as always YMMV.

Quote from: Grymbok;548050In general I'm better disposed to Kickstarters that are clear about what they're doing and why they need the money, rather than just looking like pre-sales drives.

I mush prefer the other round tbh, if its presented as 'this is a pre sale, get the book with a small discount' I might consider it.

Sadly most seem to be 'donate some money and get the book for 50% more than retail and a fridge magnet'.

i threw money to eldritch skies too, just enough for a pdf.  i skipped the traveller 5 KS as the rewards didn't make sense to me.  $50/1 (whatever it was) for a cd of the pdf?  no thanks.  i guess $20-40 is my cutoff, plus i only need a digital product these days.  

hoping hulks & horrors sets up sensible KS brackets when j arcane gets that going . . .

Quote from: Silverlion;547914Do you kickstart games you are interested in?

Would you kickstart one of my games? (Hearts & Souls 2E, Derelict Delvers, Cold Chrome Knights, E.o.N: Empire of Night, or others?)


What kind of pledges have you made, and what kinds are you willing to make?


What kind of "rewards" do you expect?

I have on a few.  Basically, I like the model.  And when I like the game or project or designer, I have been known to toss 25-100 bucks at it.  And yes, I'd look at your games and think about.

I think I always think about publsihing some of the Guildschool/Celtricia stuff, so in some ways, I am Karmically paying forward...

Quote from: jadrax;548071I mush prefer the other round tbh, if its presented as 'this is a pre sale, get the book with a small discount' I might consider it.

Sadly most seem to be 'donate some money and get the book for 50% more than retail and a fridge magnet'.

I don't have a problem with treating the whole thing as basically a preorder. For instance, I chipped in on Tentacle Bento (after the project was kicked out of Kickstarter and moved to the company's own site) mostly because I'm still not sure whether the local store is going to carry the game later on. I did throw in a couple of extra euros for promo cards, though.

Quote from: silverlion;547914do you kickstart games you are interested in?

Would you kickstart one of my games? (hearts & souls 2e, derelict delvers, cold chrome knights, e.o.n: Empire of night, or others?)


what kind of pledges have you made, and what kinds are you willing to make?


What kind of "rewards" do you expect?

kickstart my heart!

Quote from: GrimGent;548163I don't have a problem with treating the whole thing as basically a preorder. For instance, I chipped in on Tentacle Bento (after the project was kicked out of Kickstarter and moved to the company's own site) mostly because I'm still not sure whether the local store is going to carry the game later on. I did throw in a couple of extra euros for promo cards, though.

Yeah, I have no problem with "Kickstarter as Preorder", and I have very rarely kicked in anything more than that...(I am chipping in extra for the Deadlands Noir companion, because Deadlands Noir sounds ginchy to me, and adding in a supplement detailing more of the world? Cool)...but I actively turned down the opportunity to have a character named after me in Streets of Bedlam because I HATE vanity rewards.

Quote from: Melan;548020It's a legit way to put out product. It is also seeing a gold rush that will explode in a very ugly way when funded projects fail to materialise, or turn out to be colossal disappointments. The real place this will happen is of course vidya games, but tabletop gaming's bound to be affected. After that, it will go back to normal, maybe.

I have funded one project so far, and only on the PDF level. I don't want the vinyl map. I don't want the gold-level-only character portrait. I don't want NPCs, countries or gods named after me, and I'm not paying for the privilege. I don't want the author to come to my house and run a game for money (although if they are around my area, I may be happy to receive them, of course). In fact, this kind of hucksterism tends to annoy me.

There is a personal project I have been wishing to do for a few years that may materialise one day. It may be funded through Kickstarter, although I am also toying with the idea of just saying fuck it and doing it fanzine-style with my own hands. That means people will like or dislike it on the merits of the ideas and writing - not how well someone does online showbiz or how someone with an MBA monetises the what-fucking-ever.

Dislike.

I've never had a project on Kickstarter, nor have I ever contributed to one, but I think that its clearly proven itself as a viable medium.

Its a reaction, in part, to the realities of the internet, and is far superior as a way of using the internet to make money than what's going on from some of the dinosaurs out there whining about "piracy".

RPGPundit

I supported the LotFP hardcover on Indiegogo more to support the company than because I needs 4 copies of the hardcover. I will support their next campaign for the cool modules it will produce.

I will most likely support the next ACKS campaign that bobs along on Kickstarter as I'm still kicking myself for finding out too late about the last too.

I think it's a great way for small publishers to connect more closely win their fans.

Quote from: Fiasco;548444I supported the LotFP hardcover on Indiegogo more to support the company than because I needs 4 copies of the hardcover. I will support their next campaign for the cool modules it will produce.

I will most likely support the next ACKS campaign that bobs along on Kickstarter as I'm still kicking myself for finding out too late about the last too.

I think it's a great way for small publishers to connect more closely win their fans.

You can always send me one of the extras! I could use it. I couldn't kickstart half the stuff I wanted this summer, since I'm moving, and having to save towards that.


I find it interesting to note the whole kickstarter process, it seems neat, and fun from my end as ways to get extra cool things for a game I'd already be buying.

I don't have a problem in principle with pre-ordering, or raising money.  Note that while projects not materializing can potentially be an issue, you do get your money back if the target funds are not reached.  

However, in general I am a late adopter.  

I've never supported a kickstarter, and I'm unlikely to.  I will generally wait until something is out for at least a year - possibly several - before trying it out.  I'll read reviews and hear people's thoughts on play before trying it.