New Year, same old drama. Time for some brief updates on some of the bigger Kickstarter dramas in the RPG hobby.
Where do we start? Let's go with Far West, otherwise known as "Gareth Sharka's Albatross". The latest update (December 15th) said we should have the next chapter by Christmas and the complete book (I'm assuming PDF) by the end of January (six weeks from December 15th). Today is January 4th and the December Chapter never arrived. Not a surprise. Ah well, at least Gareth's consistent in failing to meet even self imposed deadlines over the past four years. As an aside, I wish Gareth best of luck with his dog's illness. Our girl had seizures and canine dementia nearly two years ago. The decision wasn't easy.
Onward to Mike Nystul, the man who parlayed a unique last name into taking credit for the inspiration of a spell he had absolutely nothing to do with (but he's certainly made sure to live up to it's definition). In July, Mike promised weekly updates to Nystul's Infinite Dungeon. That lasted three weeks. No updates since then. Last update on Axes & Anvils? Back in May. Do I expect to even see finished PDFs from either of Mike's projects that I backed? I have more faith in Gareth.
What about John Adams and his Appendix N Adventures for the DCC RPG? Word is he's still sending out the first round of adventures. If memory serves me right, I got my first 2 adventures nearly 3 years ago. Lets not even think about the stretch goals.
As for Ken Whitman? Holy shit, the man is simply amazing and not it a good way. Supposedly there will be an update to the Spinward Traveller Pilot on the 15th of this month. What can the man say that won't be a lie? This shit is already a year late. Add in the rest of Ken's bullshit with Pencil Dice, KotDT Webseries and the Castles & Crusades TV Pilot and I'm moderately surprised no one has sucker punched him at the local bar.
As a side note apparently the Jamie Chambers' Metamorphosis Alpha Kickstarter isn't fully dead yet. He does make a very interesting statement in today's update: "Delays are one thing, but delays and silence are not the way I want to conduct myself, run my business, or represent the people I work with on this and other projects." Yep, when you take money from folks and then put your head in the sand, you set yourself up for future failures. Unless you are Ken Whitman and use his Jedi Mind Powers. It's so obvious he's a Sith...
According to comments on the Far West Kickstarter, GMS' dog passed on the 17th.
ReplyDeleteThat sucks.
DeleteForgive my ignorance, but didn't Goodman Games already do a Metamorphosis Alpha Kickstarter?
ReplyDeleteYes they did. Jamie ran his earlier for a new edition - new rules, same setting from what I can tell.
DeleteChambers / Signal Fire Studios did the KS for Metamorphosis Alpha 5th edition in April 2012.
DeleteGoodman lapped (curb-stomped?) that project with an embarrassment of MA riches in that duration, with tons more on the way.
I like Jim Ward, and backed 5th Edition to put moolah in his hands. Should've just slipped him some bills at a con instead.
You should add The Bestiary of the Curiously Odd (Successfully funded on Aug 6 2012) to this list. Estimated delivery: May 2013 No sign of PDF or book in sight. Very infrequent updates and not forthcoming with details. I dropped $15 to get the pdf with all the creatures and I am not holding my breath that I will see anything in 2016 lol https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1857811795/the-bestiary-of-the-curiously-odd
ReplyDeleteFor any of those that backed Mike Nystul's Kickstarter, I have started a group to be able to go after him with a Class Action Lawsuit(free for the people). Also turning in Federal Trade Commission reports against him will also do the same. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1569306426658095/
ReplyDeleteCartoon Action Hour Season 3 as well. Supposed to have been delivered in July 2003, pdf delivered but seemingly unending delays on the hardcover. The latest round of issues being color correction on all of the color pictures in the book, all of which are apparently being done by Cynthia Celeste Miller, the company president who has been (as seems to happen in feature bloated KS's) having horrible luck in her personal life. Said color correction has been going on for months. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/800609645/cartoon-action-hour-season-3
ReplyDeleteOh, not to mention the other KS that Spectrum Games was already having issues with before CAH, Gallery of Evil, which still hasn't come out and hasn't had any updates since July '15. I wish I would have realized the issues they were having with that one before I backed CAH, but with all the stretch goals it still might have been too good to pass up.
Deletehttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/800609645/gallery-of-evil/
Just realized I had miss-typed, CAH was supposed to deliver in 2013, Not 2003. :P
DeleteAn addition and a question:
ReplyDelete1) Are we assuming "50 Shades of Vorpal" (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1430411066/50-shades-of-vorpal/description) was a grab and run? Anyone know who really was running it?
2) To add to the list - Jeff Gupton's Age of Lords I and II - very early low $ kickstart pair that fell victim to a drive crash in 2013 and noting since (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1105748786/age-of-lords-campaign-setting-rulebook-and-players/description and https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1105748786/age-of-lords-lost-continent-new-book)
Andrew, that 50 Shades project seemed like a joke from the beginning - like giving Cards Against Humanity money for their box of poop or nothing or whatever they did, and then complaining when you get just that. I don't think 50SoV will ever release anything. Just my gut though.
Delete