tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post2497909667808046072..comments2024-03-27T20:09:00.283-04:00Comments on Tenkar's Tavern: Kickstarter ISN'T as Bad as Some Make it Look - Balancing the PerceptionTenkarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05159289652051155824noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-52528859224212267852015-08-12T04:58:57.064-04:002015-08-12T04:58:57.064-04:00I have had a number of bad experiences with kickst...I have had a number of bad experiences with kickstarter, most notably the Call of Cthulhu 7th Ed Debacle and Funhaver Industries just shutting up shop and going full radio silence after taking our money. All this has proven to me that the kickstarter model is just not worth the money to me, there are a number of issues and they are not all down to poor management by the companies looking for funding.<br /><br />First up there is the fact that Kickstarter themselves are spectacularly unhelpful in any situation where you get screwed by the production company. Their opinion seems to be that once they have taken their share of the money they don't owe anything to anyone.<br /><br />Second, the shipping is a huge issue for me, most of the RPG kickstarters seem to ship from America and want $40/$50 for shipping, this is often the same as the total amount that you need to back the project for in order to get a physical book.<br /><br />Finally there is communication, the various projects I have backed have often suffered from appalling communication with the team failing to talk to their backers and in some cases outright lying to us.<br /><br />All these things add up to me having decided that Kickstarter is not for me and that I will not be backing any further RPG projects on this basis. I'll just wait until they hit the local gaming store and buy a copy there, classic example is the Chaosium Horror on the Orient Express adventure, my local RPG store was on their second or third commercial restock of this product before any of the people I know who backed it had received their copies. Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07284751141164846119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-18669177294121739172015-08-11T12:34:59.527-04:002015-08-11T12:34:59.527-04:00My personal track record is one "Failed to de...My personal track record is one "Failed to deliver anything" disaster out of 33 projects backed. MANY projects are late (including Reaper's - full disclosure, I work for Reaper), and a few projects end up not living up to the hype, but that last bit is true of many projects I bought at retail. I know of a friend who has had 6 out of 8 turn DOA and deliver nothing, so the pendulum swings both ways.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-38904090713035477512015-08-10T12:27:56.938-04:002015-08-10T12:27:56.938-04:00Having worked on the amateur/freelance side of the...Having worked on the amateur/freelance side of the gaming industry for a few years, and having worked with and known creative people outside of gaming, I've found that there are 10 big ideas for every 1 follow through. Many people get very passionate about an idea, and really mean to finish it ... but then it doesn't quite happen.<br /><br />Now, factor in Kickstarter. Relatively easy to start a Kickstarter, and fun to see the money roll in ... and then you have to produce something. If you're just Joe Blow with a dream who talks a big game, not following through is no big deal. Nobody gets hurt. But if you're already funded and people are expecting something, it's a disaster. From what I can tell, these bad Kickstarters generally don't end in a fine or jail time, so there's not much of a mechanism for weeding out the people with big ideas from the people who will follow through on their promises.<br /><br />That brings up the other problem - the promises. When I did the Mystery Men! Kickstarter way back when, I kept my promises to a minimum and kept them well within my ability to keep. When we have people who have a hard time following through on making the project itself, imagine when they now have to also follow through on all the offered premiums for the Kickstarter. It's a recipe for trouble.<br /><br />So, you have a few folks out there who intend to defraud, and I think many more folks who have big ideas and no follow through that have now found a way to turn their lack of discipline into a major problem for themselves and others.<br /><br />This is why I fight the Kickstarter temptation. I know I could get more working capital, and get really cool art and layouts and all the rest for my books, but I just don't want the added responsibility of buyers and subscribers waiting for me to get things done. As Harry said, "A man has got to know his limitations."John Matthew Staterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310914386482078369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-18676485199167364662015-08-10T12:11:21.977-04:002015-08-10T12:11:21.977-04:00I've had enough successful Kickstarters that I...I've had enough successful Kickstarters that I don't feel negatively about Kickstarter in general. I look at the estimated delivery dates to get a general idea of what they intend, but I mentally add a year to it anyway just for my own benefit. Expectations don't make anyone happy :)<br /><br />But on the Tavern along with good Kickstarters I would like to see more about things you're excited about in general, the negative/positive ration seems to lean more to the left than it did a few years ago.yippyjoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708300656126031627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-73372551686901077852015-08-10T11:40:42.580-04:002015-08-10T11:40:42.580-04:00Bravo! DM Mike and I were discussing this very thi...Bravo! DM Mike and I were discussing this very thing just last night.Marvin the Magehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11678583684206932710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-69999198829394547962015-08-10T11:12:46.271-04:002015-08-10T11:12:46.271-04:00heh - fixedheh - fixedTenkarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05159289652051155824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-6350587697250110552015-08-10T11:09:37.184-04:002015-08-10T11:09:37.184-04:00Dwarven Forge: so good it's mentioned twice! :...Dwarven Forge: so good it's mentioned twice! :DUserClonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01191648741936684202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-49954797129193655902015-08-10T11:03:38.763-04:002015-08-10T11:03:38.763-04:00Kickstarter can do little to improve that, and has...Kickstarter can do little to improve that, and has little responsibility to improve that. It's up to creators to follow through, communicate and deliver.<br />I see Kickstarter as a neutral service in the matter. It's up to us not to be douchebags and take folks money and run away.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05029725858995351975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-50176902150362405692015-08-10T11:03:23.713-04:002015-08-10T11:03:23.713-04:00Kickstarter can do little to improve that, and has...Kickstarter can do little to improve that, and has little responsibility to improve that. It's up to creators to follow through, communicate and deliver.<br />I see Kickstarter as a neutral service in the matter. It's up to us not to be douchebags and take folks money and run away.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05029725858995351975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-12498339189578045552015-08-10T10:53:50.760-04:002015-08-10T10:53:50.760-04:00The problem is as you say - and, as the saying goe...The problem is as you say - and, as the saying goes, "a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch". People hear about the negative experiences with Kickstarter and that starts to affect their perception of (and participation in) KS as a whole. I'm not sure what KS can do to improve this, but I hope they can.Kyle Maxwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02028811120307956640noreply@blogger.com