Author Topic: The Game Crowdfunding Thread (Read 293561 times)

Rufus · « **Reply #1980 on:** May 07, 2015, 04:36:49 PM »

That looks much more playable than Distance.

tiesto · « **Reply #1981 on:** May 07, 2015, 05:09:11 PM »

Holy shit... I had an idea for a very 80's influenced racing game, that looks exactly like what I had in mind...

Steve Contra · « **Reply #1982 on:** May 07, 2015, 05:10:56 PM »

Quote from: Great Rumbler on May 07, 2015, 04:12:32 PM

Okay, I definitely need to back this at a high level to get the soundtrack.

Make an entire game out of trapper keeper covers

sarslip · « **Reply #1983 on:** May 07, 2015, 05:41:33 PM »

did you guys see this one?

liked this trailer so much i made a thread here a week or so ago

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #1984 on:** June 09, 2015, 08:56:15 PM »

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/414805513/game-a-new-vision-from-todd-harris

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #1985 on:** June 09, 2015, 10:18:34 PM »

Seems legit.

VomKriege · « **Reply #1986 on:** June 21, 2015, 05:19:25 AM »

OK so thanks to Himuro, I looked into Star Citizen...
Let's just say that it is the proof that a lot of people have a lot of good will and trust.

Rufus · « **Reply #1987 on:** June 21, 2015, 08:07:03 AM »

Quote from: VomKriege on June 21, 2015, 05:19:25 AM

OK so thanks to Himuro, I looked into Star Citizen...
Let's just say that it is the proof that a lot of people have a lot of good will and trust.

How did that pass you by? That entire thing is insane. Watch their starship commercials on Youtube.

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #1988 on:** June 21, 2015, 08:53:05 AM »

Star Citizen is still bringing in millions of dollars every month.

VomKriege · « **Reply #1989 on:** June 21, 2015, 08:54:11 AM »

Quote from: Rufus on June 21, 2015, 08:07:03 AM

Quote from: VomKriege on June 21, 2015, 05:19:25 AM
OK so thanks to Himuro, I looked into Star Citizen...
Let's just say that it is the proof that a lot of people have a lot of good will and trust.
How did that pass you by? That entire thing is insane. Watch their starship commercials on Youtube.

I have long lulls of no interest in gaming. Plus it's still somewhat niche.
It's not technically "Kickstarter" though.

PC Master Race of shelling money to unfinished projects

Take My Breh Away · « **Reply #1990 on:** June 21, 2015, 09:26:55 AM »

Rollcage spiritual successor being prepared by the original devs for a Kickstarter

http://www.codemonkey.me.uk/view_blog_entry.php?blog_entry_id=133

I'm suspect because Carmageddon didn't turn out great (Though that was really down to hyper shitty optimization and nothing inherently wrong with the game) but at the same time I'd never thought I'd hear the worlds "New Rollcage"

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #1991 on:** October 06, 2015, 04:08:06 PM »

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/epicmindsinc/midora-0/posts/1372414

Another one flames out. "We asked for $60k, we get 73k, but we really needed like 200k. Oops!"

VomKriege · « **Reply #1992 on:** October 06, 2015, 04:23:11 PM »

Lowballing (and overfunding) is a real issue with crowdfunding and it's pretty understandable too. It's rational to be as lean as possible and it's easy to go over optimistic in your budgeting or sacrifice the much necessary safety margins (proper planning is an art and most amateurs will of course struggle). Stretch goals try to mitigate that but they create their own issues. Ideally you'd have one solid pitch with the most deeply thought budget but heh...

I suspect a lot of succesful KS end up paying quite a bit for the gap from their pockets.

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #1993 on:** October 06, 2015, 04:42:40 PM »

This one admitted that they knew from the start it was gonna cost more than $60k, but that they felt like $60k was the most they could raise, and they hoped the could make enough of a game with the $60k that they could get the rest of the money somewhere else (Early Access, a publisher, etc).

VomKriege · « **Reply #1994 on:** October 06, 2015, 05:07:38 PM »

Was more making a general comment. I wouldn't be surprised they self rationalized that what they could reasonably get was more in less in line with the most barebones budget they envisioned. It's easy to think that you'll make it work somehow.

Obviously in this case there is some dishonesty involved as he knew deep down it wouldn't be enough.

Tasty · « **Reply #1995 on:** October 06, 2015, 05:15:05 PM »

Quote from: Joe Molotov on October 06, 2015, 04:42:40 PM

This one admitted that they knew from the start it was gonna cost more than $60k, but that they felt like $60k was the most they could raise, and they hoped the could make enough of a game with the $60k that they could get the rest of the money somewhere else (Early Access, a publisher, etc).

That's exactly what KS says you shouldn't do.

Dumbasses.

Tasty · « **Reply #1996 on:** October 13, 2015, 11:43:37 PM »

First he was in MKX and now he's getting his own game. JASON LIVES!

http://f13game.com

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/613356213/friday-the-13th-the-game

They got Tom Savini, Kane Hodder, and Adam Sessler.

Bebpo · « **Reply #1997 on:** October 13, 2015, 11:58:40 PM »

Wasn't someone making a Summer Camp game that was essentially a Friday the 13th game?

Also I'd be totally up for a good Friday the 13th game.

Tasty · « **Reply #1998 on:** October 14, 2015, 12:09:38 AM »

This is Summer Camp. After they announced it last year Sean Cunningham (director of the first and ninth F13 movies and owner of the IP) contacted them and now they've overhauled it as an official Friday the 13th game.

Bebpo · « **Reply #1999 on:** October 14, 2015, 03:09:51 AM »

I thought someone was doing a 2d retro SNES looking summer camp game though?

Tasty · « **Reply #2000 on:** October 14, 2015, 11:59:47 AM »

Hmm, not familiar with that one.

HyperZoneWasAwesome · « **Reply #2001 on:** October 14, 2015, 04:30:12 PM »

Quote from: Bebpo on October 14, 2015, 03:09:51 AM

I thought someone was doing a 2d retro SNES looking summer camp game though?

you don't mean Lakeview Cabin, do you?

Bebpo · « **Reply #2002 on:** October 14, 2015, 04:35:35 PM »

Yeah, that's it! Thanks. Didn't realize it came out.

brob · « **Reply #2003 on:** November 11, 2015, 02:16:31 AM »

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1300298569/project-phoenix-japans-indie-rpg-feat-aaa-talent/posts/1410623

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #2004 on:** November 11, 2015, 10:43:29 AM »

Quote from: brob on November 11, 2015, 02:16:31 AM

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1300298569/project-phoenix-japans-indie-rpg-feat-aaa-talent/posts/1410623

*does nothing for two and half years*

Can someone make game for us? No time to waste!!!!!

brob · « **Reply #2005 on:** November 11, 2015, 11:26:59 AM »

AAA talent brought to you by veteran developers and creators from the East and West.

Steve Contra · « **Reply #2006 on:** November 11, 2015, 12:44:33 PM »

Quote from: Joe Molotov on November 11, 2015, 10:43:29 AM

Quote from: brob on November 11, 2015, 02:16:31 AM
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1300298569/project-phoenix-japans-indie-rpg-feat-aaa-talent/posts/1410623

*does nothing for two and half years*

Can someone make game for us? No time to waste!!!!!

Estimated delivery:
Nov 2014

Kara · « **Reply #2007 on:** November 11, 2015, 10:20:19 PM »

Quote from: brob on November 11, 2015, 11:26:59 AM

AAA talent brought to you by veteran developers and creators from the East and West.

The designer's top credit is the QA on LA Noire.

Like very sure the backers on this just chipped in to get some Uematsu.

qq more · « **Reply #2008 on:** November 13, 2015, 02:12:51 AM »

Quote from: brob on November 11, 2015, 02:16:31 AM

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1300298569/project-phoenix-japans-indie-rpg-feat-aaa-talent/posts/1410623

how do you fuck up this badly to the point you dont have a programmer after 2 years

VomKriege · « **Reply #2009 on:** November 13, 2015, 02:47:17 AM »

Quote from: qq more on November 13, 2015, 02:12:51 AM

Quote from: brob on November 11, 2015, 02:16:31 AM
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1300298569/project-phoenix-japans-indie-rpg-feat-aaa-talent/posts/1410623

how do you fuck up this badly to the point you dont have a programmer after 2 years

Were probably too flippant about the commitment of the team.

qq more · « **Reply #2010 on:** November 15, 2015, 04:49:26 PM »

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/indivisible-rpg-from-the-creators-of-skullgirls#/

Indivisible just hit a million and also got a 20 day extension from hitting 900k!

VomKriege · « **Reply #2011 on:** November 25, 2015, 04:35:14 AM »

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jonshafer/jon-shafers-at-the-gates/posts/1424574

The game looks super good and sounds interesting, but the way the dev is unfolding is super worrying now especially for Schafer himself.

Rufus · « **Reply #2012 on:** November 25, 2015, 11:45:55 AM »

Quote

Budget

Having now dissected the schedule inside-out, upside-down, and sideways leaves one new question: "The Kickstarter funds must have been used up by now, so how the hell can we afford to continue developing the game for so long?"

As noted in a previous section, I'm actually the only full-time developer on AtG, which certainly makes things a whole lot easier that it could be. Everyone else is either a part-timer with some other full-time source of income or a contractor paid for specific work we've known about in advance since the Kickstarter campaign and comes in at a total of $25k, 99% which has already been paid for. Even so, our once-fat sack o' Kickstarter loot has indeed been exhausted, resulting in a initial budget shortfall of around $150k. We've done better with direct pre-orders than I'd actually expected and cut the deficit by $23k. The remaining gap has been filled by proceeds from selling my house, car, and retirement account.

This was not a final act of desperation though, and external funding has always been an option. So why take that route instead of selling off everything I own? Several reasons, actually.

Most importantly, I think it's the approach most likely to result in AtG being a better game. Working with a third party obviously isn't a death sentence in game development, but it does introduce unnecessary risk to the project. Plus, having complete control over the design is why I went indie in the first place, and I'm willing to sacrifice a lot to keep that.

There's also an element of personal responsibility involved. I brought this project into the world after all, and I'm going to make sure it survives to fly on its own one day. It also shows everyone that I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is and see this thing through. Several thousand of you have put money into this game, and it's only fair that I do so as well instead of running to someone with a stack of cash that may not actually care that much about AtG. Plus if it turns out as good as I keep promising it's going to be I'll make all that money back and then some anyways.

The most important factor of all though is probably the fact that selling everything I own honestly just doesn't feel like that big of a deal, which is most likely the result of having a personality disorder that closely aligns with schizoid PD and more or less prevents me from feeling emotions or having hobbies of any kind. It's not all bad though, and one thing I really derive a ton of satisfaction from is working on my games, and it's probably greatly helped me become a better designer and the reason why I can even make a game like AtG to begin with.

Either way, this project is far more than just a job for me, and while it might still be far away it does finally have an end date which everyone can now be looking forward to. 5,000 words from me is probably enough for now though, so that's it for now. Thanks again, and 'til next time!

- Jon

Tasty · « **Reply #2013 on:** November 25, 2015, 02:20:10 PM »

Holy shit.

bork · « **Reply #2014 on:** November 25, 2015, 02:25:52 PM »

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #2015 on:** November 25, 2015, 04:05:29 PM »

Fifstar · « **Reply #2016 on:** November 25, 2015, 04:27:11 PM »

Trent Dole · « **Reply #2017 on:** November 25, 2015, 04:54:09 PM »

VomKriege · « **Reply #2018 on:** November 25, 2015, 05:10:49 PM »

Yeah, it's all a bit heartbreaking and a good example of the mirage of self sufficient indie development. Honestly at this point, I would probably have taken the choice of finding a publisher -the bill is not that big- and I feel Schafer would do good in having a producer or manager of some kind (The KS was set at 40k, he got 105k and budget have overrun over 100%). As he explain, feature creep was certainly a thing, not too surprising for a 4X game.

I'm still very excited for the game. I love his whole take on the genre and that period of history, his design has fresh ideas, the art is super nice. Looks like a more intimate, organic 4X which would be a good thing IMHO.

brob · « **Reply #2019 on:** November 25, 2015, 05:21:41 PM »

ball till u fall

Barry Egan · « **Reply #2020 on:** November 25, 2015, 07:10:01 PM »

what kickstarter is that for?

Rufus · « **Reply #2021 on:** November 25, 2015, 07:17:23 PM »

At the Gates, Jon Shafer's turn-based strategy indie. He was the lead designer on Civ 5 (and helped out with Stardock's Elemental).

Tasty · « **Reply #2022 on:** November 25, 2015, 07:37:25 PM »

Holy shit, when did Kickstarter become a full-on cult?

VomKriege · « **Reply #2023 on:** November 25, 2015, 07:39:50 PM »

The whole setup of KS will foster that.
I'll say I would pretty pissed by the Q1 2017 release if I gave money to it.

Kara · « **Reply #2024 on:** November 26, 2015, 01:44:51 AM »

Quote from: Tasty Meat on November 25, 2015, 07:37:25 PM

(Image removed from quote.)

Holy shit, when did Kickstarter become a full-on cult?

Making Shenmue fans look sane.

brob · « **Reply #2025 on:** December 20, 2015, 08:58:13 AM »

your crummy old DIY tinfoil hat not cutting it anymore? https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shieldapparel/shield-the-world-s-first-signal-proof-headwear

chronovore · « **Reply #2026 on:** February 01, 2016, 01:27:40 PM »

http://www.develop-online.net/news/ant-simulator-cancelled-after-devs-spend-kickstarter-money-on-booze-and-strippers/0216116

YIKES.

VomKriege · « **Reply #2027 on:** February 02, 2016, 01:35:00 AM »

Quote from: chronovore on February 01, 2016, 01:27:40 PM

http://www.develop-online.net/news/ant-simulator-cancelled-after-devs-spend-kickstarter-money-on-booze-and-strippers/0216116

YIKES.

Well... wow. I can't seem to find the amount of money they got via Kickstarter, but it's all the more shitty that those things can happen for what appears to be a very modest sum. I mean if it's all accurate, what was his partners plan exactly ? Livin' la vida loca for three weeks and a half ? That scammer tag lingering in public space for years was not worth it...

EDIT : Stump' making kind of good points on GAF about this
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=193923858&postcount=160

El Babua · « **Reply #2028 on:** February 06, 2016, 10:31:36 PM »

Oscar vindicated

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2016/02/06/unsung-story-delayed-indefinitely.aspx

thisismyusername · « **Reply #2029 on:** February 06, 2016, 10:36:37 PM »

Quote from: El Babua on February 06, 2016, 10:31:36 PM

Oscar vindicated

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2016/02/06/unsung-story-delayed-indefinitely.aspx

Wow, what the hell went on with development for that?

VomKriege · « **Reply #2030 on:** February 07, 2016, 03:57:15 AM »

Quote from: thisismyusername on February 06, 2016, 10:36:37 PM

Quote from: El Babua on February 06, 2016, 10:31:36 PM
Oscar vindicated

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2016/02/06/unsung-story-delayed-indefinitely.aspx

Wow, what the hell went on with development for that?

Playdek doesn't seem to be the most stellar of companies judging by their website. Oscar said something to the effect that it was a team of nobodies riding hard and loose with the "blessing" of Yasumi Matsuno to hype up their game IIRC.

EDIT :

http://www.thebore.com/forum/index.php?topic=37848.msg1811917#msg1811917

http://www.thebore.com/forum/index.php?topic=37848.msg1811922#msg1811922

http://www.thebore.com/forum/index.php?topic=37848.msg1811933#msg1811933

And the rest of messages after that...

VomKriege · « **Reply #2031 on:** March 11, 2016, 12:45:32 PM »

Not Kickstarter, but Fig, the Double Fine associate site that offers you to invest for real (once the JOBS act will pass, since it will allow for average joes to become accredited investors within certain limits).

TLDW : Fig is selling investors 0.0001$ shares for 500$ each in the "Fig Publishing company" (a subsidiary and separate entity from the Fig company running the website or Double Fine), which is already in debt, incurring losses and who points out in its own document that its accountant is foreseeing liquiditation within a year. The parent company (which pays for all expenses) can let Fig Publishing to die at any moment, and the terms of investments allows them to use shares of one game for other games if need be. Also, while you invest in "Fig Publishing", the money is rerouted to the devs for making the game, with no obligation to refund it for them.

Best case scenario, you'll start making money if Psychonauts 2 sells north of 700k copies at a decent retail price.

Tim Schaeffer

chronovore · « **Reply #2032 on:** March 12, 2016, 02:38:23 AM »

I'm probably the biggest DF shill here, so take this with whatever number of grains of salt you find appropriate: probably the one thing DF has going for it is fan goodwill and responsible budgeting.

Yeah, laugh if you like, I've heard it before: "Oh, right, Broken Age was on time and on budget -- how would they have made that game for $300K?"

They wouldn't have. They'd have made a $300K-400K game which wouldn't have looked anything like Broken Age. It was getting $3M in funds that allowed them to make Broken Age as it was. And then there's the perception problem that they only shipped half a game, because Broken Age was two parts. If they'd said, "Here's the first game, and we're ready to do a sequel!" it would have had an entirely different reaction. PR problem.

Then there was DF1, the space station simulator that they released unfinished and didn't produce the features they'd hoped to include if it had been in line with projected income. It wasn't, so they didn't, and they made everything available to their community to add ANYTHING they wanted on their own. But instead DF is claimed to be launching unfinished product with missing features. Again, a PR problem.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if most of this is being orchestrated by #GG types, and/or people who felt burned by the PR missteps. They need more or better PR work, and the #GG types can #DIAF.

VomKriege · « **Reply #2033 on:** March 12, 2016, 02:51:57 AM »

The guy who did the above video may be catalogued as a GG type to be fair, judging by some of his other videos (although skimming through I didn't find outright heinous stuff). I don't think it has any bearing on the content of his Fig video though, which is almost completely based on facts & official documents that he seems qualified to comment on bar the ending about Schaffer playing the media to hook suckers.

I don't have any emotional attachment to Tim Schafer but I don't doubt he is a fine designer or that Double Fine is a quality developer. His patchy history with fund management plays into this but the main point here is that the whole Fig system (in which he and Double Fine people are involved in some capacity) seems to be pretty shady and everything wrong with crowdfunding going deeper and deeper into the gray zone of ^{(not )}investment (though I guess we can be glad that regulations to be do force Fig to show their hand).

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #2034 on:** March 13, 2016, 04:35:07 PM »

Schafer isn't involved with the financial/business side of Fig, he sits on an advisory board [along with several other crowdfunding luminaries, who advise about which projects to put on Fig] and took advantage of Fig as a crowdfunding platform. Fig might be a bit of a scam and a bad business, but not because of anything Schafer is doing himself.

VomKriege · « **Reply #2035 on:** March 13, 2016, 07:06:14 PM »

Apparently one of the founders of the Fig company is a former Double Fine COO... And well Schafer is somewhat invested in the financial side by virtue of being the first to try to profit from it and lending it his credibility. I'd have a hard time believing he's oblivious to how this is set up.

Without going as far as fraud and scam, the investment scheme in Fig does seem to be a rather lousy bargain. But I imagine a lot of the investors are not expected to be rational but rather the same fan-driven types than in more "traditional" crowdfunding for which the actual RoI may be secondary.

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #2036 on:** April 25, 2016, 01:25:50 PM »

FPS Kickstarter from John Romero [and Adrian Carmack [not John Carmack]]:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nightworkgames/blackroom-a-new-fps-from-romero-and-carmack

Trent Dole · « **Reply #2037 on:** April 25, 2016, 02:47:52 PM »

Is there enough people out there foolish enough to give John Romero $700k total? LET'S FIND OUT!

chronovore · « **Reply #2038 on:** April 25, 2016, 08:51:40 PM »

Best thing Adrian ever managed to do was steal Simon Bisley's signature style for Quake III.

VomKriege · « **Reply #2039 on:** April 30, 2016, 02:24:07 AM »

Mighty N°9 now being "a Summer release"

News:

Author Topic: The Game Crowdfunding Thread (Read 293561 times)