Interesting Kickstarter Catch-All

Game Kickstarter budgets are generally too low across the board, at least by beginners. It's one reason why any hypothetical Kickstarter I launch would need to be half-finished already. Of course, once they release you hope that sales will make up the difference, but the other universal is that Kickstarter shipping dates are too optimistic.

Gremlin wrote:

Game Kickstarter budgets are generally too low across the board, at least by beginners. It's one reason why any hypothetical Kickstarter I launch would need to be half-finished already. Of course, once they release you hope that sales will make up the difference, but the other universal is that Kickstarter shipping dates are too optimistic.

It's ridiculous how low game-related Kickstarters are, and people still complain "how can they need THAT much money!" I swear there is a large chunk of humanity who think that programmers and artists can live in a box and survive on air.

Demyx wrote:
Gremlin wrote:

Game Kickstarter budgets are generally too low across the board, at least by beginners. It's one reason why any hypothetical Kickstarter I launch would need to be half-finished already. Of course, once they release you hope that sales will make up the difference, but the other universal is that Kickstarter shipping dates are too optimistic.

It's ridiculous how low game-related Kickstarters are, and people still complain "how can they need THAT much money!" I swear there is a large chunk of humanity who think that programmers and artists can live in a box and survive on air.

Yeah, there's a weird expectation on anyone in any remotely creative field where they should do their jobs without expecting any money in return. I hear horror stories from my friends who do burlesque. Then I hear the same story from my friends who are writers. It all comes down to this weird idea where people don't consider these jobs "real jobs". Infuriating.

TheHarpoMarxist wrote:
Demyx wrote:
Gremlin wrote:

Game Kickstarter budgets are generally too low across the board, at least by beginners. It's one reason why any hypothetical Kickstarter I launch would need to be half-finished already. Of course, once they release you hope that sales will make up the difference, but the other universal is that Kickstarter shipping dates are too optimistic.

It's ridiculous how low game-related Kickstarters are, and people still complain "how can they need THAT much money!" I swear there is a large chunk of humanity who think that programmers and artists can live in a box and survive on air.

Yeah, there's a weird expectation on anyone in any remotely creative field where they should do their jobs without expecting any money in return. I hear horror stories from my friends who do burlesque. Then I hear the same story from my friends who are writers. It all comes down to this weird idea where people don't consider these jobs "real jobs". Infuriating.

My wife and sister had similar experiences when they worked at the Met, and I've heard this from every musician I know.

I have friends in all kinds of entertainment jobs, including two who work in radio. They get asked to emcee all kinds of shows for free. Or, "exposure."

Magicians, musicians, and all sorts of entertainers hear "Exposure" like a magic word that theoretically erases any need to pay.

Then again, I work a tech job where "You'll gain experience" meant nearly the same thing.

Demyx wrote:
Gremlin wrote:

Game Kickstarter budgets are generally too low across the board, at least by beginners. It's one reason why any hypothetical Kickstarter I launch would need to be half-finished already. Of course, once they release you hope that sales will make up the difference, but the other universal is that Kickstarter shipping dates are too optimistic.

It's ridiculous how low game-related Kickstarters are, and people still complain "how can they need THAT much money!" I swear there is a large chunk of humanity who think that programmers and artists can live in a box and survive on air.

A big part of it, for me, is that we're a team with almost no experience and exposure. We can't rest on our past accomplishments nor contacts in the industry. Set the bar low because any money is no money. We budgeted for $5000 which would allow us to pay our programmer, animator, and artist to work part time at minimum wage for roughly 6 months. We also have to pay our musician and the guy doing sound effects. Myself and another guy are taking 0 cut from the Kickstarter and most of the extra stuff comes out of my pocket. Luckily, I have a decently paying full-time job but no one else on the team is in that situation. On top of that, a Canadian Kickstarter takes about a 10% cut of the total. When I told people that I was asking for $5000 a lot of people told me "Oh wow, you're asking for a lot". I almost punched a few people through the phone and internet over that.

Vector wrote:
Demyx wrote:

It's ridiculous how low game-related Kickstarters are, and people still complain "how can they need THAT much money!" I swear there is a large chunk of humanity who think that programmers and artists can live in a box and survive on air.

[...]
On top of that, a Canadian Kickstarter takes about a 10% cut of the total. When I told people that I was asking for $5000 a lot of people told me "Oh wow, you're asking for a lot". I almost punched a few people through the phone and internet over that.

I've seen people complain about game Kickstarter funds being spent on rent or the like. The project is in production, what did you think the artist was going to spend it on? It's probably a good idea to keep salary as a separate category so that development funds are properly budgeted, but you do need to survive. This is skewed by the projects that use other funds to pay the devs and use the Kickstarter money on tools and the like, and so ask for a lot less.

Gremlin wrote:
Vector wrote:
Demyx wrote:

It's ridiculous how low game-related Kickstarters are, and people still complain "how can they need THAT much money!" I swear there is a large chunk of humanity who think that programmers and artists can live in a box and survive on air.

[...]
On top of that, a Canadian Kickstarter takes about a 10% cut of the total. When I told people that I was asking for $5000 a lot of people told me "Oh wow, you're asking for a lot". I almost punched a few people through the phone and internet over that.

I've seen people complain about game Kickstarter funds being spent on rent or the like. The project is in production, what did you think the artist was going to spend it on? It's probably a good idea to keep salary as a separate category so that development funds are properly budgeted, but you do need to survive. This is skewed by the projects that use other funds to pay the devs and use the Kickstarter money on tools and the like, and so ask for a lot less.

People, in general, have no idea how much money actually goes into producing something. When you're a small developer you also have to try and account for the unknowable.

WipEout wrote:

I'm sort of surprised no one here has mentioned Codemancer yet. I've been meaning to, but kept getting caught up in other things.

My friend is making a coding-based educational strategy game, in which players will use the basics of coding/programming to control their characters and combat baddies. He's already hit the first stretch goal, which means the game will now include a level editor. Part way to the next stretch goal, which is an online class that teaches "Python for Codemancers," applying the game's mechanics to a real world programming language. The $40K stretch goal is to collaborate with an author on a YA novel set in the Codemancer universe. Really cool stuff! It's already funded for the base game, but I really hope this gets more attention because I need a fun way to learn how to program things otherwise I will always be a dumb artist.

Interesting..backed it.

MrAndrewJ wrote:

Then again, I work a tech job where "You'll gain experience" meant nearly the same thing.

They call those internships

I've never backed a kickstarter and never even been tempted to, but someone's making a book about the history of EVE Online. That would be a fun thing to have, hmm.

kyrieee wrote:

I've never backed a kickstarter and never even been tempted to, but someone's making a book about the history of EVE Online. That would be a fun thing to have, hmm.

I know and I only played it for 6 months 6 years ago... how sad is that?

Oh wow, Francisco Cerda's doing the music on that? Sold.

IAmElemental Action Figures for Girls

Although guys can play/display them also. I've selected the $65 tier. My granddaughter will love to lpay with these whenever she visits. They can team up with the ninja turtles to fight those pesky foot soldiers!

I backed this, so I get a poster, a blu-ray and tickets to the premier. I've been buying lots of prints recently and liked the work of the poster artist they hired so decided to jump in. When it was a little bit extra for the tickets, I thought it was worth it.

Oh wow, looks like the Amplitude Kickstarter might actually happen! A couple days ago it was sitting at 350K and was looking like it wasn't going to get funded, but now it's only 80k away with 33 hours to go. Woooo Amplitude HD!

CptDomano wrote:

Oh wow, looks like the Amplitude Kickstarter might actually happen! A couple days ago it was sitting at 350K and was looking like it wasn't going to get funded, but now it's only 80k away with 33 hours to go. Woooo Amplitude HD! :D

I still wish they could work out a PC deal :/ They'd hit funding in no time flat if that were the case.

But then I just threw $70 at it to get the print and MP3s...

Yeah, I'm amazed they can't make the same game under a different branding for PC. But I assume the rights entail more than just the name, so that's not cool.

McIrishJihad wrote:

But then I just threw $70 at it to get the print and MP3s...

Getting the MP3s is really tempting to me as well. I don't really need the other rewards though (aside from the game).

Go Amplitude go! I must rhythmically push buttons to Freezepop!

Dieselstormers is so close! Made by the same guys who made Giana Sisters, it does 4-player same-screen co-op and has a playable prototype out. I would really like to get this game for my PC (and probably the WiiU as well), so if any of you want to support it, I would be very appreciative.

Gremlin wrote:

Game Kickstarter budgets are generally too low across the board, at least by beginners. It's one reason why any hypothetical Kickstarter I launch would need to be half-finished already. Of course, once they release you hope that sales will make up the difference, but the other universal is that Kickstarter shipping dates are too optimistic.

Sad-fives on this one. We keep pushing back our KS date because we don't feel confident that we'll hit a number that the art guys won't starve on. (I have a day job, I don't need to get paid, but the art folks are not in the same position. And there's our cutscenes artist, who's fighting the Canadian government over her paperwork...ugh.)

Nice. Free Reading Rainbow for schools. I can get behind that.

garion333 wrote:

Nice. Free Reading Rainbow for schools. I can get behind that.

Me too. Loved that show. I was always excited to get a book that had been on it.

Also, go Lavar for constantly pushing reading for so many years.

I am so totally in for that.

This will be my first Kickstarter donation.

I just created an Indiegogo account to back Solar Roadways:

Check out their long list of media coverage.

Wait, I thought LeVar Burton was kidnapped by pirates?