Prison of the Squid Sorcerer is is an encounter book for the DCC RPG, giving 12-14 plot hooks, each of 1 to 2 pages in length. If it hit it's first stretch goal, it doubles in size, giving us 24-28 plot hooks. That's a damn nice amount of ideas. I'm just not sure if we will ever get to see them.
Why do I say that? It's not for lack of talent on the project: Daniel Bishop has done some nice work on DCC adventures for Purple Duck, and was heavily involved in the successfully funded Angels, Daemons, and Beings Between project on Indiegogo over the summer.
No, I say it because of the quirks of Indiegogo and the way the stretch goals are set up.
The stretch goals on this project past the first one, only kick in on the higher pledge levels. The problem is, if the higher stretch goals don't get funded, you get hosed for pledging at the higher pledge levels, as the only thing added to these is from the later stretch goals.
Case in point: The highest pledge level is $90 bucks. This gives you the main project in Print and PDF, and all of the stretch goals. If the stretch goals never fund, you get the same as you would have with a $30 pledge. Basically, you have a large chance to get fucked at the higher levels. Raggi had similar issues with his summer projects, but at least he was able to offer store credit as a cushion to protect his supporters.
Also, why is a $10 pledge PDF, $20 Print (but no PDF) and $30 Print, PDF and the first stretch adventure in PDF?
And it's not like Kickstarter, where changing your pledge amont is as simple as - changing your pledge amount. Unless things recently changed over at Indiegogo, to change your pledge customer service has to cancel your first pledge before you can make a new one. So, pledging low and increasing it as stretch goals are hit isn't so feasible.
Finally, here's the list of the stretch goals and rewards. The rewards section is needlessly complicated:
Goals and Stretch Goals
Here's a look at what we're offering at our various funding levels.
$3500 -- Base book is funded and everyone's happy
$3800 -- +Monsters, Treasures and Gods Bonus Content!
$4100 -- +1 Exclusive Adventure
$4400-- +2 Exclusive Adventures
$4600-- +3 Exclusive Adventures
$5000 -- +4 Exclusive Adventures!
Contribution Levels
Here's the loot.
$1 Level
A Hearty Thanks and your name under the Contributors Section of the Mystic Bull Games website!
$5 Level
Your Name in the Contributors section of the website and the cover page of the Book!
$10 Level
A PDF of the Encounters book (first actual reward, and a fair price)
$20 Level
A Print copy of the Encounters book (why no PDF copy at this price?)
Stretch: Bonus Content! Book goes to 64 pages
$30 Level
Print and PDF copies of the Encounters book
Stretch: Bonus Content! Book goes to 64 pages
Stretch2: PDF of the First Bonus Adventure
$40 Level
Print and PDF copies of the Encounters book
Stretch: Bonus Content! Book goes to 64 pages
Stretch 2: Print copy of the First Bonus Adventure (why no PDF copy? I had a PDF copy at the last level. I should never loose something by pledging more)
Stretch 3: PDF of the Second Bonus Adventure
$50 Level
Print and PDF copies of the Encounters book
Stretch: Bonus Content! Book goes to 64 pages
Stretch 2: Print and PDF copy of the First Bonus Adventure
Stretch 3: Print of the Second Bonus Adventure (same comment as above, ad nauseum)
Stretch 4: PDF of the Third Bonus Adventure
$60 Level
Print and PDF copies of the Encounters book
Stretch: Bonus Content! Book goes to 64 pages
Stretch 2: Print and PDF copies of the First Bonus Adventure
Stretch 3: Print and PDF copies of the Second Bonus Adventure
Stretch 4: Print copy of the Third Bonus Adventure
$70 Level
Print and PDF copies of the Encounters book
Stretch: Bonus Content! Book goes to 64 pages
Stretch 2: Print and PDF copies of the First Bonus Adventure
Stretch 3:Print and PDF copies of the Second Bonus Adventure
Stretch 4: Print copy of the Third Bonus Adventure
Stretch 5: PDF copy of the Fourth Bonus Adventure
$80 Level
Print and PDF copies of the Encounters book
Stretch: Bonus Content! Book goes to 64 pages
Stretch 2: Print and PDF copies of the First Bonus Adventure
Stretch 3: Print and PDF copies of the Second Bonus Adventure
Stretch 4: Print and PDF copies of the Third Bonus Adventure
Stretch 5: Print copy of the Fourth Bonus Adventure
$90 Level (if the stretch goals are't funded, you're fucked - also, you are paying $70 for 4 16 page adventures, which is fairly expensive)
Print and PDF copies of the Encounters book
Stretch: Bonus Content! Book goes to 64 pages
Stretch 2: Print and PDF copies of the First Bonus Adventure
Stretch 3: Print and PDF copies of the Second Bonus Adventure
Stretch 4: Print and PDF copies of the Third Bonus Adventure
Stretch 5: Print and PDF copies of the Fourth Bonus Adventure
Eric,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, thanks for the kind words about the Purple Duck modules. I am hoping that you will have a chance to review "Angels, Daemons & Beings Between" when it comes out, as well as "Squid Sorcerer".
I've passed a link to Paul, who is the organizer of the project, so that he can take a look at your comments.
Needless to say, I would like this project to go forward. I'm a lot more on the "write up cool ideas" side than the "how do you set up the funding campaign?" side.
Even if no changes are made, be sure that your comments are appreciated and will receive real consideration.
@RC - I've become a fan of your stuff, and i supported ADBB - truly looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteI really like the ideas behind Squid Sorcerer, but the way the pledge levels and stretch goals are set up are needlessly complicated and discourage folks from pledging at the higher levels, which is something you don't want to do.
Best of luck with it
Guys,
ReplyDeletePaul here -- your feedback was very good, Tenkar. I went ahead and simplified the contribution process. I understand indiegogo is more difficult, but anyone can just add $10 per module if we meet the stretch goals to get that module. Hopefully that's a little more sane approach that I took before.
Thanks again for your feedback.
I had similar concerns on the GG forum, heh. I actually wrote out a detailed post saying very similar stuff to what you said, but deleted it because I think some folks over there had been feeling like I was dismissive/combative lately (I think I was a bit terse with textual criticism). Glad to see someone else agreed with me. Also glad to see the project wrinkles got ironed out.
ReplyDeleteBret: Feel free to send me any other feedback you have on the funding ad. Like I said over there, we're new to the publishing part of this, so... any feedback is taken happily.
ReplyDelete@Bret - I call crowd funding projects as I see them. Some, like this one have a solid idea, but the initial stretch goals and rewards were needlessly complicated. I'm glad Paul simplified it - it can only help this project get funded and hopefully hit a few stretch goals.
ReplyDeleteThere are others that aim too high, or don't know exactly what they want to accomplish, don't know how to play the carrot game (stretch rewards).