Kickstarters are a way of life in the RPG hobby these days. Large companies and start-ups and the places in between, all are using Kickstarter to hedge their bets when it comes to funding projects. Some of the "wayward Kickstarters", the ones that have been less than what they could have been, were topics of conversation while at the NTRPG Con, and amazingly enough, I didn't bring them up.
Appendix N Adventures for the DCC RPG from Brave Halfling has been pretty much written off as a loss by those that discussed the project. I suspect that there is still more to come, but the overall opinion I got was to expect nothing and be surprised, than expect something and be dissapointed.
Dwimmermount came up multiple times, not the least of which when I sat down to play some S&W. I carry the label of being, at the very least, partially responsible for derailing the project in it's early days. You can't derail something whose wheels were already coming off. In any case, it popped up multiple time on multiple days with multiple people. I'm very hopeful that the final product will be worth the investment.
Myth & Magic Player's Guide - what a fiasco. Even retailers got screwed on their shipments (they were shorted), and I've seen no mention that delivery to backers has wrapped up. This is the one Kickstarter that folks that brought it up seemed to know the least about, except that copies were as rare as unicorns. A copy did pop up on Saturday's midnite auction, which got me thinking maybe I should donate my copy to the cause next year. Signed by me, of course, as if that has any value ;)
Amazingly enough, Nystul was only mentioned in passing.
Now, I did have conversations about possible future Kickstarters (I'm not involved in any) but I've been sworn to secrecy. Interesting stuff.
I never got into any of those Kickstarters, but I did make the mistake of contributing to Defiance Miniatures crowdfunding scam.. I mean, effort.
ReplyDeleteThat's $65 or several promised sets of sci-fi figures I'm never going to see.
I don't understand.. all these failed projects, and the ones that "rip people off". Is there no accountability for the ones that don't come through, or is it.. "we need this amount of money and sometime in 2015 you'll get what I am trying to do.. and if you don't hear from me in 2015, don't worry, it will be out soon.."
ReplyDeleteThis is why I will never be involved in a crowd funding project of my own. If they fail for what ever reason , the person who failed is done, besmirched as at best a failure at worst a thief. (rightfully so.) I imagine many people who start kick starters get in with the best of intentions then drowned in it due to poor planning, and over reaching. I woudl hate to get ripped off (I have only ever backed 1 Kick starter "Deadzone" and that was low risk) , I would also hate to be that person who sank in his or her own promises.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to Dwimmermount, I'm wondering if the average Joe Dicethrower will be able to get his mitts on at least a PDF of said product. I mean, those of us who didn't pledge any ducats to the cause. Is Dwimmermount eventually going to see a wide, open release?
ReplyDeleteAs a backer of both Appendix N and Dwimmermount, I have to agree with your assessment of those two. Although oddly enough just as I'm writing this I get an email from Brave Halfling asked to confirm my shipping address. Maybe there is hope afterall.
ReplyDeleteWas there any talk of the OR lawsuit against a KS reneging on the deliverables?
ReplyDeleteno conversation I was part of, and not surprisingly, Kickstarter projects came up fairly frequently when folks saw me in the mix ;)
ReplyDeleteA lot has been written about how the way most Kickstarters fail is by becoming a runaway success. It's important to remember, before you click that pledge button, that it is not a pre-order or a guarantee that you will receive what you're supporting.
ReplyDeleteNot a guarantee, but you're supposed to get a refund if the project fails to manifest.
DeleteThey're still doing Dwimmermount? I thought that was all over and forgotten by now. Wow.
ReplyDeleteThe basic draft of Dwimmermount was done back in late 2012, it's just nothing happened after the draft was finished for the longest time, until Autarch picked it up....
DeleteDwimmermount should be available for non-backers to purchase in July, according to this post from Alex on the Autarch boards.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.autarch.co/comment/16711#comment-16711
Say what you will about Appendix N but actual print copies keep trickling out, week by week. It's slow as molasses but not completely dead. I got my print copies of the first two modules in May.
I made the mistake of pre-ordering the Buckaroo Banzai RPG...years later nothing has come of it and one has to harangue the publisher just to get an update like "it's still being reviewed by the licensor." Now I wait for actual finished products as I can't afford the losses.
ReplyDeleteI cannot remember if it was Satan or not who auctioned that copy of "Myth and Magic" at the NTRPG con Midnight Auctions....it would seem appropriate.
ReplyDeleteNystul barely got a mention because saying his name too many times (like Beetlejuice or a demonic prince in the older editions of D&D) there is a chance the Wandering Wizard will appear in a puff of brimstone, pause to grab your wallet or whatever cash you have at hand, then teleport out leaving behind the symbol of dwarven axes & anvils where he stood.....