Someone feel free to put this in the OP since there seem to be a fair share of users here who have questions but don't bother to click the link and since this is Gaf people are going straight to the final post.
A few years ago, some guys with careers in the video game industry started producing a weekly podcast out of a San Francisco apartment. We had few goals, except that the show be independent, remain unconstrained by a segment-driven format, and be recorded only with all parties present in the room--not over Skype. It really worked for people, and it became a big part of our lives.
Over two years, we developed an audience who appreciated our dubious blend of interpersonal chemistry, insight into development and the industry, sometimes-pretentious musings about games, and baffling phonological explorations of Jeff Goldblum’s name. Just check out our archive! (We've heard it's best to start from episode 1.)
People tell us they miss the show. We miss creating it just as much. So, three of us have decided it's time to make this thing happen again. The current core lineup is Chris Remo, Sean Vanaman, and Jake Rodkin, with planned guest appearances by Steve Gaynor. You might unfortunately know us as Boost, Famous, Video Games, and Hot Scoops. We'd like your help. Without you, the puzzle is incomplete.
We've never charged for content. Thumbs has always been a purely volunteer activity. That became difficult once we found ourselves the custodians of a moderately successful podcast. The regular time commitment combined with the costs of equipment and bandwidth meant an activity we greatly enjoyed also became a considerable resource drain. Even now, with the podcast defunct, we spend money every month to keep the full archive available through a good host--and that's a lot more money when the podcast is active.
We never had the benefit of being attached to a large media outlet. We’ve always relied on the ever-gratifying word-of-mouth provided by our community to get our name out there. Now our goal is to make Idle Thumbs pay for itself so that once it starts up again, we can continue to produce it weekly for years to come. We still have no intention of charging for the cast.
That's only part of why we're doing this Kickstarter, though.
We want Idle Thumbs to grow. When we come back, we're planning on launching with not just the main video game podcast, but also a book club podcast in which we choose a book to read for a month then discuss it on the air, including with reader questions.
And we want to be able to fund a home base--an office, even a tiny closet-sized one, from which we can record podcasts and plan the site's future. We want to give Thumbs the space to become something more than just a hobby project.
Thumbs has gone dormant several times over the years, only to return time and time again in various forms. This time, we want it to stay active indefinitely, to cast away its once-inevitable biennial slumber--not merely to subsist but to [some kind of metaphor here about a grenade rolling down a hill].
Rewards are rad. Idle Thumbs merchandise has never been easily available, and Kickstarter offers a great system to do something we already like doing (designing and producing digital and physical goods) in a way that will help ensure the future of something we love (our goofy video game podcast). Hopefully, this is just the start.
Here's what we've got lined up:
PROGRESSCAST: Exclusive access to short pre-launch podcasts from Chris, Jake, Sean, and possible guests as they feverishly attempt to get Idle Thumbs back up and running.
THUMBACKGROUNDS: Digital Idle Thumbs wallpaper pack for your computer and mobile devices, created by designer Alex Griendling.
YOU'VE GOT MAIL: We will make and sign a postcard, and mail it to you in the actual real physical mail.
FOUNDER'S WALL: Your name on a permanent Kickstarter backer page on the Idle Thumbs website.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: Add $3 for higher shipping costs.
THIRTY FLIGHTS OF LOVING: Download the video game short story Thirty Flights of Loving, Blendo Games' sequel to Gravity Bone, developed for the Idle Thumbs Kickstarter and featuring an original soundtrack by Chris Remo. It will blow you away (PC digital download). Check out the original Gravity Bone (and other incredible Blendo titles like Atom Zombie Smasher) at Blendo's website.
MUSIC OF THE THUMB (digital): Digital access to newly-recorded versions of several Idle Thumbs songs by Chris Remo ("The Idle Thumbs Podcast Theme," "The Fanboy's Lament," "Space Asshole," "The Wizard") and a remix by Jared Emerson-Johnson, composer for Sam & Max seasons 1-3 and much more. (See the "WORLD IS YOURS" tier for physical version of this album.)
ALSO: Progresscast access, digital backgrounds, your name on the Founder's Wall, and a signed postcard.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: Add $3 for higher shipping costs.
WEAR THE THUMB: They thought you were ashamed of your love for Idle Thumbs. Prove them wrong with a high-quality American Apparel t-shirt emblazoned with our new logo designed by Stevan Zivadinovic. (You will be asked to indicate your size once funding has been completed.)
IDLE THUMBS STICKER PACK: Aw yeah! Rock on! Cha-ching! (These are stickers. You can stick them on things.)
ALSO: Blendo's Thirty Flights of Loving game, "Music of the Thumb" digital album, Progresscast access, digital backgrounds, your name on the Founder's Wall, and a signed postcard.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: Add $10 for higher shipping costs.
VINCENT PEREA DRAWS SPACE: A distant nebula. A craggy Marsianscape. Nothing is as picturesque as space in the springtime. Receive a high quality print, suitable for framing from Vincent Perea, the artist behind The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, Where's My Water?, and more.
HOUSE OF LORDS: Your name will forever grace the distinguished "House of Lords" tier of the Idle Thumbs Founder's Wall.
ALSO: Blendo's Thirty Flights of Loving game, Idle Thumbs t-shirt, "Music of the Thumb" digital album, Progresscast access, digital backgrounds, sticker pack, your name on the Founder's Wall, and a signed postcard.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: Add $10 for higher shipping costs.
GRAHAM ANNABLE'S SHITTY WIZARD: High quality set of four small frameable prints of a shitty wizard (see Idle Thumbs episode 50) from Graham Annable, the artist behind
Grickle, Puzzle Agent, and more.
HOUSE OF LORDS: Your name will forever grace the distinguished "House of Lords" tier of the Idle Thumbs Founder's Wall.
ALSO: Blendo's Thirty Flights of Loving game, Idle Thumbs t-shirt, "Music of the Thumb" digital album, Progresscast access, digital backgrounds, sticker pack, your name on the Founder's Wall, and a signed postcard.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: Add $10 for higher shipping costs.
WIZARD'S EXCLUSIVE GOLD FOIL TUNIC: T-shirt with gold foil Idle Thumbs logo inspired by the logo from classic video game film The Wizard. This shirt variant only ever available through this Kickstarter!
MUSIC OF THE THUMB (vinyl): Vinyl EP featuring new recordings of four Idle Thumbs tracks ("The Idle Thumbs Podcast Theme," "The Fanboy's Lament," "Space Asshole," "The Wizard") performed by Chris Remo, a B-side featuring a remix by Jared Emerson-Johnson (The Walking Dead game, Sam & Max Seasons 1-3), and cover art by talented illustrator Campbell Whyte (8-Bit Dreams). You will also receive a digital version of the album.
RUINATIONCAST: You will have the right to demand a topic we must discuss on the final Progresscast. Use this power wisely.
THAT'S WHY YOU ALWAYS LEAVE A NOTE: We will hand-write a unique note, poem, or insult on your signed postcard.
JOURNAL OF GAMES: Receive one of the few remaining hard copies of the Idle Thumbs Journal of Games, a one-off broadsheet newspaper distributed solely during Game Developers Conference 2009 in San Francisco. Content and design by Jake Rodkin, Chris Remo, Steve Gaynor, Marek Bronstring, Duncan Fyfe, David Eggers, and Snap E. Gamer.
HOUSE OF LORDS: Your name will forever grace the "House of Lords" tier of the Idle Thumbs Founder's Wall.
ALSO: Art prints from Graham Annable and Vincent Perea, Blendo's Thirty Flights of Loving game, Idle Thumbs logo t-shirt, "Music of the Thumb" digital album, Progresscast access, sticker pack, digital backgrounds, and a signed postcard.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: Add $10 for higher shipping costs.
SERIOUSLY: This is outrageous. Look at all these wondrous Idle Thumbs treasures. You want them. Wait, you're saying you want even more rewards? Unbelievable rewards that will leave you with stories to surprise and delight your children and your children's children, honoring your family name for generations to come? Read on, friend...
BE OUR FRIEND: Come have dinner with us and your plus-one, either in San Francisco when you're in town, or during a game industry event we attend, such as PAX or GDC.
IMMORTALIZED IN SONG: Chris will write and record a song about you or a topic of your choice, and we'll play it in a 2012 episode of Idle Thumbs of your choosing. (Song topic excludes commercial advertisement.)
WIZARD'S CIRCLE: Your name will be proudly etched for all eternity in the "Wizard's Circle" tier of the Idle Thumbs Founder's Wall, our highest honor.
AND DON'T FORGET: Art prints from Graham Annable and Vincent Perea, Blendo's Thirty Flights of Loving game, "Music of the Thumb" vinyl EP and digital album, input on the Ruinationcast, Idle Thumbs logo t-shirt, exclusive gold foil t-shirt based on The Wizard, one of the last copies of the Idle Thumbs Journal of Games, Progresscast access, sticker pack, digital backgrounds, and a signed postcard with a custom note.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: At this point we are no longer concerned about that $10.
BE OUR FRIEND: Come have dinner with us and your plus-one, either in San Francisco when you're in town, or during a game industry event we attend, such as PAX or GDC. Except in this version, the dinner is at a super nice restaurant. Swank.
IMMORTALIZED IN SONG: Chris will write and record a song about you or a topic of your choice, and we'll play it in a 2012 episode of Idle Thumbs of your choosing. (Song topic excludes commercial advertisement.)
WIZARD'S CIRCLE: Your name will be proudly etched for all eternity in the "Wizard's Circle" tier of the Idle Thumbs Founder's Wall, our highest honor.
AND DON'T FORGET: Art prints from Graham Annable and Vincent Perea, Blendo's Thirty Flights of Loving game, "Music of the Thumb" vinyl EP and digital album, input on the Ruinationcast, Idle Thumbs logo t-shirt, exclusive gold foil t-shirt based on The Wizard, one of the last copies of the Idle Thumbs Journal of Games, Progresscast access, sticker pack, digital backgrounds, and a signed postcard with a custom note.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: At this point we are no longer concerned about that $10.
PATRON OF THE SHOW: You will be the sponsor of two (2) (ii) 2012 episodes of Idle Thumbs of your choosing. Sponsorship consists of a short ad read at the beginning of the episode, and a brief jingle recorded by Chris and played at the break. (Jingles are exclusive to this Kickstarter campaign.)
WIZARD'S CIRCLE: Your name will be proudly etched for all eternity in the "Wizard's Circle" tier of the Idle Thumbs Founder's Wall, our highest honor.
AND DON'T FORGET: Art prints from Graham Annable and Vincent Perea, Blendo's Thirty Flights of Loving game, "Music of the Thumb" vinyl EP and digital album, input on the Ruinationcast, Idle Thumbs logo t-shirt, exclusive gold foil t-shirt based on The Wizard, one of the last copies of the Idle Thumbs Journal of Games, Progresscast access, sticker pack, digital backgrounds, and a signed postcard with a custom note.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: At this point we are no longer concerned about that $10.
PATRON OF THE SHOW: You will be the sponsor of five (5) (v) 2012 episodes of Idle Thumbs of your choosing. Sponsorship consists of a short ad read at the beginning of the episode, and a brief jingle recorded by Chris and played at the break. (Jingles are exclusive to this Kickstarter campaign.)
WIZARD'S CIRCLE: Your name will be proudly etched for all eternity in the "Wizard's Circle" tier of the Idle Thumbs Founder's Wall, our highest honor.
AND DON'T FORGET: Art prints from Graham Annable and Vincent Perea, Blendo's Thirty Flights of Loving game, "Music of the Thumb" vinyl EP and digital album, input on the Ruinationcast, Idle Thumbs logo t-shirt, exclusive gold foil t-shirt based on The Wizard, one of the last copies of the Idle Thumbs Journal of Games, Progresscast access, sticker pack, digital backgrounds, and a signed postcard with a custom note.
INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: At this point we are no longer concerned about that $10.
(Note: All pictured rewards are works in progress.)
Brendon Chung is the one-man development team behind Blendo Games, known for its incredibly diverse slate of video games including Atom Zombie Smasher, Flotilla, and Gravity Bone.
Graham Annable is a Portland-based illustrator and animator known for his Grickle comics and videos, as well as the Puzzle Agent video games. He works as a storyboard artist at Laika, the animation studio behind the film Coraline.
Vincent Perea is a Los Angeles-based artist whose video game titles include The Odd Gentlemen's The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom and Disney's hit iOS game Where's My Water?
Alex Griendling is a San Francisco-based designer and illustrator who has created movie posters, calendars, and any number of other pieces of visual media. He currently works at Google.
Campbell Whyte is a Perth, Australia-based artist. His work spans many media and includes the ever-growing 8-Bit Dreams series based on classic video games.
Stevan Zivadinovic is a San Antonio-based artist and web developer, and a long-time Idle Thumbs contributor. He is currently creating the ongoing dynamic webcomic Hobo Lobo of Hamelin.
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