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Was the Code Hero Kickstarter a scam? They claim it's not! But Tactical Corsets!!!
- Thread starter onlyindreams
- Start date
Dreamwriter
Member
I've backed 5 Kickstarters so far:
Project Giana - completed game shipped, all my rewards received.
Pinball Arcade: The Twilight Zone - completed addon shipped, all my rewards received
The Order of the Stick Reprint Drive - completed project, all of my physical rewards received - some digital art rewards delayed due to the artist munching his thumb.
Volgarr the Viking - estimated delivery of my rewards February 2013
OUYA: A New Kind of Video Game Console - estimated delivery of my rewards December 2012
Mackenzie 92
Member
The money's gone, no one will ever see a penny of what they put in. Too bad they can't file a criminal complaint of some sort, but I guess this isn't illegal?
Edit: Yeah I kinda think that OUYA was vaporware from the beginning, I doubt if that thing ever comes out.
I've actually lost track of what I've funded, I think it's somewhere around 5 or 6, and a couple more that didn't reach their goals.
Edit: Yeah I kinda think that OUYA was vaporware from the beginning, I doubt if that thing ever comes out.
I've actually lost track of what I've funded, I think it's somewhere around 5 or 6, and a couple more that didn't reach their goals.
Ouya had one delay, but they explained it and have been posting updates frequently. The first devkits are ready to go and will ship soon.
Mackenzie 92
Member
We're talking about financial contributions in the range of $15-20 from the vast majority of contributors, for the vast majority of games on kickstarter. Why are you bringing up things like equity and return when we're dealing with amounts that could barely pay for a dinner.
Dreamwriter
Member
This particular one had 51 people pledge over $100, 16 people over $1000, 2 people at $10,000.
And they donate these amounts not expecting anything more than the low tier backers (of course other than the specific pledge rewards of that level).
That's why I said the vast majority, not all. The value proposition of video game kickstarters tend to drop off like a cliff once you are past the digital version or boxed version tier. If you're pledging in an amount approaching $100+ for a game, it is probably more akin to charity than any sort of buyer/seller transactions.
Understandable, *but* I've worked on games where the publisher has used the fact that they control funding through deliverables and milestones to leverage more work out of us when we've already been run ragged - since they have the final say on whether we've met the target, that gives them a lot of power, particularly because often some of the milestones are of a rather subjective nature. We weren't particularly in a position to protest, of course, because we *needed* the money at any given time.
"I let someone else take the risk, so I don't have to!"
nothing wrong with that. i'm a gamer, not an investor
Carnage Heart.
This is the most sensible stance.
and what's wrong with it?
To Far Away Times
Member
This is the reason I never donated to any kickstarter. It seems way too easy for this to happen.
Absolutely, especially when the one taking the risk also has the potential to profit.
This thread inspired me to go check up on the girl who failed to deliver her Kickstarter board game because she claimed that the Sun was psychically harassing her.
Still no board game. And she's still batshit crazy. Her Facebook is literally just her posting insane ramblings, and then responding to them herself. 912 Friends and nobody responds to anything.
Still no board game. And she's still batshit crazy. Her Facebook is literally just her posting insane ramblings, and then responding to them herself. 912 Friends and nobody responds to anything.
Dreamwriter
Member
Except this one was supposed to be pretty much done already. It doesn't seem like this was a case of them just not being able to finish the game, at minimum it means they lied about the state of the game.
Didn't see this posted, but Alex Peake (Code Hero Dev) has responded: http://primerlabs.com/developmentcontinues
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
- No update on budget/funding
- No mea culpa on original dates being unrealistic
- No reconciliation of the beta->alpha switcheroo
- No promise to deliver physical rewards, which should have been delivered before now regardless of development status
- Does not address people who have asked for refunds in the mean time
great response
morningbus
Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
He should consider running for some kind of political office.
superdeluxe
Member
I've backed about 25 different projects.
Things you learn, only spend what you are willing to lose. Well known established names? Worth the extra risk
(shadowrun, wasteland 2, star citizen, planetary annihilation, project eternity)
Great artists: Elmore, Brom, Dresden Dolls
Locals: pickle and jam food truck, blue mouse theater.
Ones that are not known and/or local have failed me. But I am out only 5.00$ on one and 2.00 on the other.
Things you learn, only spend what you are willing to lose. Well known established names? Worth the extra risk
(shadowrun, wasteland 2, star citizen, planetary annihilation, project eternity)
Great artists: Elmore, Brom, Dresden Dolls
Locals: pickle and jam food truck, blue mouse theater.
Ones that are not known and/or local have failed me. But I am out only 5.00$ on one and 2.00 on the other.
There's certainly always this risk, particularly with projects without the reputation of many of the ones that have been popular over the last year. I would imagine there is some grounds for a lawsuit though if it can be proven he squandered the funds instead of putting it towards the game. I believe there has been one in the past, and their TOS certainly allows for such measures iirc.
Not something that would scare me away from the site, I'm not a person who drops $100+ on these things so even if one of my kickstarters did fall through it wouldn't really be an amount I particularly care about.
Not something that would scare me away from the site, I'm not a person who drops $100+ on these things so even if one of my kickstarters did fall through it wouldn't really be an amount I particularly care about.
Because someone, somewhere *does* have to. I'm willing to take a small share of responsibility - to the extent that I can afford to - to try to ensure that the games I wish to play get made.
I've said before: There's too much risk in this industry currently, an individual or small company can't realistically undertake that much risk themselves. An attitude of "Live or die by the success of your game" ain't going to get anyone anywhere.
Uh. no. NOBODY HAS TO DO ANYTHING.
that someone who wants to make a videogame? He/she wants to make money, if possible, lots of money. They are not in some sort of holy crusade to save industry, no sir.
No one is putting a gun in their head and forcing them to make a game.
So it is essentially their job -developers- to gather around and find resources to make their games. How they do it, is none of my business.
Me, I'm just a gamer. I only care about good games, fun games. If someone makes that game, I will buy it and I've done my part. So Don't you dare trying to put 'responsibility' bullshit on me.
DiscoJer
Member
You missed the key part of his point - "to the extent that I can afford to - to try to ensure that the games I wish to play get made".
Maybe the games you like are being made, but in my own case, they sure aren't. KS is a way to get the games that I want to play made.
ZombieSupaStar
Member
yep, and I gladly gave brian fargo $100 and obsidian $50 for a new wasteland 2, and infinity engine rpg, even if there is a slight chance i am out the money.
hell I wasted 60 bucks on cod blops 2 due to the bait and switch false advertising with nuketown 24/7*,
but yeah, as with anything, buyer beware.
That's not his key point.
his key point is : someone has to do something!
Me: I've done my part by buying good games. It is developer's responsibility to make a good game, not me.
also, here is the thing. The games that you are supporting, how can you tell they are good games that you want to play? I mean, I'm sure as hell can't tell. So if end product ends up being awesome, then yeah, I have no problem buying it. before that? you will not get a single dime from me.
and I don't see anything wrong with it. If you are telling me with straight face that what I am doing is wrong, then let me know WHY.
Teletraan1
Banned
Sorry to anyone who backed this.
I guess my issue with these kickstarters is that a lot of people who have a general interest in videogames dont have any clue how to judge if something looks suspect with one of these KS proposals. Someone will a little more savvy can see that the guy was asking for too much money for what was being brought to the table but Joe Consolebox doesn't know about that kind of thing and are mostly backing based on a concept for a game that interests them.
I guess my issue with these kickstarters is that a lot of people who have a general interest in videogames dont have any clue how to judge if something looks suspect with one of these KS proposals. Someone will a little more savvy can see that the guy was asking for too much money for what was being brought to the table but Joe Consolebox doesn't know about that kind of thing and are mostly backing based on a concept for a game that interests them.
Really? There was a functional game at PAX and this was posted. The guy just needs more transparency, ignoring backers will always make them nervous. The fact that backers needed to threaten legal action to get an update should be an eye opener. You can't treat a Kickstarted projected like you would a regular one where you can go off the grid for months before a reveal, you need to commit to transparency for better or for worse.
Teletraan1
Banned
This guy went from Code Hero to Zero.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
I think the good news is that for the most part Joe Consoleblox isn't going to be a KS backer. Kickstarter isn't just for games, it's for a wide variety of things, and my impression is that the vast majority of backers are pretty savvy individuals who are engaged in the fields they back projects in.
Your attitude is perfectly valid. But it also doesn't mean that people who decide it worth it to take a more proactive role in what gets made are doing anything wrong.
You're not doing anything wrong, but neither is he in contributing to game Kickstarters. He is being more proactive about getting the games he wants to play made, but that's not something that is absolutely necessary to do.
Onion_Relish
Member
Actually it sounds like he had problems but used his money to solve them.
Drug problems that is.
Teletraan1
Banned
I dont doubt that. The problem is that Joe Consolebox with his $15 dollar donation is going to yell the loudest when a riskier move doesnt pay off making this look worse than it is. The savvy backer is just going to chock it up to a loss if they backed something like this at all.
Hey, like I said, how developers get their money, is none of my business. People spend their money however they may see fit.
No, but he is trying to say that it is gamers' 'responsibility' to share developers' burden. it never was, and it should never be.
So you're kickstarting the publisher then.
This sort of thing is more likely to happen with "unknown" devs.
Something like Project Eternity, or Wasteland 2, won't by necessity; if they go this route, their creators' reputations will be permanently ruined. A no name indie guy, this doesn't matter, but well known developers can't afford to not deliver.
Something like Project Eternity, or Wasteland 2, won't by necessity; if they go this route, their creators' reputations will be permanently ruined. A no name indie guy, this doesn't matter, but well known developers can't afford to not deliver.