How do you feel about stretch goals?

[Grendel_Khan]

Generally speaking, the more stretch goals, the less likely I am to back a Kickstarter. Especially when they have all sorts of stuff that goes beyond just designing and printing a book, like miniatures, a smartphone app, breakfast cereal, etc.

Without naming names, there's a currently running TTRPG KS whose first-day backer reward was early access to an app that's basically going to be a mobile-friendly social media platform specifically for that game and its players.

I couldn't click away fast enough.

Now, one sort of stretch goal I do like is when they have things like "this person will design a monster/magic item/thingie."

I totally forgot to mention how much I love this kind of community-building-and-reinforcing stretch goal.

 

[Voadam]

I like stretch goals that either add onto the base PDF project (more monsters, more art) or that add on extra PDFs. I have a lot of patience on waiting for things like supplemental sourcebook PDFs. I have only done kickstarters for PDFs and I am only interested in the PDF end of things. I really am not enticed by the option to add on extra physical book/dice/button/T-shirt purchases. I have jumped in on some kickstarters because of the supplemental PDFs from stretch goals (Evil Hat's original Fate kickstarter was fantastic).

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Not really interested in stretch goals, it is the core product that would attract me. I do like minis but only pre-painted ones. I do not get enough use to paint them myself and do paint for fun.

Not that I am a big kickstarter backer.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Sometimes stretch goals seem like just stuff they thought would be cool, with no clear plan on how to actually deliver them.

Without naming names, there's a currently running TTRPG KS whose first-day backer reward was early access to an app that's basically going to be a mobile-friendly social media platform specifically for that game and its players.

I couldn't click away fast enough.

Kobold Press' Vault of Magic is a great example of this. Even though the big names were essentially just writing 2-3 paragraphs and calling it a day, it was still a neat touch, and netted some interesting magic items.

I totally forgot to mention how much I love this kind of community-building-and-reinforcing stretch goal.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I've seen a number of kickstarters have stretch goals to raise the pay per word or commissioned piece for their writers/artists, which I always thought was a nice gesture and appreciated the transparency of where the funds were being spent.

For RPG books, I like upgrades - hardbacks/binding upgrade, paper quality, ribbon bookmarks, or dare I say it... a fully functional index! Having backed some projects where additional adventures are included has led to some severe scale creep and delays (admittedly compounded by Covid issues) so I'm less enthused about those.

As far as random stuff, T-Shirts with a cool design are good. Pens, pins, even dice... nah. Most dice from kickstarters seem to come with emblems on them, and I find it a pain to remember if it is on the one or the max side.

 

[R_J_K75]

I got my copy of the Grim Hollow Grimoire today. I'll say well worth the money. I'm saying this just on pancaking and the few extras thrown in. I used a monster and their lair out of the beta test and it was quality.

 

[Morrus]

I've seen a number of kickstarters have stretch goals to raise the pay per word or commissioned piece for their writers/artists, which I always thought was a nice gesture and appreciated the transparency of where the funds were being spent.

Personally, I like to pay them well upfront, and not shift any of the risk on to them.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I personally don't back the products I do at any level with a physical product (I've done so in a very small number of cases just to push the KS over a line, but I generally don't need more physical books any more unless I'm certain I'm going to run a game).

Personally, I think physical stretch goals are a hazard; every KS I've backed that was seriously late was either because of those or author health issues.

 

[Committed Hero]

Anything that doesn't simply increase the size of the book risks significant disruptions to the project, in the form of unexpected costs and just being a different beast than publishing an rpg.

Rpg campaigns can offer backers the unique opportunity to be memorialized in a project via an NPC name or the basis for a character portrait. I don't know why more campaigns do this, especially when raising money for art.

 

[R_J_K75]

I personally don't back the products I do at any level with a physical product (I've done so in a very small number of cases just to push the KS over a line, but I generally don't need more physical books any more unless I'm certain I'm going to run a game).

Personally, I think physical stretch goals are a hazard; every KS I've backed that was seriously late was either because of those or author health issues.

I had a friend of mine get my package from Ghost Fire Gaming when I got the delivery notice yesterday. It was heavy, I own Les Pauls that arent as heavy as that. The stretch goals on this were nice, a map pack and monster lair bundle. I'm expecting any KS to be about a year out from pledge to hand. The Grim Hollow Grimoire hit all the spots.