Dear crowdfunding publishers: Chill out with the content stretch goals

[ReshiIRE]

Why fear? Sure, it is. But why is that a problem or need to be solved?

I am fairly risk adverse and I don't like the possibility creators and customers using Kickstarter getting harmed, even as a result of their own decisions, because they might be unaware of the full consequences of their actions? Fear was a word used more so for a turn of phrase more than anything.

 

[Morrus]

I am fairly risk adverse and I don't like the possibility creators and customers using Kickstarter getting harmed, even as a result of their own decisions, because they might be unaware of the full consequences of their actions? Fear was a word used more so for a turn of phrase more than anything.

I don’t follow. How does a preorder harm anybody?

 

[ReshiIRE]

I don’t follow. How does a preorder harm anybody?

Pre-order is probably the wrong word choice for Kickstarter, but I suspect some people use it as a pre-order system so the following still has merit.

I don't suspect we will agree on this one (for very good reasons) but:

They're not harmful when we talk about physical or limited edition goods, and are less harmful in the TTRPG world for digital goods, but I am most familiar with pre-orders in the video game industry, and I would say they are harmful there, as it feels like pre-order culture - not waiting for reviews, engaging immediately - has lead to massive disappointment and oftentimes companies getting away with subpar products. It's only a tiny part of it, but it really doesn't make sense the vast majority of the time to pre-order, since a lot of the time those are pre-orders for digital goods that aren't going to be limited in any manner and, by definition, designed to be consumed at ones own pace.

 

[CleverNickName]

It could be argued that fewer stretch goals would result in fewer backers, and that would make it more difficult for all Kickstarters to get funded...especially the smaller, lesser-known ones. You would risk trading the disappointment of shipping delays for the greater disappointment of not getting funded in the first place.

I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'm not a content creator (on Kickstarter or otherwise). I'll trust the advice of @Morrus and @MatthewJHanson on this subject, since I've backed their projects before and I've yet to be disappointed.

 

[Sacrosanct]

It could be argued that fewer stretch goals would result in fewer backers, and that would make it more difficult for all Kickstarters to get funded...especially the smaller, lesser-known ones. You would risk trading the disappointment of shipping delays for the greater disappointment of not getting funded in the first place.

I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'm not a content creator (on Kickstarter or otherwise). I'll trust the advice of @Morrus and @MatthewJHanson on this subject, since I've backed their projects before and I've yet to be disappointed.

Man, what does it take to make your list? . Now I know how David feels…

Seriously though, I’ve had several people ask me why I use KS if the work is already done and paid for. The simple answer is that by gauging support and funding, I know if it makes sense to do things like offset printing rather then POD. KS is a great tool for that. And a plus for backers, because they get their rewards soon.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It could be argued that fewer stretch goals would result in fewer backers, and that would make it more difficult for all Kickstarters to get funded...especially the smaller, lesser-known ones. You would risk trading the disappointment of shipping delays for the greater disappointment of not getting funded in the first place.

I'm not sure I follow. Stretch goals come after the point the project is funded.

And speaking for myself, when I see someone with zero or limited previous projects trotting out something with a ton of stretch goals, that dissuades me from backing the project, rather than encouraging it. (Hence this thread.)

I don't want to put struggling projects on blast, but it's not too hard to look at RPGs on Kickstarter, including some jointly run by successful game companies, and see the projects with newbies and lots of stretch goal ambitions are the ones that sometimes still haven't fulfilled two years on.

 

[CleverNickName]

Man, what does it take to make your list? . Now I know how David feels...

Woops! Sorry for the oversight, but I've also backed your "Chromatic Dungeons" KS last year. I think that was yours... wasn't it? (I'm sure there are others, too. I went thru a phase there for a while, where I was backing tons of gaming content.)

 

[Malmuria]

I don’t follow. How does a preorder harm anybody?

I suppose it's a matter of expectations: are you purchasing a product or putting money toward a potential project? How much of it is done already? Is it a sure thing? The presentation of many kickstarters suggest that they are nearly finished and that your support is essentially a preorder, but this might not be the case. And when a kickstarter fails or is significantly delayed, there's no recourse for the person who thought they were getting a product.