D&D General I am so done with kickstarter

[Nikosandros]

We hate that guy!

I've been that guy, just once (I swear!). But the folks* running the KS were wonderful to me in that occasion...

* It was one of the Scarred Lands projects ran by Onyx Path.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I struggle with the lack of oversight on Kickstarter. Creators are technically supposed to keep in contact with patrons but there is no one to appeal to if this doesn’t happen. They are technically supposed to provide all committed projects or offer an explanation as to why not.. but there is nothing enforcing this.

yes from what I can see there is nothing stopping me from promising some great idea (not that I have one) and have no way to really do it, BUT I can talk a good game, get a ton of money throw out a few updates then go silent and keep the money,

 

[Seramus]

We hate that guy!

I don't know if that's a joke or serious! I imagine it's nice to have a backer give you a large sum and never get demanding, but also probably annoying when I send you a private email asking how to claim my stuff because all the backer reward links have expired.

Maybe both?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

That's because with the traditional publishing model, it was, "I will give you money for a finished product."

With crowdfunding, it's "I will give you money to finish a product."

Kickstarter is for people who, for whatever reason, have not capitalized their project. Maybe they couldn't secure financing, maybe their business model is garbage, maybe their product is unworkable, maybe they are clueless on how a product gets to market. Whatever the reason, you are the source of capital investment.

Want to be an investor? Use Kickstarter.
Want to buy an actual product that actually exists? Use Amazon.

Kickstarter is not a store.

this sounds good but the web does a HORRABLE job at showing this... just look at Morus, he IS using it as a store and you get it right away.

 

[Morrus]

I don't know if that's a joke or serious! I imagine it's nice to have a backer give you a large sum and never get demanding, but also probably annoying when I send you a private email asking how to claim my stuff because all the backer reward links have expired.

Maybe both?

For most creators it's probably fine. When you have run 30 Kickstarters like I have, and number of people on each one do that (and they do), years later you're dealing with a fairly constant trickle of people you have to delve back years into the past to figure out how to help them (and usually you no longer have access to Kickstarter backer reports at that point--and Kickstarter makes you agree to delete the original reports once you've used them, so technically it can be tricky to resolve). Also, sometimes that product is no longer even available, especially with a licensed property. So you go to refund them, and find their credit card expired years ago and can't be refunded to.

I mean, it's not that big a deal. I'm exaggerating. But it does happen more than you might think!

 

[Sacrosanct]

For most creators it's probably fine. When you have run 30 Kickstarters like I have, and number of people on each one do that (and they do), years later you're dealing with a fairly constant trickle of people you have to delve back years into the past to figure out how to help them (and usually you no longer have access to Kickstarter backer reports at that point--and Kickstarter makes you agree to delete the original reports once you've used them, so technically it can be tricky to resolve). Also, sometimes that product is no longer even available, especially with a licensed property. So you go to refund them, and find their credit card expired years ago and can't be refunded to.

I haven't run into that yet, but I have run into several people email me asking about expired links or saying they never got the files. As a general rule, I just send out a new link (if it's a digital copy) no questions asked.

 

[Morrus]

this sounds good but the web does a HORRABLE job at showing this... just look at Morus, he IS using it as a store and you get it right away.

Tehnically you can't use it as a store -- you have to have a new product each time, not an older existing one. You can add older ones as addons or whatever, but the primary product has to be new (even it if it's just a reprinting with a new cover). So you can't take a book you already have available for sale and put it on Kickstarter.

 

[dragoner]

Anyone buy through amazon and not have the corners smashed on their books? I hate that, it's like someone threw them on the ground on purpose.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Tehnically you can't use it as a store -- you have to have a new product each time, not an older existing one. You can add older ones as addons or whatever, but the primary product has to be new (even it if it's just a reprinting with a new cover). So you can't take a book you already have available for sale and put it on Kickstarter.

correct, but what I meant (and maybe said wrong) is you already have your book written, it is ready to go. When the KS ends you send out the PDFs and they get them (as if they had preordered) and you include the previous items as add ons so you can buy 10 of your pdfs as if you were buying form SUpercoolMorrusstore.com with a preorder of the new book.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Anyone buy through amazon and not have the corners smashed on their books? I hate that, it's like someone threw them on the ground on purpose.

i currently don't have a FLGS (it did not survive BEFORE covid) so I have gotten my last few books from amazon and even before hand had gotten gifts bought through there. I only 1 time had a book damaged