Poll: Do you contribute to Crowd Funding (like Kickstarter) Games?

[4RM3D]

The reasons why I don't like crowd funding games:
- Contributing a crowd funding game requires a leap of faith. You are betting on an unfinished product.
- It still going to take a year or more (usually) before the game gets released. I don't feel making an "investment" that long ahead.

But I do see an upside:
- Supporting an independent developer
- Better communication with target audience
- Possibly more transparency in the development process
- Possibly more fan service

However, it's still a no go for me. I do buy a lot of indie games, but I just don't feel like committing at the cradle of the development.

Do you contribute to crowd funding games? And if so, why?

 

[Vegosiux]

*Looks at my monthly financial situation*

Ummmm, nope, I don't. I dispose of most of my income on other stuff that has more immediate desired effects.

 

[veloper]

Because I would really like to see some of the projects realized and someone has to make the leap.

I would never drop more than 30 bucks on a Kickstarter though. I'm prepared for half of my choices failing or disappointing in some other way because the contribution is small.
If I get some decent games out of it all, then it's totally worth it.

 

[DoPo]

Do you contribute to crowd funding games? And if so, why?

Yes, because I like and support the company behind them. Well, not all of them, of course, but whatever I can afford to (which is not much I'd have gladly supported more).

- Contributing a crowd funding game requires a leap of faith. You are betting on an unfinished product.

Yes, while it might be a problem, it doesn't need to be one. One can usually tell how likely a project is (barring unforeseeable circumstances, that is). Say, that indie startup studio that promises a lot for a very low sum, probably not that likely to deliver. Obsidian, on the other hand, I have more faith in them. And yes, that takes into account the game being buggy at release - I won't really judge them for it.

- It still going to take a year or more (usually) before the game gets released. I don't feel making an "investment" that long ahead.

True, also of note - release dates are notoriously flimsy. But I'm not particularly bothered. I'd rather pay for something I like and wait for it to arrive, than wait for something I like to randomly show up. I'd say it's a pretty good investment.

 

[IvoryOasis]

Indie games are great. But, there is the reality of needing resources to make it. Even for existing indie games, lots of corners are cut and production is sacrificed because they are trying to do things with tiny tiny budgets (or doing it in their free-time outside of work). Saving up enough money to go into decent production for a year or two? It is a pretty huge barrier.

Crowd funding lets these smaller companies get going with some decent tools a lot sooner than they would be able to scrape together on their own.

That, or they are forced to go the producer path (and then suddenly you need to play politics and the entire production becomes an accounting issue of return on investment...game design and content needs to be as widely marketable as possible...and production needs to be streamlined ~so you buy your game assets from generic packages or have the work shipped out to the lowest bidder~)

Indie games are going to get made by passionate people (they have been since gaming began...without crowd funding). It just depends how quickly and how polished / extensive they will make them (a small amount of money can go such a long way when a developer is willing to work for living costs ).

Basically, crowd funding is just giving gamers a chance to raise the bar in terms of indie games.

I guess, actually, when you think about it... it is kind of its own genre of games. A middle ground between indie games and sponsored games.

 

[4RM3D]

I'd rather pay for something I like and wait for it to arrive, than wait for something I like to randomly show up. I'd say it's a pretty good investment.

That just reminded me of:

Inquisitor [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.383964-Old-School-RPG-Inquisitor-Goes-Beta-After-13-Years]

 

[DustyDrB]

I've supported four now: Shadowrun Returns, The Banner Saga, Wasteland 2, and Project Eternity.
If I had known about them then, I would have supported FTL and Guns of Icarus.

Why do I do this?

-It's low-risk. Yes, there is risk. There is risk when you buy a game the traditional way, though. And usually, the risk is more expensive. Here is the lowest backer amount for the six games I've mentioned in which you recieved/will receive the game on release: Project Eternity - $20-25, The Banner Saga - $10, Wasteland 2 - $15, Shadowrun Returns - $15, FTL - $10, Guns of Icarus - $10. It's a risk, but I certainly won't be crying about it if any of them turned out badly.

-It reinvigorates the niche. Many of the games being brought to Kickstarter are not ones publishers are funding, but are also too expensive to self-publish. I love a good many AAA games, but that market completely ignores certain game types that many of us are starving for. Not only that, but these games tend to focus on doing one thing or a few things very well. They are for fans of their respective genres without compromising that vision for a wider market.

-It's a way to have our voices really heard from the very start. Developer-backer communication for these projects are often very strong. They usually set up a forum to discuss any aspect of the project. Compare this to the norm: A preview or beta mere months (if that) away from the product's release. That's not enough time for substantial change to take place if it is needed. This way, the devs and their fans are in synch from the get-go.

 

[aguspal]

No, never probably.

I despiste Kickstarter and I dont want to have anything to do with it.

 

[Tony2077]

i did it for one game and it doesn't look like it'll make it anyway nexus 2
5 days left and 500,000 to go damn my luck

 

[Karoshi]

No, never probably.

I despiste Kickstarter and I dont want to have anything to do with it.

It would be nice if you explained why, you know.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

yepp, i have 3-4 backed right now ( project eternity, wasteland 2, and a couple others)

I think it's great, it gives direct contact between the fans and the developers, completely screwing out annoying publishers in the process so they can't bully dev's into taking horrible short cuts or pushing release dates on them.

While I do see the pros/cons of it, i think the pros highly outweight the cons in how cheap it is to fund most of the games to get a copy, if half of them end up being good while the other half either don't make it/aren't good, i'll be happy. anyone with half a brain realizes there is a risk to it, and the dev's i'm supporting are going to give me some games that i'm desperately starving for.

 

[distortedreality]

Not yet - but that's mainly because I haven't seen anything that I can be sure will be worth the money. I'm not a big betting man.

 

[AstylahAthrys]

I don't exactly have disposable income... or any income... so no.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Nope. I quit buying games unless I'm going to play them right that second, so investing in a game that isn't even finished yet is definitely a no. If it was my friend's game, I probably would, but none of my friends know how to make games, so still a "probably won't ever". If I'm interested and the game comes out, I'll buy it (if I'm going to play it), but I'm not going to "invest" in any kind of game.

 

[AnotherAvatar]

I'll give to anything that looks like I'd buy it the moment it came out anyway. Example: I pitched in on Project Eternity right at the start, back when we had no clue if it would hit it's goal (actually upped my pledge just before it ended to get a special edition). I would have also pitched on Wasteland 2 (as I can't explain how much I want that game) but it passed under my radar before I could (damn my summer spent at music festivals, and at the same time, not at all).

Initially I only put 35 in PE simply because I couldn't spare any more, to me it just made sense: Pay less for this game I have been secretly wishing for now, or hope that it makes it's funding and buy it later for more to get less...

Hell for all the good times Black Isle gave me alone I felt I owed them, specifically because I was never able to buy any of their games while they were around as I was busy making effeminate spiky haired guys with serious emotional issues and a massive sword take on even more effeminate long haired guy with even worse emotional issues and a bigger, if thinner, sword. Looking back on it (and more so compared to Fallout): Sooooooo gay.

That said: I'm not going on there looking for games, another reason I missed Wasteland. I'd suggest you follow one of your favorite indie developers and if they put up a kickstarter and it looks like something you're interested in... well then maybe you owe it to yourself to help them? Or something cheesy like that.

 

[Genocidicles]

I would if there was a way to pay for them outside the US that didn't involve paypal.

 

[Rogue 9]

I've backed 22 kickstarter projects, 1 of which didn't make funding. Of the 21 that made funding, 11 of them are games (high profile ones like Double Fine Adventure, Project Eternity, Shadowrun Returns and Wasteland 2, as well as some lower profile ones like College Ruled Universe and Lilly Looking Through), 2 of them are Music projects, 3 of them film projects, 4 of them comic projects and a board game. I've also backed another 2 crowdfunding projects through IndieGoGo, both for webcomics.

I've sunk quite a lot of disposable income in kickstarter since I first found out about it in April last year, and I'm really starting to think I need to calm down, seeing as of the 19 projects that have been funded, only 6 of them have been fully realised. Some of the others I've received bonus backer rewards for, like posters and t-shirts and other paraphenalia, but that's still 13 still in progress, plus 3 more still in funding.

 

[AnotherAvatar]

I've backed 22 kickstarter projects, 1 of which didn't make funding. Of the 21 that made funding, 11 of them are games (high profile ones like Double Fine Adventure, Project Eternity, Shadowrun Returns and Wasteland 2, as well as some lower profile ones like College Ruled Universe and Lilly Looking Through), 2 of them are Music projects, 3 of them film projects, 4 of them comic projects and a board game. I've also backed another 2 crowdfunding projects through IndieGoGo, both for webcomics.

I've sunk quite a lot of disposable income in kickstarter since I first found out about it in April last year, and I'm really starting to think I need to calm down, seeing as of the 19 projects that have been funded, only 6 of them have been fully realised. Some of the others I've received bonus backer rewards for, like posters and t-shirts and other paraphenalia, but that's still 13 still in progress, plus 3 more still in funding.

SHADOWRUN WHAT?! /runs off and googles

Edit: Holy fuck, I had no idea this existed. Damn but Kickstarter is making all my dreams come true!

Edit Edit: Also cheers for funding Shadowrun and Wasteland!