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The most money-grubbing kickstarter yet (PSP JRPG by Victor Ireland)

Stabwound

Arcane
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
3,240
I'm not sure how many people here are familiar with Victor Ireland, the former president of Working Designs, a company that brought over a lot of JRPGs to North America. His work and his company were always controversial, because he'd add tons of stupid pop culture references to the games and other silly shit.

Anyway, he recently launched a kickstarter for the PSP blobber RPG Class of Heroes 2. The thing is, he's asking for $500,000 and the success or failure of the kickstarter doesn't mean shit for the game itself. The game was always going to be released, and it will be even if the kickstarter fails.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1272149684/class-of-heroes-2-deluxe-for-the-psp-system

Even if you aren't familiar with the game, it won't take more than one look at the kickstarter to see what's wrong with it. The only thing this kickstarter is for is so that he can pad his ego and release a "collector's edition" of the game full of landfill-filling junk like his previous games. Now, to be fair, if you're a fan of collector's editions then Working Designs games were by far the best. They put a lot of work into the extras, unlike most collectors editions these days.

But, the only reason for the kickstarter is so that he can pad his ego and be paid in advance. There is no way in hell a game this niche is going to make him $500,000 in profit, but that's what he's asking for in the kickstarter. The game is coming out no matter what; he already bought the rights to release it.

The stupidest thing about it is that you don't get a copy of the game until you hit the $60 + shipping tier. No PSP game costs $60, and if he paid any attention to the WL2 and DF kickstarters, the "cheap preorder" tier was by far the most popular. But no, you get a hearty thanks if you donate anything less than $60, AKA giving the guy money for no reason.

Let's summarize:

-He wants $500,000
-You get absolutely nothing of value until you donate $60 + foreigner shipping tax, ridiculous for a PSP game
-This is an obscure niche blobber game for a dead system, the sequel to a very flawed and not well recieved game
-The game is going to be released even if the kickstarter isn't funded, and since it will be a digital download it will be probably 1/2 the price you have to pay here to get the game

Now, I actually want the game and think the original was a good Wizardry knockoff, if not flawed. However, this kickstarter is just a total pile of bullshit. The graphics are totally animu and it will turn people off right away, but the gameplay itself is basically a Wizardry 1-5 clone.
 

Damned Registrations

Furry Weeaboo Nazi Nihilist
Joined
Feb 24, 2007
Messages
14,981
I can sort of understand the premise behind simply asking for donations this way. If fans want to see the game and are willing to donate a bit extra for it, there's nothing wrong with facillitating that. I'd happily donate for a roguelike if I thought it looked good and had the change to spare, regardless of whether it was going to be funded anyways. I donated money to the 'dex and functionally got nothing at all for it. There's a space for this kind of thing.

That said, this reeks of marketing and manipulation. Especially charging that much for the game itself. Actual cost of the hard copy game aside, it's well within their means to sell the game digitally. Fuck, sony wants to build their entire next handheld platform on the concept.

Here's hoping this one dies in a fire, simply because it might help to scare off publishers from such blatant cash grabs and make them think a bit more about why people are funding these things.
 

Mangoose

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Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity
Well the thing is, the more money you ask, the less likely it will be funded by the deadline. On the one hand, definitely a money-grub (not disagreeing with anything in the OP), but on the other hand, also a gamble.
 

felipepepe

Codex's Heretic
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Still the guy is going quite well:

398 Backers
$38,121 pledged of $500,000 goal

Had he got a more modest goal and better tier rewards, it would surelly get funded.
 

sgc_meltdown

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2003
Messages
6,000
$10
Instead of an email, you'll get an earnest CoH2-themed physical thank you letter suitable for framing acknowledging your support of and contribution to the funding threshold that will allow us to increase the depth and quality of the localization of both the physical and direct download releases. As a supporter, your name will be compiled into the game code, and though it won't be viewable in the credits, you'll be a part of every game shipped and downloaded in the US and Europe.

then I went to their website to check out their extended awards

$50,000 - Reward Level 12

THE MOTHERLODE:

You will become an illustrated character IN THE GAME, featured in the US and European releases. You will receive a signed, framed original drawing of your character, drawn by one of the Japanese Class of Heroes artists.

THE STILL PRETTY BIG ONE:
Fly to Tokyo, Japan expenses paid for 4 days and 3 nights, we'll host your meeting with the creators of the game, and show you around Tokyo. NOTE: You must be 18 or over, or traveling with a guardian paying their own way, be able to travel unassisted, and currently have or provide proof of obtaining a valid US Passport not later than 60 days before departure.

THE REST OF THE SWAG:
Earnest thank you letter with gold seal
Deluxe Physical copy of game, autographed by US and Japanese staff
Gold, numbered commemorative pin
Deluxe Limited Edition game poster with staff signatures on back
Limited Edition game plush
Your name in game credits between positions 1 and 2 (in order of pledge)
Engraved "Class of Heroes II" Pocket Watch
"Class of Heroes II" Music Box

2 of 2 AVAILABLE

You know what separates this 50k top tier reward and the second highest 25k reward?
GETTING TO BE A CHARACTER.

B4XiV.jpg
 

Stabwound

Arcane
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
3,240
Still the guy is going quite well:

398 Backers
$38,121 pledged of $500,000 goal

Had he got a more modest goal and better tier rewards, it would surelly get funded.
Yeah, I was only spurred to post about it because I saw how well it was doing. $40,000 in less than 48 hours isn't bad, I guess.

Reading some of the comments from Vic Ireland, the whole kickstarter really is about the collectors edition crap. Apparently it only makes financial sense to have the stuff produced if you're going to do more than 7000 of them, which is basically the cost of this kickstarter plus some extra.

I wouldn't say that this isn't going to get funded, but not offering a cheap preorder/digital download is really dropping the ball. I'd go in for a $10 or $15 copy of the game, but setting $60 + shipping as the lowest tier to get the game is a killer mistake. Especially when you know you can just wait until the game is released and buy it for probably $20.
 

Multi-headed Cow

Guest
You'll receive an earnest thank you email, suitable for printing, forwarding, or screen-grabbing, acknowledging your support of our project and contribution to the funding threshold that will allow us to increase the depth and quality of the localization of both the physical and direct download releases. As a supporter, your name will be compiled into the game code, and though it won't be viewable in the credits, you'll be a part of every game shipped and downloaded in the US and Europe.
:what:
 

RPGMaster

Savant
Joined
Feb 23, 2011
Messages
703
Fuckin' Irish.

I'd pay for a kickstarter to send Schafer and Fargo over there to kick him in the balls.
 

Konjad

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Strap Yourselves In Codex Year of the Donut Codex+ Now Streaming! Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Guys, when kickstarter will be available in Europe (hopefully it finally will), I'm gonna start one for an atomic bomb to nuke Bethesda. I'm sure Russians can build one pretty cheap.
 

SuicideBunny

(ノ ゜Д゜)ノ ︵ ┻━┻
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Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Torment: Tides of Numenera
the original was a good Wizardry knockoff, if not flawed.
it was pretty much the worst commercial (if not evah!) wizardry clone. symmetric dungeon floors, randomized dungeon floors with fixed layouts and no multifloor puzzles, shallow dungeons, stupid story, and infinite spellpoints due to sp swapping and sp regeneration. in essence it was a shitty game made to cash in on the etrian odyssey and dark spire hype.
 
Self-Ejected

Ulminati

Kamelåså!
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DiNMRK
You'll receive an earnest thank you email, suitable for printing, forwarding, or screen-grabbing, acknowledging your support of our project and contribution to the funding threshold that will allow us to increase the depth and quality of the localization of both the physical and direct download releases. As a supporter, your name will be compiled into the game code, and though it won't be viewable in the credits, you'll be a part of every game shipped and downloaded in the US and Europe.


ON STEAM!!!
:what:

You know what must be done.
 

Renegen

Arcane
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
4,062
I read this kickstarter yesterday and what a joke it was. I hope this fails extremely hard.
 

Menckenstein

Lunacy of Caen: Todd Reaver
Joined
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Location
Remulak
Your in game character will be named "Broke Moron", who will beg the PC for a handout because they foolishly spent all their money on having their visage inserted into some rinky dink community portrait.
 

sea

inXile Entertainment
Developer
Joined
May 3, 2011
Messages
5,698
I think "moral disgust" is a good descriptor of how I feel. It's not the guy's goals I care about, it's the obvious contempt for the player bass, the clearly inflated ego of the man behind it, and the suspicion that this is abusing the fundamental idea of Kickstarter in the first place. All those starving artists who want to make their dream projects - fuck you, I've got a day job, just give me some extra money anyway. You might even get something back if you're "generous" enough!
 

Father Walker

Potato Ranger
Joined
Apr 13, 2011
Messages
1,282
Guys, when kickstarter will be available in Europe (hopefully it finally will), I'm gonna start one for an atomic bomb to nuke Bethesda. I'm sure Russians can build one pretty cheap.

No. No. No. Bomb Bioware instead. I'm sure Beth would craft a damn good game in one of those Siberian work camps (we could arrange one from the kickstarter money).
 

Menckenstein

Lunacy of Caen: Todd Reaver
Joined
Aug 2, 2011
Messages
16,089
Location
Remulak
Guys, when kickstarter will be available in Europe (hopefully it finally will), I'm gonna start one for an atomic bomb to nuke Bethesda. I'm sure Russians can build one pretty cheap.

No. No. No. Bomb Bioware instead. I'm sure Beth would craft a damn good game in one of those Siberian work camps (we could arrange one from the kickstarter money).

Kolyma Softworks, a Zenimax Company
 

Stabwound

Arcane
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
3,240
Well, its slowed down considerably at only 10% of the goal after the first 3 days. Unless some miracle of media attention happens, this is thankfully not going to be funded.
 

circ

Arcane
Joined
Jun 4, 2009
Messages
11,470
Location
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
EHEHEHEEH.

EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

YOUR NAME WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE CODE

IN THE CODE

OH LAWD ALMIGHTY IN THE CODE

I'M GETTING A LITTLE STIFFY
 

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