Reply To: Hobby Weekender 14/06/19 – Halfway through the year already?

[limburger 21709xp 0]

@mage  a can of coke ?

I didn’t know they sold that stuff in cans … always thought it was bags … 😉

I think I’ve got my pledge for next weekender sorted 😀

//

Relic Knights is getting ready to complete a sort of two player starter set in parts based on the latest info for backers.
So I guess they’re doing alright-ish now.
It still sucks that they were almost dead in the water and that we may not get everything, but they’re not the only ones at that level of progress.
OTOH … the ratio of completed kickstarters vs ones that crashed and burned due to inexperience is pretty good (at least based on my own list).

There’s always a risk with investments at this level, because the low cost of entry attracts a lot of beginners who will underestimate the entire process.  It’s also incredibly good at exposing weaknesses in internal processes of a company when a kickstarter overfunds and stretchgoal happy (as we’ve seen with Dropfleet).
The only ones that have felt 99% safe with minimal delays were effectively preorders.
And that is to be expected (the more mature the project is the less risks).
It does make kickstarters into preorders though, which kind of robs the experience of its own charm.

However … if you’ve always wanted to know how the sausage gets made and if you’ve got money to burn then take a chance.
You’ll gain some insight into what it takes to take a product from idea to retail with almost every single one of them.
I’m tempted to say that anything created by Mythic Games is a good choice if it’s your first one. Boardgames and roleplaying games are somewhat safe, but anything that requires technology is extra risky as there are no shortcuts that work.
However don’t be fooled into thinking it is 100% safe. Retail is the only thing that can get you that kind of reliability …

oh … and never ever trust those deadlines. It rarely ever gets completed on time.
And even if it does there’s still the time it needs to ship from factory to your house. A logistical feat that is not to be underestimated.

Plus it pays to be aware that things can and will change. This is a good thing(tm), because it does affect the quality of the product and it shows the commitment of the creators to deliver something that is ready for retail and beyond.

And thank [insert deity of choice] that not every kickstarter is Star Citizen …

Did I miss anything ?

/kickstarter rant