Elite on Kickstarter...

[seibu]

If he wants the public to fund this the least he can do is open source the results. Otherwise aren't we just paying for him to revive his business?

[Darkflame]

No other major game on kickstarter is open sourced , what makes this one different?

TimShaffer got $3million for a unspecified point and click, despite having commissioned work as well.
People are paying to pre-fund a game they want.

I am not aware of suscessfull open source engine projects funded, but maybe there is too.

[Little stoned kiwi]

Otherwise aren't we just paying for him to revive his business?

But that's what Kickstarter is. A big begging bowl.

[axel000]

They are less than 10% in to the funding period and are nearing 1/3rd funded already.... looks 50/50 to me that this will be a success. A good cover story in Edge or something similar would probably push it over the edge (smirk).

[Dio]

... despite already having had advertising on the BBC, Guardian and Slashdot?

If it's not there now, it seems unlikely it will go much further, to me.

[gravy]

My prediction is It'll hockey stick at the end like so many other big kickstarters before.

Had a close eye on this sort of fundraising for a whole and acceleration of funds before completion is pretty typical.

You reckon it won't make this total Dave?

[Jamesac]

If it follows the standard curve there's no problems here. The goal is large but they're off to a great start, and despite the inevitable mid-campaign slowdown it's an extra-long Kickstarter so they should be able to overcome that if only by releasing a steady stream of newsworthy information. The start was truly terrible, sure, but they had enough of a rabid fan-base willing to dive in despite the near-complete lack of info that it didn't really matter. You can't really discount luck in these things, and they've had a good share of it so far with the turnout being far in excess of the Kickstarter's quality.

Short version- No problem, they'll make it easy so long as they keep the updates coming. I'm terrible at projecting the curve but what the hell- 100% funding with a week left on the clock. Don't quote me on that date unless you want to be wrong too.

Kiwi- Kickstarter isn't a begging bowl. Everything I've backed, I've gotten something worth having for. It's not a store, but it's also not a charity.

James

[gravy]

The start was truly terrible, sure, but they had enough of a rabid fan-base willing to dive in despite the near-complete lack of info that it didn't really matter.

Yeah, this is essentially what Kickstarter is about and is the antithesis of wide appeal, mainstream media. Lower user base, higher investment. Currently less than 8.6k backers at an average of around £44 per pledge when the game itself is £20.

It's about a thousand true fans. I know the point has been belaboured way beyond funny but true fan funded development would fit LS so well.

The upside is getting off the hand to mouth treadmill of IoS and develop a bigger, more creatively meaningful project minus the all or nothing risk that Space Giraffe was. The downside is it takes a a bit of time, care and attention wholly spent on the Kickstarter process that hinges around an ability to find and engage with your 1,000 fans.

Shame, I'd love to see something of the scale and ambition of SG and would drop £50 to support it in a heart beat if something of that ilk turned up on KS. And if it turned out there aren't enough people like me, the project doesn't even start and nothing is lost.

A bit of face perhaps. But then again nothing is without some risk and the current LS business model would still be there.

[The ghost of raids past]

I am torn by the Elite Kickstarter. On one hand its Multiplayer elite and I have always thought thats a great idea, but on the other hand its being developed by someone who has shut down remakes of the classic game. I really didnt see the harm in Elite the new kind and took a dim view of the shutdown of that project.

I also dont like the way Braben dealt with Ian Bell. So what to do, back it and just have the game or boycott it because of past actions.

[Orangy Tang]

I also dont like the way Braben dealt with Ian Bell. So what to do, back it and just have the game or boycott it because of past actions.

Whats wrong with waiting until the game is actually complete and buying it if it's any good? It's clearly going ahead regardless of the state of this kickstarter, and the tier that gets you the game isn't going to be much (if any) of a reduction on the final retail price.

[The ghost of raids past]

I also dont like the way Braben dealt with Ian Bell. So what to do, back it and just have the game or boycott it because of past actions.

Whats wrong with waiting until the game is actually complete and buying it if it's any good? It's clearly going ahead regardless of the state of this kickstarter, and the tier that gets you the game isn't going to be much (if any) of a reduction on the final retail price.

Even buying it if it gets released still has the same problem. I am also not convinced it will get written without the kickstarter money. I think if the Kickstarter fails then publishers will use that as an indication that the game isnt going to make them money and without the kickstarter cash I dont think the game can be completed

[adam]

john k's ks was about $35 average, but there were rewards between $1 & $10k, with a spread like that you don't need everyone to drop £50 or whatever for the project to succeed, i think the best performing campaigns have been the ones where you got something really good for your money at each level, conversely one for a concert where you could give them $200 and get a tshirt didn't hit it's goal... surprise surprise on john k's the most popular level it seemed was also the best value, think it was actually the $35 one where you got an original doodle as well as the digital film

i saw one for a comb that struck me as doing very too, massively oversubscribed and he was offering a metal comb and bottle opener he'd designed really cheaply that seemed really well made

[gravy]

My prediction is It'll hockey stick at the end like so many other big kickstarters before.

Had a close eye on this sort of fundraising for a whole and acceleration of funds before completion is pretty typical.

You reckon it won't make this total Dave?

This is a pretty good site to get an idea how kickstarter works:

http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/146141 ... dangerous/

[Dio]

You reckon it won't make this total Dave?

I dunno. I can't think of another kickstarter that's had wider publicity. I mean, with those three sites, it's got press on several of the biggest sites in the world, what percentage of tech-heads on the web haven't already seen this? But I haven't studied KS in enough detail to know whether this is a typical pattern or not.

It's about a thousand true fans. I know the point has been belaboured way beyond funny but true fan funded development would fit LS so well.

The upside is getting off the hand to mouth treadmill of IoS and develop a bigger, more creatively meaningful project minus the all or nothing risk that Space Giraffe was. The downside is it takes a a bit of time, care and attention wholly spent on the Kickstarter process that hinges around an ability to find and engage with your 1,000 fans.

I certainly can't argue with any of that.

[merman]

(Just throwing a thought in here - several music acts have done a subscription model, where you pay to get new music as it is created. Basic level gives you the mp3s, more buys you packaged CDs, priority on live tickets, meet the band opportunities, etc. Maybe a Llamasoft subscription model could offer access to new games, beta testing opportunities, your name/image in the game and other perks?)