Apparently (and this makes no sense to me but people rarely do) this is because you get way less traction if you project your actual funding needs and don’t have “funded 1000% in 3 hours” or whatever. People like winners, or something.
I have never, ever backed a game on that basis, and I have occasionally backed one because it seemed cool but was struggling to fund. (E.g. Conquest Princess, just recently.)
Oh I know it works. I don’t know what bothers me more: that it works and people pledge because they are effectively manipulated, or that publishers get away with being disingenuous.
Time lancers died which is a shame.
What I am saying is it doesn’t just work, it seems to be almost functionally required. Same with stuff like stretch goals.
I’m assuming there are other kickstarters I don’t hear about that still use the system properly - but certainly everything I look at these days seems to be “funded in 17.3 milliseconds” and so on.
I look at Kickstarter as a marketing tool based around hype and FOMO. Both of these benefit from the “Funded in X hours!” kind of message. If a project does not fund quickly then there is no hype about it. And if it doesn’t fund (or barely funds), then there is no FOMO.
In earlier Kickstarter, though, the FOMO was “if you don’t pledge now, we won’t reach our funding goal, and then you won’t get the thing because it won’t be made at all”. Which was fair enough.
I’m still in two minds about WItchcraft! vs Resist! but I’ve gone ahead and pledged for a copy of the new game. I have a sneaking feeling that the original game might turn out to be the one I prefer, but what’s twisted my arm is the fact that the original (which I’d also pledged for) doesn’t appear to be available at retail anywhere in NZ that I can see, and so I’m doubtful of ever seeing the new game at retail… and as much as the shipping costs, I can see that importing “Resist!” to NZ is at least as expensive (and generally more so). So on the assumption that there mightn’t be a cheaper option I decided I’d get a copy this way. I can always sell one of the two after I’ve compared them if I don’t want to keep them both.
I see FOMO more through the lens of “You don’t want to miss out on this really cool thing that everyone else is doing.”
If a project doesn’t fund, it doesn’t fund. Darn. It doesn’t spawn regret because even if backed it, the choice was out of your control.
If the project has funded (and quickly!), then missing out is all on you. If the project is a super deluxe edition with Kickstarter exclusives, you have to get on the bandwagon or regret it later.
Planet unknown expansion kickstarter launched. All I want is the stupid lid for the lazy Susan.
oh well, I backed it for the lid and whatever the expansion is. not having a lid sucks.
I also finally backed the Gloomhaven campaign for the solo game 
Something something buttons. I decided I don‘t need any of the rest. And I am a bit pissed off actually that NOW they are offering map books instead of maptiles.
Baby gloom looks really neat. On Bgg the suggestion is it’s 1-2 player but the components would suggest only one player. I think for 15 pounds or whatever it has to be worth a gamble.
Also: that gloomhaven festival is insane. 2million for what essentially looks like mostly original gloomhaven
Also the amount of mails the campaign sends out … I don’t know … I really like Gloomy + Frosty and I am willing to indulge them having a “festival” but … … enough is enough. I really appreciate those crowdfunding campaigns that are not so spammy.
Baby Gloom isn’t Baby Gloom anymore. We need a new term for Jaws of the Lion
Angsty teenager Gloom?
Baby Gloom can still be Baby Gloom. Just call the new one Embryo Gloom. Or Wombhaven.
Has “Backerkit” turned into a crowdfunding platform of its own?
It used to be something that Kickstarter campaigns sometimes used to manage stuff after the funding stage, so Wombhaven (I’m going with it… at least for today) advertising “Now on Backerkit” was surprising to me. Seems legit though – as best I can see they’re doing this entire campaign.
Are there any reasons to avoid Backerkit?
Yes, it has. They were already doing the hard part.
(I know of no particular reason to avoid them.)
I’m surprised they haven’t re-branded to “Backit”.
I just had a look at the PNP predecessor Gloomholdin’ on BGG, and several comments suggest that it’s crazy complicated for its size. I wonder if this gussied-up version has been simplified at all.
I see that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1JQiMUu9zw is a play-through with the two designers. At a reasonably slim 26 mins, that seems worth a watch. Oh… looks like it’s a digital version of the game… that’s a shame. I don’t seem to have enough brain for it right now, either… will watch on the weekend.