Frank Mentzer's Empyrea Fantasy Setting on KS

[RandomEncounter]

Lol

That podcast man, pretty bad. A whole lot of "you make up the realm we just help you" which sounds an awful lot like a lack of content. A setting without a setting.

Bahaha, you can go buy a +2 sword but there's no way you're stealing it! Because of immortal power!

[blackprinceofmuncie]

Well, after the past few days, I think we can officially call this KS dead. Even with a last minute bump in the final days, is there any way this thing even reaches $100K, let alone $250K? Doubtful. So much for the immortalization of Sir Bote the Inconvenient in the annals of Empyrea.

[RandomEncounter]

I dunno, they finally came back into the light of day on the KS and seem hopeful.

Sgetty: We're working very hard right now on the Kickstarter behind the scenes. Expect a major announcement in the next 48 hours or so.

[rredmond]

Good for that Jason guy, essentially saying “screw you he’s busy, we’re all busy” - it’s all so bizarre...

[rredmond]

He said in a much nicer way of course.

[T. Foster]

It's weird to me that Camp Loxley seems to be so unconcerned with that fact that this KS appears to be trending straight into the gutter. Do they know something we don't? Do they perhaps have some secret patron who will step in at the last moment to make up the shortfall? A musician friend of mine ran a Kickstarter to fund recording of an album - the campaign ran for 30 or so days and she was still a couple thousand $ shy of her goal right up until the last day, when the money suddenly showed up; I assume it was her parents or other close friends/family who were sitting on the sideline to see how much she could raise on her own but always intended to step in at the end and make up whatever the difference was. Does Frank maybe have something similar lined up? A cabal from the Acaeum or something? Because it seems odd to me that Frank and his entire team are (at least publicly) completely unperturbed by what looks from the outside like a total clusterfuck fiasco that at the pace it's going is not likely to hit even 40% of its funding goal.

[RandomEncounter]

I've been wondering the same thing. It's a little flippant to send no updates and ignore the first weekend of the KS in comments, unless they really don't care. Maybe they made a cash grab ala Eldritch Enterprise before launch and will dump it in last minute? I doubt it but who knows. It's definitely a shite KS. That podcast got them a whopping 5 more backers.

And yeah that Jason guy is killing it lol

[blackprinceofmuncie]

Does Frank maybe have something similar lined up? A cabal from the Acaeum or something?

I have to think he probably mined that particular mountain dry with the original funding for Eldritch Enterprises. But maybe there is more of the original $250K he raised left to dump into this effort???

[MageInBlack]

See my theory earlier in the thread.

[Kellri]

I have to think he probably mined that particular mountain dry with the original funding for Eldritch Enterprises. But maybe there is more of the original $250K he raised left to dump into this effort???

Yeah, because if anyone has a 100K or so laying around, what better way to invest it than funding a moronic D&D setting that's not even near to being written yet?

I seriously need to consider this KS business. With 250k I could basically fund a pretty decent village clinic in Cambodia with an attached day school and staff it with some pretty talented and driven people for a couple years at least (while looking for more substantial backers). After a decade, I could start funneling money to university scholarships for deserving village kids - who survived because of the clinic. Needless to say, we would be the first village in Cambodia to have a thriving D&D club. But, hey, that would be real social justice as opposed to some flaky setting allegory about orcs and tree-huggers.

[EOTB]

Mike, perhaps you could put most of the important questions that have already been answered into a friendly Update? There have been no Updates for this campaign so far. Post Update is the first option in your menu. Updates really help and are easy for everyone viewing this Kickstarter to find.

For a pro op, it's almost painful. This is like watching the person trying to buy lemonade teach the kid how to run their lemonade stand.

*Now officially trending under 100%*

[ghendar]

Alyssa Faden is a great cartographer, and of course so is Darlene. I'm not so sure either of those ladies can make a silk purse out of this particular sow's ear.

Oh, the maps will look sweet. I have no doubt of that. Other content though?

[Kalex the Omen]

It's weird to me that Camp Loxley seems to be so unconcerned with that fact that this KS appears to be trending straight into the gutter. Do they know something we don't? Do they perhaps have some secret patron who will step in at the last moment to make up the shortfall? A musician friend of mine ran a Kickstarter to fund recording of an album - the campaign ran for 30 or so days and she was still a couple thousand $ shy of her goal right up until the last day, when the money suddenly showed up; I assume it was her parents or other close friends/family who were sitting on the sideline to see how much she could raise on her own but always intended to step in at the end and make up whatever the difference was. Does Frank maybe have something similar lined up? A cabal from the Acaeum or something? Because it seems odd to me that Frank and his entire team are (at least publicly) completely unperturbed by what looks from the outside like a total clusterfuck fiasco that at the pace it's going is not likely to hit even 40% of its funding goal.

I don't think seeming concerned gains them anything, and in fact, could have the opposite effect. When running a Kickstarter you have a smile on your digital face and don't lament anything publicly. The trick is to not seem too optimistic I think. In my mind that comes off as smarmy.

When we ran our Kickstarter we didn't have the same level of name recognition (not even close), but still managed to attract a few trolls. I dealt with them by answering their questions (and even adding them to the FAQ) with a matter-of-fact demeanor and little emotion. That seemed to do the trick. We funded with just under 180 backers and immediately sold 500 more copies during the 3 month production due to a pretty random stroke of luck.

Anyway, don't think it is weird they are not panicking publicly. I guarantee those with the biggest stake in this are panicking privately and doing everything they can to salvage the campaign.

[MageInBlack]

I did listen to that latest YouTube video and it wasn't very enlightening. Now do defend Frank, I don't think anyone's world is something that gets me excited. I like to hear/read about Greyhawk stuff, but only for historical reasons of how the early gamers thought of world design.

What bothered me during the video was Frank's explanation of his part of Oerth. How Gary said to make your world over here and it has nothing to do with Greyhawk. Doesn't this methodology remind anyone of anything similar?

It reminds me of the mother trying to cook a huge dinner for everyone, but the toddler wants to help. So the mother gives the toddler something to pretty much play with like a wooden spoon and a bowl. The toddler feels like they are helping...but they really aren't. They just got a distracting activity to let the mom do the real work.

It also reminds me of that episode of Friends where they are decorating the Christmas tree. Monica decorates the one side while everyone else decorates the other. When they are done, Monica turns the tree to face her side because she thinks it looks better...hiding the more hideous side from others.

Also, they tried to publish this a couple of times of the last few decades. What went wrong those times? Was it harder to sell vaporware back then?

[Chainsaw]

Well, who knows what Frank has up his sleeve. I know he has fans that would love to see this world come to life. I'm holding out hope that he can make it happen.