Frank Mentzer's Empyrea Fantasy Setting on KS

[Blackadder23]

("The Team have adapted as we've grown organically, but this is a Temp job for most. We have other jobs, and rich lives. Coordination and communication require constant vigilance for the next 9 months.").

Sounds like a ready-made excuse for failure.

I might have been mildly interested in this (as in, I might have eventually picked up the pdf on sale) but after the way Mr. Mentzer displayed his buttocks over the last month (I'm talking about the public posts at DF that he acknowledges making - never mind the PM he blames on a "hacker" ) I wouldn't give a split nickel to any project associated with him.

Note to RPG "professionals": you can let your head get as big as a haystack and bite the hand that feeds, but sooner or later it will cost you.

[Chainsaw]

To be honest, I'm very surprised Frank didn't go with a $50K funding goal (easily enough to cover a very nicely done soft-back setting book and non-famous artists), then layer on contributions from famous writers/artists, rules systems expansions and a box set as a series of stretch goals culminating in $250K. People use strategies like that because they build confidence, momentum and buzz. They create reasons to say, "Hey everyone, we met another goal! This is doing really well!" The way it's organized now, there's no reason to send out positive updates. Even worse, he could raise $200K, which would be hugely successful by most RPG Kickstarter standards, and still fail to collect any funding at all. Regardless, best of luck to him with this strategy.

Your ideas sound really good to me. A lot of the campaign should have been handled with stretch goals. Full disclosure : I've never done anything with Kickstarter and my opinions are worth what you pay for them.

Ha! I wish these were my ideas. I'm simply reflecting back what I see all the Pros doing, the folks that routinely crush it on Kickstarter.

[Kalex the Omen]

To be honest, I'm very surprised Frank didn't go with a $50K funding goal (easily enough to cover a very nicely done soft-back setting book and non-famous artists), then layer on contributions from famous writers/artists, rules systems expansions and a box set as a series of stretch goals culminating in $250K. People use strategies like that because they build confidence, momentum and buzz. They create reasons to say, "Hey everyone, we met another goal! This is doing really well!" The way it's organized now, there's no reason to send out positive updates. Even worse, he could raise $200K, which would be hugely successful by most RPG Kickstarter standards, and still fail to collect any funding at all. Regardless, best of luck to him with this strategy.

Your ideas sound really good to me. A lot of the campaign should have been handled with stretch goals. Full disclosure : I've never done anything with Kickstarter and my opinions are worth what you pay for them.

I'm not really agreeing or disagreeing, I think it is just a difference in philosophy. As a Kickstarter Backer and Creator I am wary of stretch goals. They are usually the biggest reasons for late delivery, all the way up to failure to deliver on a funded Kickstarter. I avoid them entirely as a Creator, and keep a critical eye on them as a Backer. So far I've been lucky as a Backer to not get burned!

EDIT: Also stretch goals are the biggest indicator that the product is not in a finished state, and that percentage level of completion goes down with each stretch goal achieved. As a Creator I like to be as close to 100% done as we can get before we even launch.

[MageInBlack]

Also stretch goals are the biggest indicator that the product is not in a finished state

Sorry, dude...but there are a ton of indicators already, without the stretch goals.

I think hard core supporters of this are similar to the "guy who really wants a girlfriend". Everyone else tells the guy that the bitch is a psycho...but the guy can't see it because he just doesn't want to be alone anymore.

[RFlowers]

Holy fuck.

You don't have to go into so much detail, Matthew.

[Ragnorakk]

Good to see the word capitalized appropriately - Creator. It should be acknowledged, honored, revered even. Noble, royal, princely:
Creator. Creator. Creator.

[Kalex the Omen]

Good to see the word capitalized appropriately - Creator. It should be acknowledged, honored, revered even. Noble, royal, princely:
Creator. Creator. Creator.

I also capitalized Backer.

Proper nouns; Kickstarter Backer, Kickstarter Creator

[Juju EyeBall]

nObLe, RoYal, PrInCeLy

[MageInBlack]

What are the rules for characters? They didn't list any disclaimers that I can see.

Could you pledge high enough to get Cockinballs the Minotaur Slayer added to the World of Embryo?

[EOTB]

It appears I'm being referenced in the KS comments. No, I'm not posting questions to Frank's KS. Although I can't really complain about the assumption, as "claude" is asking many of the sorts of questions I did and I presume he's familiar with the DF thing by choice of name.

But in a general FYI, that's not me. If I wanted to pledge/post comments to this KS I'd do it under my long-used nom de plume instead of using a new one. I don't plan on doing either.

I do like the name "claude" though. Nice touch.

[Juju EyeBall]

Who wouldn't pay a dollar to watch a trainwreck in slow motion though?

[EOTB]

If it's going to fund I might throw in a buck just to have access to the backer-only comments going forward.

[Falconer]

This has devolved a bit, chaps. I’m considering closing the thread so we can get back to on-topic conversation. If you have anything insightful and intelligent to add, by all means do so.

[RFlowers]

I am in for $1.00.

[MageInBlack]

But in a general FYI, that's not me. If I wanted to pledge/post comments to this KS I'd do it under my long-used nom de plume instead of using a new one. I don't plan on doing either.

You should at least ask if he is seeking the help of free fan volunteers or paid pros.