Chris Posted April 19, 2012 Author Share Posted April 19, 2012 Nah it'd just be signed by me. I'd want the artist behind each image to write some text and explanation for each image shown though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceVamp Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) Yeah, that would be a real hassle. Though as far as I've seen, the art it self is signed, so you kinda get the artists signature. Speaking of art, you need to get those screens of crashed UFOs from the RPS article up Chris. They were totally wicked. Edited April 19, 2012 by IceVamp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 I hope I've not just passed over this one:- - On the Geoscape you have alien activity. Why not have specific ones such as "Leicester strafed with alien fire." tailored to donators. You could just have home towns, but that might not be personal enough. "Leicester strafed with alien fire. Gauddlike singed." might be an improvement. - Or you could have people design the epitaph for their own town, to appear as an alien attack. Hoepfully reasonably simple to apply compared to some of the other options. - More fiddly would be to have the local forces have some mention on the opening/ending mission page. Depending on where the mission is, would determine which donators would appear on the screen. Or it could simply be random. Perahps civilian casualties can be named donators? - Since there seems to be a bit of room on the research text (my nice way of saying, gosh that was long) why not have key scientists advise with their findings. "Dr Chris Smith advises that the navigation hub appears to be the secondary pilot of an alien craft;" etc. Nothing says that you're an XCom fan more than a spot on a Xenopedia :-) - Even more fiddly, I think posters, shop signs, building names etc has been mentioned. It would be quite labour intensive, and it's probably already too late for such things. But they are timeless and an unobtrusive part of the game. As for goodies, um it depends. I'd just like some value with them. A developer diary sounds fine, but I'd be disapointed with a flimsy thing that doesn't really give any kind of insight into the backgorund of the game, it's design choices etc. Likewise the artbook should have text about why things look the way they do, and not just bios of the artist. Perhaps the book could have layout showing the escalating alien threat, allowing for some game related text in there too. Something to link it with the game would be nice. I'd obviously expect any portrait art to be radically doctored so that my own comrades don't mistake me for the enemy :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyllan Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) chris , do you realise it is probably cheaper to get a loan at 7% net from several players on a 1 year contract to get the game finished 20k for 5 players =100k, how much do you need?, in fact between conversion rates and fees 7% net..... is a bargain, and doesnt need faces or posters.......or t-shirts...... to make the product succesfull it would need to be advertised in magazines and get finished product pre reviews, so you get reviewrs feedback if they are not happy with it, so stuff can be changed.....got to play the system....... i dont have to tell you how much a 90%+ review is worth in terms of sales........ Edited April 19, 2012 by cyllan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted April 19, 2012 Author Share Posted April 19, 2012 chris , do you realise it is probably cheaper to get a loan at 7% net from several players on a 1 year contract to get the game finished 20k for 5 players =100k, how much do you need?, in fact between conversion rates and fees 7% net..... is a bargain, and doesnt need faces or posters.......or t-shirts...... You have to pay back the capital on a loan, though, whereas Kickstarter is effectively pre-sales. So Kickstarter is a much, much better idea than a loan from our point of view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyllan Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 You have to pay back the capital on a loan, though, whereas Kickstarter is effectively pre-sales. So Kickstarter is a much, much better idea than a loan from our point of view. i guess the risk in the later is with the kickstarter investors, and the former with the loaners........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorlom Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 i guess the risk in the later is with the kickstarter investors, and the former with the loaners........ I don't see the risk with Kickstarter? It doesnt cost anything if the project doesn't reach the goal. The Starcommand story is about how they underestimated the costs of giving out the rewards and didnt plan on how to manage the money they did get. That's not a risk it's just bad planning. They were asking for 20 000 and ended up with 22 000 that they could work with. As far as I can tell they didn't really have any financial plan for the money since they have gone into 50 000$ debth. Chris is already on the way, already has a company etc etc. That his money is going to run away from him just because of kickstarter is unlikely as long as he considers all the expenses involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hosser Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 Soon as this this goes live I'll be all over the $200 tier like a tramp on chips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted April 19, 2012 Author Share Posted April 19, 2012 Well, I guess the same risk is there as with any pre-order. I might get $500,000 in and then decide the best course of action is for Goldhawk to release a semi-finished Xenonauts immediately and drive off into the distance in my new Ferrari. Hosser, I read the word "chips" there as "chimps", which left me a trifle confused for a few seconds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorlom Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 That's a risk for the pledgers not for you Chris... You big silly =P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) I might get $500,000 in and then decide the best course of action is for Goldhawk to release a semi-finished Xenonauts immediately and drive off into the distance in my new Ferrari. Surely you mean Aston Martin. C'mon Chris, act more English. Edited April 20, 2012 by Jean-Luc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellstormer Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Hosser, I read the word "chips" there as "chimps", which left me a trifle confused for a few seconds. At least I'm not alone in doing that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szabtom Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 The Kickstarter project is also an effective marketing campaign in itself. While taking a loan from a bank probably does not get any UFO fans excited too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da-Fort Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) Is it me or do the last two tiers need more incentive? Maybe being able to change the development a little or being able to talk to Chris on a different channel? I know Chris has his vision of the game and I would not want him to deviate from it but 5000 dollars for a dinner, 10 copies of the game, signed hardback art book AND poster and t-shirt, plus name can be appear as a soldier with the soldier nationality and portrait also set by the donator, chosen from existing portraits. I know that sounds like a lot but if you know that a 1000 will get you the same, hell I'm not sure who would want to buy 10 copies. I'd take it 500 dollars will be the highest taken by donators. No offence but the highest two tiers need that little be of extra to be envious of. Edited April 20, 2012 by Da-Fort Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 I exactly wouldn't be unhappy if the most individual people gave was $500 for a game that can be pre-ordered for $20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da-Fort Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I like Xenospotters post on the first page about the highest tiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gauddlike Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 If you did decide to do game content for the different tiers it would be easy enough. Just decide what you wanted at each of the tiers then bundle those changes into separate mods. One tier gets access to the 'silver' mod with a couple of armour reskins, next one gets access to the 'gold' mod with a couple of interesting weapon variations as well, and the higher tiers get access to the 'platinum' mod with all the fancy new stuff the kickstarter has made possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gauddlike Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I quite like the idea of a real medal made to look like one of the in game medals at higher reward tiers. Or maybe rank insignia, higher ranks for higher backers, or at least the option of higher ranks in case they really prefer the look of a lower one. You would need to have some unique medal deigns in game and a good supplier for it to work though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorlom Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 If you did decide to do game content for the different tiers it would be easy enough.Just decide what you wanted at each of the tiers then bundle those changes into separate mods. One tier gets access to the 'silver' mod with a couple of armour reskins, next one gets access to the 'gold' mod with a couple of interesting weapon variations as well, and the higher tiers get access to the 'platinum' mod with all the fancy new stuff the kickstarter has made possible. Guaddlike are you talking about donor tiers or "if we raise this much money" tiers? Exclusive content is generally a bad idea on kickstarter. Shadowrun wanted to do some exclusive content but got backlash, so they remedied it to exclusive content for a limited time before it is released to everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gauddlike Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I wasn't commenting on the idea itself, just pointing out that it was possible to do it easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorlom Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 ok but which one was it? =S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellstormer Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I dunno I think a metal cast of an in game medal at the higher tiers would be a nice collector's item - not sure how feasible that is however. Or maybe replicas of some of the UFO models or something...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) Maybe being able to change the development a little or being able to talk to Chris on a different channel? I know Chris has his vision of the game and I would not want him to deviate from it but 5000 dollars for a dinner, etc A different channel / inner circle / whathaveyou gives the impression of entitlement. Having lots of pocket change is no guarantee of producing useful ideas and I can tell you from personal experience that Chris has no problem with ignoring even Most Awesome Ideas™ so I don't know how well this would work. =P Shadowrun wanted to do some exclusive content but got backlash, so they remedied it to exclusive content for a limited time before it is released to everyone. I don't even see the point in the time-limited exclusivity. It's not like I get anything from someone else not getting something. What's the point? More weapon / armour models would just make balancing harder - especially if it's added as an afterthought. What I could see is a stat boost to one or more starting soldiers, depending on the chosen reward, maybe an "encrypted" file that creates these special soldiers (with predefined names) once per game. This is painfully easy to mod or edit, though, so it's not much of an "extra". Edited April 20, 2012 by Gazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I'd have to say I'd be one of the ones who would be a little offput by the thought that people could get special unlocks in the game that the rest didn't. I'm sure this has been mentioned, but I see it that the donations build up to content that's available for everyone. As with everything, there are variations on this. If someone got a tinfoil tank skin, I'd not be as upset as if they got their own special mission or weapon. Actually, have oyu considered giving donations the chance to be the manufacturer of the weapons. "The Hellstormer close assualt shotgun" has a nice ring to it for example... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szabtom Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I have re-read the first post with the updated tiers. Questions, mostly about the way the pdf and printed artbooks are split, which is I think is quite confusing and does not make sense: At $60 you get the softcover but not the pdf? At $75 you can get the pdf but not the softcover artbook? At $100 you can choose the hardcover but not together with the pdf? At $125 and above you get the hardcover but not the pdf? What happened is, I believe, that the tiers are scaling slowly up in cost, but in reality the tiers got confusing as items from lower tier get swapped out, and new items come in. I suggest to consider having a simpler structure, where as you go up a tier, you get everything below, plus something more. I also think that this would make your life much easier with volume assumptions/plans, and the organization and logistics after the project ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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