Chris Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 OK, so the vast majority of the donations to the game have been at the $20/$30 level. Though now the portraits are done, there's not been much in the way of donations above the $100 mark, I think most of those donations are outliers anyway and require quite a lot of extra goodies that wipe out a lot of the gain. I think the most effective way of increasing the donations is to add in a new $50 reward, and try to convince the $20/$30 crowd to up their pledges. A standard boxed copy is an option at the $50 price point. We're still waiting on the quotes including the printed manuals, but the price is likely to be in the $3-4 range per copy, plus postage. Selling them for $50 wouldn't be bad. They come in print ranges of 100 so even if we're left with an extra 99 at the end, I'm sure we'll be able to sell them on the forums or on the site or something eventually. We'll put this in as an option at the $50 reward tier if so, so you can choose one instead of a T-shirt. I think most people would be very happy with that, to be honest... The other alternative is a $50 digital tier. I'm thinking that this could include two premium pre-orders for the people that don't want to have a boxed copy, allowing them to give one to a friend. Both of these rewards (and everything higher) will also get a thankyou in the closing credits of the game. This is currently at the $500 reward tier, but we'll move it to the $50 reward tier. The $500 and $1000 reward tiers will instead get thankyous on the intro movie / screen. We'll close the $5,000 reward tier too - I didn't seriously expect anyone to buy it - and give the $1,000 guy 10 copies instead of $5. Finally, as I don't think we'll sell out of the $1,000 or $5,000 tiers, which between them have 20 portraits available, I think in the last three days we'll put up an additional 10 portraits at the $200 price point. These would just include a premium pre-order and your soldier / portrait in the game. Maybe a boxed copy too. That hopefully should get a bit more excitement going for the end the of the project. Sound good to people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyDylan Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Sounds goods here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raidsoft Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 What kind of boxed version are you talking about? Normal dvd cases with a 2 page tiny "manual" that you see nowadays? or more old school big box with a nice thick manual? Because most of the "older" gamers probably want big boxes but I think they will most likely be expensive and not really feasible at $50. Be careful with the physical stuff is all I can say, don't want to end up like those other guys where such a large part of the money "vanished" to the rewards. Another digital tier would be cool but question is what can you include in it that will make it seem attractive to people? I'm not so sure.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linque Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I believe that it's going to be tough to convince the low pledgers to up their pledges. Looking at other kickstarter projects, the people going for the smallest pre-order one are always the vast majority. It might be easier to get people in the 50-200 range to up their pledge further with appropriate rewards. I'd make a $100 tier that includes the next expansion / game you make free (or two copies of both if you want to price it more moderately), and a $400 version where you get all future Xenonauts projects & digital merchandise made by Goldhawk (if any) for free as long as you're in charge, in the most deluxe version available, and your name in the thank you section in each of those games / expansions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorlom Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Is there any way to make the extra portraits female only? As I type this I realise its a bad idea... but Í felt I had to ask... so that Chris could ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted May 14, 2012 Author Share Posted May 14, 2012 No. I don't know why we'd do that though - female soldiers are going in the game, so there's no more discrimination to deal with. Anyone can buy those portraits. The boxed copies would just be a short 20 page manual. We can't cater for old-school boxes, I don't think the demand would be there to offset the high production costs and the minimum print runs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gauddlike Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 How about a DIY Xenonauts tin foil hat? A nice quality section of tin foil with a free Xeno logo sticker and a set of origami style instructions for different style hats? I would be careful with names listed on the intro movie/screen though. They need to be done well and not overpower the movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGuyEddy Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 How about a DIY Xenonauts tin foil hat?A nice quality section of tin foil with a free Xeno logo sticker and a set of origami style instructions for different style hats? I would be careful with names listed on the intro movie/screen though. They need to be done well and not overpower the movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellstormer Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I'd crack up if we got tin foil hats. I seriously would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The New Romance Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) How about a DIY Xenonauts tin foil hat?A nice quality section of tin foil with a free Xeno logo sticker and a set of origami style instructions for different style hats? That'd be cool I'm still wondering how much money is left in the portrait section. They sold really well, and I understand that the artist is stretching himself thin, but I'll be damned if more portraits (or maybe cheaper names, say just digital copy + name in the soldier roster for 50$, no shirts and boxed copies and stuff) didn't bring in a lot more money. Another thing - though that requires a lot of work - that could create some buzz is special tiers that are only eligible if you are/do/have something special or strange. Order of the Stick did a small "broke-ass student" tier where pledgers had to prove they were students and in turn got something nice that wasn't available otherwise for very little money. I'm not too creative I fear, but what about semi-cheap tiers where people have to prove they met/got abducted by aliens (in whatever way suits you, have them make a video or produce photographs, hell, maybe even make it fake and have them forge evidence) in order to get a 90% discount on the game a tier where you get the portrait done for free if you prove you use it to surprise your girlfriend/boyfriend for their birthday (and have to send in a video or something as proof) instead of getting into the game yourself regarding birthdays, maybe have a discounted tier for people who can prove their birthday is on 1st October 1979 (or whenever the game starts) or maybe a tier where people with rare/exotic nationalities (like Tuvalu or East Timor or whatever) get a digital copy and their nationality inserted into the game for a low price (maybe call it the "I don't like research" tier). Could do the same for strange city names where people might live. Problem with this is of course that a) they won't generate much money, b) they are additional work for you and c) they are somewhat up to discretion. What if someone buys such a tier and then can't produce evidence that his town is really called Alienville, or simply states "I'm from Paris, but I wanted the cheaper tier"? Regarding these problems, my ideas are probably not good and more suited to an after-show contest at game release (or something like that), but if some others have better suggestions, that might be a worthwhile measure to draw attention to the Kickstarter and thus generate money indirectly. Edited May 14, 2012 by The New Romance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmigosh Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 You are considering the economics of it aren't you? Ie - $30 backer gives you a (say) $20 dollar benefit after charges and fixed costs are taken into account. If the cost of the boxed copy plus the increase in charges and fixed costs is greater than the additional $20 return you'll get at $50 then you have lost out. $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I think most people would be very happy with that, to be honest... So happy, probably, that t-shirts and posters will end up way behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The New Romance Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 So happy, probably, that t-shirts and posters will end up way behind. Would that be bad? It'd lessen the material costs, maybe even to a degree where X pledgers with digital-only rewards but a smaller pledge sum will bring in more money than Y pledgers with a higher pledge sum, but with added cost and a (possibly) overall fewer amount of pledgers in that tier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 ^Just sayin'. It wouldn't be bad, a somewhat wasted effort maybe (disproportionally unprofitable rather). @Chris, Maybe you could leave the 5k tier. It doesn't hurt and you never know. Maybe cap it at 1 instead of 5. Those topmost tiers are always crazy what ifs anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shima Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 How about exclusive weapon (which could use same sprite as one of the others in battlescape)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The New Romance Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 You're probably right, Jean-Luc. Difficult decision. How about exclusive weapon (which could use same sprite as one of the others in battlescape)? I think Chris said there ain't a way to distribute special ingame content to backers only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mithron Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Hello. I'm one of kickstarter backers. I haven't still played demo, as I'm a linux user, so forgive me for my possible mistakes. I want to give an idea for the pledge: naming of support personnel, like scientists and engineers. Maybe they can be shown in research/project completed screen (when research/project finished), something like a message "The new research completed under the direction of Name_Name... It's about...) . It sure needs some changes in game code, but probably not so much. I personally think that kickstarter success is coming directly from involvement of common people in the game development and the feeling of that involvement and the signs of that involvement and showing of that involvement. So the tiers must be set with having that in mind. That's why personal portraits were so quickly bought - they are extremely personal signs of the involvement in the gamedev and they are shown to anyone. Names are also good, but they come bundled with physical signs, which are sometimes not needed and expensive and shown only to limited scope of people. So lowering price of current names options is also a good idea, but it can hurt some current pledgers with 100$ pledges.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabbahutt Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Don't know about you guys, I have changed my Backing from 32$ to 52$! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mithron Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 And another idea for high-price pledge - mentioning in Iceland Incident novell being currently written. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) Hello. I'm one of kickstarter backers. I haven't still played demo, as I'm a linux user, so forgive me for my possible mistakes.I want to give an idea for the pledge: naming of support personnel, like scientists and engineers. Maybe they can be shown in research/project completed screen (when research/project finished), something like a message "The new research completed under the direction of Name_Name... It's about...) . It sure needs some changes in game code, but probably not so much. Heya, I saw you in the comments. Don't worry, you posted in the right place. The problem with scientists/engineers is that they really have no personalities (except for the lead guys on the UI). They are only present as numbers and financial expenses so having one named after yourself is not very satisfying. Even if you add names to the "research completed" screen you can't really tie an individual name to a specific scientist. However Chris is looking at expanding the 200$ tier and adding more backer portraits, it's obviously very popular among backers. Now that female soldiers are in maybe we could get some female backers at that tier as well. And another idea for high-price pledge - mentioning in Iceland Incident novell being currently written. It's mentioned at the front page but maybe it could be emphasized more. Everyone at the 30$ level and beyond will get to the novella but, yeah, it should be mentioned in the reward descriptions. I'm sure Chris will get to it eventually, the poor guy. Edited May 14, 2012 by Jean-Luc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaguya Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 It's mentioned at the front page but maybe it could be emphasized more. Everyone at the 30$ level and beyond will get to the novella but, yeah, it should be mentioned in the reward descriptions. I'm sure Chris will get to it eventually, the poor guy. AFAIK you can't change the reward descriptions once someone has pledged to that specific tier. I'd recall another KS project mentioning it earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silichna Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Mayeb it could be mentioned in an update? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashman Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) $50 Game and your name - no physical product $100 Game, Your name and nationality - no physical products 2 additional tiers as extras add to the $60 75$ tier name aswell with the physical products Edited May 14, 2012 by flashman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashman Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) $125 2 games, your name, nationality and the current stuff $150 2 games your name nationality and the current hardback book, poster +++++ a signed photo of the team Both get special thanks in the end credits Amendments 2 current tiers to keep them sweet- so they dont downgrade Edited May 14, 2012 by flashman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knightpt Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I think its pretty clear that what most people want is to have their name/picture/personal touch in the final game so that its forever immortalized and to show off for friends, sons, etc. I've seen this in previous kickstarter projects and i'm seeing it on this one. I understand why its impossible to add more pictures and names to the game based on the user pledges as the names would overflow the random generation queue, but i do believe there's place to add the founder names somewhere else like for example: "Name of the braver soldiers defending the earth, gaining the highest bravery awards all-round the world" And then puting an in-game memorial-type screen, but for people who are alive and kicking in this aspect, contributing for the fight all over the world, then adding the user name and nationality representing the place on earth they are in RL fighting the aliens. You already have something very cool in your website like the blue logo "JOIN THE FIGHT 2000 already enlisted", its just a matter of adding to the game in a proper screen. Trust me, i would gladly pay $100 just to have my name there... i'm sure many would aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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