I'll have to admit that I've never backed a Kickstarter. I don't feel the need for a lot of new systems or gaming material, since I've got a pretty large collection already. Also, I don't have a lot of extra cash to spend on RPGs, so I tend to be pretty careful about how I do spend it. I usually wait until the product is out and has been reviewed before making up my mind. Since I'm not in a hurry to get things, I can wait until they've been out a few years and prices get low--I recently bought most of the Song of Ice and Fire line from Humble Bundle for a whopping $28.

I like to support projects that offer unique innovations to the industry (as rare as they are these days) because I'm interested in the hobby developing and growing to cover more ground, more ideas, and find more solutions to age old problems. Usually I find that an RPG Kickstarter will wax poetic for several paragraphs about their game without ever specifying how it actually works and at that point I move to the next project, if you can't explain what makes your game unique on the most fundamental level, the actual gameplay, then what you're selling shouldn't be an independent system and should instead be a sourcebook for whatever system you're ripping the rules out of (usually D&D.) Not that supplements are bad but its a personal gripe of mine that so many projects these days make games that don't need to be made for minor tweaks to a system that would've been better as an adventure book or campaign setting that had a few unique homebrew rules.

Quote from: myleftnut;1084965https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/massifpress/lancer

Any one interested in this?  I'm thinking of backing this.

I've given this one my support even if I'm not a huge fan of the company it looks like it could be good.

I've backed a lot of RPG (and board game) Kickstarters. My algorithm is roughly:

- If it's an out-of-the-norm system I might learn something about mechanics or system design from reading, I back it
- If it's content for a system I know and like, I back it (i.e. not D&D 5e)
- If I recognize and like the creators and want them to keep doing stuff, I back it
- If there's a good chance I'd actually use the content in a game someday, I back it

I am fortunate enough to have a bit of safe discretionary money right now so I view Kickstarter as a way to be a teeny weeny angel investor of sorts in cool RPG things to keep the field full of interesting and different ideas and systems. It might be so much screaming into the void but voting with my wallet is what I got, you know?

I also make sure to set my expectations to zero so it's always delightful when something works out, but I make sure my decisions are calibrated on the expectation that it'll completely fizzle and ship nothing.

KS helps a lot of garage band efforts catch a break, stuff that would likely never see the light of day otherwise because of high up front costs. Obviously some fail because of ineptitude or deceit, but I've backed nearly 30 projects on KS and Indigogo and all have delivered except for two. I think if you're careful, you can avoid the stinkers pretty easily.

I can wait for print-on-demand. I've heard of some elite shit shows that began as "highly anticipated" kickstarters.

If I don't give you my money, it can't be disappeared from me.

If I'm taking a risk sending money somewhere, it'll be with sources that have established reliability with me.

I very rarely back Kickstarters.
Actually the only Kickstarters I've backed are the Sine Nomine (maker of Stars without Number and various other RPGs).

That's because I know he delivers and I trust him.
I also like his work, so backing his work will make it more likely he will make more RPGs.

So yeah, generally pretty skeptical about KS in general. It seems a pretty big risk and I've read a lot of horror story type experiences people have had.

Quote from: danskmacabre;1086820So yeah, generally pretty skeptical about KS in general. It seems a pretty big risk and I've read a lot of horror story type experiences people have had.

That's why I don't back big projects. Robotech RPG Tactics ring a bell?  I've met people who lost like $1k. I'd be completely ass blasted if I was them.

Quote from: myleftnut;1086838That's why I don't back big projects. Robotech RPG Tactics ring a bell?  I've met people who lost like $1k. I'd be completely ass blasted if I was them.

Wow! That's crazy. Like I said, if you're *careful* you can avoid the stinkers. Throwing a G into some vast sprawling project seems insanely risky. I try to keep it low and to situations where I know the creator to be trustworthy.

Quote from: myleftnut;1086838That's why I don't back big projects. Robotech RPG Tactics ring a bell?  I've met people who lost like $1k. I'd be completely ass blasted if I was them.

Oh yeah, 1k is a LOT of money to throw at a KS.
The Sine Nomine RPGs were relatively cheap, so even if it DID go wrong, it wouldn't have been a big loss.

I backed this.  

http://www.gallantknightgames.com/gallant-knight-games-wunderwerks-statement-regarding-once-upon-a-time-in-jianghu/

SJWs strike again.  When will this stop?  Another dream appears to be crushed.

Quote from: myleftnut;1087051I backed this.  

http://www.gallantknightgames.com/gallant-knight-games-wunderwerks-statement-regarding-once-upon-a-time-in-jianghu/

SJWs strike again.  When will this stop?  Another dream appears to be crushed.

Okay, so, um...

QuoteAdditionally, we've consulted with game industry experts with experience in investigations into harassment and abuse, gathering as much data, insight and feedback as we could so this matter can be handled in the best way possible.

The 'Game Industry' actually has an agency, or 'experts' who actively investigate transgressions of this nature? Like a police force? Or the FBI? Gee, who knew? I really hope it's a firm called Delofarno, Helton and Price - that's a group of experienced industry experts I could get behind. I'd hire them like a shot.

Hey - you think I could get into this gig? Is there like a training academy for Game Industry Harassment and Abuse Investigations? Would I get a badge? Would I get powers of arrest when I graduate? Can I carry a fucking gun?

I've googled 'game industry experts on abuse and harassment investigations' and my google-fu must be fucked, because I'm not finding any respectable academies, licensed private firms or even Gaming PI wannabes.

But fuck, am I glad that there are people out there who are experts in investigating this stuff. Keeping gaming safe for the rest of us.

Quote from: danskmacabre;1086820So yeah, generally pretty skeptical about KS in general. It seems a pretty big risk and I've read a lot of horror story type experiences people have had.

My general rule (after backing Star Citizen... *sigh*) is that I only back things which are either from someone with a proven KS record and/or a project which is already 80-90% or more (demonstrably) complete.

Many of them will still take longer than advertised. (Ex: Shinobigami is finally shipping out this summer - when it was due in December 2016 - but the creator had done several projects before, so I knew that it would get done eventually. And I only put $22 towards it anyway.)

Quote from: BrokenCounsel;1087254Hey - you think I could get into this gig?

I imagine getting in involves courses in espionage, counter-espionage, small arms tactics and hand to hand combat.  Yes quite rigorous shit I can only dream of.

Quote from: Charon's Little Helper;1087257My general rule (after backing Star Citizen... *sigh*)

Yeah bummer Re Star Citizen.  So glad I didn't back that... I very nearly DID.
I really do feel for you and the many other people who got burned with that.
I don't really see the whole SC thing as a scam, more Chris Roberts overreaching, over promising and generally not getting a base game out there.
Now they have to keep generating money through empty promises, hoping to get a product out one day.
I think it'll end with them being bailed out again, like what happened with Freelancer and losing creative control.  
That or the whole thing will collapse on itself eventually.

I backed Elite Dangerous and overall pretty happy with how it turned out.
I have that on PC and PS4 now.
I prefer playing ED on PS4, I love the PS4 controller. Shame there's no Crossplay.

Quote from: danskmacabre;1087420Yeah bummer Re Star Citizen.  So glad I didn't back that... I very nearly DID.

Well - at least I didn't go crazy with buying a $300 starship or something wacky. I just got the basic game - which I think came with a small starship & insurance on it (or something odd). So - only out like $40-50 (it's been well over half a decade - so I don't remember for sure).

I really do think that it wasn't a scam - they just refuse to cut ANY corners (including extremely diminishing returns) and likely know little/nothing about how to produce. I still get periodic emails about all the progress they're making.