[Achtung! Cthulhu] Kickstarted but what Stretch Goals Next?

ChrisBirch · February 12, 2013, 01:17:34 PM

Hi guys, we've launched the Achtung! Cthulhu Investigator's & Keeper's Guide To the Secret War Kickstarter but I'd love to know whether you'd prefer more setting books as stretch goals or campaigns and adventures?

RPGPundit · February 13, 2013, 10:40:26 AM

I would probably say setting books, though adventures could be good IF they were at the kind of level one is used to with CoC material (tough to live up to!).

RPGPundit

beeber · February 13, 2013, 11:14:22 AM

can't we have both?

if i had to choose one, i'd say setting too. after all, you've got the first two parts of campaign adventures out already, right? (i have part 1, still need to pick up part 2).

grats on reaching your funding so quickly!

RPGPundit · February 13, 2013, 07:03:39 PM

I really like the idea of an Eastern Front sourcebook... there should probably be one for the North Africa Campaign... and I'd suggest one with a different tone for the Battle of Britain...

RPGPundit

ChrisBirch · February 16, 2013, 12:30:47 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;627877I would probably say setting books, though adventures could be good IF they were at the kind of level one is used to with CoC material (tough to live up to!).

RPGPundit

We've got several setting books to add covering different fronts, we're trying to decide whether to drop in a campaign in the middle of that to break it up or get the setting books all done, then bring on the campaigns etc

Quote from: beeber;627889can't we have both? if i had to choose one, i'd say setting too. after all, you've got the first two parts of campaign adventures out already, right? (i have part 1, still need to pick up part 2).

grats on reaching your funding so quickly!

Yes the Zero Point campaign will continue to get released regardless leading up to the release of the kickstarted projects

Quote from: RPGPundit;627995I really like the idea of an Eastern Front sourcebook... there should probably be one for the North Africa Campaign... and I'd suggest one with a different tone for the Battle of Britain...

RPGPundit

The Eastern Front one is my personal favourite having learnt more about the war there, there's some iconic images and amazing stories to tell. We've got North Africa, The Pacific and more unusual ones on the cards too. The Homefront will actually be covered in the Keeper's Guide and expanded with some adventures

Almost at the Keeper's full cover hard cover book goal now!

ChrisBirch · February 16, 2013, 02:44:26 PM

We're aiming to announce some surprise stretch goals very soon, love giving great value!

RPGPundit · February 16, 2013, 02:59:08 PM

Great stuff!

Just make sure you don't bite off more than you can chew, like some other kickstarter projects ended up doing...

RPGPundit

ChrisBirch · February 16, 2013, 03:15:01 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;628839Great stuff!

Just make sure you don't bite off more than you can chew, like some other kickstarter projects ended up doing...

RPGPundit

Totally agreed, we are budgeting carefully to ensure we can do everything.

ChrisBirch · February 16, 2013, 05:16:43 PM

Latest update posted on Kickstarter!

RPGPundit · February 17, 2013, 03:07:24 PM

Quote from: ChrisBirch;628847Totally agreed, we are budgeting carefully to ensure we can do everything.

Good, but its not just about budgeting money; its also about budgeting time and "talent". Are you planning to have the same writers try to do all the different books? If not, do you have enough people to do the writing?
(not to mention stuff like editing or layout, but usually those are a bit easier for one person to do without a really serious potential loss of quality).

ChrisBirch · February 17, 2013, 06:37:33 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;629160Good, but its not just about budgeting money; its also about budgeting time and "talent". Are you planning to have the same writers try to do all the different books? If not, do you have enough people to do the writing?
(not to mention stuff like editing or layout, but usually those are a bit easier for one person to do without a really serious potential loss of quality).

We've got other teams who'll write the additional supplements or campaigns, thought actually most of the team have actually quite small allocations each since people are working on specialist areas, we would easily double or triple it without any issues so they'll be able to help with relevant sections of additional books, but to manage getting each done we're splitting it down in to teams responsible for the core books and the supplemental guides or campaigns. One thing I'm wary of is project 'creep' where the project becomes bigger and bigger (great right?!) but becomes this impossible task to complete, the core two books are locked down now and we know what's in them.

RPGPundit · February 18, 2013, 07:44:59 PM

Quote from: ChrisBirch;629232We've got other teams who'll write the additional supplements or campaigns, thought actually most of the team have actually quite small allocations each since people are working on specialist areas, we would easily double or triple it without any issues so they'll be able to help with relevant sections of additional books, but to manage getting each done we're splitting it down in to teams responsible for the core books and the supplemental guides or campaigns. One thing I'm wary of is project 'creep' where the project becomes bigger and bigger (great right?!) but becomes this impossible task to complete, the core two books are locked down now and we know what's in them.

Well, it sounds like you have things in hand right now, and that you've thought it through. Hopefully the whole industry is learning from past disasters just how to do Kickstarters right.

One more question: those two main books, is at least the first draft of each actually done already?

RPGPundit

ChrisBirch · February 19, 2013, 05:04:30 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;629673Well, it sounds like you have things in hand right now, and that you've thought it through. Hopefully the whole industry is learning from past disasters just how to do Kickstarters right.

One more question: those two main books, is at least the first draft of each actually done already?

RPGPundit

Often it's new inexperienced people launching the, but even the experienced people can come unstuck with the sudden overload of promotion, writing and shipping that's involved. We've been planning for months, researching, getting the right people involved etc so hope to minimise any issues

The writing assignments have been sent out a while ago and the team are working on their parts of the books - we're going to reveal a bit more about the contents in the next couple of weeks. Our aim is to finish before our promised delivery date if we can

RPGPundit · February 20, 2013, 01:50:31 AM

Hmm, that's good. I've noted that there's a big problem with people saying they'll start writing once the KS is done. If I ever do a Kickstarter, I'd have the manuscript of my book done before even beginning the fundraising.

RPGPundit

ChrisBirch · February 20, 2013, 04:11:51 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;630143Hmm, that's good. I've noted that there's a big problem with people saying they'll start writing once the KS is done. If I ever do a Kickstarter, I'd have the manuscript of my book done before even beginning the fundraising.

RPGPundit

Well of course the spirit of Kickstarter is to see if people want something enough by putting their money down so in some cases the point is you haven't produced it yet, but of course the more finished you can look or the more you can show off the more people are going to trust you