Kickstarter Katchup - 23rd June 2012
Empty Your Wallets
Oh dear, this is getting out of control. With 28 tabs open on one screen, and a blank page on this one, Kickstarter Katchup is getting busy. Do keep sending in suggestions to the email linked in my name above. That doesn't guarantee they'll be featured, of course. And being featured here doesn't mean we endorse the projects. It's your call what you choose to fund. Lots of new games added this week, with just one previous mention finishing unfunded, and three success stories.
The Winners
Beyond anything that's come from this campaign, I've learned how to spell "asymmetric". In other news, they eventually swooshed past their funding to reach $121,442. A slow, wobbly campaign finished in style, with a high-content final week. So to everyone who whinged that they don't like the art - plrrlbblbbbbbb.
The Repopulation - The Repopulation
As expected last week, The Repopulation has received its funding and then some. After $25,000, it's now almost on $29,000 and there are still 9 days to go. The sci-fi sandbox MMO has received what strikes me as an incredibly small some for an MMO, and naturally they're now stretching for more. $35k is the current target, which they say will bring lots more detail to the final game.
Dead State - DoubleBear Productions
If anything, I'm surprised this one didn't get there faster. But as of yesterday, it cleared its $150,000 ambition, and now with 12 days left they're stretching as high as $360k. That would add a whole expansion to the zombie RPG, while $300k would add a new city, and $180k a weapons pack.
Zombie Playground - Massive Black
Zombie Playground has obliterated its goal. On $87k last week, it's now at $131,997, far exceeding its $100k ambition. There are three days left, but their Kickstarter page is such a giant mess I gave up trying to find if there were any stretch goals. The Updates page is for updates people, not the front page. Sigh. (Oh, I went back and madly they have stretch goals reaching to $2m.)
The Losers
Torchships - John Carl Gillespie
After a very slow campaign, it's not a surprise that this one didn't make it, but certainly a shame. A final spurt to $11k still didn't get it any closer to the $40,000 target. Instead he's now looking at a pre-order model and a playable demo, which seems a smart route. Although really, I'm surprised he doesn't reboot the Kickstarter and ask for just $20k. I think with the attention this finally received, he might get there. Might.
The Runners
On indiegogo, there's an attempt to raise funds for a documentary on the rise of the UK games industry. They're asking for $35k, and with 25 days left they've currently reached $4,500. It requires all the funding to succeed.
Adding another $50k over the last week, Neal Stephenson's CLANG is now at $323,608 of its half million goal. With 16 days left, it seems relatively likely that we'll be seeing the peripheral-based sword fighting game get funded, if perhaps not reaching any significant milestones after this. Here's some pretty disturbing insight into their sword lab:
The multiplayer ghostie game continues to creep, snail-like, up about a grand a week. But with only two left, it's going to have to pick up the pace to get from $17,588 to the $25,000 it needs.
You know how Indiegogo could improve? Put the name of the company/people making the project at the top. Anyway, Kenshi is a promising-looking combination of X-Com and Oblivion (they say), a free-roaming, squad-based RPG. Indiegogo allows "flexible funding" which means no matter how far they fall short of their $40,000 target, they'll get the cash. Which... seems odd to me. But anyhow, they've currently just squeaked over $2,000, and probably deserve a lot more interest than they've had so far.
Retrovirus - Cadenza Interactive
I know we officially don't endorse any Kickstarters before we've played the game, but I've got some working code of this one to try out this weekend, so will soon be able to know either way. In the meantime, what is wrong with everyone? This is a Descent-like! We NEED those! They've more than doubled their money in the last week, but that still only puts them on $10k, when they need $75,000.
I still get the flashbacks. Just the words "pre-rendered adventure" send me back into the terrible memories of my early days with PC Gamer, reviewing Myst clone after Myst clone. But while I may have the distant, glazed look as my fingers search for the trigger, perhaps you're less scarred and can notice just how pretty HeXit looks. They're after $75k, and are just about to reach $15k.
29 days left, second try, stunning looking game. I'm not really into my space shooting, but watching the videos we posted this week made me want. They're creeping their way up, now nudging on $69,000, but needing $200k, so there's a long way to go. But seriously, watch those videos.
More zombies, in the form of a turn-based social game with CCG vibes. Describing themselves as a cross between Magic: The Gathering and Left 4 Dead, a collectable card game where you don't need to wrestle with the rules. And they've just scored themselves a massive publicity coup, with Tim Schafer and Ron Gilbert agreeing to appear as zombie cards.
Adding a bit more than another $1,500 this week, on its way to $15,000, this Steampunk RPG has bothered a few by being in RPG Maker. But surely it's about the writing, not the engine? Although, er, we can't tell what that's like at this point either. But still, this could well be your thing. Not too impressed that there weren't any updates for two weeks, and then one yesterday, private to backers about a mystery new reward tier. Er - reward tiers might be something you want to promote to those who haven't backed yet.
Ground Branch - BlackFoot Studios
Under two weeks left, and things are still moving slowly for the former Red Storm designer's project. An attempt to recapture the squad-based tactical shooters of the last decade is aiming for a massive $425,000, but has so far only seen $68k. It's gone up an impressive $23,000 in the last week, but perhaps ambitions were set a bit too high.
Exodus Wars: Fractured Empire - Membraine Studios
A 3D tactical strategy wargame, aiming for $35,000 on Indiegogo. They're at $4,375, but be warned that this is another flexible funding campaign, meaning if they don't get to their target they'll get whatever they've raised anyway. I find this a bit of an odd trend. But you can see the game running here:
Alpha Colony: A Tribute To Mule - DreamQuest Games
Their mad attempt to get half a million for a sequel to a game most have forgotten isn't doing so badly. They've made $25,000 in the last week. But with three weeks left, I think their ambitions will still prove to have been a little, well, over the top. However, they've received an endorsement from EA founder, Trip Hawkins, arguing it "should be backed", so there you go.
Oh, voxels. You crazy, disturbing things. They're being used in an FPS sandbox survival game that seems to combine Minecraft with Killing Floor. They're only looking for $20,000, but so far have only raised $1,684 in their first three weeks. I've a feeling that quite a few RPSers will like the look of this one.
Spectrum - A Rock Called Steve
Opting for Indiegogo's far more sensible Fixed Funding option, this one is hoping for $5k. There are 29 days on the clock for a very peculiar-looking side-scrolling shooter focusing on colour in... ways I don't understand.
Paper Sorcerer - UltraRunawayGames
In disturbing squish-o-vision, the promo video for this one tells us about a game in which we're a sorcerer trapped inside a book. It's a first-person, turn-based RPG, inspired by Shadowgate. It's only asking for $5,000, which seems... low. Halfway there, with two weeks left. The art style is definitely worth checking out:
