Kickstarter Katchup - 8th September 2012
Gravitational forces make the world go round
The winners keep pouring in. Another long list of successful projects this week, which I always like to think of as, "ones I don't have to think of a new sentence for any more." A few losers too, but so far the Katchup column is bucking the trend for Kickstarter success rates. Clearly I'm a lucky charm. Unless I show any confidence that your project will inevitably succeed, at which point I'm a curse and a millstone around your neck. As ever, please read the rules before huffing in the comments - I don't know how to get more passive-aggressive about this.
The Rules
- Featuring a game in this list doesn’t mean we endorse it. We likely haven’t played, and as such can’t say whether it will be worth your cash. That’s your call.
- Letting me know about a game (which you can do via my name above) doesn’t mean it will definitely be included. Leaving links in the comments is a good way to let other readers know about projects, but please email me if you want them considered for the list.
- We only include games where pledges reach developers only if the target is met.
- Projects asking for fifty billion dollars, with 45c in pledges, fall off the list eventually. It gives more space for other games.
- Projects that have reached their funding get included in the Winners list, and then aren't featured in the weeks after that, to give more attention to those that are still needing the cash. Tough if you don't like it.
- We recommend readers with a nervous heart or of a pregnant disposition take care in this article.
The Winners
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare - Banner
The attempt to remake the HL2 mod, Age Of Chivalry, into a fully fledged game has been in development for quite a while now. But a recent Kickstarter that we featured on the site (but I forgot to include in this list) has just been successful. And as we've noted, it's looking really splendid. They were after $50,000, and with six days left they've got $60,000.
Wow, this went from shaky to a roaring success in a week. After $250,000, a week ago they were $70k short. And in those seven days they made another $115,000. That'll do it. So with 62 hours remaining on the clock, we should now be seeing a new digital CCG from the creators of Ascension, and with the help of the creation of Magic: The Gathering.
The Chilean developers got the last minute surge they needed, reaching $11k of their $10k target before time ran out. We will now see if PopCap think it looks a little bit too much like Plants Vs. Zombies, I suppose.
A Gameboy-inspired RPG looked like it might succeed, but it's swooped past its target less than halfway through the campaign. Only wanting $6k, it's now on nearly $8k, making their stretch goal of $9,000 look pretty inevitable. And it might be a good thing too, since their $6k breakdown on the page entirely forgot the 10% they'll lose in fees.
Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse - Revolution
Halfway through and they reached their sizeable $400,000 desires. A new Broken Sword game was always going to be popular, but they're now on course for a cool half million, already over $460k with two weeks left. Their stretch goals reach to a million, which would greenlight development of Beneath A Steel Sky 2. However, I think that's a pretty unlikely target.
The Losers
Flight Of The Wisp - Shane Barber
Fields Of Fresh - Pawbyte (worth noting that this poor game was on $2k last week, and finished on $700)
Insurgency 2 - New World Interactive
The Players
Expeditions - Conquistador - Logic Artists
Goal: $70,000
Now: $67,017
Days: 4
Oh goodness, it's getting left to the wire. Can the hexagons and strategy get the last three thousand they need in the next four days? It would be just cruel if they didn't. You can read Adam's experience with it here.
Homestuck Adventure Game - MS Paint Adventures
Goal: $700,000
Now: $873,484
Days:26
WOW. Here's one that fell between two Katchups, and did something extraordinary. The Homestuck web comic appears to be a little popular then. An adventure game based on it seems to be a rather wanted idea, too. Nearly $900,000 made in five days, and that's despite a pitch video that at no point explains what it's actually going to be. So confident are they at this point that they've listed stretch goals up to $2.5m, with more to be revealed.
Deozoa: Legends Of Eden - Ignis Studios
Goal: $78,000
Now: $12,163
Days: 18
People may loves them some Pokemons, but this monster catcher has significantly slowed down. There are still nearly three weeks left, but a long way to go.
Pro Pinball: Revived & Remastered - Silverball Studios
Goal: $400,000
Now: $34,197
Days: 26
This is quite the dream team, getting the Pro Pinball team back together, with the rights to the license returned, and the design help of a pinball machine making legend, Pat Lawlor. Silverball, as Fuse Games, had been making Nintendo pinball games for a while, but were of course most famous for Active Health With Carol Vorderman. Fuse went bankrupt, but they reformed as Silverball and have been making iOS pinball projects. And they've now negotiated all the rights to the Pro series. They're already received a $10k single pledge - let's hope it's a real one.
Goal: $75,000
Now: $24,845
Days: 14
A huge $9k added on to the RPG inspired by table-top gaming, designed to be played asynchronously from browsers. There's still a very long way to go.
Goal: $50,000
Now: $8,823
Days: 50
Running with a super-long Kickstarter, there are seven weeks for this 4X space strategy to reach its goal. As ever with 4X, you're better off watching the video than trying to understand it from my wordmess.
Goal: $10,000
Now: $9,197
Days: 6
Much more likely to make it is Camden, the first project from Boyan Radakovich's new company, Gamesmith. Apparently they're planning to make a series of games via Kickstarter, the first being a tile-based game in which you attempt to create your own Camden market. It features "bobbies", which is how you know it's made by Americans.
Island Forge - Potential Games
Goal: $4,000
Now: $2,406
Days: 5
Aw, it would actually be too biologically sad if this doesn't make it, after it's $1500 spurt last week. This week, less than $400. The idea is to tell your own tales within the game for other people to experience. The game already exists, with player islands available to see. He's only after $4k, and pledges will unlock an account for the game to the full version for various lengths.
SideQuest - Fractal Entertainment
Goal: $10,000
Now: $445
Days: 27
A browser-based MMO, using 2D cartoon graphics, involved combat and bouncing boobies.
The Epic Space Game - Edward Melville
Goal: $20,000
Now: $3,905
Days: 13
A top-down 2D shooter, that’s also a sandbox MMO, and space trading game. Another $1,500 appeared this week, but it's going to have to step things up in its final fortnight.
Chris Taylor's Arakion - Chris Taylor
Goal: $25,000
Now: $745
Days: 28
A first-person group-based RPG that's just launched its Kickstarter, that certainly has its own unique look - floating platforms, in a strange magical world. Although let's discuss the whole name in the game title thing. Yes, it's his name. But it also just happens to be the name of famous games developer, Chris Taylor of Gas Powered Games, he behind Total Annihilation and Dungeon Siege. And it's the name of Chris Taylor, famous co-designer of the original Fallout. And he is neither of those people. And that doesn't sit comfortably with me.
Goal: $15,000
Now: $4,790
Days: 1
Hey rich benefactors? Fancy an RPG? This one has seven hours left and needs just over $10k. Aiming to be a very moddable online tactical RPG, the game will come with all the tools to create your own content for the game. So once you're done with the official game, you can play other people's creations.