Pre Feb Kickstarter Bitching

Okay let's see how things are progressing eh?

Overdue:

1650 Rulebook: I am a sucker for miniature games. This one was due in September. Looks like, if we're lucky, Feb is when it will hit. The miniatures are looking fantastic. Communication on actual progress could be better.

Dwimmtermount:I'll take flack for it but James and Tavis screwed this one up enormously. Due last August, the project took hits because James wasn't done and what's worse, wasn't providing updates or communicating to the backers even as he was updating his own blog (which is a great read most of the time) and doing paid work for Wizards of the Coast. Then Tavis took over the updating. Made a lot of people happy.

But James dad became sick and he dropped off the face of the earth. People take family illness different. When my own father died not from the lung cancer but from the chemo, I was so devastated I lost my job. In James case, his method involves not talking to his business partner but allowing someone else to post an update a month after ignoring requests for information from his backers. This has lead some to feel James is being picked on.

Again, not what actually happened in most instances.

There are multiple problems here. Tavis has the legal responsibilities but none of the money or IP. James has the money and IP but is still out of touch.

Who could have predicted something terrible could happen? Here's the thing, James isn't the first person this has happened to on a KS project. He won't be the last. This tragedy couped with his already late project has showcased that if you do not have realistic goals at the start of your campaign that your grand vision is going to come to a screeching halt and while people are going to give him a huge pass, rightly so at this time, it's late not just BECAUSE of his personal issues. It was late prior to them. The perfect storm of late products.

It Came From the Stars: Due last June. No tragedy that I'm aware of here just someone who apparently didn't know how long it was actually going to take. Another instance where a "nice" guy isn't able to complete the project. At least he hasn't started another Kickstarter while this one is so overdue. I'll be eager to see something in the updates outside of, "No guys, I'm serious, this time I'm getting almost finished with a section of the book!"

King For A Day: Due last September. On one hand, the PDF, the draft of it anyway, has been sent out. On the other, man, I love Jim but seriously, his issues in getting this one done showcase, again, how even the "nice" guys don't really understand what they're getting into. I've read only a tiny bit of the PDF so far because it's been so long I've lost a bit of interest and will wait for my physical copy before going back to the book. Jim has also learned, the hard way, that asking for support on a new Kickstarter project while you haven't delivered on the previous one, is a long, arduous climb to the top.

Midgard Tales: An example of even the best may fall eh? The guy behind this has been doing this sort of project before there was a Kickstarter and I didn't pay attention to what was going on until I realized that it was just past due, in this case, December. Looks like March I believe it will be ready. On the other hand, other people working on this project are doing new Kickstarters. I wish them luck. Again, these are all "nice" people. They're great on the various social networks. If I funded every project by a nice person, I'd be out on the street looking for cat food and STILL have no finished projects at home.

Pirate Goblins Box Set: Material was supposed to be here already. Guy doing the project seems to be a nice guy but many backers feel that his story doesn't add up. He had plans to do some follow up miniatures including a Dwarf Pirate Box Set but his failure to get this one done in a timely fashion and keep the people who made the project possible seem to indicate that it may not happen now.

Player's Companion: When I came home today, this book was waiting for me. It's a solid looking book. With my squirrel like attention span, this book, which was due in May of 2012, went straight to the bookshelf. Tavis, another "nice" guy, and I'm not putting these "nice" around like I'm being sarcastic, he's a stand up guy, already has another Kickstarter in mind. As I'm probably never going to play this game due to my wandering eye, the chances of me backing another Kickstarter of his, especially while there is another project under his company banner overdue, are exactly zero. Again, not because he isn't a nice guy, not because I don't think he's learned from these experienced, but my faith in his ability to deliver in a timely fashion, especially while the other project is outside of his direct ability to actually finish, remains minimal.

Red Box Game's: Due last October. Lot of the blame so far has been falling on the Trollcast with some shrinkage and other quality assurance issues. Tre already has another kickstarter going to make more products with the guy who hasn't been able to finish everything already. I'll keep an eye on that. Tre's mentioned that he'll be sending out a partial shipment even though it's going to cost him in terms of shipping funds. Good. Again, Tre seems like a nice guy but people using Kickstarter as a funding process either need to understand that it's a business and that sacrifices may be necessary for the short term finances in order to attract people to future Kickstarters. If I receive my goods and if I'm happy with the quality there are a few things in his new Kickstarter I'll order if they become unlocked.

Sedition Wars: Due last November.If you appreciate large savings from using China, you have to appreciate that its out of your control when there are issues and the boat is late. Seeing a lot of unboxing videos so I'm sure mines on the way. Looking forward to seeing the quality up close and personal.

Steampunk Musha: Was due in October 2012. I'll be honest. This one pisses me off a little. If you have a company involved, and in this case, supposedly under the banner of Fat Goblin Games, and they don't know what's going on with the project, that's never a good sign. Turns out the guy doing the writing, another decent guy, has had hell of issues. I'm not going into those here because if he wants them shown to the world, he can do those updates himself. Another classic example of the RPG industry one man standing business model being a terrible model. Updates have been very bad due to creator's issues and the fact that the game company itself didnt' step in and provide any updates does not fill me with warm fuzzy feelings. Not saying they're a bad company but why does the guy have an association with the company if that association is basically "Yeah, I work for them." or something along those lines?

Tectonic Craft Studios: Due last June. Yeah, over six months late. What's worse, as I've been playing with some of the material I've bought separately, it appears to be overpriced compared to the Warhammer Fantasy scenic material. Not good for the guy here. Not sure how the prices compare on the 40K stuff which tends to be more expensive. Updates have been hit or miss. Would not back again at this point. Again, another "nice" guy but six months late and not willing to take it on the chin to ship material out because of the financial issues it would cause? I can appreciate that. I hope he can appreciate me not backing him via a Kickstarter again and just using his store or, you know, buying terrain from another party. The stuff isn't bad to put together but some stuff it just doesn't work for. The Chaos Gate for example? The Trenches? Hope the buildings and other material works out better and that he keeps updating the instructions and shows some more videos.

Tentacles and Eyeballs:  On one hand, he got hit by Wizards of the Coast with a cease and desist due to the use of WoTC intellectual property. On the other, well, it was due in October and it's almost Febuary. Still, he has been in communication with the backers, has shown painted models, has shown alternatives to the stuff we are no longer getting and been rather 'cool' about it.

Not Due Yet:

28mm Demons and Devils Already some drama in terms of metal and resin as people are thinking that the reason resin is getting ready to be dropped from the line up is a quality issue. No opinion. I'll start worrying about it when it's late.

A Gallery of Rogues: Despite the fact that Jim's last project was late, I do enjoy his work and his project isn't some massive $100+ dollar tome. In addition, I like the art by Eric Lofgren. Unsure if this one will get funded. People are still waiting for the physical copies of Jim's last project even though the PDF was sent out.

Assimilation Alien Host The master behind this project is involved with "Troll Cast", a new material that's not quite resin or plastic or something along those lines. Thanks to various molding issues, Red Box Games is well behind it's initial goals and I keep seeing people reference his material in their own Kick Starters. I will be VERY curious to see if he can get his own project out on time but it's not due till May so even though the surveys themselves haven't been sent out yet, I'm not too worried about it.

Blackwater Gulch Rebels and Reinforcements: First one was very late. Supposedly they've got a new partner now. Looking at that partner though, they have several late projects already. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Cthulhu, Mythos Foundry Style: This one is ongoing. The 'green' they have of the Big C is impressive. He's not a big fat guy looking upset that adventurers have come to his lair and killed his dog or something as several other miniatures of the Big C seem to make him with some fat gut.Way too early on this one but I'll be curious to see where it goes.

Gnomish Adventurers Box Set: Stonehaven miniatures is a top notch Kickstarter success. While the initial project, a dwarf adventurers boxed set was late, they kept everyone in the loop and it was a great Kickstarter with a lot of neat stuff that came out. This one appears to be following in a very similiar pattern and I'll be looking forward to seeing what end materials I'll wind up getting.

Imbrian Arts Miniatures: This one will be interesting. Like Reaper, he offered a package where you get miniatures throughout the year. The first batch is not quite due but almost. Hope he makes it.

Kingdom Death: So far off in the future I'm not worried about it.

Pathfinder Online: Don't care about the computer game. Wanted the freebies, the miniatures, the PDF's, and the exclusive modules. A while before it's due.

Reaper: I'm one of the people who did the metal for a year and have been happy with it so far. The stuff I don't personally want I'll probably wind up giving away as presents or something along those lines.

Relic Knights: Still some time to go on this one. The previews have continued to pop up so I'm happy with hos the company is keeping us all in the loop.

Stuff I haven't Decided On:

Darklands:It's more than made it's goal but with so many miniature KS already late I'm only thinking about it thus far. Still some time on it so...

Games and Gears Pro Studio Brushes: Double headed brushes that should be ideal for wet blending with acrylic paints. I'll probably pop down for his one but funds are always in motion so we'll see.

Discover the Painting Pyramid: I have several painting DVDs. They are entertaining and get me motivated. Here they almost seems too much for the compleatist in me and that holds me back a little. I'll review it before it ends.