Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I just came across this article in the news and thought that it could be a nice thing to read for 427 trillion gamers that are about to start a Kickstarter because of their never before seen can't fail idea. It seems that even success has its downside.

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/game-maker-lost-home-successful-kickstarter-campaign-led-204720484.html

I feel that stuff like this should be required reading for all people wanting to do a Kickstarter, Indygogo, etc. I really think that many of these things get started by people who do not have all the facts and work done yet and get kicked in the hind end for their ignorance.

While an entirely excellent point (that launching a kickstarter is not all sunshine and wildflowers), that is one confusing article.

Some problems are both entirely expected and completely unplanned for, for example " his head of operations, who spoke Chinese and could communicate with the company producing the games, called it quits". That a company that deals with China is in trouble when the one person on the team that can speak with the manufacturing arm leaves is... well, it kinda goes without saying almost.

Also, what do we take from "He stopped making mortgage payments and eventually lost his home near Boston. Carter lived in Amsterdam at the time"? This just seems... odd.

The best bit is that "he is happy with the way the game turned out."

So....what that article basically says is "Poorly planned". Got it.

That article is... subpar.

As soon as I saw the thread title I knew it had to be about Glory to Rome. I thought this was old news?

That was a fun one. You guys should check out Board Game Geek's threads on the more legendary kickstarter backfires.

Don't see how that is a surprise.

Lot's of start-ups go bust, even with start-up money. Lots of product releases turn out failures.

Kickstarter changed the way you can get finance, but it didn't somehow magically remove the risk of launching new products/companies.

Also, what do we take from "He stopped making mortgage payments and eventually lost his home near Boston. Carter lived in Amsterdam at the time"?

What we take from it is he lost an investment/vacation house when one of his other investments went bad. Guess he learned a lesson in having a better business plan next time, and should be thankful that it only cost him a luxury item and not something essential.

Read it this morning, yahoo confuses by claiming this happened because of kickstarter, but it is more because the guy had poor business sense. (the guy who spoke Chinese left, so hire someone else!)

Already discussed here:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/534287.page

He had only one guy that could communicate with the company making the games in China. Lesson here, always make sure you have backup.