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I think those smaller companies are also dealing with smaller numbers by several orders of magnitude - both in terms of pledges and miniatures offered.

~iPaint

 -iPaint- wrote:
I think those smaller companies are also dealing with smaller numbers by several orders of magnitude - both in terms of pledges and miniatures offered.

~iPaint

You're absolutely correct. It was more of a tangent about KS creators than a direct comparison.

Still, we're also talking about companies with orders of magnitude smaller infrastructure, capital and experience, There is some case to be made for expecting more from the big guys, not less.

Some shipping Q&A on the Reaper Bones 3 thread: http://forum.reapermini.com/index.php?/topic/63270-reaper-bones-3-post-kickstarter-discussion/&page=235

If you don't want delays, back less successful projects. The bigger the scope, the more work the creator has to do. I *would* like to hear of creators (I know they're out there!) whose projects did very well in funding, but delivered on time or earlier.

I do recommend Johnny Lauck's KS for delivering on time or earlier. At least for his first KS (60 days), he did the casting *during* the KS and sent out shipments soon after receiving KS payment (he was using the KS to pay back his accounts receivable). Since he works in metal, he casts the miniatures himself, rather than wait for China as plastic models do. He also has the molds ready at the time of the KS, so backers don't have to wait on sculpts, like I've seen for other one-man KS.

I got my Johnny Lauck KS minis earlier this week, a matter of a few weeks after backing the project. Amazingly fast.

Shame he's retiring this year, he's a real institution.

Sorry, wrong thread.

Only 10 months late!! The final container is finally in TX, only another month or so, right guys....right???

I won't be backing Bones 4. I can understand a few months delay....but we're closing in on a year by the time the first waves actually make it out. (Original wave 1 shipping was estimated Aug 2016...).

Kickstarter seems to be mutating into the Steam Early access of the hobby world. Extreme delays and in some cases complete flops of projects.

Also saying "oh don't like it, don't back successful projects" is bull, this isn't Reaper's first rodeo and they didn't turn their last 2 projects into such big clusters. This was terribly managed by a company who should know better by now. Really, not having feet on the ground in your manufacturing area? Not even knowing the real percentages towards completion? Not actually knowing where your cargo containers are? This is stuff you'd expect from an amateur company, not a company that has been around so long and had multiple million dollar projects already.

ced1106 wrote:
If you don't want delays, back less successful projects. The bigger the scope, the more work the creator has to do. I *would* like to hear of creators (I know they're out there!) whose projects did very well in funding, but delivered on time or earlier.

My usual go-to for this would be Dwarven Forge; 3 campaigns that hit around $2 million (at least around that after the pledge manager period) and delivered on time or even a bit early. Their fourth campaign has been held up by about half a year (they're waiting on one container now, I believe shipping has begun on some packages, and they expect to be done in May or June, with their 5th campaign starting around the end of June).

While it's not a perfect record, I'd say 3 on time'ish campaigns and 1 with a half year delay averages out to well within the margin of error at the very least, and personally think they're well ahead of most campaigns.

I'll still be backing Bones 4, but like 2 and 3, it'll probably just be for around $20 worth of specific figures/terrain bits I'd like. I know the $100 tier (or whatever it is) full of goodies is where the 'savings' are, but I don't want or need 200 or whatever random minis laying around not getting painted.

Yes, I could wait for retail and pay a small markup, but I don't mind pitching in to help make each campaign happen. I just keep it low enough that I don't really worry much about it.

The core game aspect of Dark Souls is delivering on time in the UK, even if the expansion/add-on stuff will be late - and that campaign went mental.

 HunterEste wrote:


Kickstarter seems to be mutating into the Steam Early access of the hobby world. Extreme delays and in some cases complete flops of projects.

It's always been like that.

Frankly, I'd say it was a step under the *intent* of Early Access.

Even Valve admits that it hasn't worked out as they'd intended, but at least *something* was supposed to exist before a game was put on that platform.

Kickstarter campaigns certainly do better with videos and prototypes (if applicable), but in the end you can go to Kickstarter with an idea alone and if convincing enough, walk away with a substantial chunk of money and minimal oversight.

A game can be pulled from Early Access (even if it doesn't happen very often), Kickstarter basically washes their hands from a project the moment it ends and they get their cut.

I'll bitch if I have all of my other minis painted before it arrives. Which is as likely as me growing wings!

 SlaveToDorkness wrote:
I'll bitch if I have all of my other minis painted before it arrives. Which is as likely as me growing wings!

'Tain't you what needs the wings - 'tis your brushes....

The Auld Grump