Robotech Kickstarter Funded at $1.44 Million!

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**Cyporiean**

Or they could have still had the same hang ups they have now.

**Forar**

Cyporiean wrote:
Or they could have still had the same hang ups they have now.

Possibly.

I have a sneaking suspicion that adding all those "experimental" mechs at the end probably added a ton more work and slowed the process down.

And note, I'm not saying that "things MUST deliver by the date or they have to issue full refunds to everyone!". I'm saying that creators would simply agree to offer a refund to people who requested one after a certain amount after the end date. Maybe it'd be 50% after, or 100%. If someone says to themselves "this ought to take me 7 months, let's make it one year, just to be safe", presumably if they're not an idiot or beset by the wrath of god, 1.5-2 years should be enough time to at least start shipping things out.

But obviously Amazon/Kickstarter are happy with the status quo, especially since they get paid up front.

Now, if Amazon/Kickstarter's cut sat in escrow until the project delivered, or something, I'll bet they'd have a lot more interest in things moving along, but why change the status quo in a fashion less profitable for them, just because some backers watch projects fail to meet deadline after deadline.

Which is to say that I doubt writing them up and suggesting they suddenly become less lucrative/profitable probably wouldn't go over well, but it's a shame that so many users see the lack of basic consumer protections as not only 'a thing' but a positive thing at that. That's messed up.

**Cypher-xv**

Mike1975 wrote:
weird, might be because it is on facebook and you have to sign on and open an account to access a lot of the information.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/1440349382851175/photos/

Thanks for the help Mike. Guys he didn't tell me to take it down. Who do think he is, PB?

**Forar**

... I see they've gotten to you too.

>.<

**Cypher-xv**

Forar wrote:
... I see they've gotten to you too.

>.<

Yes they did. Now where's my free swag and nda.

You should check out Jaymz FB PB page. There's a discussion about why PB has such a bad rep. I posted this.
http://rosswatson.blogspot.com/2012/05/publisher-profile-palladium-books-part.html
Wait till the defenders see it. I was tempted to post it on the RRT ks but a certain someone might have a heart attack.lol

**Forar**

Oh, I've read through his screeds, and killed an evening plowing through something like 100 pages of a thread he linked to on rpg.net where some of the freelancers spoke their minds (though some later recanted their condemnation).

It was fascinating, especially since the discussion happened around half a decade ago, essentially half a decade since I last followed the company closely, which meant that many of the names cropping up were people I was familiar with from my days reading their works in Rifters and as appended names to various books (sometimes...).

**Mike1975**

Forar, your not just a bit frustrated are you? ;0)

**Forar**

Who?

Me!?

I'm a veritable font of positivity, happiness and patience.

**Mike1975**

Lol, sometimes I think your Avatar is more fitting than others.

**solkan**

I must just be unfairly biased.

My gaming backing history is:
1. Ogre
2. Traveller 5
3. Reaper Bones
4. Through the Breach
5. Wild West Exodus
6. Underground Lasers (terrain)
7. Warzone Resurrection
8. Robotech RPG
9. Deadzone
followed by some more recent projects.

What realistic time schedules for delivery? If you want to complain about the conflicts and problems inherent in the Kickstarter model of doing things, including backers agreeing to take risks but being unwilling to commit to those risks, the inability to update deadlines as the project scope balloons, and the general inability of people to choose reasonable deadlines, go right ahead.

**Manchu**

I think the problem is the implicit (and sometimes explicit) notion about KS that one of the reasons backers take the risk is because the companies will be transparent throughout the process. Now, backers don't have a monolithic sense of transparency and among those who have any developed sense of it at all there is probably a great diversity. For example, it would not surprise me if the people complaining the most bitterly rivaled Kevin Siembieda in terms of being control freaks. Even so, companies that take pledge dollars and then offer little meaningful information to their customers are acting in a sleazy way and no appeal to "the risks" can sanitize that.

**Kendachi**

Anybody think we'll get an update today? I'm thinking no...

Now that Relic Knights has suspended production for the Chinese new year, I feel pretty certain we're not going to see anything produced for Robotech for a while.

After the response to the last update, I think Kevin might be hesitant to tell us anything. Which, again, sucks.

I love how we gave him more than a million dollars and he's claiming to be in the dark. I'd of been soooooooooooo fired if that was my response to my boss.

vOv

**Cypher-xv**

Hey guys does anyone know if the factory that's producing relic knights will also produce RRT? I ask because I just saw on FB that's it's shutting down for Chinese new year.

**Kendachi**

I wouldn't imagine that ND would use 3 different factories for 3 different games.

It's just a guess tho.

**warboss**

They were brought in as the "experts" for the project so I'd doubt they'd try someplace new where they would have no experience.

**Cypher-xv**

Yeah I thought so. Thanks

Forar you or the cabal or whoever it was were right about PB associates insulting their customers. At least on FB they do.lol

**Forar**

Manchu wrote:
For example, it would not surprise me if the people complaining the most bitterly rivaled Kevin Siembieda in terms of being control freaks.

Man... that hurts... :-(

Cypher-xv wrote:
Forar you or the cabal or whoever it was were right about PB associates insulting their customers. At least on FB they do.lol

I first heard about this "cabal" (aside from the odd strange forum signature) a few months ago.

Just added it onto the grocery list of oddities about that place.

Palladium has a very odd fan base.

I mean, sure, we've been over why/how they are that way repeatedly.

Doesn't change the fact they're a strange bunch.

**Cypher-xv**

Yeah one thread got closed by a super fan only to have it reopen days later. I've never seen that, ever. Also word on the street says that super fan was booted from their boards.

I almost forgot one guy in the group who isn't a backer of RRT heard about the comments section and now follows it. He says it's entertaining.

**Alpharius**

CMON and ND at work with Relic Knights:

RK funded successfully on Sep 9, 2012.

Original ship date was May 2013.

Fhoenix about 4 hours ago

Update #78 Feb 21, 2013
Even more, we're happy to say that all of the models have been delivered to our manufacturers. Now that the Chinese New Year has passed they have begun tooling and mold-making. We have been told that since there are so many models to be done this process will take roughly six weeks

Update #79 Apr 4, 2013
New firm ship date - November

With spring's arrival, we know many of you are on pins and needles, and we are glad to say we have received a production timeline from our manufacturers. Unfortunately, it misses our May target date. The current production schedule we have been provided with has Relic Knights shipping from China in August. Which means our warehouse will receive product around November to ship to you

As Relic Knights expanded the scope of the project also expanded and the time ballooned right alongside. Our initial quote for creating the molds for all the models was 1.5 months. That time quote has now increased to 3.5 months. Consequently the time of production down the entire line increases; ultimately arriving at the new November date.

Update #97 Dec 9, 2013
Production Update--which basically said---finish before Jan. 31 or wait the 3 weeks of chinese new years and pick up after that.

**Forar**

Yeah, watching the Relic Knights thing slip towards a full year late isn't helping my sunny disposition.

Even if RRT is using another factory and the lines have nothing in common aside from a few Soda Pop people working with Ninja Division, it's a bit disheartening.

Not to mention empathizing with the RK backers. Even when people are all "lol, KS is always late" I don't think many of them seriously believe it'll be a full 12 months+ late.

**Manchu**

Do Chinese workers really take a whole month off for New Year? I bet not at the iPad factory ...

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

Typically its 2-3 weeks across most factories (which is their yearly break), but it seems longer in production terms as things have to ramp back up again (and you often have a lot of maintenance done before things re-start)

It makes more sense for the whole place to close down than try to struggle on with too few staff, and as it's a national thing you've not got to worry about your competitors doing you out of business

(I know I've been at work with so may folk off that we might as well have been shut for all the actual work we got done)

We actually have a similar situation in Scotland (on a more local level with each town/city having their 'trades' holidays which are a month when most factories/trades were closed

(not so uniform now as it was when I was a kid in the 70s but still observed by many smaller businesses, if you need a plumber/electrician etc you need to go to the next town/village to look for them)

**Cypher-xv**

So was RK the reason RRT was being held up? As far as ND is concerned that is.

**Forar**

It's a good question, but we might never know.

RK was being held up while RRT was in the works (they got a 6 month delay announcement during the RRT campaign, as I recall), so it's even possible that both led to delays with each other.

Similarly, if they're using the same facility for production, those issues could be compounding each other further, especially if they expected one to be done by now, rather than both caught in a logjam at the new year.

And now Mega Man might join the mix in March, depending on far along they are and what they need of their pending production facilities.

I mean, it's due in October 2014. Surely that won't be pushed back... ;-)

**Kendachi**

There's no way Mega Man is going to affect anything. After all, Ninja Division said:

"To help ensure realistic deadlines, we have completed the vast majority of our development before launching the Kickstarter. Sculpts for the game pieces are almost entirely complete. The rulebook and game components are deep in development and will be ready for layout soon. Our manufacturers are also ready and have reserved factory time for the project. This means that as soon as the project is funded, we can lock down a timeline with our manufacturers to get the game produced."

I mean, they've NEVER said that before. Right?

**warboss**

Just for reference.. the following is the risks section for Mega Man...

Spoiler:

and Robotech...

Spoiler:

Relic Knights doesn't have a risks section as I believe the campaign predates the requirement of including one. They're identical except for the name of the game and the game company they're working with/for.

**Kendachi**

Yup, warboss, I've been pointing at that and laughing since the Mega Man KS started.

It's like they didn't even try.

Hilarious.

**Rshewring**

Spoiler:

Are any of these still for sale? I tried e-mailing you directly on your facbook page and store e-mail as well. Am interested in a few items for sure!!

**warboss**

You quoted all that just to write one line instead of following the moderator recommendation to take it to the swap shop where he has a sale thread or use the common sense approach of simply PM'ing him instead? Lol, that's a heck of a first post.

**Rshewring**

Sorry first time on the site and could not see how the heck to send a messge to the actual person. Found his site but just went to his website, but tried to get hold of him there but did not get a response so wanted to try sending him a mesage through here. no idea how to do that. Will tyr what you suggested