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Let's see now... taking per day is down, backers per day is down, I saw some blurb of this on TTGN, didn't seem to help. The only thing up is comments per day, and having flipped through them at work, I can say they aren't the "excited about the project" kind of comments.
My initial reaction to the new Stretch Goals was "Eh, they think 10k is enough to cut steel for 5 Skelebots + manufacturing? Optimistic aren't they?"
Now that I look over the numbers they are asking for in the SG, they sort of makes no sense. $20K extra to put one more squad of Dog Boys in at the $200k mark. Dog Boys is stated to be $33 retail. Assume $11 to make, and you'd need to add that for roughly 2000 units, so the cost would be $22K... so your SG would actually set you back for $2K? Eh, what?
Overall the project has enough mismatches that I'm not very confident of the team. It's a bit blotched together, which is not really a great sign. Workable but the Boardgame crowd is notoriously fickle about ruleset, which there's not much to go on right now.
EDIT: Also, yeah, just to add on.. I think I saw a comment here earlier about the target audience? Yeah this one has that feel. not quite focused enough, trying to appeal to too many people. Need to prioritize -- showcase and playtest the rules? Develop the minis more fully? Work out a card game mechanics more? There's room here for ideas but ideas need to be executed to be worthwhile, and to execute, needs focus.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2017/05/11 19:47:36
In for a penny($) before all is said and done, but only for the comment section and it covers the entertainment value.
LOL, Theo your mind is an amazing place, never change.-camkierhi 9/19/13
I cant believe theo is right.. damn. -comradepanda 9/26/13
None of the strange ideas we had about you involved your sexual orientation..........-Monkeytroll 12/10/13
I'd put you on ignore for that comment, if I could...Alpharius 2/11/14
oh lord Carmen just did a Kevin type of update to answer the backers questions, all about Carmen and his company but nothing about the game itself, that is not going to go over well me thinks.
There have been a lot of questions and some concerns about my company, Rogue Heroes LLC and my relationship with Palladium Books. I’m happy to answer for the sake of clarity.
Why did I as the owner of Rogue Heroes choose the RIFTS® license for my first Kickstarter?
I am a gamer geek. I LOVE games! All kinds of games, but especially role-playing games, miniature games and board games! I have purchased and backed more Kickstarters than I can count off the top of my head, certainly more than me and my wife can find space for.
It turns out I also have a good mind for game design and I love doing it. As I got more involved in writing for RPGs and then creating miniatures games and board games, I found I was even better at designing those types of games. I began to design my own miniature games for fun, including a Robotech game that I ran at the 2012 Palladium Open House using the old Matchbox toys as the figures. Everyone had a blast. I have also been working on a number of other ideas for miniature games of my own. One has been optioned by Upper Deck and another one I’m keeping for myself. My meeting with Upper Deck led to me doing freelance work them. They have been keeping me very busy, but a non-disclosure agreement prevents me from talking about the games I’ve worked on. Sorry. I would love to tell you all about them, but I can’t at this time.
For me Rifts presents a HUGE opportunity for Rogue Heroes as a start-up company. Rifts was a smash hit in the RPG market, and still has an established fan base. Millions of people know about Rifts. That’s why Rogue Heroes is interested in Rifts, and why Disney, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Nokia, and numerous other companies have sought various licensing deals or continue to seek to do work with the Rifts IP. There are a ton of cool things that I simply enjoy in Rifts that I know will be awesome as a miniatures game. And as a fan, it is a game world I know well and love to run games in. The board game starting in Chi-Town is just the beginning. A friendly intro-point for what I have in mind for the future.
So please understand:
- The Rifts® board game is all my idea. I was the one who came to Kevin about making this game back in 2015. Not the other way around.
- I am launching my own company, Rogue Heroes Publishing with this Kickstarter. Better to start with a well-known intellectual property (IP) that has an established fan base than one that doesn't. At least that is how I feel.
- I licensed the game rights for Rifts® from Palladium, just like any other company would do. Just like Pinnacle did for Savage Rifts. Just like Fantasy Flight Games did with Disney for Star Wars. I paid for the license. I am contracted with the license. I intend to use it.
- I am not Palladium Books. I am Carmen Bellaire, a gamer and fan boy who became a freelance writer and game designer. I now have 15 years of experience working in the gaming industry.
- I've invested my own hard earned money to get this game to the point where it is nearly ready to go into manufacturing. Around $40,000 dollars so far and I have been working on it for about 2 years now. The sculptors for about a year. I’m the guy who chose to make this game and this Kickstarter. It is my time, my vision and my effort, and that of my hardworking team. This is a shared dream with a number of people involved. And now we need your financial support to make it a reality. If you don't want to support it, then I can respect that. Don't support it and respectfully dismiss yourselves. Just please stop harassing the backers who choose to support this game. Everyone is entitled to their choice.
- Palladium Books is not my partner and does not own any part of my company.
- Rogue Heroes Publishing is a Canadian company, but I also have a Michigan-based LLC for the Kickstarter because the Canadian dollar is currently weak compared to the US dollar, and I do not want currency fluctuations to hurt the production of the Rifts Board Game. I live in Windsor. Michigan is across the river. Setting up an LLC in Michigan is the closest and most convenient location for me in the USA. A short trip to the bank. Livonia was just a convenient location for my USA address.
- My goal is to make an awesome, high-quality, miniatures games for Rifts. And more than what you currently see on the Kickstarter page. My hope is that the Kickstarter gets big enough to double the number of miniatures in the core game, so I can make a full miniatures game with 40 figures, more cards, more maps, more tiles and more dice. More of everything. And there are expansion packs too. A lot of expansions. I have always imagined Rifts as a miniatures game. My ultimate dream for the future is to make Rifts into a wargame, but I’m starting small and reasonable with this first game and plan to grow Rogue Heroes’ Rifts game line with expansion sets and additional games with new settings and adversaries.
- I’m doing a Rifts board game because I love the characters and the world. Love Kevin or hate him for whatever reason, it doesn’t change the fact that he created an awesome game world with Rifts. That’s my opinion and I know there are thousands and thousands of you who feel the same way, or I would not have wasted my time making this game. This is the game I want to see as a fan of Rifts and as a miniatures gamer.
What is your relationship with Palladium Books?
My relationship with Palladium Books is pretty simple and no secret. I have been playing numerous RPGs (including many produced by Palladium) long before I ever met anyone at Palladium Books. Back around 2002, I had a friend in my Heroes Unlimited campaign who convinced me that I should submit a bunch of the superpowers I had created for my own use in a game. A gamer and mutual friend introduced me to Kevin Siembieda, creator of Rifts and owner of Palladium Books. Long story short, Kevin liked my work so much that when I said I had ideas for a lot more, he had me write them up and turned my work into the Powers Unlimited sourcebook. The first of three books I would write for the Heroes Unlimited RPG series.
I went on to write more and contribute to a number of Palladium products, including creating the Splicers® RPG. As a freelance writer, I work from my home in Windsor, Canada. Over time, Kevin and I became good friends. Most freelancers who work for Palladium often become friends with Kevin. This is not just a "Palladium" thing, such friendships often happen in most businesses, especially when it is a hobby that you both share and love, and your boss creates a friendly atmosphere of cooperation. All my work for Palladium has been freelance, just like the 20+ other writers and artists that have done work for them over the years. I have never been an employee of Palladium Books. I also ran games at the Palladium Open Houses, have gamed a few times with Kevin, though always at conventions, and I’ve even been to a half dozen Christmas parties over the years.
The Kevin I know is not the guy some people would like to paint him as. He’s the guy who gave me my start and helped me to believe in myself. He has been a friend to me in every sense of the word. Kevin, Wayne and the guys at Palladium have been there for me, rooting me on for years, and especially now with this game. I may not agree with every decision that he has made, but what friend ever does? Palladium Books is Kevin's company and I have only worked as a freelancer (providing work for hire) for Palladium Books. I do not make policy or have any say on how Kevin runs his business.
As a businessman, myself, I have a licensing agreement with Palladium Books to use the Rifts intellectual property for the miniatures board game market. Like most companies that have entered into a license agreement, I have to be respectful with the IP. That’s easy because this is one of my favorite games and a dream opportunity. My representation of the IP has to be reviewed and approved by Palladium. This is nothing new in licensing. With that being said, this is a Rogue Heroes product, being designed, developed and produced by me. Rogue Heroes is the company that is liable for the Rifts board game creation and fulfillment. Not Palladium Books.
Will my Rifts board game make Palladium Books money? Of course it will, just like any license makes the Licensor money. Nobody gives you the right to make a game based on their intellectual property unless you pay them a royalty. If that bothers you, I don’t know what to tell you. I guess you will not support this game. Of course, that is your decision.
I would not have invested my hard earned money nor offered this Kickstarter if I was not confident that me and my team at Rogue Heroes could deliver it.
My Involvement with Robotech RPG Tactics
I got involved with Robotech RPG Tactics (RRT) in 2013, when Kevin asked me to help the Ninja guys develop the game's rules. I was paid a flat fee for that work, like the rest of the freelancers who worked on the game.
I understand why some people are angry about how Palladium has handled RRT and Wave Two, but go complain to them about RRT. Not on my Kickstarter page. I don’t mean to be rude about it, but Palladium is not my company. I have no control over what Palladium Books does, has done or will do with RRT. I’m friends with Kevin and grateful for this opportunity, but Rogue Heroes and Palladium are two completely different companies. Please do not bring the Palladium RRT issues and arguments here, they have no bearing on what I am trying to do. I don’t know everything that has transpired with RRT and Palladium, because I wasn’t around the office much. I had other obligations and I was working toward my career shift into designing miniature games.
Why the 2 year Delivery Date for this Kickstarter:
I listed the delivery date as two years from now because I didn’t want to over promise like other long overdue Kickstarters did (there are plenty of them out there). As a backer of many Kickstarters, I have tried to learn from their mistakes. I thought a two year lead time would be seen as transparent, reasonable and responsible. Better to come in six months or a year early than to be late was my philosophy. Maybe I was too worried about that. I am so far along on the game, that the release is most likely way under 2 years from now. I’m new to this, so I’m trying to be conservative and do right by Rogue Heroes' backers.
My Personal Life and Ordeal:
Early this year, I found myself in a bad place and I tried to commit suicide. My family and I live with that terrible choice every day. I am getting the professional help I need and am feeling more and more like my old self, every day. I’m learning how to better cope with stress, frustration, and matters beyond my control. The encouragement and support that I received from numerous family members, friends, gamers, backers, etc., really means a lot to me. My work on the Rifts® Board Game and preparations for this Kickstarter have been very therapeutic and is actually helping keep me inspired, motivated, grounded and in good spirits. Seeing the game and the miniatures come to life is part of my dream and the reason why I chose Rifts in the first place. So please respect that and leave my personal life and ordeal out of the Kickstarter discussions going forward. You may not agree with me or my choices, and some of you may not like who I have licensed my game from, but it’s my choice. And it is a choice that the Rogue Heroes backers want to see fulfilled. Please be respectful to them and to my company, Rogue Heroes Publishing.
I hope this answers a lot of questions. I will continue to post and be as transparent as possible. Thank you for your support and please spread the word about this Kickstarter.
Thank you,
Carmen
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/05/11 19:57:13
Thinks Palladium books screwed the pooch on the Robotech project.
Yeah that's a pretty solid FAQ right there. Totally ignores the fact that there are plenty of actual backers asking actual questions that were promised actual answers only to get an update where he's addressing totally different people.
actually it is covered under Kickstarters rules regarding Collaborator's and giving out any private info including pledge amount is a no no.
Do you have a link to that?
All I'm seeing is in the TOS under the heading "Things You Definitely Shouldn't Do" is the following:
"Don’t abuse other users’ personal information. When you use Kickstarter — and especially if you create a successful project — you may receive information about other users, including things like their names, email addresses, and postal addresses. This information is provided for the purpose of participating in a Kickstarter project: don’t use it for other purposes, and don’t abuse it."
Which again, I'm pretty sure the jerk in question is clear of violating.
I'm starting to understand why there were no ripples in the mud puddle...
Asterios wrote: oh lord Carmen just did a Kevin type of update to answer the backers questions, all about Carmen and his company but nothing about the game itself, that is not going to go over well me thinks.
There have been a lot of questions and some concerns about my company, Rogue Heroes LLC and my relationship with Palladium Books. I’m happy to answer for the sake of clarity.
Why did I as the owner of Rogue Heroes choose the RIFTS® license for my first Kickstarter?
I am a gamer geek. I LOVE games! All kinds of games, but especially role-playing games, miniature games and board games! I have purchased and backed more Kickstarters than I can count off the top of my head, certainly more than me and my wife can find space for.
It turns out I also have a good mind for game design and I love doing it. As I got more involved in writing for RPGs and then creating miniatures games and board games, I found I was even better at designing those types of games. I began to design my own miniature games for fun, including a Robotech game that I ran at the 2012 Palladium Open House using the old Matchbox toys as the figures. Everyone had a blast. I have also been working on a number of other ideas for miniature games of my own. One has been optioned by Upper Deck and another one I’m keeping for myself. My meeting with Upper Deck led to me doing freelance work them. They have been keeping me very busy, but a non-disclosure agreement prevents me from talking about the games I’ve worked on. Sorry. I would love to tell you all about them, but I can’t at this time.
For me Rifts presents a HUGE opportunity for Rogue Heroes as a start-up company. Rifts was a smash hit in the RPG market, and still has an established fan base. Millions of people know about Rifts. That’s why Rogue Heroes is interested in Rifts, and why Disney, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Nokia, and numerous other companies have sought various licensing deals or continue to seek to do work with the Rifts IP. There are a ton of cool things that I simply enjoy in Rifts that I know will be awesome as a miniatures game. And as a fan, it is a game world I know well and love to run games in. The board game starting in Chi-Town is just the beginning. A friendly intro-point for what I have in mind for the future.
So please understand:
- The Rifts® board game is all my idea. I was the one who came to Kevin about making this game back in 2015. Not the other way around.
- I am launching my own company, Rogue Heroes Publishing with this Kickstarter. Better to start with a well-known intellectual property (IP) that has an established fan base than one that doesn't. At least that is how I feel.
- I licensed the game rights for Rifts® from Palladium, just like any other company would do. Just like Pinnacle did for Savage Rifts. Just like Fantasy Flight Games did with Disney for Star Wars. I paid for the license. I am contracted with the license. I intend to use it.
- I am not Palladium Books. I am Carmen Bellaire, a gamer and fan boy who became a freelance writer and game designer. I now have 15 years of experience working in the gaming industry.
- I've invested my own hard earned money to get this game to the point where it is nearly ready to go into manufacturing. Around $40,000 dollars so far and I have been working on it for about 2 years now. The sculptors for about a year. I’m the guy who chose to make this game and this Kickstarter. It is my time, my vision and my effort, and that of my hardworking team. This is a shared dream with a number of people involved. And now we need your financial support to make it a reality. If you don't want to support it, then I can respect that. Don't support it and respectfully dismiss yourselves. Just please stop harassing the backers who choose to support this game. Everyone is entitled to their choice.
- Palladium Books is not my partner and does not own any part of my company.
- Rogue Heroes Publishing is a Canadian company, but I also have a Michigan-based LLC for the Kickstarter because the Canadian dollar is currently weak compared to the US dollar, and I do not want currency fluctuations to hurt the production of the Rifts Board Game. I live in Windsor. Michigan is across the river. Setting up an LLC in Michigan is the closest and most convenient location for me in the USA. A short trip to the bank. Livonia was just a convenient location for my USA address.
- My goal is to make an awesome, high-quality, miniatures games for Rifts. And more than what you currently see on the Kickstarter page. My hope is that the Kickstarter gets big enough to double the number of miniatures in the core game, so I can make a full miniatures game with 40 figures, more cards, more maps, more tiles and more dice. More of everything. And there are expansion packs too. A lot of expansions. I have always imagined Rifts as a miniatures game. My ultimate dream for the future is to make Rifts into a wargame, but I’m starting small and reasonable with this first game and plan to grow Rogue Heroes’ Rifts game line with expansion sets and additional games with new settings and adversaries.
- I’m doing a Rifts board game because I love the characters and the world. Love Kevin or hate him for whatever reason, it doesn’t change the fact that he created an awesome game world with Rifts. That’s my opinion and I know there are thousands and thousands of you who feel the same way, or I would not have wasted my time making this game. This is the game I want to see as a fan of Rifts and as a miniatures gamer.
What is your relationship with Palladium Books?
My relationship with Palladium Books is pretty simple and no secret. I have been playing numerous RPGs (including many produced by Palladium) long before I ever met anyone at Palladium Books. Back around 2002, I had a friend in my Heroes Unlimited campaign who convinced me that I should submit a bunch of the superpowers I had created for my own use in a game. A gamer and mutual friend introduced me to Kevin Siembieda, creator of Rifts and owner of Palladium Books. Long story short, Kevin liked my work so much that when I said I had ideas for a lot more, he had me write them up and turned my work into the Powers Unlimited sourcebook. The first of three books I would write for the Heroes Unlimited RPG series.
I went on to write more and contribute to a number of Palladium products, including creating the Splicers® RPG. As a freelance writer, I work from my home in Windsor, Canada. Over time, Kevin and I became good friends. Most freelancers who work for Palladium often become friends with Kevin. This is not just a "Palladium" thing, such friendships often happen in most businesses, especially when it is a hobby that you both share and love, and your boss creates a friendly atmosphere of cooperation. All my work for Palladium has been freelance, just like the 20+ other writers and artists that have done work for them over the years. I have never been an employee of Palladium Books. I also ran games at the Palladium Open Houses, have gamed a few times with Kevin, though always at conventions, and I’ve even been to a half dozen Christmas parties over the years.
The Kevin I know is not the guy some people would like to paint him as. He’s the guy who gave me my start and helped me to believe in myself. He has been a friend to me in every sense of the word. Kevin, Wayne and the guys at Palladium have been there for me, rooting me on for years, and especially now with this game. I may not agree with every decision that he has made, but what friend ever does? Palladium Books is Kevin's company and I have only worked as a freelancer (providing work for hire) for Palladium Books. I do not make policy or have any say on how Kevin runs his business.
As a businessman, myself, I have a licensing agreement with Palladium Books to use the Rifts intellectual property for the miniatures board game market. Like most companies that have entered into a license agreement, I have to be respectful with the IP. That’s easy because this is one of my favorite games and a dream opportunity. My representation of the IP has to be reviewed and approved by Palladium. This is nothing new in licensing. With that being said, this is a Rogue Heroes product, being designed, developed and produced by me. Rogue Heroes is the company that is liable for the Rifts board game creation and fulfillment. Not Palladium Books.
Will my Rifts board game make Palladium Books money? Of course it will, just like any license makes the Licensor money. Nobody gives you the right to make a game based on their intellectual property unless you pay them a royalty. If that bothers you, I don’t know what to tell you. I guess you will not support this game. Of course, that is your decision.
I would not have invested my hard earned money nor offered this Kickstarter if I was not confident that me and my team at Rogue Heroes could deliver it.
My Involvement with Robotech RPG Tactics
I got involved with Robotech RPG Tactics (RRT) in 2013, when Kevin asked me to help the Ninja guys develop the game's rules. I was paid a flat fee for that work, like the rest of the freelancers who worked on the game.
I understand why some people are angry about how Palladium has handled RRT and Wave Two, but go complain to them about RRT. Not on my Kickstarter page. I don’t mean to be rude about it, but Palladium is not my company. I have no control over what Palladium Books does, has done or will do with RRT. I’m friends with Kevin and grateful for this opportunity, but Rogue Heroes and Palladium are two completely different companies. Please do not bring the Palladium RRT issues and arguments here, they have no bearing on what I am trying to do. I don’t know everything that has transpired with RRT and Palladium, because I wasn’t around the office much. I had other obligations and I was working toward my career shift into designing miniature games.
Why the 2 year Delivery Date for this Kickstarter:
I listed the delivery date as two years from now because I didn’t want to over promise like other long overdue Kickstarters did (there are plenty of them out there). As a backer of many Kickstarters, I have tried to learn from their mistakes. I thought a two year lead time would be seen as transparent, reasonable and responsible. Better to come in six months or a year early than to be late was my philosophy. Maybe I was too worried about that. I am so far along on the game, that the release is most likely way under 2 years from now. I’m new to this, so I’m trying to be conservative and do right by Rogue Heroes' backers.
My Personal Life and Ordeal:
Early this year, I found myself in a bad place and I tried to commit suicide. My family and I live with that terrible choice every day. I am getting the professional help I need and am feeling more and more like my old self, every day. I’m learning how to better cope with stress, frustration, and matters beyond my control. The encouragement and support that I received from numerous family members, friends, gamers, backers, etc., really means a lot to me. My work on the Rifts® Board Game and preparations for this Kickstarter have been very therapeutic and is actually helping keep me inspired, motivated, grounded and in good spirits. Seeing the game and the miniatures come to life is part of my dream and the reason why I chose Rifts in the first place. So please respect that and leave my personal life and ordeal out of the Kickstarter discussions going forward. You may not agree with me or my choices, and some of you may not like who I have licensed my game from, but it’s my choice. And it is a choice that the Rogue Heroes backers want to see fulfilled. Please be respectful to them and to my company, Rogue Heroes Publishing.
I hope this answers a lot of questions. I will continue to post and be as transparent as possible. Thank you for your support and please spread the word about this Kickstarter.
Thank you,
Carmen
OK, please, sentences start with capital letters - I can tell your shift key works, so please pay attention to this!
The word is 'methinks' - and as much as I hate that word - go ahead and use it, just spell it correctly.
Now, as for this update, this is clearly an attempt to provide some 'distance' from Palladium and KS.
It isn't going to work, but I can see why he's trying...
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/05/11 20:22:20
That latest update (#4) is bizarre, to say the least. Too buddy/buddy with Kevin and/or putinng him on a pedestal. Does the exact opposite of making Rogue Heroes look like it is a seperate entity. In the end, the whole thing comes across too eerily similar to Kevin's "History of Everything" two-update rant, and this KS has just begun.
Did I also catch that Carmen apparently fronted $40K of his own funds for this endeavour so only about $25K is actual backer investment? If so, that really makes me doubt this will successfully fund at all.
I kinda feel sorry for how the KS seems to be going, but he has made his own bed and seems to be quickly turning it into a grave for himself, sadly. I don't think this is going to end happily at all - but hopefully only a "lesson learned".
While that's better, there is still alot more room to improve communication. That should have been in the original campaign if they're laying claim to being honest and open... But it wasn't. Also, just a freelancer with no power to affect Robotech? That's not what you said two months ago, Carmen, albeit you obviously weren't of sound mind. It also neglects years of gencon demoing of the game and going to Beasts of War in Ireland to promo the game on their videos. Was Carmen the one working on the scenario book or was that Roach red duke? It also fails to address the myriad of palladium staff that are not just approving work already done but actually involved in creating the work in the first place up to and ncluding collaborating Kevin and Wayne amongst other. This is truly a joint venture with alot of the same people doing the same things they did with Robotech years earlier in stark contrast with real creative separation like with Peg and Savage Rifts.
It also doesn't begin to address many of the technical and production issues raised in comments but maybe that'll be in tomorrows updatr. All in all, this update feels like Kevin's 2 part history of the world update from years ago and both should have been honest and open sooner. I'll admit that 3 days is an improvement over the previous two years though. In tge end though, I'll be bowing out of the conversation at this point and wish the backers (real backers and not comment trolling palladium employee collaborators) the best of luck as they'll need it likely.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/05/11 20:28:53
It read about like I said yesterday. Back this project because Carmen is a cool gamer dude that feels mouth wateringly juicy about Rifts, Palladium, and Kevin Siembieda. Nothing in the update is written to foster trust in the company and Carmen's vision for the company and the plan he has. It's so much fluff without anything concrete.
Honestly, I don't see how he can put Kevin on a pedestal to be admired when the guy is likely pressuring so hard about renewing that license.
Churchill Superbacker about 5 hours ago
I changed my pledge from $150 to $1. There's no way I can conceivably continue to back this project with the quantity of unanswered questions and quality of product that I will be getting.
When the major questions that have been asked ad nauseum finally get answered I may go back and update my pledge.
I remain cautiously optimistic.
Kopah about 5 hours ago
You went to a dollar pledge. Aw, they are never going to answer your questions now. :(
Kopah about 5 hours ago
Hell, they don't answer mine at $100.
Stormonu wrote: Did I also catch that Carmen apparently fronted $40K of his own funds for this endeavour so only about $25K is actual backer investment? If so, that really makes me doubt this will successfully fund at all.
He has invested $40k into the game over the last few years (licencing cost, art costs, sculpting costs, etc). The $65k on Kickstarter is actual backer investment.
Stormonu wrote: Carmen apparently fronted $40K of his own funds for this endeavour so only about $25K is actual backer investment?
No, he spend $40,000 of his own money on license fees, sculptors, etc. ignoring the value of his time. That's a sunk cost, money down the toilet. Assuming that it funds at $100k, the $80k he gets after fees will be used to pay for production costs, and hopefully, when all is done, he'll be able to recover his initial "investment" with interest.
If it fails to fund, then he gets nothing, but is hopefully smart enough to cut his losses at $40k. OTOH, he hitched his wagon to Palladium, and believes in Kevin, so we'll see... ____
Note, I sure hope he didn't take out any loans for this, that the $40k he spent is money he just happened to have lying around. If he staked his house to fund this game, his family will be homeless.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/05/11 20:53:32
Stormonu wrote: Carmen apparently fronted $40K of his own funds for this endeavour so only about $25K is actual backer investment?
No, he spend $40,000 of his own money on license fees, sculptors, etc. ignoring the value of his time. That's a sunk cost, money down the toilet. Assuming that it funds at $100k, the $80k he gets after fees will be used to pay for production costs, and hopefully, when all is done, he'll be able to recover his initial "investment" with interest.
If it fails to fund, then he gets nothing, but is hopefully smart enough to cut his losses at $40k. OTOH, he hitched his wagon to Palladium, and believes in Kevin, so we'll see...
____
Note, I sure hope he didn't take out any loans for this, that the $40k he spent is money he just happened to have lying around. If he staked his house to fund this game, his family will be homeless.
You forgot taxes and such, which will probably be due shortly after the project funds if it does, and while a business can make write offs he will have no write offs to make till next year.
actually it is covered under Kickstarters rules regarding Collaborator's and giving out any private info including pledge amount is a no no.
Do you have a link to that?
All I'm seeing is in the TOS under the heading "Things You Definitely Shouldn't Do" is the following:
"Don’t abuse other users’ personal information. When you use Kickstarter — and especially if you create a successful project — you may receive information about other users, including things like their names, email addresses, and postal addresses. This information is provided for the purpose of participating in a Kickstarter project: don’t use it for other purposes, and don’t abuse it."
Which again, I'm pretty sure the jerk in question is clear of violating.
I'm starting to understand why there were no ripples in the mud puddle...
Information that’s shared with creators & collaborators
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If a project you have backed is successfully funded, the creator will receive the email address associated with your Kickstarter account. They may also send you a survey requesting information needed to provide your reward. (For instance, they may need your mailing address, or T-shirt size.) Any information you provide in such surveys will be received by the creator.
Creators have the option to appoint collaborators to help manage their project. These collaborators may be able to access some of the information available to creators (including backers’ names, email addresses, pledge amounts, reward selections, messages, and survey responses), and are required to treat backers’ personal information with the same care and respect as creators are.
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Thinks Palladium books screwed the pooch on the Robotech project.
I dropped my $1 pledge. I was going to do a little trolling but this sad little dumpster fire isn't even that entertaining. It's actually a tad depressing to watch.
The comments section is so bitter and hostile on both sides. If somebody were trying to be genuinely helpful their post would likely be lost in the gakstorm. The response seems to be to wall up against the comments and assume a defensive stance which I can understand given some of the toxicity. However when you dismiss everything that isn't glowing praise as hate then you turn a deaf ear to people who have legit questions and suggestions that could help the KS perform better. Going into Kickstarter requires a strong plan before launch but you also have to make constant adjustments on the fly based on the backer feedback and questions as there will always be things that weren't anticipated or covered well enough in the original plan. So you need to remain open to the flow of ideas, if you shut down and wall off you lose a lot of that report and trust that you've worked so hard to establish.
Nothing can fully prepare you for running a kickstarter aside from having previously run one, so a first time kickstarter is going to be a very rough ride regardless of how much planning and preparation you think you've done. That means you have to keep your hand constantly on the pulse rather than letting go and backing away when things start to get a bit hot to the touch. The baiting and trolling probably sucks but based on all the comments from RRT and even on the PB forums it was obvious it was coming. Despite the looming storm it looks like there was no forethought on how to deal with it and a lot of the replies are being angrily snap fired from the hip. You can't provide a professional image if you are ranting at people, even if they are goading and poking the bear you need to stay even keeled and rise above it. By snapping on people and putting people on blanket ignore you are giving trolls exactly what they want and that's what's currently happening.
They need to step back and put personal ego aside so they can ask how does this impact the plan of action and do I need to make revisions? Yes some people are going to be rude and nasty but you need to ignore that and focus on how their questions relate to the project itself. Sometimes good advice can be a very bitter pill because it's not what you expected or want to hear.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2017/05/11 21:12:22
Paulson Games parts are now at:
www.RedDogMinis.com
Stormonu wrote: Did I also catch that Carmen apparently fronted $40K of his own funds for this endeavour so only about $25K is actual backer investment? If so, that really makes me doubt this will successfully fund at all.
He has invested $40k into the game over the last few years (licencing cost, art costs, sculpting costs, etc). The $65k on Kickstarter is actual backer investment.
Yesh, at 582 backers, that's over $1K average per backer. That's an insane amount to invest per person, methinks ( ).
Well, this thread is far more entertaining than the RRT and easier to keep track of than the 40K one, so I'll be here a bit more - watching at least. Probably until it hits its funding.
Stormonu wrote: Did I also catch that Carmen apparently fronted $40K of his own funds for this endeavour so only about $25K is actual backer investment? If so, that really makes me doubt this will successfully fund at all.
He has invested $40k into the game over the last few years (licencing cost, art costs, sculpting costs, etc). The $65k on Kickstarter is actual backer investment.
Yesh, at 582 backers, that's over $1K average per backer. That's an insane amount to invest per person, methinks ( ).
The current amount? You added an extra zero, it's $112 average per backer.
Stormonu wrote: Did I also catch that Carmen apparently fronted $40K of his own funds for this endeavour so only about $25K is actual backer investment? If so, that really makes me doubt this will successfully fund at all.
He has invested $40k into the game over the last few years (licencing cost, art costs, sculpting costs, etc). The $65k on Kickstarter is actual backer investment.
Yesh, at 582 backers, that's over $1K average per backer. That's an insane amount to invest per person, methinks ( ).
The current amount? You added an extra zero, it's $112 average per backer.
Obviously, I can't multiply - I only chestburst. That makes much more sense.
Information that’s shared with creators & collaborators
When you back a project, the project’s creator will know your account name, the amount you have pledged, and the reward you have selected. Creators never receive backers’ credit card details or other payment information.
If a project you have backed is successfully funded, the creator will receive the email address associated with your Kickstarter account. They may also send you a survey requesting information needed to provide your reward. (For instance, they may need your mailing address, or T-shirt size.) Any information you provide in such surveys will be received by the creator.
Creators have the option to appoint collaborators to help manage their project. These collaborators may be able to access some of the information available to creators (including backers’ names, email addresses, pledge amounts, reward selections, messages, and survey responses), and are required to treat backers’ personal information with the same care and respect as creators are.
Creators and their collaborators may also receive anonymized information about the ways people visit and interact with their project pages, in the form of routine traffic analytics. You can choose not to be included in Google Analytics here.
Thanks for the link.
I still don't think that particular complaint is gonna be treated how you think it will. I think we've gone down this rabbit hole far enough though, so I'll concede here that you might be correct, even if I have my doubts, and we'll let this tangent die.
Absolutely no questions answered in that "update". Seemed more a Palladium (read: Kevin Siembieda) fluff piece. I especially love how they still tout the movie and video game license (options?) from decades ago. And that Carmen's cred is basically stuff for Palladium and maybe something from Upper Deck; which amounts to just stuff for Palladium overall.
I'm especially flabbergasted as to why in the world they would use those crappy miniatures pictures when the painter has posted some very good ones online. I'm sure he would have given them permission to use them.
Information that’s shared with creators & collaborators
When you back a project, the project’s creator will know your account name, the amount you have pledged, and the reward you have selected. Creators never receive backers’ credit card details or other payment information.
If a project you have backed is successfully funded, the creator will receive the email address associated with your Kickstarter account. They may also send you a survey requesting information needed to provide your reward. (For instance, they may need your mailing address, or T-shirt size.) Any information you provide in such surveys will be received by the creator.
Creators have the option to appoint collaborators to help manage their project. These collaborators may be able to access some of the information available to creators (including backers’ names, email addresses, pledge amounts, reward selections, messages, and survey responses), and are required to treat backers’ personal information with the same care and respect as creators are.
Creators and their collaborators may also receive anonymized information about the ways people visit and interact with their project pages, in the form of routine traffic analytics. You can choose not to be included in Google Analytics here.
Thanks for the link.
I still don't think that particular complaint is gonna be treated how you think it will. I think we've gone down this rabbit hole far enough though, so I'll concede here that you might be correct, even if I have my doubts, and we'll let this tangent die.
Absolutely no questions answered in that "update". Seemed more a Palladium (read: Kevin Siembieda) fluff piece. I especially love how they still tout the movie and video game license (options?) from decades ago. And that Carmen's cred is basically stuff for Palladium and maybe something from Upper Deck; which amounts to just stuff for Palladium overall.
I'm especially flabbergasted as to why in the world they would use those crappy miniatures pictures when the painter has posted some very good ones online. I'm sure he would have given them permission to use them.
Truly amateur hour here.
~Eric
I'm still trying to figure out where they get the millions of people know of Rift's part from, I barely know of anyone here who knows of Rifts and mostly from me.
Thinks Palladium books screwed the pooch on the Robotech project.
paulson games wrote: The baiting and trolling probably sucks but based on all the comments from RRT and even on the PB forums it was obvious it was coming. Despite the looming storm it looks like there was no forethought on how to deal with it and a lot of the replies are being angrily snap fired from the hip. You can't provide a professional image if you are ranting at people, even if they are goading and poking the bear you need to stay even keeled and rise above it. By snapping on people and putting people on blanket ignore you are giving trolls exactly what they want and that's what's currently happening.
Yeah, it was pretty fething stupid of Carmen "Casey" Bellaire to start his Rifts campaign by baiting the RRT backers in the RRT Comments, and poking them. He tangled with the bull, and he got the horns!
Hey John, it's their business, I NEED nothing from them as a backer, but as a consumer I WANT something. I'm not here to massage their egos, I want a quality RIFTS IP product. The onus is not in me to generate a community of happy spirited people who will "spread the word". I've offered to help but we're all still being ignored.
Rache Bartmoss 14 minutes ago
You guys are assuming so much. I don't want the kickstarter to fail. I want prospective backers to be aware of the risks involved so they make ibformed decisions.
There is nothing aggressive about that at all.
Talizvar about 2 hours ago
I will own my "vitriol".
I feel it is justified as a consumer.
Accountability for their actions is key.
Carmen needs his group to prove they are truly independent and not being used by PB.
They do that, I have no beef with them (other than giving PB money in any way... ;-) )
Also, there's this comment:
Arete about 2 hours ago
I'm still concerned about Carmen's lack of appearance here. A check shows he hasn't even logged onto Kickstarter at all today.
Not, "Hasn't commented" but... Hasn't logged on since yesterday.
Hasn't commented for a few days now. With -very- recent history, that's... highly concerning to me.
I'm not optimistic about this project, but, since the miniature sculpts have already been paid for and Savage Worlds: RIFTS has been published, mebbe PEG could get the files from Carmen and make the miniatures (PEG has various miniatures for their Savage World worlds, and the Savage Worlds rules can use miniatures). They'll be in metal, so will be more expensive than plastic, but at least they'll be made and can use the SW RIFTS ruleset.
This is what I tried to type by phone but rather failed.
"@RH How can you say with straight face that Palladium Books isn't involved with the kickstarter... Scroll to the bottom of this page and employees are list not as licensers, but as collaborators... Also, if there listing is in error than may I suggest you remove them... There have been trolls and legit questions please address the questions make a list... If you cannot tell, which questions are legit, which based on your update, may be the case-this project is doomed. The begining of a kickstarter is not about you first, it is about the project first... Your updates look like they are straight from the If I Did It Kevin Siembedia Handbook.... The difference being his KS was funded before he pulled this crap."
My initial reaction to the new Stretch Goals was "Eh, they think 10k is enough to cut steel for 5 Skelebots + manufacturing? Optimistic aren't they?"
Not at all, really. Going by the Heavy Gear KS, cutting a steel mold is around 10k. Thing is, one mold will cast well more than 5 figures, especially if they're one piece figures. At least if your casting company isn't blowing smoke up your behind about the need to have separate molds and a billion pieces per mini.
My initial reaction to the new Stretch Goals was "Eh, they think 10k is enough to cut steel for 5 Skelebots + manufacturing? Optimistic aren't they?"
Not at all, really. Going by the Heavy Gear KS, cutting a steel mold is around 10k. Thing is, one mold will cast well more than 5 figures, especially if they're one piece figures. At least if your casting company isn't blowing smoke up your behind about the need to have separate molds and a billion pieces per mini.
Problem is those cheap $10K molds are not designed for mass speed productions and usually break down pretty fast.
Thinks Palladium books screwed the pooch on the Robotech project.
My initial reaction to the new Stretch Goals was "Eh, they think 10k is enough to cut steel for 5 Skelebots + manufacturing? Optimistic aren't they?"
Not at all, really. Going by the Heavy Gear KS, cutting a steel mold is around 10k. Thing is, one mold will cast well more than 5 figures, especially if they're one piece figures. At least if your casting company isn't blowing smoke up your behind about the need to have separate molds and a billion pieces per mini.
Problem is those cheap $10K molds are not designed for mass speed productions and usually break down pretty fast.
Given the number of units they'll run I doubt that's a big issue.
My initial reaction to the new Stretch Goals was "Eh, they think 10k is enough to cut steel for 5 Skelebots + manufacturing? Optimistic aren't they?"
Not at all, really. Going by the Heavy Gear KS, cutting a steel mold is around 10k. Thing is, one mold will cast well more than 5 figures, especially if they're one piece figures. At least if your casting company isn't blowing smoke up your behind about the need to have separate molds and a billion pieces per mini.
Problem is those cheap $10K molds are not designed for mass speed productions and usually break down pretty fast.
Given the number of units they'll run I doubt that's a big issue.
you would be surprised on one batch we decided to up to a better mold at about $40K since it would save us more on the long run., also for a $10K mold its not steel but aluminum and its a simple flat 2 part mold for molding skinny items (about 1/4" max), we used those kind of molds for custom LEGO weapons and such, problem is the molds kept breaking down after 1,000 pressings.
Thinks Palladium books screwed the pooch on the Robotech project.
ced1106 wrote: I'm not optimistic about this project, but, since the miniature sculpts have already been paid for and Savage Worlds: RIFTS has been published, mebbe PEG could get the files from Carmen and make the miniatures (PEG has various miniatures for their Savage World worlds, and the Savage Worlds rules can use miniatures). They'll be in metal, so will be more expensive than plastic, but at least they'll be made and can use the SW RIFTS ruleset.
That's my hope too. SW Rifts is the best thing to come out of the Rifts setting (I'm including the original RPG), and a miniatures line would be a great addition.
"The 75mm gun is firing. The 37mm gun is firing, but is traversed round the wrong way. The Browning is jammed. I am saying "Driver, advance." and the driver, who can't hear me, is reversing. And as I look over the top of the turret and see twelve enemy tanks fifty yards away, someone hands me a cheese sandwich."
Asterios wrote: Problem is those cheap $10K molds are not designed for mass speed productions and usually break down pretty fast.
Given the number of units they'll run I doubt that's a big issue.
Exactly. It's not like Palladium needs to knock out a million copies. They simply need to produce 1,000. That $10k mold is easily good for 10,000 copies, and will still be crisp for the first 1k.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/05/11 23:50:36
Asterios wrote: Problem is those cheap $10K molds are not designed for mass speed productions and usually break down pretty fast.
Given the number of units they'll run I doubt that's a big issue.
Exactly. It's not like Palladium needs to knock out a million copies. They simply need to produce 1,000. That $10k mold is probably good for 100,000 copies, and will still be crisp for the first 10k.
Problem is that $10K mold only gets you an aluminum mold with a gap space of 6"-8" square and maybe 1/2" depth so they will need to make more then one mold for certain groups and factions like dog boys and so on and thats if it is a very small base, remember these minis are on a base. now if they go with a soft plastic PVC system, it might be around that price but then you get cheap army men quality.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2017/05/12 00:26:20
Thinks Palladium books screwed the pooch on the Robotech project.