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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/privateerpress/the-art-of-privateer-press/description

update - its now funded and heading toward stretchgoals!

The link says it all and shows off some of the artwork! Still funding and aiming to gather enough to print a brand new artbook of over 100 pages long containing much of the concept art and work from the games that PP makes, most notably Warmachine and Hordes. There's also a unique metal model that will ship (around May) earlier than the book and which is usable in Warmachine and also their upcoming stand along game release.

There's also a tier where you can get hold of a canvas work of art from them, note that the final selection of prints for the canvas hasn't been decided upon so if its not shown on the page for canvas drop PP a note to inform them what you'd like to see and they'll use that input to finalise the selection.

I'm in for 40 dollars. I can wait for the model.

If they greenlight a canvas print I like I might just have to change
my pledge, though.

This looks snazzy to get on I keen.

I do love me some art books, and PP has always had amazing art. Very tempting.

Short campaign though. 11 days? Hope it's enough.

I do wish established companies wouldn't clog up Kickstarter.

 malfred wrote:
Short campaign though. 11 days? Hope it's enough.

That was my surprise too - esp considering thier stretch goal values. I'd have thought at least 2 or 3 weeks and at least covering a 2 month period rather than squeezing it into one month - esp as they are not delivering until end of the year. I also hope its enough!

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I do wish established companies wouldn't clog up Kickstarter.

Same, but then there's this:

"We have wanted to produce an art book showcasing the illustrations of Privateer Press for many years and we know many players of Privateer's games have desired this as well. Our primary business, though, is making games, and the distribution network and retail stores where our products are sold do not typically move art books at a volume that would warrant the expense and effort that goes into producing one. So, we shied away from it for a long time, unsure of how best to approach it. Kickstarter gives us an opportunity to determine if the demand for this book is real by engaging with the actual people who want it, and based on how the project funds, we'll be able to tailor the scope of the book and produce the best possible publication within the constraints of a known budget."

Aye its important to remember that PP isn't GW and they don't have the same internal resources that GW has. Loads of people like artwork and promotional and concept material, but at the same time when push comes to shove (esp if its not limited in any way) they might well buy models with their funds rather than the book.
So a company can wind up with an expensive investment that takes too long to recoup its investment and costs before it even starts to profit.

Also KS style approaches allow a certain level of customer feedback to filter into the final product. This can enhance and improve the product and increase its sales beyond what the company might have already planned from its own design approach.


I also think sometimes established companies do KS some good. They generally have viable Kickstarters that will fund and deliver which improves faith in KS in general. Start up companies can sometimes falter and fail even if they do nothing "wrong" (unforeseen delays, sickness, production problems etc...) So I think KS needs campaigns that have strong to iron clad chances of fulfilling to help keep it afloat within niche markets.

 Overread wrote:

I also think sometimes established companies do KS some good. They generally have viable Kickstarters that will fund and deliver which improves faith in KS in general. Start up companies can sometimes falter and fail even if they do nothing "wrong" (unforeseen delays, sickness, production problems etc...) So I think KS needs campaigns that have strong to iron clad chances of fulfilling to help keep it afloat within niche markets.

PP has generally been pretty good about only using KS to try new things to expand rather than make a business model out of it. Thus far its mostly been attempts to get their name into the board game market, even admitting the primary reason to go to KS is simply because that's where the board game market is and other things that really aren't part of their core business. I can for the most part respect that.

I do not mind it when companies use Kickstarter to try new, different or niche things. I seriously doubt an art book would be popular enough to be sold in bulk via traditional channels in this day and age (especially for something as niche as PP's games).

Yeah, I don't mind this. I'm in for the artbook. We'll see how this goes. I like pretty pictures even if I don't play PP games.

Isn't the whole point of a business is you make investment to make money? Why shunt all the risk from you to the customer.
A company the holds regular conventions should not have a problem with putting money out for investment.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Isn't the whole point of a business is you make investment to make money? Why shunt all the risk from you to the customer.
A company the holds regular conventions should not have a problem with putting money out for investment.

Another point of a company is to reduce investment risk to the company. Why invest 40K (a lot of money) in a project that might fail. Why risk that when you've already got solid product lines. An artbook isn't a new game and its not going to generate huge sales over time.
Also its hardly shifting risk away from PP; if this artbook fails to be fullfilled on KS (assuming it funds) then that directly harms PP's image and consumer relations in a big way. So there's loads of risk, the only difference is that instead of taking investment from current purchases they are doing a pre-order on the product so that the product essentially pays for itself in advance. If it fails to fund PP can go away nothing lost; if it funds then PP is in a good position and the customers are in a good position.

Also it's an easy way to have lots of cash milked out of their fanbase. Maybe they need some cash quite fast. Remember Spartan Games ?

Basically, it's all old artworks they've done in one book. It's not that hard to produce in the end. And the exclusive miniature is well, just an old one with a different "hairdress", after all.

 Sarouan wrote:
Also it's an easy way to have lots of cash milked out of their fanbase. Maybe they need some cash quite fast. Remember Spartan Games ?

Basically, it's all old artworks they've done in one book. It's not that hard to produce in the end. And the exclusive miniature is well, just an old one with a different "hairdress", after all.

They never made the miniature before.

Personally I can wait to get the miniature, but I'm interested in the book.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Isn't the whole point of a business is you make investment to make money? Why shunt all the risk from you to the customer.
A company the holds regular conventions should not have a problem with putting money out for investment.

Realistically, the art book is not going to sell like gangbusters. This is a niche product, for a niche section of the playerbase. This is basically a more open way to run a preorder. PP tells us exactly how much money they need to generate in order to fund the project. In return, PP ensures customers have paid up front for the product and knows exactly how many to produce.

Would you prefer PP to open a pre-order and then, weeks alter go, "Oops. Looks like not enough people preordered. This project is canceled."

 Red_Five wrote:


Would you prefer PP to open a pre-order and then, weeks alter go, "Oops. Looks like not enough people preordered. This project is canceled."

Or go ahead and make it at a loss with them hoping they might just recoup the investment given a year of sales. Companies that make products (esp supporting products) which fail to sell and fail to profit can fast dig themselves into debt. Even if the market likes them, it doesn't mean everyone will buy one.

It's why GW often partners up and lets other companies make cups, lunchboxes, games and the like of their product. Rather than have GW take the investment risk, they farm out the licence and let another company make the risk in a support product investment.

The miniature isn't exclusive. It ships to backers in time for Riot Quests Launch but doesn't hit retail for a few months after that.

 malfred wrote:


They never made the miniature before.

It's just an Iron Kingdom monster variant of the Tomb Maiden.

https://privateerpress.com/iron-kingdoms/miniatures/tomb-maiden

Personally I can wait to get the miniature, but I'm interested in the book.

Sure, it's nice to have all the old artworks gathered in one art book. Nothing wrong with that. And it's a good thing for PP as well if they succeed here. But I still feel like it's also a quick cash grab.

 Overread wrote:

 Red_Five wrote:


Would you prefer PP to open a pre-order and then, weeks alter go, "Oops. Looks like not enough people preordered. This project is canceled."

Or go ahead and make it at a loss with them hoping they might just recoup the investment given a year of sales. Companies that make products (esp supporting products) which fail to sell and fail to profit can fast dig themselves into debt. Even if the market likes them, it doesn't mean everyone will buy one.

It's why GW often partners up and lets other companies make cups, lunchboxes, games and the like of their product. Rather than have GW take the investment risk, they farm out the licence and let another company make the risk in a support product investment.

But a Kickstarter cuts out the middle man, simplifies the whole process and makes everything vastly more transparent.

 Red_Five wrote:


But a Kickstarter cuts out the middle man, simplifies the whole process and makes everything vastly more transparent.

Yes. About PP having easy cash quickly.

Also, from their campaign :

After nearly 20 years and literally thousands of illustrations later, the images that have adorned the games and novels of Privateer Press will be collected into a long-anticipated beautiful art book, sure to become a favored gem among any art lover’s library…but only if this project funds by January 25th.

...so they're making a short campaign on purpose. Why are they so much in a hurry ? Well, it's also a way to put artificial pressure on their backers, the "pledge quickly now otherwise it's lost", so that they don't think too much on their pledge and change their mind after a while. To be honest, they could give more time, like a month, it's more consumer/backer - friendly. But that's not their choice.

Date of delivery is quite far for just a collector book with all of their art already made, you know.

Nah, definitely, that project smells like easy, lazy cash grab. And the PP fanbase will be more than happy to fall to this simple trick.

Would be better if PP was more honest about the situation, because like I said, there's really no harm in having an artbook.

 Sarouan wrote:

 Red_Five wrote:


But a Kickstarter cuts out the middle man, simplifies the whole process and makes everything vastly more transparent.

Yes. About PP having easy cash quickly.

Also, from their campaign :

After nearly 20 years and literally thousands of illustrations later, the images that have adorned the games and novels of Privateer Press will be collected into a long-anticipated beautiful art book, sure to become a favored gem among any art lover’s library…but only if this project funds by January 25th.

...so they're making a short campaign on purpose. Why are they so much in a hurry ? Well, it's also a way to put artificial pressure on their backers, the "pledge quickly now otherwise it's lost", so that they don't think too much on their pledge and change their mind after a while. To be honest, they could give more time, like a month, it's more consumer/backer - friendly. But that's not their choice.

Date of delivery is quite far for just a collector book with all of their art already made, you know.

Nah, definitely, that project smells like easy, lazy cash grab. And the PP fanbase will be more than happy to fall to this simple trick.

Would be better if PP was more honest about the situation, because like I said, there's really no harm in having an artbook.

Even if it is a cash grab, you are still getting exactly what you are paying for.

Side note: I can totally see why people think this is a cash grab.

I don't understand, why should we care if it's a "cash grab" method of selling a product if we want that product?

I want an artbook.

They're making an artbook and selling it through platform X (in this instance, Kickstarter).

I pay money for artbook.

They send me artbook.

Because cynicism.

I see small one man companies venturing in this and other markets witouth KS'rs… you know put your money where your mouth is.

Seriously? An artbook of all things and already illustrated? They either dont believe in their product or errrr something else.

Not too worried about this but its poor taste for a company this size acting like an amateur just to exploit KS.

Thing is I've seen online comics require this kind of money for fewer pages in their books and that's also where all the content is already made (and by the nature of comics most of the art is the same size dimensions so preparation for print is a lot easier as there's no unique resizing and adjustments required for the most part). PP's art is likely all over the place, some large some small and that means each one is going to have to have someone sit there and make sure its print ready for the page - esp for any art that has hither too only been show digitally (preparation for display on digital is different to print media)

Part of it is having enough volume to drive the price from the printing firm down - bulk orders cost less. Another part is that hardback and highgloss on every page costs in ink - heck don't forget printer ink is insanely expensive (more so than fuel for your car).

So having a steep upfront cost is no shock to me.

Likely its not something they want to sell through their existing distribution channels. If you think about it, its the kind of product that... what? 1 out of 3 maybe even 1 out of 5 retailers have a customer to order it for? That's essentially special order only already.

 LunarSol wrote:
Likely its not something they want to sell through their existing distribution channels. If you think about it, its the kind of product that... what? 1 out of 3 maybe even 1 out of 5 retailers have a customer to order it for? That's essentially special order only already.

It is an exceedingly tiny minority of players.

1) you need to be a fan of PP's games

2) you need to be a fan of PP's art

3) you need to be have a desire to buy an art book

4) you need to have the funds necessary to buy the art book

5) you need to go to a shop that bought the book in order to sell it to you

6) you need to go to the shop at the right time to buy it (either in pre-order or before another customer buys it)

Seems like a cool idea to me.

I love their art, and I'm interested to see what Riot Quest is all about.

Not to play too much into the Doom/Gloom camp, but I'm guessing a lot of Brick & Mortar places aren't buying much stuff from PP these days. Most places have clearanced out all their stock, so probably aren't keen to order anything else, least of which is 'non-warmahordes' gaming items.

I"m definitely in for a book & figure.