Kickstarter: What are you backing?

[Kong Wen]

There's a thread like this on another forum I read, and it can be a good way to give people a heads-up on some Kickstarter (and other crowd-funding) campaigns that are out there that we might have otherwise missed.

Use this thread to post and discuss any Kickstarter campaign you've found that looks interesting or promising, ask for advice on things you're thinking of backing, or just to boggle at particularly weird concepts.

[Kong Wen]

I've only ever backed two things on Kickstarter, despite the handful of possibly-Kickstarted games that I've since come to own.

The first was Pier Solar HD, a remake of a game lovingly developed for the Sega Genesis, complete with extravagant physical packages including a Genesis cartridge and a CD that could be used in the Sega CD to enhance the soundtrack. I decided at the time not to spring big bucks for it, and my patience was rewarded with this remake. It should be coming out on multiple platforms this summer.

The second was the much more recent Unsung Story, brainchild of Yasumi Matsuno and a kind of distant spiritual successor to Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, and Tactics Ogre. Akihiko Yoshida is doing the concept art, Hitoshi Sakimoto is composing the soundtrack, and Alexander O. Smith & Joseph Reeder are working the localization. This is basically the core team from Matsuno's best games, so if any project has the potential to achieve the same kind of brilliant tone as those previous works, it's this.

[Yasume]

Considering backing World End Economica for a Vita port, but the trailers don't really put me over the edge. Then again, it's hard to make a captivating trailer for a visual novel. Footage for Phoenix Wright, Zero Escape and Danganronpa games didn't pump me up either and yet they are my 3 favorite series.

Anyway, here's the link in case anyone else is interested:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/se ... a-complete

Needs 50k w/ 19 days to go.

[Turai]

I backed the Skullgirls DLC thing and Mighty No 9 back in "the day" (making it sound oh so long ago).

Thinking about backing the Lord Karnage comic as well.

[The Shoemaker]

It has been so long I can't remember, but I believe I've backed Shovel Knight (that had a Kickstarter right?) I've also supported Shantae and the Half Genie Hero.

[Kong Wen]

I haven't backed this one, but I think it looks interesting: a haptic feedback vest for video games.

The KOR FX is worn like a vest and it rumbles and jolts based on game audio. Shot from behind? You'll get feedback in your back. It's an interesting concept that won't gain wide super-traction because of the whole "having to wear gear while gaming" obstacle. Still, it would be pretty cool to be able to play a game in an Oculus or Morpheus with this vest on, Move / motion controllers in each hand, and walk around on an Omni, maybe at a dedicated place like a neo-arcade or something.

[PoisonRamune]

I've backed The Maze of Games which is a do your own adventure book (a hybrid puzzle book and choose your own adventure book). This one I backed because it's by a friend of mine from up north and he's a super amazing game designer and avid vegan food lover (he once got me a vegan hot dog and I took the cleanest shit of my life after that).

I also backed the movie The Amateur and mostly because the star of the film is my best friend from pinball league and the production people said they weren't going to pay him unless they got the KS money...

I've yet to see any reward from any of these projects I backed.

[Claytone]

The first thing I ever backed was Boss Fight Books, described on its Kickstarter page as...

"Each of our books will take a critical, creative, historical, and personal look at a single classic video game.

Some books will be about the history of the game's creation, some will focus on particular elements like level design, story, and music, some will investigate the subculture that has formed around a game, some will bring in outside art, science, and media, some will have a strong autobiographical element. Many books will be a combination of all these things."

The books are all penned by authors of reasonable credentials, and the ones that have come out so far have been well-received, so that's good to hear.

The first series of books included Super Mario Bros. 2, Galaga, EarthBound, ZZT, and Jagged Alliance 2. I selected Galaga as my book, since it has always been one of my favorite arcade games, and I feel my depth of knowledge on pre-NES gaming could use a buff. It releases on July 1st, so here's hoping it's of decent quality!

Oh, and since I'm a big Mega Man fan, I also backed Mighty No. 9. I'm sure Mr. Inafune will deliver a good product, but it's a long time to wait!

[Sharecrow]

I've only funded one Kickstarter and that was for the Pinball Arcade: Star Trek the Next Generation table. At least I think it was Star Trek...it was either that or the Twilight Zone and the other was added as a stretch goal that didn't make it and then got its own Kickstarter. Anyway, I passed on the freebies and now kind of wish I'd at least grabbed Star Trek since I later scored Pinball Arcade and that's one of few tables out there I'm strongly interested in getting.

The other thing that I was very close to funding was an Obituary album (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/un ... nav_search). This fortunately got funded so I'll happily give them money for it at retail once it hits iTunes or perhaps even grab it on a CD.

[Pluvius]

I've backed the following Kickstarters in chronological order:

Broken Age
Wasteland 2
SpaceVenture
Pillars of Eternity ($65)
Star Citizen
The Magical Realms of Tir na Nog: Escape from Necron 7: The Revenge of Cuchulainn: The Official Game of the Movie: Chapter 2 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa (aka Barkley 2)
Torment: Tides of Numenera ($110... yep)
Frog Fractions 2

Aside from Broken Age itself, out of all of these the only thing I've gotten so far is a "White Citizen's Card" from Star Citizen that is currently buried in my wallet, though to be fair I'm only eligible for extras on two other games. All of the games that have been around long enough have slipped past their deadlines. On the bright side, they're all by proven developers (I refuse to Kickstart anything that isn't) and most of them are due out pretty soon.

Rob