(KICKSTARTER) Deadzone Kickstarter - Funding Successful

[eMills]

Mantic would have produced this game without Kickstarter. The KS is just a glorified preorder system in this case.

Not specifically picking on you Kitsune, but I feel like this is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for them.

If they don't do a lot of pre-KS work, you end up with Gates of Antares, and people saying that they are amatures and that they should have had tons of concepts and sculpts done beforehand.

If they do what they have done and get a lot of the work done pre-KS, people cry that they are abusing KS as a pre-order system.

It's a no win situation.

Also, I am an huge fan of what I have seen so far for this project, and the general idea behind it (self-contained scifi skirmish game). I'll be investing heavily.

~Eric

[Dentatus]

I'm in a bit of a snit because the latest Stretch Goal (upgraded material on Game mat) isn't offered to those below Strike level. So that "Early Bird Recon with all applicable Stretch Goals" doesn't apply? Why not?

I think I'll label this a "Sketch Goal". 'Cause that sleight-of-hand/bait-and-switch is a touch sketchy.

[Momotaro]

One of the things that Mantic, amongst others, has said is that Kickstarter allows them to accelerate their development schedule significantly.  Reaper said the same thing about their Bones line.

As far as I'm concerned, it's win-win.  Mantic gets an entire game line to market quickly (and a bunch of stuff for Warpath, clever boys), and I get a "complete" game up front, with lots of options and factions to keep it interesting.

Lines of figures that stay incomplete for years, or die and never get all the options you want are, of course, another pet peeve of gamers...

As for setting a "realistic" target, it's pretty clear what works for minis games on Kickstarter - reasonable funding target, lots of stretch goals.  Anyone who doesn't do it that way is shooting themselves in the foot.

[rwwin]

As for setting a "realistic" target, it's pretty clear what works for minis games on Kickstarter - reasonable funding target, lots of stretch goals.  Anyone who doesn't do it that way is shooting themselves in the foot.

No I get that it works, I'm just exasperated that we as customers let it work that way.  I don't remember if I saw it on another thread or just imagined it but there is a joke about the board game kickstarter life cycle that starts with confusion, moves to overly enthusiastic pledging, followed by impatient waiting, slipped deadlines and angry fist shaking only to end in crushing disappointment.

I went all in early with the original Zombicide and Sedition Wars but I've found recently I prefer just to wait until the very end when the 48 hour notice goes out, but then your stuck wading through all of the updates you didn't pay attention to to find out where you want your pledge.

I'm in a bit of a snit because the latest Stretch Goal (upgraded material on Game mat) isn't offered to those below Strike level. So that "Early Bird Recon with all applicable Stretch Goals" doesn't apply? Why not?

I think I'll label this a "Sketch Goal". 'Cause that sleight-of-hand/bait-and-switch is a touch sketchy.

Looking at the comments on that update it's an odd justification that they can't afford to upgrade the mat at the recon level when according to my math it looks like the same (and possibly more) discount is built into the strike team level.  I would guess it's just another way to drive more folks to the higher level.  In that respect I prefer the CMON style where there was one set level where you got all of the stretch goals or none.

[Dentatus]

Yeah. I read through their rationalizations, did a mental inventory of my unpainted lead mountain, and cancelled my pledge. Not like I need more figs, and I'm not keen on supporting a lame business model.

[eMills]

Yeah. I read through their rationalizations, did a mental inventory of my unpainted lead mountain, and cancelled my pledge. Not like I need more figs, and I'm not keen on supporting a lame business model.

Why are they rationalizations and not reasons? What is lame about the business model?

Curious.

~Eric

[Dentatus]

Already had this discussion but a concise Pledge description would have helped immensely. Felt too much like a bait-and-switch to me.

Long and short: "Applicable Stretch Goals" apparently translates in Mantic-speak as 'selected rewards deemed feasible by company' or 'X number of early stretch goals'. Between the miscommunication and the bad experience I had with the Enforcers Pre-Order, I opted out.   

[Torben]

I'm in!

... Albeit only when they're done with this pre-order malarky and have actualized the product.

[tnjrp]

One thing I'm curious about is why many seem to be excited about the modular terrain.  From the sketches and pictures of the prototype terrain, it seems to be a direct analog to the Technolog (Pegasus) "Platformer" and "Hexagon" terrain kits

Analogous they may be but they don't seem to be "same shit, different package" to me. These appear to be designed more for making buildings while the Hexagon and Platformer seem to be primarily geared towards making, well, platforms and walkways. So I see these more as complementary than competing products. Of course if these are very expensive comparatively to the Russian products then I may have to give them a pass too.

Furthermore, having slept on it I don't really think I'll be getting too many of the infantry figs from this. Even tho I've been repeatedly told how pap the B4A figs are, I'm fairly happy with them (I suppose I have really low standards or something) and they are at the very least analogous with the Enforcers as well. Will have to see what crops up for the Rebs.

[Momotaro]

No I get that it works, I'm just exasperated that we as customers let it work that way.  I don't remember if I saw it on another thread or just imagined it but there is a joke about the board game kickstarter life cycle that starts with confusion, moves to overly enthusiastic pledging, followed by impatient waiting, slipped deadlines and angry fist shaking only to end in crushing disappointment.

I went all in early with the original Zombicide and Sedition Wars but I've found recently I prefer just to wait until the very end when the 48 hour notice goes out, but then your stuck wading through all of the updates you didn't pay attention to to find out where you want your pledge.

I take your point, but I feel that if you keep your head with Kickstarters, you'll be fine.  I bought in at Recon for the following reasons:

1)  I could actually use a minis/boardgame that plays on a small area;
2)  The pledge as it stands is value for money, with the prospect of more stuff to come;
3)  I'm happy with Mantic and I have a fair idea of the quality they'll produce;
4)  Of my four Kickstarters, I've painted one, I'm half way through the second, with the third in the wings and with the last still to arrive - these minis will be painted and played with.

My pledge may go up or down, depending on how the rules pan out - if they're bad, I may drop back to the figures I really want (probably the Enforcer and Reb factions, plus some terrain). 

[rwwin]

Furthermore, having slept on it I don't really think I'll be getting too many of the infantry figs from this. Even tho I've been repeatedly told how pap the B4A figs are, I'm fairly happy with them (I suppose I have really low standards or something) and they are at the very least analogous with the Enforcers as well. Will have to see what crops up for the Rebs.

I have the B4A figures and am satisfied with them too so you're not alone.  I don't have any of the dreadball figures, but I do have some of the corporation and enforcer figures.  Assuming that the deadzone figures come out with the same level of quality, I don't have any fears.

[tnjrp]

I might change my mind about getting Enforcers if they do turn out in hard plastic but frankly ATM I don't think I'm very likely to give in even then, recalling that they are on the big side compared to my other scifi figs.

[Giger]

Ronnie did a Q&A on both Mantic's Facebook page and in the comments section of the Kickstarter, some very interested bits of information in their so head on over and take a look.

[Giger]

Next stretch has been reached so the mats are in (goody goody), the next stretch is for the The Helfather at $315k:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1744629938/deadzone-the-sci-fi-miniatures-board-game/posts/470700

[rwwin]

Two developments that are (from my perspective) quite positive.

First, Mantic has released the draft Deadzone rules via pdf to all, not just backers of the project:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10049744/deadzone-alpha-3rd-may.pdf

I'm impressed that they had the courage to go for a pre-release of the rules, unlike CMON Kickstarters where you have to take it on faith the rules will be decent.  I haven't had time to go through them yet, but I'm just happy to have something concrete before I commit.  Thank you Mantic.

Second, Secret Weapon Miniatures has an ongoing Kickstarter for plastic terrain tiles.  They have announced that they will alter their urban roads set to work with the Deadzone Grid 3" grid system.  

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1084069684/tablescapes-by-secret-weapon-miniatures/posts/471192

As I'm already pledging for the streets in that Kickstarter, that makes Deadzone that much more attractive.  I'm still not 100% on board yet, but I certainly like the synergy.