4217: The Seat of Power
Conveniently, there is a comic related to my post:
I don't remember the overarching message I wanted to say about Kickstarter. Obviously, like anything run by humans, it has occasional problems, but the folks who've used Kickstarter who(m?*) I've wanted to support have gone--to date--5/6 for successful funding [the fail was a second-edition book preorder somewhat on the expensive side].
*This is the one major grammatical point that still confuses me, when to use "whom" vs. "who" in a sentence. I know it's always "to/for/from whom" [including when switched around as in "Whom did you give it to?"], but it sounds so awful to me. I'm always inclined to default to "who" [not only due to Doctor Who], much the way "a" only becomes "an" before a vowel SOUND [i.e. "a unicorn" vs. "an FPS"]... BUT I DIGRESS.
Mostly I guess I wanted to comment on the backer bonuses I've purchased.
The one that more of you are familiar with is the source for this post's avatar, a guest appearance in Shortpacked!, but only because that one finished first and is avatar...able. Originally, I went nuts and was the FIRST Top Level backer for Poorcraft for the lol of it... but apparently the list they are given is in no particular backer order, because my cameos in Poorcraft look a bit arbitrarily assigned. Or maybe the others gave above and beyond? I dunno. [The backer list on the project page merely shows that I made my backing three days into the project--not that I guess being merely a Top Level backer means as much compared to being THE Top Level backer.]
What this leads me to believe is that "crazy" is no longer just that when it comes to Kickstarter, as a more recent project shows. Certainly it's an indicator that if you demonstrate that you CAN follow through on a project AND have a good idea in mind, people will be more than happy to let capitalism do its magic, vs. if you're kind of shitting around.
It's also a little bit of a risk choosing what reward levels to back, too. I'm openly[-ish] backing Smut Peddler because it features some artists I like [the porn element is irrelevant], and I would totally go Top Level again... except that I don't like the project THAT much. Cameo on the cover of a practical book? *thumbs up* Cameo in a silly webcomic? *woo!* Cameo on the back of a porno rag? ...uh... Not even that fond of the messenger bag, regardless of limited-edition-ness--if anything, I'm buying this bag when it gets back in stock, which I waited to do because it threatens to be permanent stock vs. a one-time dealie.
Anyway, I am currently locked into one of the lower "limited" tiers because it offers the original SP minis, which I want to see [like the curious cat(s) I roleplay], and I'm really not that interested in buying a hardcover of PORN. Unless it's really good, then maybe I'll feel bad about missing out, but I don't know if it's gonna be like Eisner material despite the curation. I don't even know if I'd want Robot or Flight in hardback, after all, and those are excellent. Of course, my altruistic instinct drives me to want to jump on the "get three copies" level and give two away, but that unfortunately means not getting the minis [I did temporarily switch until I realized this, then kept the upped pledge while retaining the lower level]. Similarly, the "original page of art" and "commission" levels are fully separate, due to the limited number of each... I feel like I'm spoiled on the projects with "get everything from the prior tiers plus such-and-such extra" tiers.
Unless someone wants to back a different level for me ¬_¬ [pfff--like I need to be spending that much money for something I feel curious about, at best]
Of vague interest to note, when I went to check the links for this post, David Willis posted a new project... which I've automatically backed at the appropriate level =p [read: guess which I picked--and it's not the "I will come and eat at Taco Bell with you" level because who wants to pay that much for Taco Bell] I should also note that two other people beat me to it, but whatevs. I'm an ardent believer in giving money to people who create things I like, so they'll keep creating those things! AND YOU CAN TOO
I don't remember the overarching message I wanted to say about Kickstarter. Obviously, like anything run by humans, it has occasional problems, but the folks who've used Kickstarter who(m?*) I've wanted to support have gone--to date--5/6 for successful funding [the fail was a second-edition book preorder somewhat on the expensive side].
*This is the one major grammatical point that still confuses me, when to use "whom" vs. "who" in a sentence. I know it's always "to/for/from whom" [including when switched around as in "Whom did you give it to?"], but it sounds so awful to me. I'm always inclined to default to "who" [not only due to Doctor Who], much the way "a" only becomes "an" before a vowel SOUND [i.e. "a unicorn" vs. "an FPS"]... BUT I DIGRESS.
Mostly I guess I wanted to comment on the backer bonuses I've purchased.
The one that more of you are familiar with is the source for this post's avatar, a guest appearance in Shortpacked!, but only because that one finished first and is avatar...able. Originally, I went nuts and was the FIRST Top Level backer for Poorcraft for the lol of it... but apparently the list they are given is in no particular backer order, because my cameos in Poorcraft look a bit arbitrarily assigned. Or maybe the others gave above and beyond? I dunno. [The backer list on the project page merely shows that I made my backing three days into the project--not that I guess being merely a Top Level backer means as much compared to being THE Top Level backer.]
What this leads me to believe is that "crazy" is no longer just that when it comes to Kickstarter, as a more recent project shows. Certainly it's an indicator that if you demonstrate that you CAN follow through on a project AND have a good idea in mind, people will be more than happy to let capitalism do its magic, vs. if you're kind of shitting around.
It's also a little bit of a risk choosing what reward levels to back, too. I'm openly[-ish] backing Smut Peddler because it features some artists I like [the porn element is irrelevant], and I would totally go Top Level again... except that I don't like the project THAT much. Cameo on the cover of a practical book? *thumbs up* Cameo in a silly webcomic? *woo!* Cameo on the back of a porno rag? ...uh... Not even that fond of the messenger bag, regardless of limited-edition-ness--if anything, I'm buying this bag when it gets back in stock, which I waited to do because it threatens to be permanent stock vs. a one-time dealie.
Anyway, I am currently locked into one of the lower "limited" tiers because it offers the original SP minis, which I want to see [like the curious cat(s) I roleplay], and I'm really not that interested in buying a hardcover of PORN. Unless it's really good, then maybe I'll feel bad about missing out, but I don't know if it's gonna be like Eisner material despite the curation. I don't even know if I'd want Robot or Flight in hardback, after all, and those are excellent. Of course, my altruistic instinct drives me to want to jump on the "get three copies" level and give two away, but that unfortunately means not getting the minis [I did temporarily switch until I realized this, then kept the upped pledge while retaining the lower level]. Similarly, the "original page of art" and "commission" levels are fully separate, due to the limited number of each... I feel like I'm spoiled on the projects with "get everything from the prior tiers plus such-and-such extra" tiers.
Unless someone wants to back a different level for me ¬_¬ [pfff--like I need to be spending that much money for something I feel curious about, at best]
Of vague interest to note, when I went to check the links for this post, David Willis posted a new project... which I've automatically backed at the appropriate level =p [read: guess which I picked--and it's not the "I will come and eat at Taco Bell with you" level because who wants to pay that much for Taco Bell] I should also note that two other people beat me to it, but whatevs. I'm an ardent believer in giving money to people who create things I like, so they'll keep creating those things! AND YOU CAN TOO