Hi everyone, I've launched a Kickstarter to get my campaign setting produced. There are a lot of great talents involved, including a few famous faces you might recognize.
Talonspire is a bizarre setting where the Gods don't speak to mortals, druids power their magic by tapping into a plane of the dead, and nature is slowly going mad.
This is my first Kickstarter, but I'm trying my best to make this project a success so that those who supported me can be rewarded. I hope you'll back my project so I can finally get out of my parents' basement. :)
My project is here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/355542524/talonspire-campaign-setting
Thank you!
Thank you for the clickable link, Changing Man. :)
Garnath: The PDF will be cheaper. The rewards on the Kickstarter are cumulative: if you donate at the $35 level, you get everything at the lower backer levels (including the 1st level adventure and your name added to the Thank You page).
@SnakeoilSage
* Was this campaign setting on Kickstarter before? I do remember a Canadian outfit that had a KS that was not successful. Apologies if this was not you. :)
* The funding seems very odd - given that you have not published a CS before, nor run a successful KS, the rather high funding goal ($25300 CAD) is a little off-putting. Currently, the Veranthea Codex Campaign Setting Kickstarter is yet to reach its $8000 goal. Kobold Press Southlands Kickstarter has blown way past your goal, but they are an established company with many published titles and a bunch of very successful Kickstarters.
* Why have you limited the (already high in my opinion) $75 tier to 300 backers? It seems unnecessary to create such an exclusivity. The next tier is $250? A hardback book (regardless of the other rewards) for $75 is steep, and with shipping to Australia. Ouch.
* Typo:
More then 30 playable races reflecting Ovassa's unique cultures!
Having said all that, I do like parts of your CS. I wish you all the best.
@Oceanshieldwolf
It wasn't on Kickstarter before, this is my very first time. The funding goal is a bit high because I have a team of talented people working with me like Carolina Eade that are getting paid a fair bit for their contributions.
If I provided more hardcopies I'd have to raise the Kickstarter goal even further. A fair chunk of that $25k also goes to the printing/shipping costs.
Thanks for catching that typo!
The group of talented writers and artists Mike lined up for this project makes me excited. I hope it funds so that I get to read their wonderful work!
Todd's and Carolina's art is simply amazing.
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The group of talented writers and artists Mike lined up for this project makes me excited. I hope it funds so that I get to read their wonderful work!
Todd's and Carolina's art is simply amazing.
What I have heard is that not all writers are as involved (or even involved) in the project as the Kickstarter claims. At least Steven Schend say he is not involved in any way with the Kickstarter or Talonspyre.
Also I have heard there is a dispute about the setting's name that needs to be resolved first.
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I do know that when I helped admin Pathfinderchronicler.net during 2012 many of the writers worked together in our forums on this project and some left the community over the rift it caused. I also know about the name dispute and the other admin at the chronicler even recommended that the development team behind this project not use the name "Talonspire" because the original creator revoked his permission to use it.
I do hope everything is resolved soon because I am a fan of Ms. Eade's work (check out her covers for our Pathfinder Chronicler Anthologies 2 & 3 available here under Paizo Fans in the downloads store :)
A reasonable solution might be to credit every author that was involved in the original creation process on the title page as 'designers' with Mike credited as the 'developer'
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I certainly don't want to stain anyone's reputation over this. I've spoken to those with concerns; we've cleared the air a bit and I think we've reached an understanding. I'm just waiting to hear back from one of the individuals involved, but I agree, a reasonable solution is to credit every author involved, something I intended to do if we ever got the book to print.
I certainly don't want to stain anyone's reputation over this. I've spoken to those with concerns; we've cleared the air a bit and I think we've reached an understanding. I'm just waiting to hear back from one of the individuals involved, but I agree, a reasonable solution is to credit every author involved, something I intended to do if we ever got the book to print.
I think that if you haven't been contacted by Mike and you did, in fact, participate in the project and wish to be given credit for the work you did, you should contact Mike directly. I know he wants to see this wonderful project come to fruition and not linger in limbo. I see this as a worthy project and am very eager to read what the contributors have created.
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A reasonable solution might be to credit every author that was involved in the original creation process on the title page as 'designers' with Mike credited as the 'developer'
Personally, not me. The idea of the world has changed too mcuh from the original ideas, and besides they were not the ones I intended to work with, but those who have invested their own creative work and ideas in these deserve at least that.
Still... if they were involved in the creative process it's probably a nice gesture to do so and quite the snub not to do so.
What does adding something like, "Creative Input by: John Doe, Jane Doe, (etc)" cost?
It seems like there is some concern over this and perhaps that could go a long way to allay some of those fears (particularly with such a large budget).
Best of luck!
@ShadowcatX: You know, you're 100% right. I should have settled it before I started the Kickstarter. I made a mistake. I've made many mistakes during the development of this CS; this is still a learning process for me as it would be for anyone.
Still, we have time. We can settle this issue, and all come away happy.
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I almost never post on Paizo anymore. Never. I only post to inform about our Pathfinder Fiction Contests and our presence of Pathfinder Chronicler Anthologies at various conventions.
There once was a time though, that I used to post wherever I wanted here. One day though, I was accused of starting some Edition wars thread when I was really just wondering what people thought about 4th Edition. The thread was closed and the explanation given by the moderator was "Whack-a-mole."
So, I will try to use my words very carefully before I get this thread locked.
That said.
I want no acknowledgement for Talonspire. There is not a single bit of me in it. It is all Mike, as far as I know. I may have thrown my ideas around at one time in this project. But friends, mere ideas are cheap.
Story in case:
There's been people in the past that have come to me with their ideas.
When this happens I politely nod my head and hear them out.
Then I ask them, "So, you want to co-write this?"
And they say, " No, I want you to write it. We split it. I give you my ideas and you do the writing."
I sit there thinking. How am I going to tell this person that I have my own ideas, and I'm not interested in writing with their ideas (and doing all the work) just so they can say in the end, "...and I gave him all the ideas..."???
If this is what you think happened with Talonspire, it didn't.
I did have involvement with Talonspire initially but in this case, I want no credit for my work because I put no value on ideas, whatsoever. I do, however, put incredible value on the work it takes to bring ideas to light.
That said, it would seem Montalve, you want to be credited for the time you put into this project in its infancy. My question is, "Why would you want to be associated with something that didn't use anything you added to it?" There is quite literally nothing here that you put forth. Personally, if a project doesn't represent me (my ideas), I'd distance myself from it because some people might get the wrong idea as to what kind of writer I am. And I think, for that reason, I really don't want credit.
I mean really, you did put the time in. So it is yours to ask for, but does this represent you? This project is like NFL Football. It isn't American Soccer, but since it has the word "football" in its header, that makes it credit-worthy for you?
I say no thank you. I can do something that is my own. And I do respect your ideas and writing Montalve to say, "You really don't need this. You're strong enough without it to be your own creator and master of a subject that is exclusively yours."
This project is all Mike. Long after I left the project, Mike continued on, alone. Any ideas he used that may have been mine (which I seriously doubt) were just thoughts at the moment. Quite literally, took me seconds to ponder and reflect in a live chat room. Big deal.
As for the name Talonspire, that did come from someone. I won't mention specific names but I really wanted the name Talonspire removed at the time. Some people were vehemently against giving it up. Those people are now gone from the project. I think I wanted the name changed to "Godfall" or something like that. I just didn't feel comfortable about it.
The ones that created the excellent logo were adamant at the time for keeping the name. Quite honestly, I think they stared at their creation and the name, drooling and just couldn't see a world any different. They did a great job. I'm not sure if Mike had the technical savvy to create a new logo from scratch and this is what he had.
So fine, make amends with the creator of a name and move on.
All the above that you have just read...I really don't care about. It took me an hour to explain it but what comes next I do care about.
Mike Wallace and Carolina Eade have put solid work and effort into creating this vision which is named Talonspire. It is solid. This is their work. There are others that have asked me to come forward who have yet to throw their geniuses into this project. They want my endorsement and now I'm giving it.
I fully support this project. It is a difficult thing for me to come forward like this because I represent a part of the Paizo Fan Base. Over the years I have been slandered, called all kinds of names and who knows what else has gone on to destroy what little credibility I have.
Whatever perceived controversies that may be going on with this kickstarter, I believe will be worked out. I agree that all parties should have been contacted before going forward (even you Montalve), but really there was only one party I would have contacted seriously, and from what I understand, that has already happened.
Success of this kickstarter is very important. There are many professionals waiting to jump in (biting at the bit actually). Messageboards can be so fickle, but their ability to lay waste to hard work is incredibly strong. Quite literally, Volume II for Pathfinder Chronicler was delayed a year over a single story. That is how effective this meter is in tearing a hole in someone's hard work. I respect Carolina Eade and Mike Wallace enough to come to their aid on this.
Thank you.
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Well, the divorce had nothing to do with it because it was nowhere near happening at that time. The author pretty much was caught in the middle. And for myself, I had to distance myself from the event before continuing with the other authors. It was a pretty damn devastating event while everyone hashed out the differences between editing and developing (known as "heavy editing" at the time). I stand by what I have always said. I will not put a story into an Anthology that would cause the reader to drop a book and not return to it. My responsibility goes to all the authors after the last story the reader read. That is why my stories are routinely last.
And this minor picking has nothing to do with Talonspire, so please message me privately before responding to the relevant topic. I'll be more than happy to hash out such things in other venues concerning Pathfinder Chronicler.
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No problem. I know you work very hard on the books and they do come out superb. Your work shows.
As for responding here, since this project is asking for public funds, I believe full transparency to the same public is in order. AS a former admin at the Chronicler, I recall the memo by the offended party asking that his IP, namely the name Talonspire, be removed because it was his creation and he revoked permission to use it. I agreed at the time with you and erased everything I could find relating to it (though I kept everything in a back up flash drive because we were facing those spam bots. So I have every post, including a lengthy transcript with all the creators involved.).
I also agree that this new setting, probably doesn't share anything with the offended authors original notes other than the name, but that's enough. I know you feel the need to support Mike in this, but I also feel the need to support the authors who submitted to us for free, out of love of the setting and game, and then felt that their contributions were misused and now appear under someone else's name for commercial use. I'd do the same for you if someone used one of your stories without permission.
That said, I do hope this matter becomes resolved and Mike succeeds. My dream is for all of the past and present writers from Pathfinderchronicler.net to succeed.
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The aforementioned matter is being resolved by the parties involved. I feel there is no reason to fret.
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I've decided to cancel the Kickstarter, effective immediately. I feel that my own inexperience with handling a Kickstart--specifically related to the amount of money I'm asking for and the amount I expect from backers--is unrealistic. I've gotten some comments about it and advice from several that I should start over with new understanding.
I also feel that this Kickstarter could not succeed as long as this controversy hangs over it. A gentleman claims the name "Talonspire" is his IP, and I'm more than willing to give him credit for it, but this is an issue that should have been settled before launching the Kickstarter. I want to have the chance to do that.
I apologize to anyone who has taken the time to support this. I intend to try again later, with the experience needed to see it to its success.