Hello! I'm leading a team of four Canadian designers in a new 3rd party venture: a campaign guide outlining a dynamic, exciting new setting called "The Ages of Allu." Our team includes Larry Wilhelm, author of many Pathfinder Society Scenarios, along with a fabulous new RPG artist named Tiffany Tate.
Since Kickstarter has recently been opened up for Canadian projects, we figured we'd give it a try. Our hope is to raise enough money to publish a PDF and print version of the campaign guide. The campaign launches November 4.
Right now, it seems like there is a legion of different PF-related Kickstarter campaigns to support, so I understand if your first response includes a bit of eye-rolling. We promise we'll be worth your consideration... but before we begin rolling out all our goods, I thought I'd ask for suggestions about the campaign itself.
So, for those who have (a) run a KS campaign, (b) supported KS campaigns in the past, or even (c) MIGHT support a KS campaign in the future: what would the perfect KS campaign look like? What sorts of rewards would appeal? What kinds of stretch goals, add-ons, etc? What have you seen work in the past?
Any ideas you have would be most welcome! And, if you just can't wait till November to find out what "Allu" is all about, you can visit our page (under construction) at agesofallu.com.
I prefer to see Kickstarters that are used for creating or expanding a business. The product received as the backer reward should be a byproduct of the company creation/expansion rather than the purpose of the Kickstarter itself. Otherwise we're not really Kickstarting anything and just using Kickstarter to preorder a product.
That's my ideal. I'll freely admit I've broken it if I see a particularly cool product at a price that'll save me money vs buying it retail later.
What I try not to support are Kickstarters that show no real attempt to grow the company to not need a Kickstarter next time they want to launch a new product. I'm more inclined to want to support a first-time operation that needs the money to launch but next time around will have made enough to be able to do their second and subsequent products at their own risk.
Anyway, that's my two cents, hopefully it helps you construct your campaign :)
Thanks ShadowcatX and Matt! This stuff is very helpful.
Larry
All ShadowcatX said +1.
Also: COMMUNICATION, all the way. Weekly updates preferred, at the very least monthly updates.
Another thing: If possible, release a short Free or $1-2 pdf or two prior to the KS to show us what you can do - crunch-wise and fluff-wise. Unless you're already established firmly, that helps A LOT. I've been excited about various KS and then didn't back them because I wasn't confident in their ability to create good rules from the examples/ lack of samples.
From what you've written on your page -
"The Campaign Guide also provides optional racial traits for pre-existing races, to boost their power levels accordingly." - does that mean Mythic Rules?
"Because of its richly textured history, Allu is effectively not one, but four different campaign settings, each one calibrated to a different style of gameplay and storytelling. Players can perform legendary, world-shaking deeds in the Age of Gods; form civilizations and defeat armies in the Age of Beasts; stir up rebellion against a tyrannical empire in the Age of Chains; or devise astounding steampunk inventions in the Age of Gears. Moreover, through technology, reincarnation, or the will of the gods, characters can move between the ages, resulting in truly cosmic role-playing possibilities."
-Specify how much space you'll allot to each age. perhaps start with a book on ONE age? Seriously, campaign settings are notoriously short on space. How will you cram them into the pages? Age of Gods = Mythic?
Age of Beasts = mass combat/kingdom building? Age of Gears = what steampunk technology/rules will you use?
Generally, make concrete announcements on what you'll use - it tends to help. Ultimate Campaign-support? Mythic Rules? own system? If own system, then why? What are the selling points?
"Bit of Star Wars." -> Please not the weird sex-less aspect. ;)
Kidding aside, I look forward to seeing how this will develop, especially the flux-idea I know from the other post!
Great feedback from everybody! I'm excited, partly because I have a strong feeling that we will be able to deliver a lot of what has been said so far!
"The Campaign Guide also provides optional racial traits for pre-existing races, to boost their power levels accordingly." - does that mean Mythic Rules?
Partly, although we have a few original tricks up our sleeves, too. The publication of the Mythic Rules definitely expands our options, though, so you can count on the inclusion of new mythic rules -- perhaps even four sets of new Mythic Path Abilities, one for each Age. Although...
-Specify how much space you'll allot to each age. perhaps start with a book on ONE age? Seriously, campaign settings are notoriously short on space. How will you cram them into the pages? Age of Gods = Mythic? Age of Beasts = mass combat/kingdom building? Age of Gears = what steampunk technology/rules will you use?
This is an issue we're still grappling with. We want to provide as many options as possible, but I agree that it makes more sense to point the spotlight chiefly at one age, and maybe touch upon the other three more lightly.
Having said that, I want this project to be steered as much by fan interest as by our own ideas. If we decide to focus on, say, the Age of Gods, but all the feedback is about how cool the Age of Gears could be, then I can see adjusting our focus accordingly.
Ultimately (to tie this in to Matt Thomason's comments), I hope that our Campaign Guide will be the first of many publications. One guide per age is not out of the question. But for now, we are trying to keep our sights fixed on the first milestone for now.
Thanks again! If anyone has more suggestions, hit us with 'em!
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On the subject of content, and agreeing with ShadowcatX and End - perhaps the base setting could be the initial goal, and different Ages would either be stretch goals or subsequent, post-Kickstarter releases. That way the Kickstarter is actually Kickstarting your campain setting rather than just being a funding process for a book.
I'll let Scott talk more about this, but we have a page count and a detailed outline on each chapter. Also our focus ( as of now) is on the age of chains with sub content on the other 3 ages. As I type I am drawing the main city map over each age and writing the gazetteer for the same city over the separate ages. I have the most space allotment for the city during the age of chains. I have already turned in work for some spells and monsters. I also know we have an adventure written that is being play tested.
Larry
Here's some advice that I got from Rite Publishing that is just plain smart: Start talking about your kickstarter at least a month before you go live with it. That gives you enough time to build interest in it, so on the first day it start you might be able to reach you goal amount or get some place very close to that.
+1 what ShadowcatX said - The Unhallowed would probably be funded with stretchgoals et al, had the guys kept up the updating/buzz and momentum from the start of the campaign. Pity, but at least they're probably trying again.
Also: Gueststar in EVERY podcast/videocast you can score - Demiplane of Gaming, GMS magazine, Know Direction, Atomic Array - whoever would have you, go out there and generate some excitement. Show off your artwork. Talk about crunch you're particularly proud of. Show us quality and system-mastery. Oh, and again, it helps if you can deliver some pdfs prior to KS to showcase layout/editing-skills etc. and if you can tie your project to existing rules-sets. Update, Update, update. In forums etc. Wherever you can.
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+1 what ShadowcatX said - The Unhallowed would probably be funded with stretchgoals et al, had the guys kept up the updating/buzz and momentum from the start of the campaign. Pity, but at least they're probably trying again.
Let's just say this might be changing for reasons they may be announcing soon.
Ohhh, I like where this may be going and have a sneaking suspicion... If it proves accurate, you may have yet another very hot iron in the forge indeed...
We plan to post updates throughout the campaign, including artwork, in-world fiction, crunch, and fluff. I'm not sure whether backers want to receive daily updates -- that seems a bit like spamming to me -- but definitely 3-4 times per week.
Endzeitgeist listed a few pod/videocasts to seek out. Does anyone have any other suggestions for promotional outlets? (I'll be bringing Allu to one gaming convention during the campaign, but I'm a bit geographically isolated, so internet promotion is definitely easier!)
Thanks again!
Kobold Press has a google community as well. Click on the Forum link and it'll take you there.
(All this talk of Dragon Kings finally pushed me over the edge to back it...Advertising works, no matter what thread your product is in...)
The Ages of Allu - A Pathfinder Compatible Campaign
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