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Introductions. I’m a programmer who loves vidya games. More than anything, I love to work on interface and system design. There seems to be an endless number of business apps that I could apply my skills to but I enjoy myself the most when working on a game. Currently, I’m working on 2 titles:.
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Introductions • I’m a programmer who loves vidya games. More than anything, I love to work on interface and system design. There seems to be an endless number of business apps that I could apply my skills to but I enjoy myself the most when working on a game. Currently, I’m working on 2 titles: Mobile Football Animation Editor
An Alternative way to Make no Money Talk by Michael Katic
Agenda • About Kickstarter • Kickstarter for Game Developers • Risk vs. Reward • My Kickstarter • Results • Statistics • My Tips • Questions/Discussion
What is Kickstarter? • Crowed Funding Web Tool. • Funders pledge money to support a project and in return and awarded with all kinds of loot from a “thank you” to a finished product. • Kickstarter gets their cut of the money raised. • Creators keep 100% ownership of their work along with the money they raise. To be clear, Kickstarter has nothing to do with this awesome karate kick.
Original Programmer Art Awesome Photoshop Gradient!
Meeting your Goal: All or Nothing • When a project is created the creator sets a funding goal that they will strive to meet. • If they meet the goal they will receive the money donated • But, if the pledges fail to reach the set goal all contributions are returned to the backers.
Why KS is relevant to Game Developers: • According to Kickstarter’s Statistics Page: • Games have raised more money than any other category on Kickstarter. • 34% of game projects submitted are successfully funded. • The average dollars raised per game project is about $70,000. Source: http://www.kickstarter.com/help/stats
What Are We Waiting For?!?! • Well after some inspection these numbers are fairly inflated. • The top 5% of games funded account for about 66% of the total dollars awarded. • After factoring out the top 100 we get a more realistic average.
Let’s be Optimistic • You have a team of 3 people. • Your release date is 1 year from now. • You create a campaign and raise $25,000! You now each make 700 big ones a month! Hopefully your family and friends have nice couches.
Other Benefits of a Successful Campaign • Notoriety • For your team and your game • This should also increase the sales you make outside of Kickstarter. • Increased Audience • Proof that you can promote a product, then follow through and deliver a final that your customers enjoy.
Going for it After analyzing the risks and rewards I decided to run a Kickstarter campaign.
Initial Setup • Select a Project • Pick a Goal Amount • Choose a Funding Period • Write About Section • Show Gameplay Demo • Create Rewards • Build a Team • Think of Stretch Goals • Show Budget
Things I did Initially What I frantically fixed What I Missed
Select a Project Initial Fixed Missed
Pick a Goal Amount Initial Fixed Missed
Choose a Funding Period Initial Fixed Missed
Write About Section Game of Inches is about the details in every inch. The idea has incredible depth and fills a huge void in the application market. As the user you are a god of football and have the power to command your team to a championship. Tell your players exactly how to run then get ready to command the quarterback. Save your successful plays and use them in similar situations for the best results. As you progress through a season you’ll continue to make a well-rounded play book. Finally, when you’re ready you’ll be able to test it against your friends to see whose is better. • Decked out with a completely original passing system, Game of Inches is intelligently designed and addictively fun. As the player you are a god of football and have the power to command your team from above! Play against the computer in your free time or get together with a friend and duke it out. • Advanced Features • Design your own playbook with up to 1000 plays • Battle for Grid Iron supremacy with your buddies in on-line multiplayer • Post your Top plays online and get rated by other users • Games against the computer will be properly saved so you can play a little bit at a time. Playing a few minutes will provide a lot of fun, a bit of progression, and maybe a new play or two! Initial Fixed Missed
Show Gameplay Demo Initial Fixed Missed
Create Rewards Initial Fixed Missed
Build a Team Initial Fixed Missed
Think of Stretch Goals Initial Fixed Missed
Show Budget Initial Fixed Missed
Generating Traffic • Free • Press Release • Covered by Indie Game Mag • Contacted by android-apps.com near end • Facebook page • Twitter Account • Feature on IGDA Kickstarter page • Reddit Posts • Other Relevant Blog Discussion • Website with Mailing List Subscription
Generating Traffic • Paid • Facebook Adds • Stumble Upon
Final Timeline
Video Kickstarter Main Video Gamplay Video Hosted on YouTube
If you Don’t Even Art Find Someone Who Does At a rate of 20$/hour, $200.00 got me a logo and 8 sprite animations
Don’t Pay For Adds • Spend the money on vital services that better the project • Use the countless free means of getting publicity
Don’t start a Kickstarter without an Initial Following • A campaing isn’t the best time to see if people like you. • Everyone wants to be a critic but you will get less of these critics if they see you already have fans. • Use Kickstarter to give your followers that extra push they need to contribute to what they love.
Taking Criticism • Do your best to avoid taking criticism personally. • To clarify you should still take criticism into consideration. • You are wrong more than you want to admit.
Be Prepared to Loose a Lot of Time • Creating and managing a Kickstarter project is very time consuming • Plan to have less time to put towards development