How do you pay for Kickstarter assets?

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RoseBug
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How do you pay for Kickstarter assets?

#1 Post by RoseBug »

Hey there! Quick (or maybe not so quick) question. I’m working on a script for a long VN, and I want to make a Kickstarter to fund it when I’ve finished said script. The problem? I’m kinda short on money at the moment. But, obviously, to make a Kickstarter you need things like sprite examples, a demo, an OP, etc. So...how do I pay for that stuff BEFORE I have the money from the Kickstarter? Is it possible, or am I out of luck? I can scrape together a bit of cash. Do I have to spend it all on pre-Kickstarter stuff?

I feel dumb for asking this question, but there you go. Thanks for reading this. I hope someone can help me.

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Elsa Kisiel
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Re: How do you pay for Kickstarter assets?

#2 Post by Elsa Kisiel »

Personally, I prefer to only launch a crowdfunding campaigns when the project is nearly finished. It allow me to have a lot of things to show, things that are true to the final product, and it also allow me to publish the final product shortly after the end of the campaign, when people are hyped about it and not yet inpatients. I usually found my projects from my own pocket, but that can be risky.

I know some games have used temporary assets (from the public domain) for their campaign. Others have commissioned only a few assets (like the main character's sprite) in order to not spend to much. I also know that there are artists who are looking for a collaboration (when they will have a % of the sales instead of a fixed amount of money).

However, I know that, as a player, I'm only interested in crowdfunding campaigns for games that are nearly completed or already completed. I don't want to give my money without knowing if the game have a good chance of being completed one day. I might make an exception for a reliable, experimented studio/developer known for keeping their word.
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puppetbomb
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Re: How do you pay for Kickstarter assets?

#3 Post by puppetbomb »

Short answer: You need to come up with the money.

Extended answer: If you went through with your Kickstarter plan, how are you going to pay people for their work if it fails? If you don't have the budget for an artist, do it yourself. If you can't, learn. If it's taking too long to learn, then get the money to pay for someone who already knows how to do it.

There's still the option of going non-commercial and recruiting volunteers for graphics. If you're dead set on going commercial, another option is to find a partner with the skill set you're looking for. And while that sounds nice on paper, you'll need to draw boundaries and be prepared to relinquish control over certain aspects of the game.

Yet another option is to complete the VN with free assets that can be used commercially (as Elsa mentioned more in depth), then use that money to pay for custom graphics/sprites (Or save up for the next project, which is the norm for developers).

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JRaw
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Re: How do you pay for Kickstarter assets?

#4 Post by JRaw »

Yeah, the other commenters really hit the nail on the head here. Your first investor is always going to be you.

Which, I think, can be pretty good. It gives you a chance to show you believe in your product/project. But it's definitely is a barrier to entry

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