Icebound [BxG][Steampunk Fantasy/Mystery][Finished]

[Fenrir34]

Also, this may be random, but I love the button boxes. Never seen anything like that before. They're pretty (Once again, sorry if this was random..

[SundownKid]

You've been taking pre-orders for a while now. How then can it be you still need $3000 to finish the game even without voice acting?

To be honest, I haven't made much money in pre orders before the Kickstarter. It's a small amount compared to the budget of the game, and if I can't recoup even that, it's hard to financially justify adding the voice acting as well.

Also, this may be random, but I love the button boxes. Never seen anything like that before. They're pretty (Once again, sorry if this was random..

Thanks, I designed the entire UI myself.

[Fenrir34]

You've been taking pre-orders for a while now. How then can it be you still need $3000 to finish the game even without voice acting?

To be honest, I haven't made much money in pre orders before the Kickstarter. It's a small amount compared to the budget of the game, and if I can't recoup even that, it's hard to financially justify adding the voice acting as well.

Also, this may be random, but I love the button boxes. Never seen anything like that before. They're pretty (Once again, sorry if this was random..

Thanks, I designed the entire UI myself.

That's really amazing. I can tell it's going to be a really fun game. I'm very excited

[Anna]

You've been taking pre-orders for a while now. How then can it be you still need $3000 to finish the game even without voice acting?

To be honest, I haven't made much money in pre orders before the Kickstarter. It's a small amount compared to the budget of the game, and if I can't recoup even that, it's hard to financially justify adding the voice acting as well.

Even then, isn't the point of kickstarter to raise money so you can kickstart something, not pay for things already made? If it was only for voice-acting, I could understand, but getting money for what you made normally comes from releasing and actually selling the thing you made, not kickstarter.

[tnm6]

You've been taking pre-orders for a while now. How then can it be you still need $3000 to finish the game even without voice acting?

To be honest, I haven't made much money in pre orders before the Kickstarter. It's a small amount compared to the budget of the game, and if I can't recoup even that, it's hard to financially justify adding the voice acting as well.

Even then, isn't the point of kickstarter to raise money so you can kickstart something, not pay for things already made? If it was only for voice-acting, I could understand, but getting money for what you made normally comes from releasing and actually selling the thing you made, not kickstarter.

I understand your point, Anna, but at the same time, I think it's important to understand that a lot of indie developers (especially those here on lemmasoft) will often finance their games' production out of their own pocket. In some circumstances (and especially with a game as large and ambitious as Icebound) this can be a financial burden on the development team, so-at least in my opinion-I can understand the need to have some of the work reimbursed so that future progress can be continue without potentially-inhibiting financial roadblocks.

[Anna]

That could be a point, weren't it for pre-orders opening months ago. Are you telling me pre-orders were opened while a significant part of the game still needed to be completed?

In this light, I still don't see the charm in abusing kickstarter's system and pretending to use the money for new assets (excluding voice-acting).

[SundownKid]

I understand your point, Anna, but at the same time, I think it's important to understand that a lot of indie developers (especially those here on lemmasoft) will often finance their games' production out of their own pocket. In some circumstances (and especially with a game as large and ambitious as Icebound) this can be a financial burden on the development team, so-at least in my opinion-I can understand the need to have some of the work reimbursed so that future progress can be continue without potentially-inhibiting financial roadblocks.

Indeed, Icebound was paid for entirely out of my own pocket, so spending too much money would put a strain on me. Even if I didn't do a Kickstarter initially, I'm not Richard Garriott trying to do a Kickstarter when I still have millions of dollars in the bank.

That could be a point, weren't it for pre-orders opening months ago. Are you telling me pre-orders were opened while a significant part of the game still needed to be completed?

In this light, I still don't see the charm in abusing kickstarter's system and pretending to use the money for new assets (excluding voice-acting).

I disagree that a Kickstarter is only valid if you are completely unable to start your game without one. It would put a strain on me financially if I kept adding things to Icebound, even if I could theoretically finish it on my own.

Even then, isn't the point of kickstarter to raise money so you can kickstart something, not pay for things already made? If it was only for voice-acting, I could understand, but getting money for what you made normally comes from releasing and actually selling the thing you made, not kickstarter.

...Which I plan to do. I only expect to make as much as the development costs from Kickstarter, not make a profit.

[tnm6]

That could be a point, weren't it for pre-orders opening months ago. Are you telling me pre-orders were opened while a significant part of the game still needed to be completed?

In this light, I still don't see the charm in abusing kickstarter's system and pretending to use the money for new assets (excluding voice-acting).

I'm actually not affiliated with the game and, thus, can't answer you question concerning the pre-orders (I was just offering my opinion about the kickstarter campaign).

However, I DO think it's unfair for you to accuse them of "pretending" to use the money for new assets. In fact, compared to many crowdfunding campaigns I've seen, the Icebound campaign actually has quite a bit of transparency concerning their plans for the allocation of funds. Explicitly, 29% of the funds would go towards VA, while 43% would go towards the other development assets of the game (again, I fail to see where they have "pretended" that all of the money would go towards the voice work).

I don't want to harp on this too much, but I can completely understand a developer wanted to accrue additional funds to allow them to:

1.) Get reimbursed for some of the work they have already completed so that aren't handcuffed financially for future asset development

2.) Augment and improve existing assets

3.) Obtain the means necessary to create new assets


In the end, it essentially comes down to how much you trust the development team; based on the kickstarter campaign, they earned my vote and my pledge, and-hopefully-someone affiliated with Icebound can step in and try to assuage your doubts.

[Anna]

Well, I'm back from my day out, so...

Indeed, Icebound was paid for entirely out of my own pocket, so spending too much money would put a strain on me. Even if I didn't do a Kickstarter initially, I'm not Richard Garriott trying to do a Kickstarter when I still have millions of dollars in the bank.

Which is completely normal: nearly everyone who makes VNs here has to pay for it themselves.

I disagree that a Kickstarter is only valid if you are completely unable to start your game without one. It would put a strain on me financially if I kept adding things to Icebound, even if I could theoretically finish it on my own.

That's not what I meant. If you used Kickstarter to only ask for voice acting and other features that wouldn't be financially viable otherwise, I would have no problems with it. Yet you're also using Kickstarter to refund development costs already made, which shouldn't be the responsibility of your backers.

Furthermore, due to it being a Kickstarter and the recoup of development costs being presented together with the new feature of voice-acting, it's easy to mistake it as something which has to be funded instead of something already made and you looking to recoup those costs.

...Which I plan to do. I only expect to make as much as the development costs from Kickstarter, not make a profit.

Which is exactly what you should do by selling your product. If everyone used Kickstarter like this, we would just be paying developers back for 'production costs they already made' and apparently could afford, instead of supporting those who would otherwise never be able to develop their ideas.


Anyway, this is just my opinion of things. I'm not going to argue more about this, since I think the above sums up my view well enough.

[ktalkimist]

Do you do any promotion for the Kickstarter?

[SundownKid]

Do you do any promotion for the Kickstarter?

We're working on it =)

[ktalkimist]

You got $1k+ with no promotions? That's great!

[SundownKid]

Well, we did have some promotions during the beginning of the kickstarter.

[SundownKid]

Our Kickstarter has reached the final week! We've posted a new update about the game to backers on Kickstarter.

[Googaboga]

Best of luck with your Kickstarter. I pre-ordered the game myself. I'm looking forward to the release C:.