Official Twilight Zone News

[Jeff Strong]

I wouldn't sweat it. We're getting TZ, and hopefully Farsight has seen that there is enough interest in these big licensed tables to make them commercially viable without Kickstarter campaigns.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

According to Kicktraq there's been two straight days of people cancelling their pledges. . . .June 13 -$150 and June 14 -$117. I hope this trend doesn't pick up now that we're so close of ending the Kickstarter. I fear this trend might put in jeopardy future license kickstarters.

Given the number of people grousing on FB and KS about ST:TNG not having its own kickstarter (despite the FAQ and despite many people pointing out that it will get its own kickstarter soon), I'm not at all surprised. Thankfully we cleared TZ's goal by a wide margin, so that table at least should be safe even if the kickstarter goes backwards for its remaining time.

I am hoping that after ST:TNG's kickstarter for its remaining funding, FarSight takes a break and focuses on non-licensed/inexpensively-licensed tables for a while. They're going to want to see how TZ and ST:TNG do sales-wise anyway before pursuing any more white whales.

EDIT: Speaking of whales, I'm also sort of curious to see what that $5000 backer does. As best I can tell, he was in it for $3000 for TZ and jumped to $5000 after ST:TNG was added...will be interesting to see if he stays at $5K or jumps back down.

 

[Sir_LANs-a-lot]

The problem being that if people start seeing large drops, it tends to panic the herd...

 

[ND3G]

This Kickstarter is not very conventional. Most kickstarters provide cheaper preorder hardware/software to raise development capital and/or lower production costs. Farsight on the other hand must ask people to pledge more than the retail cost.

I think the fact that we met and exceeded the $55,000 goal is fantastic and shows how committed people are to seeing this table made. Even if we lose some of the stretch pledges I doubt it will turn into a mass exodus.

 

[Captain Rumwood]

Don't think they've cancelled as such - Looks like a lot of people have downpledged to the $25 level looking at the number of them...

EDIT:
But I don't think it's the last of it happening.

I missed that. If that's the case, I hope it doesn't reach a level that is too close to the goal mark. I would hate to see this kickstarter fail now that we're so close. I would really be pissed if numbers fall fast and are about a thousand or a couple of hundred below the goal. That's my main fear.

I wouldn't sweat it. We're getting TZ, and hopefully Farsight has seen that there is enough interest in these big licensed tables to make them commercially viable without Kickstarter campaigns.

I hope so. I have quite a list of tables that I really wish we could get for TPA.

Given the number of people grousing on FB and KS about ST:TNG not having its own kickstarter (despite the FAQ and despite many people pointing out that it will get its own kickstarter soon), I'm not at all surprised. Thankfully we cleared TZ's goal by a wide margin, so that table at least should be safe even if the kickstarter goes backwards for its remaining time.

I am hoping that after ST:TNG's kickstarter for its remaining funding, FarSight takes a break and focuses on non-licensed/inexpensively-licensed tables for a while. They're going to want to see how TZ and ST:TNG do sales-wise anyway before pursuing any more white whales.

EDIT: Speaking of whales, I'm also sort of curious to see what that $5000 backer does. As best I can tell, he was in it for $3000 for TZ and jumped to $5000 after ST:TNG was added...will be interesting to see if he stays at $5K or jumps back down.

I agree. The FS should take a break from kickstarters, release other tables and maybe sometime in between November and December start another IF necessary for other licensed tables.

The problem being that if people start seeing large drops, it tends to panic the herd...

That's my other concern but like Jeff said, I hope FS sees that there's enough interest for these tables and other possible licensed tables to be added for TPA.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

I missed that. If that's the case, I hope it doesn't reach a level that is too close to the goal mark. I would hate to see this kickstarter fail now that we're so close. I would really be pissed if numbers fall fast and are about a thousand or a couple of hundred below the goal. That's my main fear.

It's not going to unwind $19,000 in two days. TZ was almost fully funded before the stretch goal was even announced, and so far at least, people dropping out are in rough balance with stragglers still getting in.

 

[Matt McIrvin]

It's not going to unwind $19,000 in two days. TZ was almost fully funded before the stretch goal was even announced, and so far at least, people dropping out are in rough balance with stragglers still getting in.

According to Kicktraq there's only been one net negative day so far. In the past day things actually picked up slightly. DLC#3 landing on the mobile platforms will probably help.

 

[Sean]

I'm not worried about unwinding myself and I'd happily do another US$100 for a TNG-only campaign; I just can't afford to double-up right now.

Im kind of annoyed at the nature of the whingeing in the comments on the Kickstarter board. As far as I know Farsight is an independent development studio which is doing its first self-published multi-platform release, which is a huge undertaking - even for a download market. They seem to be banking the future of the company on putting out a niche product, which is a smart move during a time when the kind of work-for-hire dev work they used to do was already starting to shift to Eastern Europe and beyond, without the economic downturn that's happened.

It's pretty clear they don't have the staff levels such that they can deliver updates to all platforms simultaneously, so I figure they're focusing on the platforms that they get the most/quickest return from. I very seriously doubt they have a dedicated PR person on staff who can deal with the social networking stuff. Any admin person is likely doing multiple jobs relating to HR, contracts, publishing, etc.

I really think people should cut them some slack, because I seriously doubt a major publisher would even bother with licensed tables at all as it just wouldn't be worth it to them. I'm just happy to see continuing support for some platforms and the promise of more to come on others. I suppose they could be more transparent (hopefully the Q&A thread helps with that), but honestly they don't owe us anything. A kickstarter campaign is like charity - it's not an IPO.

 

[Sir_LANs-a-lot]

Oh absolutely Sean, but this is the Intermawebs don't forget! and if someone has been so gracious to stump up $10 then why shouldn't they demand something like all tables, creative control and a 51% controlling stake in the studio.

I mean come ON! be REASONABLE!

In fact with the amount of whining on the Kickstart page, I wouldn't blame FarSight for ditching pinball tables and sticking to spreadsheet tables altogether (though I hope they don't because I really like their work and hope they don't get too discouraged by a gobby minority).

Also, speaking of Kickstarts does anyone else think that a 30 day KS will be long enough for ST:TNG? - I know that TwlightZone was a very popular choice, but given the seeming apathy directed towards ST:TNG (despite posting about it directly on StarTrek boards and spreading the word), I do wonder...

Think I'd run it to either 45 or even maybe 60 days (and Jay, don't blat up pics of you signing the contract way before the campaign is over... As encouraging as that was to see, I think once people saw that they didn't feel as inclined to donate...)

My $0.02 anyhoo...

 

[Sean]

I'm pretty sure Farsight isn't going to abandon it, but I don't blame them for not rising to criticism, because as you say, it's the internet. As much as I enjoy the low-cost of games on the download platforms, from comments I see against games generally simply because they have the gall to charge money at all I think the sense of entitlement has gone beyond the pale. Pinball Arcade is easily the most expensive iOS game I own and yet it's still cheaper than a console release. It's no wonder developers are going under with a business model of trying to be the next Angry Birds or Plants vs. Zombies (which are still woefully under-priced) rather than aiming for a more reasonable "earnings target" (to borrow a phrase from arcade flyers of old).

That aside I doubt a TNG kickstarter campaign would have a problem. Twilight Zone may be well known among pinball fans, but I've encountered plenty of people who aren't pinball fans who have played the TNG table and remember it right away when it's mentioned. I also thought about whether or not a longer campaign would have helped. I think the problem is that if the window is too large there's a risk people could forget about it and it's harder to gauge the interest level in the campaign. I'll admit this is only my second kickstarter campaign as a participant, but I think the window was about right for this one as it kept sufficient momentum to reach target without having enough time for people to change their mind or lose interest. The reason we're not hitting the stretch goal is probably more to do with the number of fans who are willing to make a contribution.

 

[PiN WiZ]

Oh absolutely Sean, but this is the Intermawebs don't forget! and if someone has been so gracious to stump up $10 then why shouldn't they demand something like all tables, creative control and a 51% controlling stake in the studio.

I mean come ON! be REASONABLE!

In fact with the amount of whining on the Kickstart page, I wouldn't blame FarSight for ditching pinball tables and sticking to spreadsheet tables altogether (though I hope they don't because I really like their work and hope they don't get too discouraged by a gobby minority).

Also, speaking of Kickstarts does anyone else think that a 30 day KS will be long enough for ST:TNG? - I know that TwlightZone was a very popular choice, but given the seeming apathy directed towards ST:TNG (despite posting about it directly on StarTrek boards and spreading the word), I do wonder...

Think I'd run it to either 45 or even maybe 60 days (and Jay, don't blat up pics of you signing the contract way before the campaign is over... As encouraging as that was to see, I think once people saw that they didn't feel as inclined to donate...)

My $0.02 anyhoo...

ST:TNG will not need more than 30 days, as a matter of fact, I fully expect the $35,000 goal to be met in about 10 days as long as FarSight sets up the Reward Tiers correctly. Also, no one knew about the TZ Kickstarter in the beginning which is why it took 2 weeks to reach the $55,000 goal, but now, 2,200+ people are currently backing TZ which means the ST:TNG Kickstarter Project will get a huge headstart this time around.

 

[Sir_LANs-a-lot]

Fingers crossed

 

[Matt McIrvin]

Also, speaking of Kickstarts does anyone else think that a 30 day KS will be long enough for ST:TNG? - I know that TwlightZone was a very popular choice, but given the seeming apathy directed towards ST:TNG (despite posting about it directly on StarTrek boards and spreading the word), I do wonder...

I just think that a ST:TNG stretch goal for a Twilight Zone Kickstarter, without "Star Trek" in the title and with no Star Trek-related criterion for funding, was unlikely to attract any Star Trek: TNG fans who weren't already interested in the Twilight Zone pinball table. It got a nice little kick from us old pinheads who understand the history and want both, but to do more they'd need to attract people whose primary interest is in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the stretch goal was never going to do that.

 

[Richard B]

A lot of critics were doubtful that we could even reach the TZ goal, now many of those same people are complaining that we didn't meet the stretch goal. We should be thankful that the TZ goal was met, and they have a nice start towards the STTNG goal.

 

[Sean]

A lot of critics were doubtful that we could even reach the TZ goal, now many of those same people are complaining that we didn't meet the stretch goal. We should be thankful that the TZ goal was met, and they have a nice start towards the STTNG goal.

Exactly my feeling. I'm just happy we're getting Twilight Zone, even though I've never played it and my all time fave pinball machine is Star Trek: TNG. The fact is that I never thought we'd get any licensed tables, so this could have been a crappy one like the original Terminator machine and I'd still have put my money in simply because of the promise of something down the line with a license attached that I did care about.

 

[Sir_LANs-a-lot]

Closed at $77,499.

Good work.

 

[xNiCeGuYx]

Yes!!! Now Star Trek and than Addams Family please.

 

[bossyman15]

Just one more dollar to even $77,500!

 

[lettuce]

Finished!!!

I understand that the extra 22,499 raised will go towards the Star Trek Kickstarter? So that kickerstarter target should be 32,501? We should easily reach that then as we had 2300 odd backers for Twilight Zone so id guess 90% of them will back Star Trek aswell...i know i will.

 

[Sir_LANs-a-lot]

Don't forget that Kickstarter will take 10% of all funds raised as their fee and after that FarSight still have to pay taxes on the remainder.