Post by basara549 on Dec 18, 2013 23:21:13 GMT
Some people are fixated on the overly optimistic possible release dates from the actual KS support period as somehow being set in stone, and missing them is somehow Palladium being a fuckup. The truth is that there are far more Kickstarters that miss their estimated dates than make them.
These articles go into why this is true:
money.cnn.com/2012/12/18/technology/innovation/kickstarter-ship-delay/
A key point:
Remember that the original target was 70k, and it ended up over 1.4 million - with all the additional design work all those stretch goals entailed (each new item = that much more design/approval/redesign iterations - especially when dealing with the asshats at HG) AND the increased production (while money raised was 20x the target, the stretch goals adding more parts means that closer to 30-40x the product will have to be produced than if it simply met its initial goal)
money.cnn.com/gallery/technology/2012/12/18/kickstarter-ship-late/index.html?iid=EL
Of this article, parts 1 (Manufacturing obstacles), 3 (scale), 6 (Certifications, in the form of licensing and design approval issues from a third party, not to mention any Big West saber-rattling from Japan) & 8 (Overseas Logistics) immediately apply to the Tactics game, and we don't know how #2 will work out, or if something like #9 might show up.
I'm currently supporting 4 kickstarters that have completed their money collection phase.
a. I knew from the outset that the sheer size of the project, after all the stretches, would make 2013 impossible. This is especially true because I personally have had a Robotech project delayed ONE YEAR (from being an early candidate for The Rifter #1, and one of the first submissions sent in, to finally seeing print in The Rifter #5) from Harmony Gold dragging its ass in approving a THREE PAGE article (and the story goes that they had 3 manuscripts that were 50-90% done that they never got approved in the 90s, from other writers, so never attempted to finish). If anything, that bunch has gotten worse in the last 15 years from the arrival of the Yune brothers and McKeever.
Of the other 3 kickstarters I'm in,
b. One is going to experience a change in scope (the BGC Blu-rays, which are going to be made into 3 discs instead of 2, and are being resubbed), so its timetable is indeterminate at best.
c. One (a set of challenge coins for the Monster Hunter International novel series by Larry Correia) told everyone it was going to TRY to get done in time for Christmas, but no guarantees - and after three of the coin dies broke at the mint, getting done by Christmas was no longer a possibility (as in the article, Manufacturing & infrastructure obstacles)
d. The last is a set of pre-printed overlays to put on maps for RPGs, that looks great, but I'm worried that there might be cost overruns, and I think (like many other kickstarters) the projected production time is way too optimistic.
It was for this very reason that the "Risks and Challenges" section was added to Kickstarter SIX MONTHS before the Tactics Kickstarter started.
The simple fact is that it has mostly been getting approvals on sculpts (that have to be resculpted and resubmitted in a rejection) and layouts of printed product that has been the delay preventing the scheduling of manufacturing time, and those delays are more the fault of HGUSA and dealing with the owners of Macross abroad (if Big West had any sense they would have bypassed Tatsunoko & HG and offered to license their own version of the game to sell in Japan directly from Palladium).
/posts/669996
If I remember correctly, pulling off the Macross remaster & subtitle took substantially longer than what they thought, in an effort that was a distant ancestor of modern crowdfunding. You can see the results of shipping day in the link above.
These articles go into why this is true:
money.cnn.com/2012/12/18/technology/innovation/kickstarter-ship-delay/
A key point:
CNN: Over and over in our interviews, the same pattern emerged. A team of ambitious but inexperienced creators launched a project that they expected would attract a few hundred backers. It took off, raising vastly more money than they anticipated -- and obliterating the original production plans and timeline*. (* was a link in the article)
Remember that the original target was 70k, and it ended up over 1.4 million - with all the additional design work all those stretch goals entailed (each new item = that much more design/approval/redesign iterations - especially when dealing with the asshats at HG) AND the increased production (while money raised was 20x the target, the stretch goals adding more parts means that closer to 30-40x the product will have to be produced than if it simply met its initial goal)
*9 reasons why Kickstarter projects ship late.
Of this article, parts 1 (Manufacturing obstacles), 3 (scale), 6 (Certifications, in the form of licensing and design approval issues from a third party, not to mention any Big West saber-rattling from Japan) & 8 (Overseas Logistics) immediately apply to the Tactics game, and we don't know how #2 will work out, or if something like #9 might show up.
I'm currently supporting 4 kickstarters that have completed their money collection phase.
a. I knew from the outset that the sheer size of the project, after all the stretches, would make 2013 impossible. This is especially true because I personally have had a Robotech project delayed ONE YEAR (from being an early candidate for The Rifter #1, and one of the first submissions sent in, to finally seeing print in The Rifter #5) from Harmony Gold dragging its ass in approving a THREE PAGE article (and the story goes that they had 3 manuscripts that were 50-90% done that they never got approved in the 90s, from other writers, so never attempted to finish). If anything, that bunch has gotten worse in the last 15 years from the arrival of the Yune brothers and McKeever.
Of the other 3 kickstarters I'm in,
b. One is going to experience a change in scope (the BGC Blu-rays, which are going to be made into 3 discs instead of 2, and are being resubbed), so its timetable is indeterminate at best.
c. One (a set of challenge coins for the Monster Hunter International novel series by Larry Correia) told everyone it was going to TRY to get done in time for Christmas, but no guarantees - and after three of the coin dies broke at the mint, getting done by Christmas was no longer a possibility (as in the article, Manufacturing & infrastructure obstacles)
d. The last is a set of pre-printed overlays to put on maps for RPGs, that looks great, but I'm worried that there might be cost overruns, and I think (like many other kickstarters) the projected production time is way too optimistic.
"I'm really excited Kickstarter has made a public statement to point to and say 'look, Kickstarter is not a store,'" says Idan Beck, who recently raised more than $350,000 for his gTar project. "A lot of people go to Kickstarter's site thinking it's like Pinterest, or an online shopping experience, and that's not the case at all."
...
Buying into a pre-production product will always be risky, Beck notes.
"Reasonable delays stem out of things like certification issues," Beck says. "It's hard for even multibillion-dollar corporations to keep control of those kinds of things."
...
Buying into a pre-production product will always be risky, Beck notes.
"Reasonable delays stem out of things like certification issues," Beck says. "It's hard for even multibillion-dollar corporations to keep control of those kinds of things."
It was for this very reason that the "Risks and Challenges" section was added to Kickstarter SIX MONTHS before the Tactics Kickstarter started.
Risks and challenges
A project of this scope requires the successful collaboration of artists, sculptors, writers, game designers, and manufacturers. Managing this complex process and minimizing delays are the largest challenges we face in bringing Robotech® RPG Tactics™ to market. We have learned from past experience that success requires careful planning and a full understanding of the scope of the project. In order to facilitate the timely delivery of Robotech® RPG Tactics™, Palladium Books and Ninja Division have brought in a host of new talent to work on the project.
To help ensure realistic deadlines, we have completed the vast majority of our development before launching the Kickstarter. Sculpts for the game pieces are almost entirely complete. The rulebook and game components are deep in development and will be ready for layout soon. Our manufacturers are also ready and have reserved factory time for the project. This means that as soon as the project is funded, we can lock down a timeline with our manufacturers to get the game produced.
It is our commitment to you, the Kickstarter backers, that we will maintain consistent communication throughout the process. This means regular updates, product photos, and plenty of behind the scenes insight as we complete the creation of Robotech® RPG Tactics™.
A project of this scope requires the successful collaboration of artists, sculptors, writers, game designers, and manufacturers. Managing this complex process and minimizing delays are the largest challenges we face in bringing Robotech® RPG Tactics™ to market. We have learned from past experience that success requires careful planning and a full understanding of the scope of the project. In order to facilitate the timely delivery of Robotech® RPG Tactics™, Palladium Books and Ninja Division have brought in a host of new talent to work on the project.
To help ensure realistic deadlines, we have completed the vast majority of our development before launching the Kickstarter. Sculpts for the game pieces are almost entirely complete. The rulebook and game components are deep in development and will be ready for layout soon. Our manufacturers are also ready and have reserved factory time for the project. This means that as soon as the project is funded, we can lock down a timeline with our manufacturers to get the game produced.
It is our commitment to you, the Kickstarter backers, that we will maintain consistent communication throughout the process. This means regular updates, product photos, and plenty of behind the scenes insight as we complete the creation of Robotech® RPG Tactics™.
The simple fact is that it has mostly been getting approvals on sculpts (that have to be resculpted and resubmitted in a rejection) and layouts of printed product that has been the delay preventing the scheduling of manufacturing time, and those delays are more the fault of HGUSA and dealing with the owners of Macross abroad (if Big West had any sense they would have bypassed Tatsunoko & HG and offered to license their own version of the game to sell in Japan directly from Palladium).
/posts/669996
If I remember correctly, pulling off the Macross remaster & subtitle took substantially longer than what they thought, in an effort that was a distant ancestor of modern crowdfunding. You can see the results of shipping day in the link above.
