The OOTS Reprint Drive at Kickstarter: Pledge now to get exclusive rewards!

[Flame of Anor]

(Caveat: First Class mail is not fast. People who order a book and a magnet will almost certainly get it before the people who order just a magnet, even if the magnet packages hit the mail first.)

Funny how that is...I guess no one would use it if it were called Low Class Mail.

[nogall]

Giant,

I just changed my pledge to the 250 or more (to 290, so I get a signed WAXP copy). Two little issues:

1) do I have to pay more to get the book sent to Brazil?

2) can I get it signed for a friend? I would like to give the signed book as a gift to the person who introduced my to your great comic.

thanks and congrats on beating the goal!
Parabéns, as we would say in Brazil =)

[NerfTW]

Just to give some fun numbers.

About 30 hours to raise $57,750.

That's $1925 an hour
about $32.083 a minute
about $0.53 a second

If this were a job (40 hour work week), it would pay (before taxes and deferrals)
$77,000 a week
$4,004,000 a year

Unfortunately, keep in mind that this is the first time he's ever done a donation drive. Most people wouldn't be able to keep making the same donations monthly or weekly.

[MammonAzrael]

Unfortunately, keep in mind that this is the first time he's ever done a donation drive. Most people wouldn't be able to keep making the same donations monthly or weekly.

Is it really a donation drive though? It's a publishing run essentially funded by the fans who want it republished. Regardless of the semantics though...

This is awesome, thank you Giant! I'll be pledging $45 in a week or two when the funds open up. Possibly more if other books become available!

[Douglas]

Unfortunately, keep in mind that this is the first time he's ever done a donation drive. Most people wouldn't be able to keep making the same donations monthly or weekly.

It's not exactly a donation drive - each backer is getting something specific and tangible in exchange for the pledge. But yes, there is a "first time" element to it. I think the bigger factor to make such extrapolation misleading is the "initial surge" element. A large number of people discover the project on day 1 and pledge immediately, and that produces an enormous lump sum that the accumulation of lower frequency visitors and word of mouth that follows it is unlikely to match.

Of course, if we get to the "OOPCs added to rewards" threshold I expect we'll get another giant leap as people upgrade their pledges to get that too. Heck, additional rewards of any kind would likely trigger a surge. I watched as Howard Tayler of Schlock Mercenary fame ran a Kickstarter drive to create a board game based on his comic, and I think pledges had started to taper off when he started announcing overfund rewards - "if we reach X total, I'll add Y bonus to everyone's game". Suddenly the overfund goals were being passed so fast it seemed like he was having difficulty coming up with new bonuses for more overfund goals fast enough to keep up, even though the bonuses weren't specific to any individual pledger or pledge amount.

[CloakedDancer]

Question: is there a way to update the goal to reflect the next level that we are reaching for? I'm concerned that people will donate less or possibly not donate at all if it says that the goal has been reached.

[MoonCat]

Guys! We passed the first goal!



Heh. I can't believe I missed it because of school. Bah. This is so awesome. I kinda wish I had 5,000 dollars right now though...

[The Giant]

I just changed my pledge to the 250 or more (to 290, so I get a signed WAXP copy). Two little issues:

1) do I have to pay more to get the book sent to Brazil?

2) can I get it signed for a friend? I would like to give the signed book as a gift to the person who introduced my to your great comic.

1.) No, we're absorbing the cost of international shipping on anyone ordering a crayon drawing.

2.) Yes; when the drive is over, we'll send out the survey for everyone's shipping information. For signed copies, it will include a space to request a name dedication.

Question: is there a way to update the goal to reflect the next level that we are reaching for? I'm concerned that people will donate less or possibly not donate at all if it says that the goal has been reached.

No, the goal is fixed by the software, unfortunately. It's a concern for me as well, one that I'm hoping to manage through the updates (especially the graphs). If I had known we would reach this goal so quickly, I would have set the initial goal at the "full WAXP print run" level. I just thought that would seem enormous as a first goal.

[Choco]

Heh, funny thing that I considered the $5000 donation for a split second there. Then reality quickly put me in my place and reminded me that the severance/vacation money I just got after being laid off would be better spent on food and shelter (and, more importantly, internet and electricity)....

I'll have to throw a $10 down here in a few.

[Anarion]

This is spectacular. I think it's still getting about a backer a minute and it's already $5k over the initial goal.

I ended up going for the $250 amount, but I can't decide which two characters I'd like to see. Haley for sure, but who to have her interact with?

[Flame of Anor]

No, the goal is fixed by the software, unfortunately. It's a concern for me as well, one that I'm hoping to manage through the updates (especially the graphs). If I had known we would reach this goal so quickly, I would have set the initial goal at the "full WAXP print run" level. I just thought that would seem enormous as a first goal.

Well, one of the most recent Kickstarters I contributed to was the http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ board game project. In part due to having Overfunding Maxims (rewards for targets above the stated goal), they just kept going and going. The final tally was something like $82,000 out of $25,000. You've already got more contributors than there ever were for that project (though not as much money yet, as everyone there was contributing at the $55 level to get the game itself), and the promised reprints are as good Overfunding Maxims as we could wish for. So I predict a good, healthy growth on that funding marker!

[Choco]

Since this kickstarter seems to have succeeded spectacularly, how about this for the next one:

Make a kickstarter to get a better forum server!

[jmucchiello]

It is in Julio's mind.

Actually I'm hoping one (or more) of the three 1250 pledgers picks Julio for the bonus story. In fact, when OOTS ends, I hope Rich takes a little time off then starts making Julio Scoundrel comics.

[Zigg'rrauglurr]

So 55$ later, a War & XPs book will be getting a home in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
My fiancee approved the expense, altough, as someone else in this forum, I was not allowed to take 5k from the wedding fund (which she is actually paying, selling wedding dresses )

Very happy, yay!

[Savannah]

Since this kickstarter seems to have succeeded spectacularly, how about this for the next one:

Make a kickstarter to get a better forum server!

Not a good idea -- the forum server isn't a one-time expense like reprinting a book. To be upgraded, there needs to be a steady source of income sufficient to cover the increased expense, or else we'll be forced back to a cheaper one at some point.

[nogall]

thanks Giant! Another question on the 250 reward: if two pledgers choose the same 2 characters, will they get the same drawing, or at least the same dialogue/joke?

[Choco]

Not a good idea -- the forum server isn't a one-time expense like reprinting a book. To be upgraded, there needs to be a steady source of income sufficient to cover the increased expense, or else we'll be forced back to a cheaper one at some point.

I dunno, $65k+ will get you a half-decent server for quite a while. Plus having a better server for a while is still better than having an underpowered one all that time. And once everyone gets used to the new, better server, they may be more willing to contribute to the continuation kickstarters further down the road

[Whiffet]

I let a few gamers I saw today know about the drive. Hopefully they'll pledge a bit.

Everyone spread the word! But not online if you can help it, that might look a little spammy if you go around different sites telling people to pledge money to this.

[Porthos]

As Flame of Anor said, I wouldn't be too concerned about the Kickstarter limit being passed so quickly. I've seen Kickstarter projects go nine times over the initial goal.

Secondly, $10 gets people something that they have no guarantee of ever getting again: How the Paladin Got His Scar (and the three other short stories thanks to the successful large pledges).

Sure, they might become availaible one day. Reading between the lines, I might even say it's probable. But it's not a guarantee. And if someone wants them as soon as they are available and not have to wait for sometime in the distant future to get them what do should they do?

Pledge NOW!

Add in the additional pledge targets that Rich has talked about and I think there's not too much to worry about, to be honest.

[FireDrake]

Is there any chance that scans of the $250 drawings will be added to the PDF aswell, or will we only get to see the ones that we order ourselves/get uploaded by other people who get them?

[The Giant]

thanks Giant! Another question on the 250 reward: if two pledgers choose the same 2 characters, will they get the same drawing, or at least the same dialogue/joke?

Not necessarily. But since the crayon drawings are only for the people who pay for them, it doesn't really matter if they're similar to each other. That said, I rarely bother drawing the exact same thing twice.

Is there any chance that scans of the $250 drawings will be added to the PDF aswell, or will we only get to see the ones that we order ourselves/get uploaded by other people who get them?

Whether or not they are shared will be up to the people who pay for them. They won't be included in the PDF.

[SaintRidley]

This has been a great success, and it appears to be trucking right along.

So much awesome!

[CheesePirate]

I'll be living on tapwater and noodles for a while... but I pledged enough to grab one of the OOTS crayon drawing rewards, and I'll make sure to scan and post the drawing for everyone else to enjoy before it is framed and hung on my wall. Hope the other 49 lucky people (and the 5 RPG party drawing pledgers too) can do the same!

[Dark Elf Bard]

Guys! We passed the first goal!



Heh. I can't believe I missed it because of school. Bah. This is so awesome. I kinda wish I had 5,000 dollars right now though...

Can I borrow it?

GOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!

[NerfTW]

Is it really a donation drive though? It's a publishing run essentially funded by the fans who want it republished. Regardless of the semantics though...

This is awesome, thank you Giant! I'll be pledging $45 in a week or two when the funds open up. Possibly more if other books become available!

Semantics aside, the fact of the matter is that if you look at it purely from a "we're buying a product" standpoint, you're paying $10-15 for a small magnet and $45 for a $25(?) book. It's not sustainable, especially since eventually everyone will have the books. I for one already own them all, and donated to help out, but it's not something I could do weekly or monthly.

My point was the numbers Wampa X posted are unsustainable, since they include a lot of people who are getting the first chance to help out. It's a pipe dream to expect those kinds of numbers to continue indefinitely. Not to mention the majority of readers may have already donated.

[DreadPirateDB]

Rich,

Why not schedule a day to go to Ookadook in Houston to sign books? You could sign a few hundred that way and have them still handle the shipping chores.

Thanks for all the hard work on this!

[Douglas]

Semantics aside, the fact of the matter is that if you look at it purely from a "we're buying a product" standpoint, you're paying $10-15 for a small magnet and $45 for a $25(?) book. It's not sustainable, especially since eventually everyone will have the books. I for one already own them all, and donated to help out, but it's not something I could do weekly or monthly.

My point was the numbers Wampa X posted are unsustainable, since they include a lot of people who are getting the first chance to help out. It's a pipe dream to expect those kinds of numbers to continue indefinitely. Not to mention the majority of readers may have already donated.

The Ookoodook page for War and XPs says it's $32.95. Say the magnet and PDF stories (that's four new original stories by Rich since the $1250 reward stories get sent to all backers) are worth $10 (a more than reasonable price in my opinion) and add a little for shipping and handling, and the $45 pledge reward is dead on for standard retail price.

[Aisur]

Rich,

Why not schedule a day to go to Ookadook in Houston to sign books? You could sign a few hundred that way and have them still handle the shipping chores.

Sounds like a good idea to me. I understand the allure of having the book personalized with a name along with the signature, but I bet a lot of people would be happy with just a signature, and those would be easier to deal with (not having to make sure the right name gets to the person it was meant for). So, maybe a new level for signed books that aren't personalized, leaving those for the people that managed to pledge early.

[blackjack217]

Wow... that was fast. Any particular reason you went for Kickstarter instead of RocketHub? (I can't see the difference from here.)

[Porthos]

Just made my pledge, and good thing too as there is only ONE crayon drawing left.

So if folks want one, better get there PDQ.