Supported a bunch already and unless something changes with my paycheck due to the worldwide crisis I plan to continue with that.
I'd buy those games anyways and devs avoid bloodsucking managers by kickstarter which means less stress, less pressure = a better game. At least I hope.

I've pledged to over 10 games now I believe. I use kickstarter to save money. More of like a 'pre-order discount', for games that I feel I would purchase on release if they were normally published games, and paying $10-$20 (think $20 is the most I've paid so far) is less than what a new game normally costs.

So far I've backed:

Star Citizen
Wasteland 2
Shadowrun Returns
Banner Saga
Nuka Break
Space Command
Project Eternity
FTL
Reaper Miniatures: Bones
Double Fine Adventure
Planetary Annihilation
Ogre
Tex Murphy: Project Fedora
Two Guys Space Venture
Grim Dawn
Numenera
Legends of Eisenwald
Deadstate

So far I've received the physical rewards for a couple of these and the finished product for FTL. FTL was a real confidence booster but I hope I haven't let that go to my head as it may not be representative of how well the rest of my donations will pan out. At this point in time I do probably need to slow down a bit.

I'm on about 20 projects now, I've backed them anywhere from minimum up to around $700.

Daniel.

Supported 3 projects, Doublefine, Wasteland 2 and Project Eternity.

I don't check kickstarter for projects, so its from 2nd hand info that I get to know about them. But it has to be both the idea and the people behind the idea that will sell it for me. An idea alone is normally not enough.

Let's see. Backed:
1. Wasteland 2
2. Project Eternity
3. Dead State
4. Hero-U
5. Shadowrun Returns
6. Banner Saga
7. Shadowgate
(8.) Planning on backing Sui Generis if they get their act together somewhat.

I'm telling you guys, there's another golden age of CRPG's coming.

I think it better to support released games. Like Demise, Underworld, and Grimrock than possible vaporware projects. However I have supported a few kicks when I had a few extra dollars.

I've backed 14 so far….not all have made it, but I'm ready to support any more that look promising.


-Carn

I've supported a couple that included a Paypal option and physical media.

So far, I've sunk about $1K into these Kickstarters…
Wasteland 2
Shadowrun Returns
Project Eternity
Tex Murphy: Project Fedora
Jane Jensen's Moebius
Dead State
Star Citizen
and the now defunct Shaker rpg.

My largest pledge was $250 for Wasteland 2. It's amazing how much nostalgia is worth to an aging gamer… If someone had told me a decade ago that in the future I'd cheerfully be paying five times retail price for a game that isn't even in development yet, I'd have told them they were crazy.

Originally Posted by GhanBuriGhan
But I have my doubts that it would be feasible to legally enforce a refund e.g. So I would also consider it better to consider it a donation with potential benefits.

That's what I'm thinking. "Legally obligated" is all well and good but that's still trumped by "you can't get blood from a stone." If they declare bankruptcy, you aren't likely to get much money back.

What is getting clear is that, even if this system REALLY takes off, the publishers are still going to have a role. Kickstarters are mostly going off of name recognition and nostalgia. If you are a brand new game maker, you're not going to have much of a chance so you'll probably have to go to the publishers to get your game started or make the game on an indie budget.

P.S. Dang it, every time Vindicator posts I get the "Johny Sokko" theme song stuck in my head for the rest of the day!

Okay, WAY off topic, but I think it'd be hilarious if somebody modded Liberty Prime to look like "Giant Robot"

I think as it is now Kickstarter gas no chance if uprooting publishers. However if a model comes along that allows true crowd investment (that is, offering a performance related chance of return of investment and interest), that might be different.

I haven't supported any as of date

Sorry, I'd rather buy clothing or jewelries with $$

And I would prefer seeing end product first, to be honest. Only 2 games came really close for me to think about donating - Project Eternity and Broken Hourglass - and well, the latter is no more

I have not supported any Kickstarter projects. I do not have much money at the moment, so that's partly why. The other side of the coin is this: Partly also because I fear that people's expectation are set way too high. A kickstarter page for project eternity is fine - I wish Obsidian Entertain the best luck in the world with this project.

However, what if the game is not as good as , no not promised, but people's expectations govern them to feel or think that the game should be? There is also the feeling that companies using Kickstarter need to have really good management so that the projects is on rails and the game gets released on time.

I give a percentage of my income to charity and I consider that money well spent. I have nothing against those who do support these but rather than supporting large companies that can find the financing elsewhere from those that look at it as a return on investment, consider giving to smaller projects that need some income to sustain themselves. Those in the art community that busk for a living maybe - contributing would help them get a CD or DVD out and they wouldn't be burdened for needing to pay back a loan.

I've backed 17 things so far. Most all of them games (rpg's or adventure games).

I posted this elsewhere but I don't invest large amounts into an individual kickstarter more into multiple kickstarters. When you scatter shot your money into multiple projects at small amounts you are more likely to find a gem. Also, who cares really if you lose 15.

I have backed the following:

Wasteland 2
The Banner Saga
Project Eternity
Dead State
Paper Sorcerer
Expeditions:Conquistadors
Shadowrun Returns

I have backed each at the minimal level to get a copy of the game. I'm not too concerned about losing $15 on average. I'm confident that at least half on them will actually be released. I see Kickstarter as a good (albeit risky) pre-order mechanism.

For me crowdfunding is a completely new era for cRPG gaming. It opened the road for RPGs both good looking and hardcore at the same time. I have backed 14 projects so far and large part of my money that I reserve for gaming goes to crowdfunding projects. I know that I can’t play them immediately. But I’m more than happy, because I have something that I didn’t have one year ago: hope for the future of cRPGs

Before crowdfunding era, single player RPG making has divided into two separate ways. There’re big budgeted AAA titles that have action gameplay, shiny graphics and much cinematics. And indie RPGs with strong loyalty into the roots of RPGs, but lack of enough presentation, graphics etc. Middle sized RPG development has died at the beginning of 2000s. I’m a great fan of Infinity Engine games, Fallout 1-2, Arcanum, ToEE, Wizardry 8, Might &Magic 6-8. But as we all know well games in the veins of these games from big publishers are impossible. Indie developers can provide these game mechanics, but they are mostly failing at presentation.

Crowdfunding provided fresh blood for the market. And it has many advantages. With this system many independent companies like Obsidian, Inxile or Double Fine can make games that we hardcore gamers wanted, rather than publishers’ PR guys wanted. Many great developers of the past either work at big companies to earn money or completely abandoned game development. Now crowdfunding gives them a chance to return to the scene.

But there’re also disadvantages. In order to make a middle budgeted RPG game you have to collect 500.000-1.000.000 $. And to collect this money either you must be a somewhat famous developer or you have a popular license in your possession(even this isn’t enough in some cases). *It’s nearly impossible for a non-famous developer to succeed at collecting that amount of money. So many potential has been wasting.