How Would You Improve Kickstarter?

Having run and backed a decent number of Kickstarter projects, I've been thinking about how Kickstarter might be improved. One thing that is very clear to me is that any Kickstarter project is risky for the backers. Whilst I accept that risk, I can't help feeling that Kickstarter could make some small changes that could improve things.

I've run six Kickstarter projects myself. All of them were delivered on time, and feedback from the backers has been positive. If even my smallest project had been subject to a delay of more than a few weeks, I would have found it very stressful. But knowing that before I started meant I put a lot of effort into the planning stage to make sure it didn't happen. The other Golden Rule I set for myself was never to start a new project until the previous one is completely finished.

I've backed 14 projects on Kickstarter, though 3 of those are not yet due for delivery. Of the other 11 only 3 (Random Dungeon Poster, Games & Gears Brushed, Adventures Dark and Deep Bestiary) managed to deliver their rewards on time.

If I look at the other 8 projects I backed, 4 (Reaper, Cornish Smuggler, Maelstrom, Sedition Wars) were late but I'm happy with the rewards. The other 4 (Dwimmermount, Appendix N, Tome of Horrors 1, Call of Cthulhu) are all late and ongoing.  In the case of Dwimmermount and Appendix N they are very late. Even if these 2 projects are finished they will still, unfortunately, be epic fails in my book.

So what should change?

The biggest single change that Kickstarter should introduce is a policy where Project Creators must finish one project before starting the next. There could be some flexibility in the definition of finished, but I would suggest that about 80% of rewards being delivered would be about right. If this rule had been in place then creators like Mike Nystul would not have been allowed to start multiple projects without any sign of completion in the earlier projects. This would mean that Kickstarter staff would have to make decisions on whether a previous project is finished enough to allow a new one to start. However, they already have check boxes for backers to confirm receipt of their rewards. Here's a screen grab of my own:

Why not enhance these check boxes so that backers can display their confidence in the project. This could be a simple traffic light system that defaults to Amber, then backers change switch it to green when they get their rewards, or red if things run late, comms dry up, etc. That would allow a Kickstarter member of staff to do a quick spot check before approving a new project. Kickstarter could also look at an eBay or Amazon reseller style feedback system.

I'm sure we'll see some changes to Kickstarter in the next year as the platform continues to grow. I hope to continue using it for as long as I have ideas that people will support. What changes/enhancements would you like to see made to Kickstarter?

Kickstarter #7

With another Kickstarter put to bed I'm now starting to put together the next one. This time I plan to print some A4 and A5 pads printed with the same 7mm grid as my existing A3 and A7 pads. It will be another simple campaign with stretch goals to upgrade the pads to heavier paper, and double sided printing. On the reverse sides of the sheets I'm planning to print a 3.5mm grid. That means the reverse sheets will have 4x as many squares as the front.

All my pads are litho printed in CoolGray 5 ink. This gives them very sharp, fine lines without the jaggies or dots that you get from most home printers. All of the pads from my previous projects are available from my webstore www.squarehex.co.uk Until 1st March the code kick6 will give a 10% discount on all orders.

Last 24 Hours of the Numbered Hex Pad Kickstarter

There's just 24 hours left to get in on my Hex Pad Kickstarter. The pads will be available to buy at Squarehex.co.uk in a couple of month's, but if you want them first, and for the lowest price, then head over to the project page sharpish.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1730454032/a4-numbered-hex-pad

2014 Plans and Discount Code Extended

I'm really pleased with what I achieved last year (5 Kickstarters, launched the Squarehex.co.uk online store, and took a stand at a couple of shows). I would really liked to have included an issue or two of Oubliette in that list, but I just couldn't find the large blocks of free-time it takes to produce them.

I did find time to create a few free and Pay What You Want PDFs during 2013. These, along with my back catalogue, continue to enjoy lots of interest.  Since 2010 over 10,000 free PDFs have been downloaded from RPGNow.com and its sister sites. PDF sales for the same period are very close to 2,000, and if I add in Lulu and direct print sales of Oubliette, the total passes 2,500.

In 2014 I hope Oubliette will be back, but at this stage it's difficult to say when. I also have more Kickstarters planned. I'd like to continue running one every 2-3 months. Most of the Kickstarters will be for mapping pads, though I do have some more ideas that I'd like to try. As always with my Kickstarters, the golden rule will be to only launch a new campaign after all rewards from the previous campaign have been posted (Kickstarter should add that to their guidelines for creators).

On the convention front I will be back at the UKGames Expo in May and the DerbyWorldWargames show in October. I'm also looking at other shows and would like to book at least two of them.

My online store www.squarehex.co.uk is still very much in its infancy. I've recently added Labyrinth Lord, AD&D and Savage Worlds rule books to the site, and will continue to add more books and games throughout 2014. As my current Kickstarter for Numbered Hex Pads finishes on Sunday 12th January, I'm extending the 10% discount code "kick5" until it finishes. Simply visit www.squarehex.co.uk and enter the code at the checkout.

I'm a man with exceedingly good character...

...sheets.

Here's my latest creation.

A business card-sized B/X character sheet card. They measure just 85x55mm, yet still have room for the essential character details. I originally designed these as an extra item for an Oubliette PDF, but always intended to get some printed up. They have been professionally printed on sturdy matt card. You can buy them (£1.90 for a pack of 50) from my webstore: http://squarehex.myshopify.com/collections/role-playing-games/products/b-x-mini-character-sheets

As an added bonus all orders placed by 31st December can enjoy a 10% discount by adding the code: kick5 at the checkout.

You'll also find the rest of my character sheet pads on there.

A4 Numbered Hex Pad Kickstarter is Live

I've just launched a new Kickstarter project to fund a print run of A4 sized, numbered hex paper pads. The sheets will be litho printed with light grey (cool grey 5) 14mm tall hexes in a landscape format (giving 23 x 14 hexes per sheet). The pads will each have 25 sheets glued along one edge and be attached to a backing card. Here's a link to the project page:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1730454032/a4-numbered-hex-pad

A4 Landscape Hex Sheet

Kickstarter #6 Imminent

The Pad of Hexagonal Content Kickstarter is done and backers have just started receiving their rewards.  Here's a photo of the finished pads.

For my next Kickstarter I will be printing some A4 hex pads with numbered, larger (14mm high) hexes.  The campaign has been approved by Kickstarter and is almost ready to launch.  The one thing I'm still undecided on is whether to print the pads portrait or landscape.  The default format I've created is portrait which gives 15 hexes across by 20 down.  If I switch to landscape they would be 22 hexes across by 15 down.  Has anybody got any thoughts or preferences?