Do kickstarter pledge rewards differ from new backers?

[Jason S]

Also the KS was a whole lot of fun especially to the end when the comments were flowing like the wind. So guys and girls who missed that, you did miss something special there.

I agree with a previous post in that FD will probably allow you to buy KS perks as packages or individually at a later date probably after release except unworkable ones at that time like the priority commander name one.

 

[Jack Booted Thug]

Indeed you can.

While the KickStarter finished in January 2013, the rewards were available until early December 2013 from the Frontier site. This was during the period before the first Alpha came out.

After the release of the first Alpha there was more security in the quality of the product and therefore pledges became shop products, losing the KickStarter rewards in the process.

The rewards associated with KickStarter pledges were available for about 13 months, it is unfortunate that you missed them.

I was unaware of the existence of Kickstarter let alone the Elite: Dangerous Kickstarter.

I friend told me about Star Citizen (around September 2013) and I found it a curiosity yet not worth spending so much money on a virtual spaceship.

It was then another fella I know who mentioned Elite: Dangerous to me last October and I immediately was interested due to playing the original. We both pledged for the First Round Beta and the associated rewards on the website. A few months later I had upped my pledge several times and I finally even pledged for DDF before the cutoff in November as I wanted to experience the development of this game (even though I came in late).

I can understand how people would miss the Kickstarter as it is pretty much promoted word of mouth only with only a little bit of media attention (which you have to be looking in the right place to see it). Thus I think there is a lot of luck in it and it is unfortunate that many people missed the boat so to speak but Frontier did have to set a cutoff at some stage. That is just life.

 

[KickahasTier]

Here IMO you are 100% wrong, think about it, if an individual or organisation signed up for a KS campaign for funding then after that campaign is finished they offer the same rewards they used to get their pledges for sale to anyone , then who is going to ever pledge as part of a KS campaign if they think they can get the same rewards later.

Plus its a kick in the teeth to all the people (myself included)........IMO

Why? you have your pledge rewards.

What anyone else is allowed purchase is nothing to do with you. did you purchase the privilege to deny others? <Moderation Edit: Comment Removed>

 

[Mazhurg]

Why? you have your pledge rewards.

What anyone else is allowed purchase is nothing to do with you. did you purchase the privilege to deny others?<Moderation Edit: Residual Cleanup>

So someone should get the goods, without the risks. And why should anyone take risks then? It's nothing to do with entitlement, and everything to do with risk / (unique) rewards.

 

[IAM GROOT]

So someone should get the goods, without the risks. And why should anyone take risks then? It's nothing to do with entitlement, and everything to do with risk / (unique) rewards.

Exactly, I don't think he has the inclination or intelligence to understand this, I'm done arguing with him, life's too short

 

[Patrick_68000]

Be nice just to get the a T shirt though, but I would really love to get my hands on the premium box set. To go with my other box sets of elite.

There will probably of collection boxes to buy in the new store, when the game will be released

 

[Red 5]

Why? you have your pledge rewards.

What anyone else is allowed purchase is nothing to do with you. did you purchase the privilege to deny others? <Moderation Edit: Residual Cleanup>.

Because it was their initial purchase / Kickstarter funds that allowed the project to move forward, and thereby allowed you have the option to purchase anything in the first place.

If you want special rewards, you gotta put some skin into the game. No risk? No special reward.

I opted for the Second Round Beta / Kickstarter Special. I also just recently upgraded to Alpha Access (knowing the Alpha is essentially over), but I don't expect in the least that it will give me any of the higher KS rewards than what I originally put in for. I would love to be a DDF member. I have years of professional game design experience - in space combat, to boot. But I didn't pony up that cash during the Kickstarter window. And that's totally fair.

The Kickstarter contributors deserve something special because without them, the project would have likely been shelved for several more years, and possibly even been canceled.

Fair is fair.

 

[Patrick_68000]

Thus I think there is a lot of luck in it and it is unfortunate that many people missed the boat so to speak but Frontier did have to set a cutoff at some stage. That is just life.

There is a part of the fate in it. The backers of the kickstarter was appointed by the fate to be the first ones to finance the game. Many of these backers certainly found ED by chance, by searching on Google or on the forums of Frontier.

 

[MDK-187]

Because it was their initial purchase / Kickstarter funds that allowed the project to move forward, and thereby allowed you have the option to purchase anything in the first place.

If you want special rewards, you gotta put some skin into the game. No risk? No special reward.

The Kickstarter contributors deserve something special because without them, the project would have likely been shelved for several more years, and possibly even been canceled.

Fair is fair.

Sounds like blatant ing for money really, when put that way.........

 

[Slopey]

Sounds like blatant ing for money really, when put that way.........

Of course it is - that's what KS is after all. If you want your "thing" to be made, you gotta do the whole digital prostitute thing.

 

[Red 5]

Sounds like blatant ing for money really, when put that way.........

Well, like Slopey said, it really is. But in addition to the software (which anyone can purchase after the game is out, not just Kickstarters), Kickstarters get some extra bits, depending on what they put in, as a special thank you for their support.

As a developer, if I needed $10,000 to finish funding my game, and 10 people gave me $1000 each, you can be darn sure I'd want to give those 10 people something special and unique as a thank you for helping me to make my dream game a reality. So yes, I suppose it's ing on one level, but from a developer standpoint, it really is a "thank you" for a special level of support.

And I think that's really kinda nice! I'm a special and unique snowflake. Just like all the other backers at my contribution level.

 

[MDK-187]

I was unaware of the existence of Kickstarter let alone the Elite: Dangerous Kickstarter.

I friend told me about Star Citizen (around September 2013) and I found it a curiosity yet not worth spending so much money on a virtual spaceship.

It was then another fella I know who mentioned Elite: Dangerous to me last October and I immediately was interested due to playing the original. We both pledged for the First Round Beta and the associated rewards on the website. A few months later I had upped my pledge several times and I finally even pledged for DDF before the cutoff in November as I wanted to experience the development of this game (even though I came in late).

I can understand how people would miss the Kickstarter as it is pretty much promoted word of mouth only with only a little bit of media attention (which you have to be looking in the right place to see it). Thus I think there is a lot of luck in it and it is unfortunate that many people missed the boat so to speak but Frontier did have to set a cutoff at some stage. That is just life.

Actually I'd disagree with what you've said (bolded section) Frontier didn't have to set a cut off date for the KS rewards. That they've done so was a marketing tactic designed to separate people from their money, enticing them to purchase something that they may not normally have bought, with a special "exclusive" reward not available to people who purchase at a later time.

You see this sort of advertising tactic in all the department stores.

What's happening now is that people who have fronted up early with their dosh have been (to varying degrees) suckered into feeling a sense of entitlement - that their exclusivity has 'purchased' them - again a marketing tactic - how dare FD give new pledgers (and remember this game still isn't released yet) - something that in which no way would realistically effect any existing KS recipients game experience.

 

[DraigUK]

KS rewards are gone.

The problem allowing others to purchase them after the deadline is that it will basically stop people investing in KS to begin with.

Why bother? I'll just buy them later when I know the game is definitely going to be made...

It's bad that some people missed out on them, and obviously feel passionate enough about the game to be wanting them, but that is just bad luck I think.

 

[StarTux]

Actually I'd disagree with what you've said (bolded section) Frontier didn't have to set a cut off date for the KS rewards. That they've done so was a marketing tactic designed to separate people from their money, enticing them to purchase something that they may not normally have bought, with a special "exclusive" reward not available to people who purchase at a later time.

You see this sort of advertising tactic in all the department stores.

What's happening now is that people who have fronted up early with their dosh have been (to varying degrees) suckered into feeling a sense of entitlement - that their exclusivity has 'purchased' them - again a marketing tactic - how dare FD give new pledgers (and remember this game still isn't released yet) - something that in which no way would realistically effect any existing KS recipients game experience.

KS rewards were there to entice those to pledge towards getting funding, and it succeeded as we're getting the game, without it we may not be having this discussion . During the Kickstarter there were definitely times where people doubted it would succeed...

I wouldn't completely discount never seeing at least some of these rewards showing up in the store at a later date, who knows

 

[Jason S]

KS rewards are gone.

The problem allowing others to purchase them after the deadline is that it will basically stop people investing in KS to begin with.

Why bother? I'll just buy them later when I know the game is definitely going to be made...

It's bad that some people missed out on them, and obviously feel passionate enough about the game to be wanting them, but that is just bad luck I think.

But that problem is a problem for KS not for FD.

 

[Vhaegrant]

I thought some physical Kickstarter rewards, like T-shirts, had been given out as promotional gizzits at events like the BAFTAs. And T-shirts/ mugs are definitely available for purchase through the store.

The KS rewards were varied and over a wide pledge range.

• Some should rightly be ring fenced... the decals, reservation of name.
• Some could be restricted to ingame achievements, such as reaching Elite status... access to Founder world, name included in procedural lists.
• Some could remain as further pledge limits... access to DDF, afterall the game hopefully will be added to over the years. Writers access pack.
• Some are ripe for micro-transactions... different starting planet and ship.

It doesn't have to be an all or nothing kind of deal.

 

[Patrick_68000]

Well, like Slopey said, it really is. But in addition to the software (which anyone can purchase after the game is out, not just Kickstarters), Kickstarters get some extra bits, depending on what they put in, as a special thank you for their support.

As a developer, if I needed $10,000 to finish funding my game, and 10 people gave me $1000 each, you can be darn sure I'd want to give those 10 people something special and unique as a thank you for helping me to make my dream game a reality. So yes, I suppose it's ing on one level, but from a developer standpoint, it really is a "thank you" for a special level of support.

And I think that's really kinda nice! I'm a special and unique snowflake. Just like all the other backers at my contribution level.

Yes, I agree with that, it is obvious

In the kickstarter, there is an obvious risk taking for the backers. This risk-taking deserves a little extra sign of affection on the part of Frontier

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Actually I'd disagree with what you've said (bolded section) Frontier didn't have to set a cut off date for the KS rewards. That they've done so was a marketing tactic designed to separate people from their money, enticing them to purchase something that they may not normally have bought, with a special "exclusive" reward not available to people who purchase at a later time.

I will disagree.

I think it was done to minimize amount of logistic nightmare they will already have to fulfill with delivering all physical goods (some KS backers still haven't got their mugs). They are not a shop, it is extra burden for them, it is done by people who have other obligations in FD everyday life, it's taking some time from them. Sooner or later, it is just not worth it, and "exclusivity" window was wearing really thin.

So it makes perfect sense to do "cut off".

FD has been saying a lot that they look towards retail where they plan to make majority of their profit. If you can do simple math, you would see it doesn't make sense in any shape or form try to force upgrades, or lure people just to pay now. Yeah, they do a *minimal* advertisement on alpha and beta access - it would be strange they wouldn't to - but that's about it. Heck, they don't even advertise preordering a copy of the game (one of reasons lot of people assume buying alpha access is only way to support ED), which would make a tons of more sense.