Update: What is happening now...
Hey all,
It has been a crazy couple of days, but we wanted to post an update to let you know what was going on following our successful funding drive.
First off, we are immersed in boring business stuff. Lawyers, accountants, contracts, etc. Unfortunately that is part of running a business, even an indie studio. We are also knee-deep in resumes, and need to sort through them, please keep an eye out at Serellan.com for a special email address if you are interested in sending your resume.
Next, we have lots of meetings with investors in the next few weeks. The great news is that the attention paid to the Kickstarter project has drawn the attention of multiple different investor groups, so instead of a few as we had before, now can shop around for the best deal with the understanding that they will allow us to make the kind of game we know you want. In fact I am flying out tomorrow to meet with one.
The forums will also be going through a restructuring, to support the different Kickstarter levels of involvement and transition from a “get this done” setup to a “what do you want” setup, keep an eye out at www.serellan.com/forums and if are a KS supporter and don’t have your access, search for the Kickstarter thread to get your badge and forum access.
We have been getting A LOT of message from folks who missed the KS campaign but still want to be involved in the project, and how they can attain an equivalent KS level. We are investigating a Paypal solution for this, and hope to have it up within the next week.
Lastly, we need to breathe. I especially need to spend some time with my family, who have rarely seen me in the last few weeks, so I am going to take them on vacation (with a few days broken up to fly out and meet with investors). And for you cynics, NO this is not on Serellan LLC (or KS pledge’s), dime, I booked this a few weeks ago. You won’t see pics of me waving money around, we are here to make a game, nothing else.
Look to see more press about TAKEDOWN, as we have received a TON of interview requests from various news sites. We will be a bit selective in the ones we approve, favoring the sites that took time to cover us when we were “nobodies,” and not the ones who just want to run stories after the fact.
If you have sent a message on Kickstarter, please know that we have hundreds to work though. We will get to yours, and get back to you, but it will take some time.
It’s been a crazy month, and a crazy few days. Thanks again for your support, and please come to the forums and participate at www.serellan.com/forums. We’ve had to up our server bandwidth due to the massive traffic recently, so come take advantage of it!
Thanks,
Christian Allen
@Serellan
Creative Director
Serellan LLC
5,423
Backers
$221,833
pledged of $200,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding period
Mar 2, 2012 -
Apr 1, 2012
(30 days)
- First created · 8 backed
- Christian Allen 442 friends
- Website: serellan.com
Pledge $15 or more
2974 backers
The finished full game, via digital Distribution when it's released. Also access to the private discussion forums and access to developer blogs.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $25 or more
1038 backers
The finished full game, via digital Distribution when it's released. Access to the private discussion forums and access to developer blogs. A unit patch for the game's military unit, suitable for wear on your tactical vest. You know you have a tactical vest, for when the zombies come.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $50 or more
441 backers
Access to the Silver Community Level, where you will be able to vote on weapons, locations, and features to be included in the game. Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $60 or more
193 backers
Your name in a special "Kickstarter Supporters" section of the credits. Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $75 or more
243 backers
A PC CD copy of the game, DRM free, along with a T-Shirt with the game logo on it. All previous rewards included.
Estimated delivery: Jul 2013Pledge $100 or more
131 backers
Access to the Gold Community Level, where you will be able to submit game content to be included in the final game if approved, along with credit for the content.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $125 or more
138 backers
A collectors edition boxed set of the PC CD version of the game, including a set of dog tags with the unit logo on them, and an art book from the game. Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jul 2013Pledge $150 or more
61 backers
A military unit challenge coin with the insignia of the team on it. Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $200 or more
13 backers
A DVD of the soundtrack of the game including all music tracks, signed by the composer. Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $250 or more
38 backers
Original poster of the cover of the game (shipping is free in the U.S., $10 shipping internationally). Special thanks in the credits. Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $500 or more
11 backers
Get an in-game badge on your player model showing that you supported the project! Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $1,000 or more
10 backers
Access to the Platinum Level community, where you will be able to participate in conference calls with dev team members to express your ideas. Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $2,500 or more
8 backers All gone!
Get your face in the game, on one of the team members, and have them named after you. Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $5,000 or more
0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)
Tour the dev studio and go on a shooting trip with dev team members for an afternoon, shooting a range of different guns, including full-auto fun (must be able to travel to Seattle, WA)! Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $7,500 or more
1 backer All gone!
Christian Allen, the creative director of the game, will fly to your hometown to host a LAN party for you and your friends. Lower 48 States only. Includes all previous rewards.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013
Comments
Creator Joshua Stubbles on April 4, 2012
Short devcycle for the project, looking forward to seeing progress. :)
Creator hachre on April 4, 2012
Have a nice time with your family!! :)
Creator Hajimoto on April 4, 2012
This is certainly going to be a challenging 13-14 months. the gamer side of me will be chopping at the bit, while the dev/production side of me will see months fly by in no time. Really looking forward to the ride, congrats to all involved!
Creator calmasacow on April 4, 2012
Use Amazon and do it as a pre-order.
Creator Sean Danielson on April 3, 2012
I agree regarding PayPal. Tread lightly on this matter. (I personally think it's part of PayPal's modus operandi to inflate their bottom line by freezing accounts that have gotten sizable sums in their balances...)
Creator Runar Jenssen on April 3, 2012
Just throwing myself behind Kevin Rank: Using Paypal is VERY risky for you. An example is the developers of Xenonauts (Xenonauts.com), the unofficial indie-remake of the old X-Com games, who had their paypal account frozen. The reason was that they were selling "non-existent" products. This is a FACT, Paypal WILL do this if they find out. Read up on it yourselves before you consider using Paypal!
Good luck further with the project! We're all here backing you guys up every moment of the way. :)
... And enjoy that vacation! You damn well deserved it!
Creator Jaruto on April 3, 2012
Nice! Waiting for more information.
Creator Kevin Rank on April 3, 2012
Another comment, for the post-Kickstarter funding. I had a good friend that got in in the last 2 hours. He didn't see the post before. Had he missed it, he would have still been interested. I think a big PROBLEM for a project like this, is getting it in front of the right eyes. More and more eyes will see it, they just didn't get the opportunity when the KS was running. Should they be treated as less, because they didn't see it? I just HAPPENED to see it, because I funded another project, and this one was suggested as one I might like, as well.
Creator Kevin Rank on April 3, 2012
Be careful with Paypal. Because you don't have a finished product, they may freeze the account. The horror stories I have read from one Kickstarter I helped fund, I would NEVER use Paypal for electronic payments. I'd look at Amazon or Google.
Creator David R on April 3, 2012
Have a nice trip Mr. Allen, I think we can all agree that you earned it.
Creator Nathan Grass on April 3, 2012
Don't snub all the mainstream media coverage. They may not have been there covering you since day one but spreading the word through those channels is important to bringing in more players. I didn't hear about this project until the last day and only because I was checking on Wasteland 2 here on Kickstarter.
Creator Alexander Lyakhov on April 3, 2012
I think, some new exclusive reward for all KS supporters (and only for them) will be better, than price change for folks who missed the campaign but want to pledge now.
Creator Christian Allen, Serellan LLC on April 3, 2012
We are looking into a way for folks who missed the campaign to contribute and get rewards/be involved, but we won't forget or cast aside our KS supporters who stepped up and made this happen, so things will be priced a bit different.
Creator Bachtiar Rahady on April 3, 2012
@X-pert74 Good point. I never think my pledge as being exclusive either. I pledged this project because I just want this game to come out alive (we don't want Christian's acting only good for nothing ;p).
And most of us who have faith in this project (sharing on social networking, blogging, spamming many forums and other KS projects) didn't wait for it to be fully funded.
But whatever decision made by Serellan for anyone who missed the campaign, I will supporting the decision all the way.
Creator Azmi Azahari on April 3, 2012
Go to Serellan forum, and click on site feedback. There, you'll find the Kickstarter thing. Follow the directions in the first entry.
Creator Sam Larsen on April 3, 2012
Hi guys- just went to the forums but theres no direction on how to get my badge or KS forum access. Anyone know how to do this? I am registered but just can't get itno the kickstarter forum. Thanks.
Creator Killer on April 3, 2012
Someone who donates after the fact should not be called a "Kickstarter" in the community.
It should however be possible to donate to the game whenever someone wants to.
Creator X-pert74 on April 3, 2012
I don't think it's unfair, personally. I don't view my pledge as being an "exclusive" deal at all; if someone else wants to contribute the same amount of money I did, after the kickstarter's end, then I think they have every right to get the same reward (provided it's not specifically a limited reward). Sometimes you don't find out about something that would have been really interesting to you until it's "too late" to be a part of it, so this sounds like a good deal. I think only good can come from getting more backers.
Creator Bachtiar Rahady on April 3, 2012
Forgive me for asking this question..
It's great that many others who missed KS campaign want to get involved. That means more exposure and features. However, isn't it a bit unfair to people who have pledged and have faith within the given timespan if those who missed also got the same access and reward?
Anyway, I'm glad that this project got 'kickstarted'! These past few hours was really heart-pounding experience.
Creator Christian Allen, Serellan LLC on April 3, 2012
Oh, and we have a metric shit-ton of patches and t-shirts to print...gotta do that too!
Creator Caleb Stevens on April 3, 2012
Shweet :)