A minor setback won't slow down Jack Houston...
Greetings backers!
As some of you may have heard, we had a bit of bad news after the dust settled with Kickstarter and Amazon. Wanted to do a bit of rumor control and give everyone the lowdown on exactly what the situation is, so here's the press release that was just sent out today. There will be more info on the mentioned stretch goals soon.
Thanks for your support everyone!
-Stacy Davidson
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Jack Houston and the Necronauts developer opens direct funding after $10k Kickstarter pledge falls through
Fort Worth, TX
Thursday, 30 August, 2012
Warbird Games, an indie games studio in Fort Worth, Texas, is asking for direct donations via its website after a $10k Kickstarter pledge fell through, leaving them short of their target amount.
Earlier this month, the studio raised $64,256 via a successful Kickstarter for Jack Houston and the Necronauts, a classic point and click adventure for the PC with stop-motion animation visuals. However, celebration turned to distress when their largest donor failed to honor a $10,000 pledge.
“After the exhilaration of passing our goal by almost $10k, I was expecting to spend the next few days getting ready to start production on the project.” said lead designer, Stacy Davidson. “Instead, I spent them frantically trying to find out what was going on with the donation, whether we’d even get the other funds and glued to email for any news.”
The developer has now opened up direct funding via the Warbird Games website in the hope of filling this gap in funding. Many of the same rewards as Kickstarter will be offered to backers supporting the project through this method.
Additionally, the studio has been able to dramatically lower its stretch targets to bring the game to iPad, Android, Mac and Linux and into FIGS localisation after renegotiating with contractors and receiving offers of help with translation from backers.
Website: http://www.warbirdgames.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/warbirdgames
Media Assets: Available at http://surpriseattack.com.au/jack-houston-and-the-necronauts/
Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/warbirdgames/jack-houston-and-the-necronauts
1,378
Backers
$64,256
pledged of $56,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding period
Jun 25, 2012 -
Aug 9, 2012
(45 days)
- First created · 23 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
- Website: warbirdgames.com
Pledge $15 or more
856 backers
"Jack Houston and the Necronauts" DRM-free Digital Download complete with designer commentary audio track, a new HD wallpaper every month, exclusive access to beta-testing, and access to our private forum community and video updates for backers-only.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $20 or more
115 backers
*NEW TIER* Now, by adding just $5 to your $15 pledge, you can receive the DRM-free digital download of the original score by award-winning composer Iain Kelso! We're also upgrading the $30 tier, so if you love soundtracks then read on...
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $29 or more
29 backers
*NEW TIER* This is a new tier meant to upgrade all $30 tier members with the following: DRM-free digital download of the original score, PLUS the Special Extended Edition soundtrack, and a full-color PDF download of the 6-panel liner notes with reflections from award-winning composer Iain Kelso and designer Stacy Davidson, plus all previous reward tiers.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $30 or more
144 backers
DRM-free digital download of the original score by award-winning composer Iain Kelso, plus the previous reward tier.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $60 or more
35 backers
DRM-free PDF download of the full color book "Crafting the World of Jack Houston and the Necronauts" which chronicles the complete development process covering sculpting, molding/casting, stop motion animation, miniature building and game development, plus all previous reward tiers.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $95 or more
15 backers
ALL-DIGITAL INTERNATIONAL PACKAGE for customers who don't want to deal with customs. This tier includes the digital Special Edition with "Pulp Motion" featurette on creating and animating the sci-fi character and creature puppets, "Microcosmos" featurette about building the savage world of venus in miniature, "Scoring a Universe" featurette on composing and recording the original soundtrack, the complete "Jack Houston: Test Pilot" radio drama Season 1 with exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette on re-creating the feel of a classic radio drama, PDFs of the poster, CD sleeves and game box to print yourself, 4 total download codes, plus all previous reward tiers.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $100 or more
88 backers
Special Edition boxed game with "Pulp Motion" featurette on creating and animating the sci-fi character and creature puppets, "Microcosmos" featurette about building the savage world of venus in miniature, "Scoring a Universe" featurette on composing and recording the original soundtrack, the complete "Jack Houston: Test Pilot" radio drama Season 1 with exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette on re-creating the feel of a classic radio drama, huge 27"x40" movie-sized "Jack Houston" poster, 4 total download codes, plus all previous reward tiers. (International backers please add $10)
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $113 or more
13 backers
*NEW TIER* Time is short for VAST agent #13 Jack Houston! If you add $13 to your $100 pledge, we will throw in a set of six mini-buttons featuring ambiguous images and slogans that say "hey, you know what this is? Cause if you do, you're in the cool club. With the cool kids." Of course these buttons will also be included with all higher tiers as well!
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $150 or more
22 backers
*NEW TIER* For those who just want a soundtrack added to their boxed game! This includes the Original Soundtrack CD featuring the beautiful score from award-winning composer Iain Kelso, plus all previous reward tiers. (International backers please add $10)
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $250 or more
12 backers
Original Soundtrack CD featuring the beautiful score from award-winning composer Iain Kelso, game box signed by designer Stacy Davidson, "Special Thanks" in the credits, "Jack Houston" raglan jersey, vote on in-game content in the forums (final decisions up to designer), 6 total download codes, plus all previous reward tiers. (International backers please add $10)
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $375 or more
3 backers
*NEW TIER* Your name (or company) mentioned in the final game, bonus custom lithograph with YOUR FACE as Jack Houston (or a female character, your choice), plus all previous reward tiers.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $500 or more
3 backers
Full color hard copy book "Crafting the World of Jack Houston and the Necronauts" which chronicles the complete development process covering sculpting, molding/casting, stop motion animation, miniature building and game development, a framed lithograph of concept artwork by one of the amazing artists of Jack Houston (choose 1 from 5 images), VIP newsletters with exclusive behind-the-scenes info, 8 total download codes, plus all previous reward tiers. (International backers please add $10)
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $1,000 or more
3 backers Limited (13 of 16 left)
*MODIFIED TIER* Now includes previous $3,000 level rewards: Listed in credits as Associate Producer, Military style Jack Houston Producer's Cap, life-size replica of Jack's raygun, bonus custom lithograph with YOUR FACE as Jack Houston (or a female character, your choice), access to ultra-early alpha test builds, your hardcopy of "Crafting the World of Jack Houston" is an exclusive special edition with bonus chapter, quarterly producer reports, 5 total signed lithographs of concept artwork (in addition to custom litho with your face), 12" resin model kit of interstellar space hero Jack Houston, 1 miniature model actually used in the final game (location set pieces, rocketship models, etc, your choice. First come, first pick!), plus all previous reward tiers, 10 total download codes, plus all previous reward tiers.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $6,000 or more
2 backers Limited (6 of 8 left)
At this premium level, you will receive a Limited Edition signed and numbered Jack Houston 12" statue (identical to model kit, but fully assembled and expertly painted), one of the original stop motion figures actually used in the final game (including all characters and creatures, your choice. First come, first pick!), YOUR FACE appears as mission control operator in opening sequence, plus all previous reward tiers.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $10,000 or more
0 backers
*NEW TIER* Listed in credits as Executive Producer (this also applies to $6,000 tier!), exclusive version of the game where YOU play Jack Houston or a female character in the game (your choice), 1 custom original art piece by a Jack Houston concept artist (anything you want!), plus all previous reward tiers.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013
Comments
Creator Tychoxi on August 30, 2012
Blimey! Kindof a bummer to have lived down all that stress when you should have been happy celebrating success... Good to know everything's still marching on strong, though, I say you take all the time needed to make this game! And I'm pretty confident a smaller Kickstarter further down the road will get funded in no time.
Creator Warbird Games on August 30, 2012
Yes, it was a rather odd and suspicious $10k pledge within the first few days. The commenters noticed it, and I think we were all a bit worried about it through out the whole campaign.
Creator S.D. on August 30, 2012
Wow, John actually plugged the project AND found a great journalistic angle in that Rock, Paper, Shotgun article. Awesome! It seems that the commenters on the RPS piece are rightly considering the whole issue of large failed pledges on smaller projects, and the darker side (project creators asking friends, employees, etc) to plant a fake pledge to put it over the goal. But in this case, our $6K+ pledges occurred within the first couple of weeks (perhaps the first few days, I don't recall).
Creator Warbird Games on August 30, 2012
Oh no, if your card was charged, then we have your pledge money and all is well! All told, only a small handfull of pledges did not go through, and several of them made their pledges with PayPal immediately afterward. The only thing that threw us for a loop was that one large backer.
Creator Tobias Andreasson on August 30, 2012
You guys still got the other donations in though, right? Or do all of us have to go through paypal to donate?
Either way, we're with you!
Creator Warbird Games on August 30, 2012
Hey guys, we all owe John Walker and Rock, Paper, Shotgun a HUGE thanks for helping us to spread the word on the situation! http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/08/30/when-kickstarter-fails-jack-houston-has-a-problem/
Creator Warbird Games on August 30, 2012
The PayPal account does read Odyssee Pictures but it makes no difference. I make films under that banner, so the PayPal was originally setup that way.
Creator Archon - Obsidian Order Illusive Man on August 30, 2012
This $10K pledge failure must have been a nightmare...
Question: the paypal donation goes to Odyssee Pictures but Jack Houston is developed by Warbird Games. Transferring the money from one company to another won't face some legal issue ?
Actually there's less fee for international backers with Paypal than with Kickstarter/Amazon.
Creator Rand Chua TL on August 30, 2012
Fight on!! Don't give up!
Creator Warbird Games on August 30, 2012
Yes, since we went over our goal, we actually only ended up around $3k under that goal even with the nearly $11k in lost pledges (including the $10k backer and a handfull of smaller backers). It will be tight, but the game is in no danger of not being made and you guys have already begun to help out via PayPal which is awesome. Once we actually get into production and have some new stuff to show, we may do another campaign to hit the stretch goals, which will be drastically reduced from the first campaign. Thanks for the support guys, we're definitely on the way to getting over this hump!
Creator TheChosenOne on August 30, 2012
With 8k over the goal a 10k pledge not going through shouldn't give such problems as written about above should it? Sure more funding is better but with a proper budget and all it should work.
Creator Pedasn - "Asylum" Backer on August 30, 2012
i think i can pump in some minimum amount when i come home... every little thing helps.... i also call fundraising season reopened.... commence spreading the word that you can still hop on the jack houston train(/rocket)
Creator Mathew Barker on August 30, 2012
Increased my pledge to 115 dollars through the Warbird web site hope it helps?
Creator Warbird Games on August 30, 2012
Wow, the next PayPal report will certainly be better! With backers like you guys, I think Jack Houston's future looks bright indeed!
Creator Serena Nelson - Hero of the AGRM on August 30, 2012
That royally sucks. I do hope that you guys make back the money that was lost. I'd give more but I was already stretching myself thin as it was during the campaign.
Creator Tetsuya Ishibashi on August 30, 2012
I believe my additional fund will be a little help.
Creator Kathleen Hanrahan on August 30, 2012
Just went to the warbirdgames.com Web site and kicked in additional (PayPal) funds. NUTS to the 10k backer that backed out!
Creator Nelson Carter, Negotiator on August 29, 2012
Thats Messed up... Kickstarter should have better checks in place for large donations like that...
If kickstarter or Amazon were made to refund their % cut in compensation for big backers that dont come through... that would make them introduce more strict checks..
Creator AstralWanderer on August 29, 2012
Given that this was a pledge failure, why not ask Kickstarter to allow this project to re-open for, say, 2 weeks to make up the shortfall? At least it would give existing backers a chance to adjust their pledges (avoiding the hassle in accumulating pledges and giving those who won't/can't use Paypal a chance to participate).
Given the circumstances of the pledge, it would have seemed best to reject it without more confirmation - do pledgers have that option? If not, Kickstarter should take a greater share of the blame.
Creator Rhys K on August 29, 2012
So there's $2000 to make up? So if every backer ups their donation by whatever change they have in their pocket then it'll cover the difference.
Creator Rand Chua TL on August 29, 2012
Thanks for the update! Don't lose hope guys.