713
Backers
$31,337
pledged of $8,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding period
Nov 1, 2010 -
Dec 6, 2010
- First created · 5 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
- Website: eblong.com
Pledge $3 or more
119 backers
Hadean Lands for iPhone. A $5 value! (If I ever port to Android or Kindle or any other mobile platform, you can have those versions too, for free.)
Pledge $10 or more
33 backers
Hadean Lands collectible postcard! With bonus IF quick reference on back. (And also the game for iPhone, plus any mobile ports.)
Pledge $25 or more
358 backers
Hadean Lands Limited Edition: shipped on a rune-inscribed CD. Playable on Mac/PC/Linux. This will *only* be available through Kickstarter. (Plus the game for iPhone, and the postcard.)
Pledge $40 or more
73 backers
Hadean Lands full-page, full-color map poster! This map will be part of the game docs, but this poster will be larger and prettier. (Plus the game for Mac/PC/etc, and iPhone, and the postcard.) (Belated note: the poster will be added to all rewards $50 and larger.)
Pledge $50 or more
15 backers All gone!
Your name will appear in Hadean Lands, in some form, as an ancient alchemist or sage or spell-rubric. ("The Sulphuric Dragon of Andricus Plotinus", that kind of thing.) (Plus the game for Mac/PC/etc, and iPhone, and the postcard.)
Pledge $75 or more
20 backers All gone!
You will have access to the closed beta-testing phase of the game. Early access! Opportunity to offer feedback! (Plus the game for Mac/PC/etc, and iPhone, and the postcard.)
Pledge $100 or more
42 backers
You will be credited in the game as a Hero of the Calcination. (Plus the game for Mac/PC/etc, and iPhone, and the postcard.)
Pledge $180 or more
27 backers
You will receive the source code of the game, for your edification and amusement, as a printed volume. (Plus special credit as Hero of the Dissolution, and the game for Mac/PC/etc, and iPhone, and the postcard.)
Pledge $250 or more
10 backers All gone!
A mystical alchemical calligraphical formula of ancient (made-up) lore, hand-written on (freshly-made) ancient paper. With incomprehensible mystical symbols! (Plus special credit as Hero of the Coagulation, and the game for Mac/PC/etc, and iPhone, and the postcard.)
Pledge $1,000 or more
2 backers All gone!
The traditional Kickstarter "I'll fly out to visit you and bake you cookies!" offer. (Continental US only please.) We can hang out and talk about IF, or play the game together, or go out for Peruvian -- whatever's agreeable. Plus all of the above.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Show older commentsCreator Andrew Plotkin on March 1
As you will see in the update I'm about to post, my estimates are still terrible -- the game is getting done, but not in the order that I thought it would be. So I am in a position of, honestly, I don't know.
Creator Gareth Hodges on February 15
Any chance of a rough ETA on Hadean Lands? Not expecting a hard guarantee, but is it likely this year?
Creator Matthew Griffin on December 8
Thanks so much! have been enjoying reading through the documentation and demos for I7!
Creator Andrew Plotkin on December 3
You should pick a language, rather than trying to imitate me. :) The I6 component of an I7 project is very complicated -- much more so than a game written in I6 to begin with. Don't try to get into that sort of tuning unless you're comfortable with *both* languages *and* in the mood for some deep hacking.
Either I6 or I7 is a perfectly good place to start. I recommend I7 because I think it's more approachable for beginners and more powerful in the long run. Not everyone agrees with that, though.
Creator Matthew Griffin on December 2
Hey Zarf, What tools would you suggest for someone looking to start out with writing IF that doesn't have quite the coders background you do? You talked about leaning on Inform 7 and then working to tune up elements in Inform 6 -- are either of those authoring tools a good place to start? Given that most of the good IF projects took years to write, I'm just happy that you are keeping things going on HL. Thanks! Matt
Creator Tim Cowley on August 28, 2012
Disregard my last comment in this thread and just send me my $250*0.9 back, like you offered this fellow nearly a year ago. My email's expunge@gmail.com. The money will go towards me purchasing every scrap of commercial IF that exists.
Fien on November 28, 2011
I'm sorry I backed you. You're showing contempt for your 714 backers.
Andrew Plotkin on November 28, 2011
I'm sorry you feel that way. I feel I would be showing contempt if I posted a release date which was a lie.
If you want to back out, send me your email address and I will return your contribution via paypal. (Minus the 10% that Kickstarter/Amazon kept.)
Creator Tim Cowley on August 27, 2012
Andrew - can you do a 'split ship' like the LockSport KS or something like what the Double Fine Adventure people did? Having some feelies to look at and show off would make me feel better for funding your other commercial projects.
Obviously without the printed-up source code.
Creator Andrew Plotkin on July 7, 2012
You are totally right -- there should be a way to move save files back and forth. Dreamhold is using standard Z-machine save files, so they should be interoperable with Frotz and everything else.
I have looked at the iCloud API. It doesn't look too bad. I'll take it for granted that DropBox is easy, since everybody says it is. :) Providing these options is on my interpreter to-do list.
Creator Irfon-Kim Ahmad on July 5, 2012
So, I finally got around to trying out The Dreamhold on my iPad. (I picked it up when you first announced it, but didn't get a chance to play it until now.) It's fun, and being able to swipe between the game and the auto-map is great. However, there was one feature that I found myself really wanting that wasn't there: Some way to synchronize saved games between the iPad and another computer/device. When I'm on the bus, it's great to be able to play on my iPad, but when I'm at home, having to play on the iPad means I just don't play. The iPad is relatively horrible for typing, and if I'm at home gaming I'd like to have all my other amenities handy as they are on my primary computer. I'm not necessarily suggesting you implement this for The Dreamhold, as I have no idea if any saved games (I don't even know if you *can* save, come to think of it) are saved in a format that's readable by the standard interpreters that would play the game the way it's packaged on other platforms. But for Hadean Lands, if you're building it from the ground up with an eye for eventually being able to run on iOS / Android / Mac / PC / Linux / whatever, then it would be nice to have a facility for sharing state between these. (For iFrotz, you can do it through Dropbox, which I had requested and the developer indicated after that it had been really easy to do. While that would involve endorsing one or more particular services, that seems like a pretty low-effort way of achieving the goal.)
Creator Andrew Plotkin on October 9, 2011
Thanks. I am too, believe me.
Creator Eric Leslie on October 8, 2011
Fair enough. Like I said, I don't regret my contribution, and I hope it all comes together wonderfully. You've been up front about the "Hadean Lands will be my day job" part of it not turning out to be true. I do think, though, that a lot of the enthusiasm that got you the pledges to begin with came from excitement about Hadean Lands; about the idea of commercial IF being possible on iPhone and your work proving (or not proving) the concept. I'm still very eager to see how that eventually pans out.
Creator Andrew Plotkin on October 8, 2011
The deal I offered was $8000 to work on HL *and other IF work*. HL has seen some progress, although not as much as I should have gotten done in a year. The other IF work has seen some progress too: three IF API spec updates, a lot of work on the iOS IF interpreter. Again, there's more that I had hoped to have done by now, but it's not been ignored.
The answer to your question is: the difference between $31k and $8k would not have made much difference to me, because the plan was always to *combine that with my savings* and launch myself as a independent developer. My reserves have not run out and I have time to finish HL before they do. If I had $23K less, that would still be true -- although I'd have to dig deeper and I'd probably have taken on contract work in June instead of starting Secret Hideout.
It's not a question of obligation being proportional to money. It's price points that change my planning. $8000 was the bare minimum for this plan. The next plan up would have been at maybe $80000, where I wouldn't look at contract work at all for the foreseeable future.
Creator Eric Leslie on October 8, 2011
Andrew, the stuff you say you're working on all sounds awesome. BUT.
"I started out 2011 thinking that Hadean Lands had to be my big money-making breakout. That was, in truth, kind of a paralyzing notion. But it was also kind of illusory. Here I am; I've finished one project, nearly finished another, and I also have some iPad contract work lined up. (Not story-related; it's a board game port.) None of these projects now has to be The One That Succeeds And Pays My Rent Forever. But they all could be. (Okay, notMy Secret Hideout, probably.)
...In the long term, I hope to offer you an ever-growing tally of interesting projects across the game and narrative domain. And I hope that, in aggregate, they pay my rent."
I hope they do too. But we've all already funded the one thing that consistently hasn't seen results for going on a year; your IF on iOS. Specifically, Hadean Lands, the game in the title of the Kickstarter. To the tune of $31,000.
I'm not trying to be a jerk and I don't regret my pledge, but I am curious: you'd be no less "obligated" to do Hadean Lands if you had only made your $8,000 goal, let alone $31,000. That was the deal you proposed: $8,000 of funding for HL on iOS. Would it EVER be getting done, if that had been the result?
Creator Andrew Plotkin on August 28, 2011
My most recent blog post ( http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zarf/hadean-lands-interactive-fiction-for-the-iphone/posts ) is my best explanation. I described the Kickstarter project for HL and other IF work. I have been making better progress on the other IF work -- API spec updates aren't exciting, but they're important for the field. HL has slipped down my priority list this past summer, but now I've got the two short-term projects almost done.
If I gave you an estimated date for HL, it would be a lie. Sorry. There's a reason I haven't been giving them. (When I finish HL, I'll have a basis for estimating the work time on *another* large IF game...)
Creator Bryan Gough on August 28, 2011
Echo Jeremie. We were backing HL right? What's with all the other stuff?
At least throw us an estimated date. I've almost completely forgotten about this project.
Creator Jeremie Lariviere on June 24, 2011
any other updates? how's Hadean Lands coming?
Creator Andrew Plotkin on January 23, 2011
Signs point to "no", I'm afraid. I don't intend to update the teaser again. It has what I want in it.
Creator Paul Zagieboylo on January 21, 2011
Darn you, Zarf, now I'm impatient for an awesome new Zarf game!! Can we have another puzzle in the teaser in, like, March or April? Although I don't know if that would temporarily satisfy my craving, or just give me another taste of the forbidden fruit...
Creator Shaun on January 10, 2011
Hi. I only went for the cheapskate pledge but if you need any extra help with the beta I will willingly help. I have done a bit of iPhone development so I know what its like.
It is crazy to think that something like Kickstarter can help you quit your job and "live the dream". ;)
Creator Jason VandenBerghe on January 4, 2011
Did anyone point out already that your final funding number is a hacker-speak dream? '31337' in net speak is 'elite' (ELEET).
Oooooooooooo! Mystical and stuff! ;)
Creator black on December 14, 2010
Congratulations! I'm sorry I found out about this too late.
Creator Kazi Siddiqui on December 10, 2010
(if i'm really desperate)
Creator Kazi Siddiqui on December 10, 2010
alternatively, there might just be a few iphone emulators out there ;)
Creator Kazi Siddiqui on December 10, 2010
me too, thx anyway :)
Creator Andrew Plotkin on December 10, 2010
That's correct. I've decided that I don't want to collect further donations (or orders) now that the Kickstarter thing is over. Sorry! It would be a distraction, and it would reduce the perceived value of the supporter rewards.
I very much hope that I am able to announce Mac, PC, and other versions some time next year.
Creator Kazi Siddiqui on December 10, 2010
Shit, I can't afford Apple products either. Guess I'll wait for the PC release, if any.
Creator Kazi Siddiqui on December 10, 2010
Can't believe I didn't hear about this before.
Creator Kazi Siddiqui on December 10, 2010
Wait, does this mean it's too late to pre-order?
Creator Andrew Plotkin on December 9, 2010
I saw that, and it will help, but international app gifting is what I really need.
Creator Steven Marsh on December 8, 2010
Hey, Andrew... iTunes can now accept international promo codes. Looks like one problem has been solved before it even became urgent!
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/12/08/itunes-sports-international-promo-codes-push-notification-secur/
Creator Brian Lavelle on December 7, 2010
Great news, Andrew. Have been following progress eagerly over the last few weeks. Delighted for you - and of course very keen to play the finished article.
Best of luck with what's to come!
Creator Andrew Plotkin on December 7, 2010
Thanks.
Creator Melissa Plotkin on December 7, 2010
Mazel Tov!
Creator Chris Grainger on December 7, 2010
Woo Hoo! Congrats!
Creator Andrew Plotkin on December 7, 2010
Thank you everybody. $31337, and I win the Internets.
For the graph, and other wrapping-up comments, see the Updates page.
Whoo, I'm tired. Good night.
Creator Nathan Loofbourrow on December 7, 2010
"$31,337" /\/1C3 :)
Creator Xiao on December 6, 2010
Damn, I almost forgot about this.
I'm glad I made it with my contribution, because I'd feel really guilty not giving back to the IF community after I played them so much back in the days for free when I was a broke-ass student with a crappy computer.
And to Andrew: Thank you for all the countless hours you poured into your games and (especially) programing efforts, they were much appreciated.
Creator xanna on December 6, 2010
C'mon, guys, let's get it above $32,767 -- it is for Glulx, after all. :)
(Zarf, will there be graphs? Please make there be graphs.)
Creator Neurosion on December 6, 2010
Darn. Was hoping that would push you over the $30,000 mark.
Still many hours to go.
Creator Nathan Loofbourrow on December 6, 2010
$29,288 means you'll write 3.66 new IF games, right?
Creator Andrew Plotkin on December 5, 2010
What will I do with the extra money? I'll go into more detail when I post the final results tomorrow night. But the short answer is, "have more time to spend on IF, and burn less of my savings."
Creator André on December 5, 2010
Hi there! What will you do with the extra money?
Creator Andrew Plotkin on December 4, 2010
Whether it makes it or not, thank you for pushing.
Creator Clifton Royston on December 4, 2010
OK, I just resubmitted this on the Boing Boing Submitterator, with some more excitable happy-blurby language. There was an earlier submission but it didn't get posted, despite 13 up-votes. If any of you want to help get this noticed further in the remaining two days, please go pile on and up-vote!
Creator Paul Laroquod on December 3, 2010
Thanks so much for your years of work making great IF and for starting this amazing project!
Creator Starmaker on December 2, 2010
I hate Apple. Their censorship policy alternates between ricockulously dumb and maliciously subversive. So here's my vote for a non-limited PC version, backed by Messrs. Franklin, Grant, Jackson and Hamilton.
Plus, the associated title sounds really awesome.
Creator Andrew Plotkin on December 2, 2010
Thank you.
Creator Jason VandenBerghe on December 2, 2010
I want to re-iterate a sentiment expressed earlier in the comment list - Andrew, I feel like I already owe you at _least_ $20 a pop for each of your previous works. It is weird and ridiculous that I live in a world where I can play games like Spider & Web for free. Helping support this effort feels like paying you back part of what is already owed.
Creator Andrew Plotkin on December 2, 2010
I do not plan to release the source code online. I'm not comfortable with that level of openness for a major commercial game project. Sorry.
(Sure, someone could OCR the entire thing. Then I'd be, well, uncomfortable.)
Creator Steven Marsh on December 2, 2010
I know the bound-and-printed source will only be made available to the $180 level; will good old-fashioned electronic source be made available at some point as well?
(Sorry about the multiple posts... my browser's acting up.)