W:A 4.0 Kickstarter Campaign Proposal

[Obn3g0n]

This is in response to recent threads like this (http://forum.team17.co.uk/showthread.php?p=774606#post774606).

Cybershadow and Deadcode are unpaid volunteers who have been working in their spare time to patch and improve W:A for the past decade plus. Because of their work, W:A is now immensely better than it was when released.

I propose that me or someone more organized and well-spoken than myself starts a Kickstarter campaign for W:A 4.0. All proceeds will go to CS/DC, obviously.

If you don't know what Kickstarter is, take a look at this example where a medium sized christian ska band raised over $200000 to release a new album: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fiveironfrenzy/new-five-iron-frenzy-album

Basically, it's a genius modern fundraising tool where you only have to pay for your donation pledge if/when the project reaches its goal funding target, and there's the added fun of getting cool rewards. It's a much more effective way of getting donations than through a Paypal donate button or anything else I've seen, actually.

The W:A community is still very big, so I'm sure we can reach at least $10000 if not much more in donations. I have witnessed several highly successful Kickstarter campaigns, and I'm sure this would be no exception. The trick is to not set the goal too low, because people stop donating after it's reached. But also if we set the goal too high and it isn't reached, the campaign is a failure and CS/DC get nothing.


The campaign would have different levels of donations and rewards, such as:

$10 - receive our heartfelt thanks, to be displayed in the finished game somewhere
$50 - receive thanks, and a limited pressing of W:A 4.0 with unreleased material on dvd
$100 - receive thanks, 4.0 dvd and limited edition W:A poster
$250 - receive thanks, 4.0 dvd, limited edition autographed poster, and plush super sheep
$1000 - thanks, dvd, autographed poster, plush sheep, and the ability to request and name one feature (subject to approval) to be added to the game

etc.... I just thought of these very quickly to give an example..


There isn't much involved in setting this up, basically this is what we need:
-organized and well-spoken leader(s)
-writers to come up with donation pledge rewards and to write the general campaign blurb.
-designers for posters, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and/or any other ideas
-video??
-approval from CS/DC? This is the first place I came with this idea.

The most successful campaigns also have a video. Ideally we could put some pictures/video clips of CS/DC in there so that people can put faces to names. I saw Deadcode in a Coke commercial (with a huge orange afro), but the only face I associate with Cybershadow is a pokemon.

This project is about giving CS/DC some long-overdue recognition and financial reward for all their hard work, not trivializing their work or pace in which they have done it. Above all the goal is NOT to box them into committing to a release deadline. On the other hand having a little extra money and support/recognition never hurts, either.


Ideas, comments, volunteers? Is this a cause you'd be willing to donate to? Only if you like the rewards? (t-shirts, etc)? If we can gauge support in this thread, it will help us set a good goal for donations, not too high or too low.

Thank you all very much for reading this!

[StepS]

That's a nice proposition, I'll surely donate, but a paypal button would still be helpful, no? :p i'm kind of unfamiliar on this:o

[insurg3nt3]

Is a good idea man and it seems these kickstarter projects have success, just to give another example, take a look:

Carmageddon-reincarnation kickstarter project:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stainlessgames/carmageddon-reincarnation

Of course that CS and DC or just T17 have the final word on this.

[Squirminator2k]

This is a nice idea, but it's up to CyberShadow, Deadcode and, ultimately, Team17 if they want to Kickstart an update for Worms Armageddon. We can't set up a Kickstarter on their behalf.

[zookman]

Yes, I like this idea too and would donate for sure. Good sensible post.
I also think there should be a simple paypal donation link on the knowledge base somewhere.

When w:a 4.0 comes... I'm gonna be like 'the nintendo 64 kid'

[Squirminator2k]

Look, again, I feel the need to stress this to forum goers: DO NOT CREATE A KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN FOR WA 4.0. Kickstarter campaigns have to be created by the originating company - in this case, Team17 - not by well-meaning fans.

If Team17 want to Kickstart 4.0, that's their decision. But for the love of Glod, don't do anything so monumentally stupid as to start your own bloody Kickstarter.

[Obn3g0n]

Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything. Just wanted to gauge forum support and of course from T17/CS/DC. Although I don't necessarily see why T17 has to be the one who Kickstarts it, I'm sure it would be for the better if they did, donation-wise. I don't really see T17 bothering with this old game. Obviously everyone has to at least approve of the idea. Maybe legalities prevent anyone else from doing it?

Thanks for your positive responses so far everyone! Glad you all think it's a good idea.

[KRD]

I don't think you guys quite understand what Kickstarter is all about. It's not a glorified donations/charity platform, it's specifically about raising enough funds to be able to complete a project. Here, this is from their guidelines:

1. Funding for projects only. A project has a clear goal, like making an album, a book, or a work of art. A project will eventually be completed, and something will be produced by it. A project is not open-ended. Starting a business, for example, does not qualify as a project.

And that's why even if it wasn't legally and morally questionable, doing this without Team17 would make very little sense. They'd have to be in on it to at the very least approve the goals of the campaign, even if they weren't the ones writing the code. But I imagine that for such a campaign to really be successful, T17 would also have to get their hands dirty with the fancier backer prizes, some advertising, possibly accompanying art, the video and what have you.

But so yes, Kickstarter campaigns can be pretty great. They definitely take more effort and commitment to get off the ground than simply continuing work on WA updates, though, from both the maintainers and from T17. So an appeal to get this going would be better off aimed at them directly as opposed to at the community. The community will then surely be happy to support the idea... if the project is presented in a concrete, detailed, trustworthy way.

[Phantom]

for the love of Glod

Who's Glod?

[Squirminator2k]

Who's Glod?

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/211/415/354z1o.jpg

[Pooka]

Who's Glod?

A hill dwarf.

[ZeptOr]

i'd certainly contribute to something like this

[SgtFusion]

I would too, it's just that it's extremely unlikely to happen.

[bloopy]

It's a nice idea but really T17 would have to oversee it, and it depends on: How much control T17 wants, since their intellectual property, reputation and marketing are involved. Whether DC & CS want to spend more time on it just because money's involved.

I agree that you wouldn't want to commit them to a release deadline. How about if the goal was a relaxed beta release date, give or take a year?