So, my project Defenders of Wessex is slated for a kickstarter launch, which due to some issues with the art is probably going to be late winter or early spring.
The question I have been wrestling with is, What do I set the initial funding goal at?
Obviously the answer ought to be: whatever the cost of publication is.
Well, here is the publication plan:
Initial launch will be via The Game Crafter, with an $80 pledge netting a copy of the game (there will be lower pledge levels as with most kickstarter campaigns). My initial plan was to set the funding goal really low, since the game that comes off of TGC will be fully playable.
The original plan calls for about $2000 to be the initial funding amount, an ld to use the lower end of materials in publication. The use stretch goals to enhance materials (adding things like linen finish cards, for example).
When we hit 400 copies sold, TGC closes our contract with them and allows us to find a new publisher. The new publisher (which I have already talked to in order to obtain a quote) has a 500 unit minimum, but printing costs are about 1/3 of TGC, enabling us to do some really awesome things like going from halmas to miniatures of the player characters. But then it occured to me that I could just start with a big goal.
If I skipped the TGC step and went right to the second publisher, I could offer the higher quality, more complete game for less. For example, a $60 pledge could get the whole game complete with minis and everything, but the funding goal would be harder to reach - in the area of $30000.
So which route do you think is better? Starting small and improving with growth, or starting awesome from the beginning?
