Skirmish! VT - Kickstarter preview page
The new kickstarter preview page is on-line now. However, it is still a work in progress. We are missing some images and an updated video yet and we need to find a way to make the whole page appear a bit more tidy. However, the first goal is as good as complete. Stretch goals will be prepared next.
Also, I am going through the list of user suggestions as I post this to check which of the suggestions have yet to be listed on the campaign page. So, if your suggestion is not listed under features/plug-ins, don't fret: it probably will appear as I am updating the page.
For now here is the preview page:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1569088261/1746585226?token=4fa94be2
Don't forget to leave your feedback regarding pledge levels, content, etc.
Your feedback matters!
Also, I am going through the list of user suggestions as I post this to check which of the suggestions have yet to be listed on the campaign page. So, if your suggestion is not listed under features/plug-ins, don't fret: it probably will appear as I am updating the page.
For now here is the preview page:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1569088261/1746585226?token=4fa94be2
Don't forget to leave your feedback regarding pledge levels, content, etc.
Your feedback matters!
This discussion has been closed.
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Will check back often
We know it's an ambitious project but it's definately doable and we are hoping / preparing for a successful funding within the first week, so we can go further and realize as many stretch goals as possible.
The new KS-page looks very nice IMO, great job! Only have some very minor questions and possible suggestions:
- If you have locked in the f2p business model and are 100% dedicated to it, I would suggest mentioning it higher up on the page. It will probably be crucial info to many backers (perhaps even the deciding factor for some) and most certainly a good selling point to advertise as clearly as possible. You could for example mention it as early as in the "What is Skirmish! VT?" introduction, that the basic version is free-to-play, with some additional features being available trough a subscription-based Pro version.
- Sorry if I missed this and it's already implemented, but is or will the KS version of Skirmish! be D&D 5e ready? By this I mean having the D&D 5e rules integrated with character sheets and so on. I bring this up since I couldn't find any mention of it on the KS page. If it is in, then you should mention it, as it would be a great selling point for Skirmish! to be able to run a D&D 5e game from the get go. D&D 5e not only being the latest version of a very popular system, but it also fits the fantasy content you've already made available. If it's not in and if it's not too much work to implement, I would at least consider it as it might be a considerable factor for attracting backers.
- Graphics look great and I only have a minor nitpick: In the "Content Packs" section, the brown banners on the left hand side that indicate which packs are free or free for backers, are a tad unclear in terms of which specific packs they are referring to. I would suggest moving them down a bit vertically so that they cover both the title and the description of the pack, something like this (note where the top and bottom borders of the "Free!" banner is in relation to the title and description, its full height "covers" both of them vertically):
_____
| Civ 2 - Castle
Free! |
_____ | Extensive set of modular castle walls.
- Seems like you're completely skipping having any stretch goals this time? If you go that route, then as I see it you will lack the benefits from the motivation of reaching the next goal when it comes to generating new backers, but on the other hand, including all these features instead of locking them behind stretch goals, is in itself a selling point. I'm guessing the idea is that the the amount of features you offer, will compensate for the driving force of the stretch goals. If this is the case (and if it already hasn't been implemented), then I do think you should consider making Skirmish! D&D 5e feature ready from the get go, as that IMO would add considerably to the selling point in terms of included features.
Anyway, just my 2 cents and what I can think of right now. Again, the new KS page looks great, so kudos to you on a job well done. Also, my apologies in advance if I missed some features already in (like D&D 5e support), I must admit it was a while now since I used Skirmish!, so please take that into account.
/K5e
1. Good point about mentioning our free to play model earlier. Will do that.
2. We plan to supply a ready-to-play templates for popular game systems (character sheets / plug-in settings). I need to work that into the character stats plug-in gfx.
3. I'll see to it that the "free" and "free for backers" labels will be assigned more clearly.
4. We are not skipping stretch goals, they have not been added yet as for some functions it is still undecided where they will be placed. We're still moving features back and forth between main and stretch goals to balance the initial funding level, however it is important to us that the main goal in itself is a complete, fully working product that can be used whether or not stretch goals have been achieved.
Please check back later for an updated page. :>
Guess the only remaining question now is, which backer tier to pick.
Cheers
/K
I ask cuss other Virtual Table Tops I've seen, sometimes, will segregate Free from the Pros or they will allow them to play with each other but it limits them. I guess what I'm asking is;
If yes this can be a great selling point.
Maybe I need to put it in BOLD letters
I'd pay for expansion "map" and "object" packs separately.
It would'nt need online access except to update the software occasionally.
I have seen a bunch of people who have built similar game tables so there might be a market for it.
But maybe you have a different idea entirely. If so, maybe you could give us examples of what you expect Skirmish! to do in your preferred setup.
Anyone who doesn't already know this fact, might currently make the false assumption that Skirmish! requires you to be connected to the internet at all times for it to even run.
The use of digital setups (like the ones you mentioned) seems to become more and more common at the physical tables, which means it might be a potential selling point to some.
A small addition to the description of the Server/Client setup of Skirmish! mentioning this would probably be enough, just something that makes its offline/LAN possibilities clear.
/K
Either way, the bandwidth needed to run if all clients are under the same lan/computer as the server is minimal. In that case only a few KB would need to go over the internet at login/join time, so it can be used over a metered connection (such as a mobile phone in tethering mode) without too much trouble.
I'm curios about something. Is it just me or is something wrong with KS link?
Link redirects me to KS homepage. Maybe preview page "expired" or something?
Also in the store on my newly created account, says that beta server and client will expire on 08/01/2016 which is today and I just registered and downloaded both clients.
Does that means that free beta is over today and I don't have time to try it?
Nevertheless I look forward to KS campaign and I probably back it if I see that you have implemented a good way to organize campaigns and assets (map, tokens etc) because I usually run several campaigns so I need good organization tools.
About the beta: it will continue for a few more weeks, I just noticed it is down due to an automation bug in our system. It will be resolved tomorrow.
That information (specific details about online requirements and exactly what it entails) will probably be very important to a lot of potential backers, so it might be something to mention in detail somewhere on the main Kickstarter page.
It's my experience that the more specifics you can give about a product on its main Kickstarter page, the more of a professional impression a potential backer will get.
Granted, you might not be able to cover every single detail, but I'm guessing any online/offline and other requirements for running the tool would be very high on the list.
You don't want to miss any potential backers as a result of them feeling they didn't get the information they needed straight away.
Some people are suprprisingly lazy and would simply just disregard a Kickstarter altogether rather than having investigate some information themselves.
Sorry if I'm just stating the bloody obvious stuff here, I know I've made a lot of suggestions that have turned out to be completely redundant (sorry about that), but I'm just throwing all I can think of at you just in case.
Please rest assured I only have good intentions, as I just wish Skirmish! as successful a Kickstarter campaign as possible because I feel it deserves it.
/K
If you'll accept suggestions, I'll write few sentences what could be good to implement into Skirmish based on my experience with other VTTs in couple of days.
1. Will we be able to fully hook into the VTT (UI, other existing core functionality...) via the plugin API? For example, in case the inventory plugin stretch goal isn't reached, will we be able to implement it ourselves?
2. Do you already have plans for the event that you and your servers go belly-up, will we be able to continue using pro features? I wish you all the best, but anything can happen and losing access to (for me) crucial features such as unrestricted plugin use have me sitting on the fence.
Thanks!
Answering your questions:
1. Absolutely, most of Skirmish itself is and will be done via the plugin API, and the API will be expanded as more core features are added/requested by third party devs.
2. I'm not entirely sure what you mean by the servers "going belly-up". If you mean not being able to login then it doesn't matter if you have pro or free features, since that's a key feature for skirmish itself to work (the whole matchmaking between clients and servers is based on it), so neither version would work. However that issue shouldn't occur and as far as the open beta goes has been very rare, almost to the point of being non-existent. Is that what you meant?
You could also charge for placing:
-- Monsters
-- Monsters with stats. (For whatever system they are using.)
-- Lighting effects.
-- Trigger points.
It's worth checkin into.
@Xavi
I think that Exxar meant what if your servers went down due to bankruptcy or something like that.
What happens then to people who did pay for lifetime subscription?
However, the question is justified and of course we have thought about worst-case-scenarios (aka bankruptcy). We have determined that in case of such a drastic event the most probable action would be to rewrite the software code so the owners of a lifetime license may still use the Skirmish! software and their acquired content independently without relying on our community and platform service.
Thank you for quick answer. It's nice to hear that you'll rewrite code if such a drastic situation ever arise, but I sincerely hope that will not come to this and that Skirmish will prosper and keep improving because it have much potential to be the best VTT.