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[rrenaud]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2012515236/gauntlet-of-fools

The game seems plausibly fun from the intro, but I am pretty skeptical about this part.  What is the chance that a successful entrepreneur can't get access to $15k?

If you are so excited about this game, why do you need kickstarter funding to get it made?

It is all about what we call cashflow. Making board games is a cash intensive proposition.  The time between when I pay for games (now) and when I get paid for them is upwards of 7 months, and that is in the best of circumstances. That takes a lot of money sitting in inventory, and that isn’t something that we have a lot of right now.

[DStu]

But why should he care to run after people to get the money? Maybe you get it, but you pay interest, and/or people want to talk you into your product, and there is kickstarter, and he already has $8.000 in one day, and you get some pre-start free links in game related forums, and if nobody likes the idea, you see it before you spend someones else $15.000.

[Mecherath]

It seems odd that Steve Jackson needed to use Kickstarter for Ogre too.  A lot of the benefit is to gauge interest and becuase the Kickstarter interface doubles as a pre-order system.

When I first heard about Kickstarter, I assumed it would be to get newbies off the ground into their first project.  But established people use it too.  The people who run the site don't seem to mind.  I'll be making a note myself to make a $28 pledge next month and grab this one.  I like the Everybody Dies idea.

[Ozle]

Hmm, why does it keep saying everyone will eventually die?
I can't see a mechanic in the rules/descriptions that means they will?

Someone with a good combination of skills/abilities/lucky draws looks like they could go for ever?
Especially as there is healing abilities in the game

[pst]

Someone with a good combination of skills/abilities/lucky draws looks like they could go for ever?
Especially as there is healing abilities in the game

The last paragraph under Additional Rules covers that possibility: "If somehow a Hero survives the entire Encounter deck, the game ends; ...".

[ftl]

When I first heard about Kickstarter, I assumed it would be to get newbies off the ground into their first project.

It's the other way around. It's really friendly to people who already have a reputation, who can basically use their name to say "give me money and I'll do something good with it". Newbies have a much harder time convincing strangers that they're worth giving money to for no product up front.

[Ozle]

When I first heard about Kickstarter, I assumed it would be to get newbies off the ground into their first project.

It's the other way around. It's really friendly to people who already have a reputation, who can basically use their name to say "give me money and I'll do something good with it". Newbies have a much harder time convincing strangers that they're worth giving money to for no product up front.

This is a good thing though, people should be rewarded for having a good reputation and having a background!

[Dsell]

I'm automatically extremely interested in any game Donald X. creates, but the guy demonstrating this game just lost me. Looks pretty interesting, but does anyone know if the rules have been released (didn't see them on BGG) or if there's any other info somewhere to get me excited about the game? A pledge on kickstarter seems like a pretty good way to basically pre-order the game.

As a side note, since this game is basically guaranteed to get its funding in the next few days and I imagine there will be stretch goals, how does that work if I pledge before the stretch goals happen?

[Ozle]

I'm automatically extremely interested in any game Donald X. creates, but the guy demonstrating this game just lost me. Looks pretty interesting, but does anyone know if the rules have been released (didn't see them on BGG) or if there's any other info somewhere to get me excited about the game? A pledge on kickstarter seems like a pretty good way to basically pre-order the game.

As a side note, since this game is basically guaranteed to get its funding in the next few days and I imagine there will be stretch goals, how does that work if I pledge before the stretch goals happen?

The rules are on that link, scroll down

But they look fairly simple, a bit like munchkin but without the backstabbing.

Everyone bids for a character
You turn over the monster card
roll for attack
If you beat its defence with your attack it dies
If it beats your defence with its attack you die
Claim rewards

Add in a few special moves and items

Repeat.

[Dsell]

I'm automatically extremely interested in any game Donald X. creates, but the guy demonstrating this game just lost me. Looks pretty interesting, but does anyone know if the rules have been released (didn't see them on BGG) or if there's any other info somewhere to get me excited about the game? A pledge on kickstarter seems like a pretty good way to basically pre-order the game.

As a side note, since this game is basically guaranteed to get its funding in the next few days and I imagine there will be stretch goals, how does that work if I pledge before the stretch goals happen?

The rules are on that link, scroll down

But they look fairly simple, a bit like munchkin but without the backstabbing.

Everyone bids for a character
You turn over the monster card
roll for attack
If you beat its defence with your attack it dies
If it beats your defence with its attack you die
Claim rewards

Add in a few special moves and items

Repeat.

Ha, thanks! I scrolled all the way to the bottom searching, but not halfway down. XD

[ednever]

Seems interesting enough, but not as interesting as DX's other games.

It also seems like solo play. The only part that seems to involve any interaction is the bidding for your character off the top. When you actually go into the Gauntlet you may as well be playing alone. Unless I'm missing something.

Ed

[Axxle]

Seems interesting enough, but not as interesting as DX's other games.

It also seems like solo play. The only part that seems to involve any interaction is the bidding for your character off the top. When you actually go into the Gauntlet you may as well be playing alone. Unless I'm missing something.

Ed

Bidding is a huge interaction.

[DStu]

It also seems like solo play.

Reminds me of somehing...

[Axxle]

It also seems like solo play.

Reminds me of somehing...

Basically just multiplayer solitaire.

[DStu]

As a side note, since this game is basically guaranteed to get its funding in the next few days and I imagine there will be stretch goals, how does that work if I pledge before the stretch goals happen?

There will be no stretch goals - all the promotional items that are available have been included, the game components are top notch and the price is great.

Anyway, you should get everything. Usually, the product is improved in some way, and of course they don't produce two different products just to anger the people that backed first and helped to start the whole thing.

[vintermann]

The game seems plausibly fun from the intro, but I am pretty skeptical about this part.  What is the chance that a successful entrepreneur can't get access to $15k?

Travis is also launching a lot of other stuff now (Resistance: Avalon and some expansions to Flash Point: Fire Rescue), and he's got shelf space in selected Target stores, and it's a one-man business. Quite possibly, the $15000 is what he needs access to in addition to what he can get access to elsewhere. Few Kickstarter projects are funded entirely by their supporters.

I'm very excited about this game. Travis is supposed to demo it at GenCon. Anyone there who can give an impression?

[DStu]

Btw, the 15Ks are done. Congratulations.

[Captain_Frisk]

Hey Donald, anything you'd like to tell us about this?

Should we buy it?

[sitnaltax]

I played it at GenCon and posted my thoughts (positive):

http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4279