Greetings and welcome to the first installment of what I hope will be a monthly look into the world of crowdfunding.

If you are new to crowdfunding and aren’t entirely sure what I am talking about, then scroll to the bottom of this page where you will find an explanation of this new and exciting phenomenon.

The table below lists all of the “classic” adventure games I have identified at Kickstarter and Indiegogo along with their status. If you should find any I missed or find an adventure game at another crowdfunding site, please send me the info so I can include it (bobw at justadventure dot com).

Note: this table only contains those campaigns that have succeeded or are still active. But just because the funding drive falls short, it doesn’t mean the project is dead. Many times a project will either try again (HM Spiffing) or just go it alone with a smaller goal (making just Chapter 1 rather than the whole game, as 7th Guest III did).

Also note that I was only able to complete 2014 and 2009 in the table. It takes quite a bit of effort to research and I hope to complete it over the next month or so.

If you would like to see us follow other types of games such as FPS or RPG, you are more than welcome to assemble additional tables for them. Just send the completed tables to me at bobw at justadventure dot com and I will make sure they are included. Oh, and thank you for volunteering :-).

New for January 2015

Well, not just January. Since this is the first installment we will have to bring everyone up to date and list some of what I think are the biggest highlights up to now.

Key to the Table

BP – Bob’s Picks. This indicates games I think are especially noteworthy.
Game/Review – Link to the game’s web site and to the JustAdventure reviews and articles.
Venue – Link to the game’s crowdfunding page.
Developer – Link to the developer’s home page
Started – Date the fundraiser started.
Ended – Date the fundraiser ended.
Completed – Date the project was completed or is expected to complete.
Available – Links to where to completed game can be acquired.

Adventure Games

What is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is a relatively new resource which helps independent developers raise funds for their projects. Developers launch a funding drive, people who like the project pledge money towards it and if enough money is pledged then the project takes off. The two sites that fund the most game development are Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

Game development has become a very complex and expensive endeavor. To create a top-notch professional game requires programmers, artists, musicians, actors, engineers who understand the nuances of shader algorithms and particle physics, and so on. Where do independent developers get those kinds of resources?

Historically, they would go to a publisher who would give them an advance (a loan based upon expected sales). But there are several problems with this paradigm.

First, developers have to convince the publisher that their game will be popular. Then the publisher will impose a deadline for delivery of the game for publication, whether that particular developer feels it’s finished or not. And frequently the publisher will retain legal rights to the game.

Crowdfunding gets around these problems by eliminating the middleman and going directly to the players. If the players want a game, they will put up the money to develop it. Any deadlines are self-imposed by the developer. This enables developers to release their games only when they are satisfied with them. And the developer retains all rights to the game.

The players also win. They, not some faceless executive, get to decide which games get published. Also, by pledging early they can get exclusive bonuses such as signed artwork, tee shirts and even inclusion in the game itself. But mostly, they win by getting better quality games which are not released until they are truly finished.

There are difficulties as well. The publisher normally takes care of advertising and promotion. With crowdfunding it is totally up to developers to get the word out. They may have the greatest game idea since tic-tac-toe, but if nobody knows about it then nobody will pledge towards it.

There is also no guarantee that the developer will actually complete the game. There’s been the occasional scam where a developer just took the money and ran, but fortunately, these are rare. So you will want to decide just how trustworthy the developer is before pledging. You’ll need to assess both honesty and the ability to finish the project.

What happens when a really cool-looking game doesn’t make its goal? Find the game’s website or Facebook page. Many times a project will continue, just without the help of Kickstarter.

What happens when you find out about a great game but have missed the campaign? Find the game’s website. Most developers allow backers to come late to the game via PayPal, although the rewards may be limited (i.e., you can still get the tee shirt, but the signed posters are no longer available).

What if the game is finished and already released? Check to see if it is for sale in the JustAdventure Store. If not, go to the game’s website for details. You may be able to purchase it through Steam, Humble Bundle, GOG or however the developer decides to distribute it. You would just lose out on the exclusive backer goodies.

Getting involved in a crowdfunding campaign can be a lot of fun. Check it out. WARNING: Kickstarter campaigns can be even more addicting than eBay auctions!