John Kovalic captures the truth

Recently I've found several Kickstarter projects that I almost wish I hadn't found... And maybe I'm spoiled by Brave Halfling's KS because I'm finding them all to be just a tiny but pricey, or if not pricey when I really think about, just a little more than I want to spend or can really justify considering how little use I may realistically get out the products... but I really can be a Cheap Basterd*.  :-) 

I suppose it serves to help make sure I'm really really sure I'm committed to the pledge.  Damn this "responsibility" and "acting like an adult" and "spending wisely!"

Some examples:
Swords & Wizardry hardback book.  I already have and love the white box edition BHP published, but damn if this campaign doesn't make me just want this.  Maybe I'm just caught up in the momentum and hype.  I mean, even the publisher of Pathfinder bought a copy. I settled for the dice set because it's a good price for that many dice and the logo is just too cool.  I'm so close to pledging for the book, but really, any tabletop gaming I do is going to be Castles & Crusades or X-plorers.

Here's one I backed at the cheapo level: Starships & Spacemen just to get the pdf.  Being a Star Trek clone (in terms of setting) I was curious.  But not 25 buck curious for a soft cover.  Intellectually (dare I say logically?) I know that's a fair price for a soft cover, and yes, they should make some actual profit, but I didn't want to spend that much, especially when Far Trek is available for free!  And dig the 'bookmark' style character sheet!  It inspired me to create one for X-plorers (my Word-fu (MS Word, that is) was weak and to make it a 1/4 of a page in size, it became a page of that size.  When I re-size it to cut/paste four bookmark sheets on one page, the formatting goes haywire.  I've been unable to make it so that four fit on a standard 8x11 page and I've given up... can anyone help me out?  Of course, i I could print 4 small ones and tape them on a page and photocopy it...).  

Anyway, Far Trek is good, check it out!

Hulks & Horror was unique enough to get my vote in the form of 25 bucks for a softcover (so am I talking out my ass?).  The preview files of the classes really sold me.  I still think this could be a cool setting or spin off product of X-plorers, but some of the unique flavor might be lost if the rules conversion isn't careful (I'm fond of the two Attack Bonus Progressions, one for Melee and one for Missile/Ray gun).  But I'm hoping to see H&H make it to print.  The setting looks well thought out and cool.

I've been very public in my love of Crypts & Things, which I got the pdf for 12 bucks on indygogo.  Oh duh, that's a Swords & Wizardry variant, so that's another reason not to drop the money on that.  Maybe I do make a little sense now and then.  :-)  


Aside: after printing it at the UPS store and fitting it in a three ring binder, it was about 21 bucks... so it basically would have made sense to get the actual book in this case.  Much like the print it yourself version of the S&W white box I mentioned before, which next to my X-plorers box, looks totally ghetto.

Speaking of Kickstarters that didn't make it, I was bummed when Hungry Honey Badgers didn't fund.  Doesn't it seem like a good fun game?  Alas.

Then there's Numenera... oh that looks SWEET!  Monte, here's my money... Maybe not what he had in mind, but the description of the setting makes me think this would work for some far-out John Carter meets Masters of the Universe mash up.

I guess I could go on, but I'm trying to do this post in one sitting and have to get to work.  A final thought, I much prefer Kickstarter to Indygogo because KS doesn't take any money UNTIL (and if) the project funds.  IGG takes it immediately and refunds you if the project doesn't fly.  What are they doing with my money in the mean time?  (putting it in an interest-bearing account if they're smart) but hey, that's my money; leave it with me.  It's not a deal-breaker, but I much prefer the way KS does it.


Happy Friday, everyone!  Have a great weekend!

(cartoon posted without permission, but also without commercial gain and with attribution and, so please be cool)

* more on that later...