Author: Andrew Rainnie - UK Correspondent

Last time on the Kickstart This! Guide to Getting Your Game Funded, we talked about how to whip up a community around your project and keep them engaged through social media and other channels. Now we’re going to look at what they see, hear, and feel when they land on your crowdfunding page.

When I write Warp Zoned’s Kickstart This! spot, I usually focus on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform rather than Indiegogo or the handful of other options available. I find it more intuitive, although recently Indiegogo has changed its page design to mirror its rival. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. All the aspects I’m going to touch on can apply across all platforms, so try both and see which one suits you best.

When I talk about design, don’t confuse this with the design of the game. This is all about how you design and lay out your Kickstarter page, although the aesthetics of your game should influence your Kickstarter page to make it connected for a smoother audience journey. (more…)

It has been five long years since I crafted Kickstart This! How To Get More Coin For Your Game, my first guide to crowdfunding for game developers. Since then, we have seen a smorgasbord of game projects launch into the crowdfunding seas, some reaching the legendary Land of the Funded, while most turned back. Those who went in without a map were suddenly lost at sea or smashed against the rocks of failure.

During this period, I launched two film projects on Kickstarter. The first, The Illuminant Midnight Project, crashed and burned, raising a paltry £874 against a target of £15,000. It was a trio of short films that were, in retrospect, far too ambitious, with a lofty goal on a project that I had I not put enough work into (and I had put in a lot of work).

Several years later, I took what I learned from those first mistakes and launched The Water Rat, a short film with a single location and only three actors. The constraints allowed a much smaller initial target of £500. We passed this in three days, ending our 30 day run at the start of April with a total of £1750, enough to make two short films.

With that in mind, it seemed like an ideal time to revisit my original guide, as well as its sequel (Kickstart This! 10 Pointers To Get More Gold For Your Game). I’m going to address new features that Kickstarter has launched, and look at old ideas in a new light, especially in developing an audience or community before launch. (more…)