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Ready, Set, Donate!

  • Sion
  • 05/09/2013 10:55 PM
  • 18696 views
Dormant Sky Kickstarter



Some time ago a forum member who commented on the project page expressed his/her willingness to contribute to the project. And when I considered the prospect of creating a Kickstarter for an Rpgmaker game, I found it pretty humorous. But after I researched and found that Dormant Sky would definitely not be the first or last to be submitted and get this end up Fully Funded, I had to give it a shot.

This also wouldn't be the first time I bucked a community trend with the way I go about game development. The primary thing that has always held back my vision for this game is the amount of resources I need for it to prosper. Something like Kickstarter would definitely grant me those resources. Truth is, I allowed development of the game to halt for the last year or so for multiple reasons that have dealt with my personal life, but with working with Vanit and the custom systems, one thing I have started to need is money. Custom systems need custom resources. The Battle System could have been finished and a demo out in 2010, if I had a few hundred sprites done for the character's animations.
Being a full-time college student hasn't exactly helped me in that area either. But I have expressed that I truly want to release this game. Even if the project fails to be funded, I will still do my best to make it happen. This method would just increase the rate of which exponentially.

Lastly, I'd like to compensate the people who have contributed to this project from day one. There are people who have taken shots at me for utilizing a team factor for this game but it boils down to the fact that there are people who really bought into my vision for the project even as an RPGmaker title, and contributed their talents. I want to do good by them, and those who look forward to Dormant Sky even today.

If you know of anyone who might be interested in donating to Dormant Sky please share the link.

Who knows, I may be able to get the game finalized in a completely different engine at the end of the day.

This is the vision of a guy who refuses to settle for mediocrity.
I believe that this fundraiser will live and die by the Rpgmaker community.

I'll meet you guys back here in 54 days.

Sion Out,

~Let's Do It

Posts

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Sailerius
did someone say angels
3214
Sure is curious how it covered a $500 gap in the last second.

Bets on whether or not he ever shows his face here again? Now that he has his money, he doesn't need to keep up the "it's for the community!" parade any longer.
Fuck, I don't care.
It's still a good-looking game and I'll be playing it when it comes out.
Of course it's good looking - it is using commercial-grade rips from SNES games.
author=Dyhalto
Fuck, I don't care.
It's still a good-looking game and I'll be playing it when it comes out.

You should count your eggs before they hatch.
Despite
When the going gets tough, go fuck yourself.
1340
Well, that's one way to make 5k.
My point is, I like what I see and am not swept up in this childish bitching about legal crankery some of you are so passionate about. If what you're seeing here really bothers you, go do something about it instead of whining in an RMN blog, hoping to shame the creator into throwing in the towel.
author=Dyhalto
My point is, I like what I see and am not swept up in this childish bitching about legal crankery some of you are so passionate about. If what you're seeing here really bothers you, go do something about it instead of whining in an RMN blog, hoping to shame the creator into throwing in the towel.


No, you've been swept up in the hype and BS of this game. Also, plenty of us TRIED to do something about it, but alas Sion has his head in the sand (seriously).
author=Dyhalto
My point is, I like what I see and am not swept up in this childish bitching about legal crankery some of you are so passionate about. If what you're seeing here really bothers you, go do something about it instead of whining in an RMN blog, hoping to shame the creator into throwing in the towel.

I do think it's pretty but I don't think he has any right to make a crowdfunding using graphics he doesn't own, made by a professional company, and instill some fake hopes on people without any preview of the changes he'd make.

If people support this kind of case , I'd make a crowdfunding game using FFTA graphics and throw my concept in. Then the final product wouldn't be as pretty as FFTA. Kickstarter isn't something for that.

We did ask him though and the others on the comments but he just avoided responding to those all together.
Just so we're straight, I think Kickstarter is a phase whose time will pass, so when the topic of discussion is the moral ethics behind the whole process, I tune out.

But the real thing to do was to notify Kickstarter of the rule violation and let them put his feet to the fire. Asking him personally to rescind it might have worked, but the results are clear now.
Sailerius
did someone say angels
3214
author=Dyhalto
Just so we're straight, I think Kickstarter is a phase whose time will pass, so when the topic of discussion is the moral ethics behind the whole process, I tune out.

But the real thing to do was to notify Kickstarter of the rule violation and let them put his feet to the fire. Asking him personally to rescind it might have worked, but the results are clear now.

We did. Kickstarter does not take down projects for violating the law.
My two cents, but if this guy is blatantly stealing and not crediting and profiting off other people's works without permissions, why would this site want him around as a representation of what this site offers.

I get we allow use of RM2K/3 editors to make free games, which in itself is viewed as shady by some people. EB seems to have looked away on this issue and not pressed it, which is fine, and these games are typically free (no amount of funding) and full credit is given.

However, this guy has crossed way beyond that line in that it put RMN in a bad light, especially when no amount of reprimand is given (assuming that none was given). If he pulled this on any other site, he would have been banned.

In any case, the only real solution is to turn it over to EB and Degica and let them handle it as they see fit.
Ok, this is getting a little out of hand, don't you think? ...First of all, I don't know all the intricacies that constitute "False advertising" but I doubt it applies here. (And if it does it pretty much applies to every other Kickstarter campaign I've seen in this site) People who donate to Kickstarter know the risks they're taking with their money. Period.

Secondly, if Kickstarter doesn't care enough to police it's own site, or if companies don't care enough to protect their IPs, why should we? I mean, it's not like they're not aware this kind of thing happen all the time. They don't even have to sue anybody as far as I know. All they have to do is report the infringing material to the site that host it (Doesn't the DMCA cover that sort of stuff) or send a C&D letter to the infringing party. That would pretty much send anyone on a straight path.

I too find this kind of practice unsettling, but from a practical point of view how's this project different from any other on this site? It does not infringe OUR rules, and not one cent came out from OUR pockets, so what is it to us? ...If anything, we can amend our rules so this doesn't happen again. But railing against a single user or considering selling him out is even more unbecoming of us as a community than anything he has done, which may be too soon to judge anyway.

Edit: "Morals" are not the only consideration to have here...
Probably because some of us actually has morals.

Anyways, I reported it up to Degica, and it's now in their hands whether or not to investigate and/or pursue action.
author=Dyhalto
Just so we're straight, I think Kickstarter is a phase whose time will pass, so when the topic of discussion is the moral ethics behind the whole process, I tune out.

But the real thing to do was to notify Kickstarter of the rule violation and let them put his feet to the fire. Asking him personally to rescind it might have worked, but the results are clear now.


That's not a valid option since KS doesn't have that option.
oh wow I didn't even see this

nice job moralizing corporate theft and acting as if accountability is a privilege, you guys, I'm sure he'll thank you for it
What's up guys? I decided against replying further on this blog post during the fundraiser simply because I didn't want the headache.

I'm glad I didn't, I don't think that would have been pleasant for any of us.

I will say, beyond the bickering back and forth, putting the game on Kickstarter really showed me that there are people beyond this community who miss SNES era role playing games, and the love and support for fans of the project is much appreciated.
Hell, I went to a local talk show in my area to talk about and promote the game. It's been really fun.

I put a screenshot up of one of the first maps in the Screen thread, and I'm excited to show you guys much much more very soon. I'm updating periodically on Kickstarter with Vanit, but I think I'll hold off on posting every little thing over here until we've made significant progress.

But just so everyone is clear:

The game is now on a licensed engine.
The game now uses custom graphics inspired by classic RPGs.
The game will have a fully original soundtrack.
The game will have voiced dialogue.
The game will have a fully custom menu system and battle system.

As a thank you to all backers, I would like to send them a copy of the game in some shape or form at some point. But it will no longer be free.

And I'm still hoping to make this community proud in the long run.
I'm not really good at giving up. Watch me work.

Love you guys,
~Sion
the headache of... all the questions posed in a measured and respectful way (albeit repeated a great deal, but that's solely due to your unwillingness to answer them)? you must be great at job interviews, brother

p.s. let me whisper you a secret, people reading this

the licensed engine he mentions is VXA

many of the graphics he has acquired are available free-use resources rather than graphics commissioned for the game

voice acting and soundtracks are dirt cheap if you trawl the ocean floor for indies too fresh to price themselves

and those are "will have"s anyway

so, yeah, no cost assessment and ultimately no accountability for where the money's gone. you've all funded something with ultimately the same production values as half the free games on here. where's the money gone? up the chimney, loves.
Just out of curiosity, how are you paying for custom graphics, soundtrack, and battle and menu systems with $5k? Are you using entirely graphics commissioned for your game, or by custom do you mean only partially custom and/or not RTP?
Take the money and spend it on manga! That's what I would do (and that's why I never do kickstarter programs).
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