Crowd Sourcing games and Stretch Goals - Love them or hate them?

[junaid_hussain]

Personally I find if the stretch goals are realistic and more importantly modest, then I don't mind them so much. However, I would rather the money went further into development of developing a title, hiring people full time rather than part time for example, rather than say arbitrarily including some generic stretch goals like "OST of the Game".

One pet peeve I've developed is that of stretch goals that appear unrealistically before a project has even reached it's funding. I could provide examples, but that would be unfair I think.

Do you agree, disagree, feel indifferent about it? Please share your thoughts.

[Guest Alan Lawrance]

Certainly there are examples of projects that have got themselves into trouble by over-promising with stretch goals.

I think stretch goals are a good mechanism to motivate backers (and potential backers) once the initial funding target has been reached. However, I think it's important that stretch goals don't add risk to the project (both in terms of technical risk and additional content risk).

This was the approach we tried to take with The Long Dark -- stretch goals that enhance the experience for our customers, but don't put the project at risk for not hitting its date at high quality.

[junaid_hussain]

@Alan [Hinterland]

I agree that TLD did not make any extravagant propositions when implementing the stretch goals. I mean at one point I was holding my breath, wondering if the game would even meet it's funding goal, especially with other projects via for similar funding at the same time.

It's nice to hear a developer talk about risk, and to take into account this when looking at goals, because many would shy away from talking about the nitty gritty and dirty details of risk.

But yes, TLD is probably an example of a project that is crowd funded and realistic, and thus stretch goals were implemented with intelligence rather than a way to sell more "crap". Pardon my language.

[Bill Tarling]

I think it's important that stretch goals don't add risk to the project (both in terms of technical risk and additional content risk).

That's one of the main reasons why I felt comfortable with the Hinterland team and the TLD project... I saw so many smart business decisions being made rather than lofty [wishful thinking] promises.

There were so many wise choices for enhancements, rather than hyped up immediate expansions. Like I said - smart choices were being made.

[TattooedMac]

I don't mind Stretch Goals if like said before they are a reasonable stretch goal. I won't be backing a Project based on their stretch goals, BUT i will look at them, and twice have changed my pledge ONCE the Project goal was reached and the stretch goal looked a possibility.

I back TLD because of what i saw in the First video and what i read below, i didn't even look at the stretch goals on this one. By the time i got there, it was funded, so i wanted the game and to be a Beta Tester and the rest is history.

The two other projects i backed, we reached one stretch goal and so happy i upped my pledge the other we didn't but i still got i wanted with amount pledged.

[out2lunch]

I love/hate stretch goals...

I normally back a project at a price I want to pay, eg a game I will normally back at around the retail box high Street price.

Then a clever kickstarter drip feeds extra goals at a price just a bit more than I've already pledged for, so I think what's another £10 ontop for that ready great item.

Eg Call of Cthulhu 7th err edition, started at £60, somehow ended up paying nearer £250, ask those extras add up...

[logang]

I agree that stretch goals are a great way to get support but I have read a lot of reports of development teams angering their supporters because they promised too much and have to make the decision of how much quality they want to put into each aspect along with how late they are willing to push the release. I really think the Hinterland team did a good job of avoiding scope creep and, at least I think, they picked things that will definitely add to the game experience but will not require them to kill themselves in the process.