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TIGSource ForumsCommunityTownhallGameTrekking.com - computer games inspired by world travel - 5 Days Left to Fund
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Author Topic: GameTrekking.com - computer games inspired by world travel - 5 Days Left to Fund  (Read 3072 times)
Jordan
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« on: July 30, 2010, 11:07:28 PM »



Hi everyone, just wanted to let you all know about my new venture Smiley.

Some of you may know that I live in Korea--well, it looks like my time here will be coming to a close soon. I’ve had an amazing time, teaching English, meeting people, having experiences, writing about and making computer games… and I’ll be sad to leave. I’m also excited, though, for what the future might hold. My current plan, for when I leave Korea is to do some extended traveling throughout Southeast Asia and beyond (on the cheap, backpack style).

That’s exciting in and of itself, but what really has me stoked is the idea of attempting to communicate my experiences while traveling through computer games: of using computer games as a form of travel writing, if you will. You may have noticed that I’ve already been pursuing this idea to some extent with Freedom Bridge, Being There, and Loneliness: my recent notgames about Korea, which I've posted in the forums here (and gotten some great feedback -- thank you very much!).

To my surprise these creations have gotten a fairly warm welcome (especially Freedom Bridge, which made its way around Twitter and the blogosphere), and now I’m looking at pursuing “travel games” in a more extensive fashion, and am looking to raise support through Kickstarter.

I'm certainly not asking you to contribute to the project if you're not interested. But I'd love it if you would check out my project website, watch my

, and pass the links on if you know anyone who might be interested in supporting something like this.

For more information, check out my project website:
www.GameTrekking.com

Fund through Kickstarter:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jordanmagnuson/game-trekking-computer-games-inspired-by-world-tra



Thank you very much!

PS: If you think this is a stupid idea, that's okay too Smiley


Question: Are sponsors paying for me to take a joy ride around Southeast Asia, in exchange for a couple of micro-games?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: See my reply to Allen, below.
« Last Edit: September 24, 2010, 08:46:37 PM by Jordan » Logged

deathtotheweird
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« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2010, 10:38:32 AM »

I wish I could get a bunch of people to fund that kind of lifestyle for me Shrug

This is very silly, not that you want to do this, but silly to ask people to help fund this kind of dream lifestyle. Kind of like asking someone to fund a vacation for you.

I guess it's not really different from similar kickstarters, as most use the money for living expenses as well. Just the vague promise of making a few games doesn't really inspire confidence in me. Your games that were inspired by your stay in Korea don't really speak to me as if it mattered if you lived there or not.

But that's okay I have no problem with that. This is just what I thought of when I read the page. I really wish you luck, and next week I'll donate what I can.
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Jordan
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« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2010, 11:35:19 AM »

Hi Allen. Thanks for your reply--I really appreciate your honest feedback. I see this project through my own lens, from deep inside of it, and it's hard to know sometimes how it might strike people on the outside--so again, thank you. I'll do my best to address your concerns, while being as honest as you've been.

It seems like we might be able to split up those concerns into 3 separate but related parts:
  • 1. The concern that I might squander money.
  • 2. The concern that it's not worth sponsoring someone to travel and make games.
  • 3. The concern that it's not worth sponsoring ME to travel and make games.

All perfectly reasonable.

Addressing the first concern, I want to let you know that my travel philosophy (which I tried to outline on the site) is to go as cheaply and as close to the land as possible. I go via backpack, and camp, and hitchhike, and stay in hostels, and eat ramen noodles. So I hope you're not picturing me laying back in a limo somewhere, or in a 5-star resort, with the money I raise Shocked.

I know myself, but you don't know me, and so this concern is perfectly valid. I would like to set up an open budget, so that people can see exactly what the money is going towards, and how much is being spent for living expenses every day, to see that the money isn't being wasted.

Addressing the second concern, it's true that the money will be going towards "living expenses," which seems kind of wrong, in a way, right? Like, "why am I paying for this guy to live?" But when you think about it, the money from most Kickstarter projects, or anything of their kind, is generally going towards "living expenses," in that you are paying for the person to be able to live while they produce whatever you're paying for them to produce. Sometimes there are material costs for the production itself, but oftentimes these are relatively trivial, and in any case are always in addition to living expenses (if the person who is being sponsored is working on the project full time). Really, it's just an advantage of video games that they essentially don't have material cost to produce.

Anyway, now we're away from the realm of "is the money being wasted on expensive x?" to the realm of whether people should be sponsored to travel and make video games... whether there's any potential value there. The same basic question that's been asked regarding sponsoring "Art" for the last few hundred years (not to compare my work to great art, or to say that my project is an "Art" project, but there are some similarities, at least).

Frankly, I don't pretend to have a universal answer to this question. I think everyone's got to answer it for themselves, and fortunately everybody can. Personally, I see creativity, art, imagination, as incredibly important aspects of human culture that I really cherish, and want to see prosper, and to me this fits into that. But that's me.

Then beyond generalities, we have the third concern: even if it might be worthwhile to sponsor someone to travel and make video games, and even if I'm not wasting money frivolously, you have the question of whether it's worthwhile to sponsor ME to travel and make video games. How many games will I make, and how good will they be?

In terms of actual quantity and such, I should probably do a better job clarifying what my goals are there (beyond the estimates that I have on my site); but I hope you appreciate that it's rather hard, when you're talking about making things that really do vary a lot in their scope and breadth. As far as the quality, well, all I have to offer is my current portfolio, which may or may not impress. In your case, it sounds like it doesn't--which is fine.

Looking over your post again, maybe there's a fourth concern: That I could make games about places in "the world" just as well from a cell in Wyoming as I could by visiting the places themselves. I don't know what to say to this, except that inside me somewhere I know it isn't true. Maybe I failed to express that in the games themselves, but from my side I could never have made them as I did--could never have felt the things I did while making them--if it hadn't been for actually living in Korea.

This concern is rather mitigated though, regardless, if we go back to the first point, and one is able to travel (with backpack, on foot) as cheaply as one could otherwise live while staying put--and I think one can; at least almost.


So anyway, what am I trying to say? That I don't blame you for having any of these concerns; that I think it's totally reasonable for you to find this project "silly" based on your knowledge of me, my work, and your own complex belief systems. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't find it slightly disheartening, but like I said--I appreciate the honesty.

Frankly, these are all questions that I've wrestled with myself--should I feel guilty for this goal, this idea? Ultimately, I rest in the knowledge that there's no force involved here: that people will sponsor me if they believe in the idea, and not otherwise.

I had this dream, and I had to pursue it. Maybe it will come to fruition, maybe it won't. But I had to pursue it.

Sorry if that was way, WAY too long Sad
« Last Edit: August 01, 2010, 12:04:59 PM by Jordan » Logged

increpare
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« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2010, 11:51:11 AM »

Best of luck with this, man.
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deathtotheweird
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« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2010, 02:56:04 PM »

Quote
should I feel guilty for this goal, this idea?

Certainly not. Part of it is probably how I was brought up into this world. And I was just jotting down things as they came into my head, and at the end I still decided it's something cool to support. I really didn't spend much time thinking about it, was more or less writing down what I thought and what I thought others may think about this when reading it. I certainly don't want to speak for anyone else though, which is why I wrote it the way I did. Of course only you would know if the games would be different if you were there in person or not, but I'll take your word for it.

I should have said I liked the things you have done. And I came to the conclusion that despite my concerns, I don't have any problem with supporting you.

Quote
I had this dream, and I had to pursue it. Maybe it will come to fruition, maybe it won't. But I had to pursue it.
Beer!
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Manuel777
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« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2010, 02:53:55 AM »

This is an awesome idea you had, jordan! ive just saw the introduction vid, and im not surprised to see you around here Tongue i wish you all the luck in the world s oyou can make this trip! (i would of donate, but i dont have any paypal nor anything liked :\)

And, seriously, dont get down if people says its a stupid idea, seriously, i think its great, and lets face it, who wouldnt like too travel around the globe making games? i do, at least.
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Jordan
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« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2010, 10:14:53 PM »

Thanks a lot for the support and encouragement guys: it means a lot!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I've gotten some nice press coverage lately, but unfortunately none of it has increased the number of actual backers for my project.

Right now the project is floundering with 10% funding. Again, don't feel pressured if you don't have the money, or if you're not interested. But Please, if this thing does interest you, consider backing it! Even a small pledge means a lot.
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Jordan
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« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2010, 03:53:17 AM »

Just a little update to say that Game Trekking has passed 50% Funding. Thanks a lot to everyone who has backed it! Fingers crossed, and hopefully I can make the funding goal in time.
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increpare
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« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2010, 04:14:06 AM »

You'd ideally want to be above that by now.  You have time to make some more games in the interim?  I think that might help.
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Jordan
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« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2010, 08:07:40 AM »

You'd ideally want to be above that by now.  You have time to make some more games in the interim?  I think that might help.

Yes, I agree that it would be nice to be above 50% at this point. I'll see what I can do in terms of more games Smiley
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Jordan
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« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2010, 08:44:24 PM »

Just a quick update to say that there are only 5 days left for Game Trekking to meet its funding goal on Kickstarter, or the project won't make it. At this point, things are looking a bit bleak, as the project still needs $1000 to be fully funded.

Kickstarter page is at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jordanmagnuson/game-trekking-computer-games-inspired-by-world-tra

No pressure on anyone, but I just wanted to let people know where the project stands, and also to say a big thank you to everyone who has backed me!


Cheers.
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increpare
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« Reply #11 on: September 29, 2010, 04:07:36 AM »

Congrats on getting this funded, mister : )
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Jordan
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« Reply #12 on: September 29, 2010, 04:42:46 AM »

Thanks a lot increpare! I was just going to post and say so Smiley
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