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[Oddball]

It seems Double Fine are on a funding drive. After getting a promise from Notch to possibly fund a Psychonauts 2 they now have a Kickstarter up for an all new point and click adventure game. They've already broke their $400,000 target, but the excess will help improve quality and fund porting the game to other systems. I threw them some change, I think you should too. 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/66710809/double-fine-adventure

[FrankieSmileShow]

Yup, just found out about this through Twitter. Gave em some moolah. Wanna play that game. Im gonna do nasty things to that game!

[Christian Knudsen]

They didn't make a profit from their previous games?

[eld]

They didn't make a profit from their previous games?

There's only so much budget to funnel into a project that might not be viable, or that will get a no-go from just about every publisher.

This kickstarter provided the means to get people to actually spend the money upfront, thus making the project inevitable and possible no matter how little profitability it has.

[Christian Knudsen]

Sure, it just seems weird having a successful and famous developer on kickstarter. It'd be like Will Wright and Maxis having a kickstarter campaign or Sid Meier and Firaxis. I just think kickstarter should be reserved for smaller developers that don't really have other options for funding -- not famous and successful developers with industry contacts coming out their ass. Not that I think there's anything wrong with this campaign per se, it just feels weird and a bit icky to me.

[Oddball]

It's explained in the video. Investors/publishers won't fund an adventure game. Also I think this project will be in addition to their usual business. Tim recently said that they have the capacity to make two games at once, but not the funding. That is how the Notch/Psychonauts 2 offer came about.

[Christian Knudsen]

Telltale seem to be doing fine with their adventure games?

[eld]

Sure, it just seems weird having a successful and famous developer on kickstarter. It'd be like Will Wright and Maxis having a kickstarter campaign or Sid Meier and Firaxis. I just think kickstarter should be reserved for smaller developers that don't really have other options for funding -- not famous and successful developers with industry contacts coming out their ass. Not that I think there's anything wrong with this campaign per se, it just feels weird and a bit icky to me.

Most developers are only one failed game away from bankruptcy, and they also rely completely on publishers for funding, very few have the luxury to fund their own games. Most often they will have to get whatever projects they can get to stay afloat.

kickstarter is for everyone that people want to pay for up front, it's not exclusive for the indie scene in any way, but a side-effect is usually that the projects on kickstarter end up being independant, much like this project from doublefine will be.

On the subject, if firaxis put up a project in kickstarter that said "we are going to make alpha centauri 2, the funding will go towards development and buying the license. No publisher will be involved." then I would chip in without a single moments doubt, since not only would I get the game, I would actually get a game that just wouldn't happen at all.

[Tanner]

Participating in history. I love me some Dubs Fine.

[Tuba]

I'm a big fan of old LucasArts adventures and Double Fine games so I did my part.

I wonder how the industry will react to this, could we be looking at a future with no publishers where fans decide what games should be made?

[allen]

Telltale seem to be doing fine with their adventure games?

are you just not listening? no matter how well telltale seems to be doing, publishers (according to double fine) don't want to finance an adventure game.

I just think kickstarter should be reserved for smaller developers that don't really have other options for funding -- not famous and successful developers with industry contacts coming out their ass. Not that I think there's anything wrong with this campaign per se, it just feels weird and a bit icky to me.

Good thing for us then, that what you think Kickstarter should be is not reality.

I think it's pretty awesome that a company can find alternate means to fund a project outside of the realm of publishers and investors. Isn't this part of the independent spirit we all know and love? And you're shitting on them? I don't get it.

[Christian Knudsen]

Telltale seem to be doing fine with their adventure games?

are you just not listening? no matter how well telltale seems to be doing, publishers (according to double fine) don't want to finance an adventure game.

My point was that Telltale seems able to finance their adventure games without kickstarter.

[eld]

Telltale seem to be doing fine with their adventure games?

are you just not listening? no matter how well telltale seems to be doing, publishers (according to double fine) don't want to finance an adventure game.

My point was that Telltale seems able to finance their adventure games without kickstarter.

Since they had a half-dozen money-printing ip-based projects behind them and as wikipedia says; secured some investment as well. Not only that, Gametap had exclusivity to begin
with, which probably did involve money.

GameTap has funded the development of a number of titles, with the games subsequently premiering as GameTap exclusives.[5] Such games include Sam & Max Season One and Myst Online: Uru Live.

They got publishing deals, took great risks, and it paid off.

[unsilentwill]

I really like adventure games. I want to work for Double Fine. Can't wait to see what great universe they create with complete creative freedom.

[Superb Joe]

i always thought kickstarter was for the littler people than tim schafer, who is quite portly. people like paul eres, who need haircuts and laptops.