Monday, August 3, 2015

Red Ash Kickstarters - Game Fails, Anime Funded


Aaaaand done. Red Ash: The Indeible Legend failed to reach its $800,000 goal, peaking at just $519,999 from backers. Nevertheless the game will be made but without additional content offered in stretch goals. On the contrary, the anime's campaign was a success. Red Ash -Magiciada- by Studio 4℃ succeeded its initial goal with a grand total of $162,882 from backers. The animated short will run 18 minutes in length.

So in the end, the better managed Kickstarter succeeded. The takeaway from this? Don't rush your campaign.

Not all Kickstarters have a happy ending. A well planned out, timely produced campaign lasts and hopefully succeeds. A bad one not only fails but becomes an example of how not to fail. The Indelible Legend will be held in this regard, for better or worse.

What a journey.

38 comments:

  1. Sad to hear that this game will never be released since the Kickstarter failed, but at least Inafune will learn from his mistakes when making Mighty No. 9. On the plus side, we're getting the anime special.

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    1. Oops, I made a typo, I meant to say we won't get the kicksarter bonuses but at least we will get the game and short anime.

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  2. I'm glad this is over, frankly.

    I'm very happy that the anime prologue/adaption succeeded. I was by far more interested in that than the game itself, especially in recent days. It doesn't really matter now though since the game is being funded by FUZE, but this entire thing has been an aggravating roller coaster that I am quite glad is now over.

    Inafune and Comcept better learn from this experience, and I honestly hope that this will be the last Kickstarter they do for awhile now.

    I'll be looking forward to the anime.
    - Dr. Jerk.

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  3. The anime truly does look more interesting. The project was approached creatively, without trying to imitate anything else. Success is only natural.

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  4. Strange opinion here, but I honestly couldn't be more please with the outcome of all of this.
    I get to see the Anime, I get the game (on X BOX ONE no less), and I don't have to hear the backers wine that they were cheated out of something when the game isn't exactly what they wanted.
    I'm happy the game is being funded through a source other than Kickstarter. This will allow the creators of the game more individual freedom without the Kickstarter backers getting their feelings hurt that some little suggestion they threw in their didn't get implemented into the game. The Devroom style of game creation will never work well, and it just makes the actual game creators seem lazy, like they cannot come up with ideas on their own. While the idea of voting on certain aspects of the game can be cool, I would rather the entire game be shrouded in mystery until it is released; that way you can discover things as the creator intended while you play the game. What fun is knowing everything before the game comes out...
    Anyway, I'm pleased, and I will be looking forward to seeing this world unfold.
    -Logan O.

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  5. Honestly, I hope Inafune apologizes to the DASH fans for this fiasco. They've been through enough as it is, he ought to take better care of the ersatz from here on out especially since he keeps saying DASH was his favorite Mega Man series.

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    1. If Comcept had waited until the end of the Kickstarter, and said "The Kickstarter failed, but guess what! We got funding through a publisher!! We're making the whole game regardless of how much money we may get, because that's how much we care about our fans" People would have been freaking out with happiness (or at least should be the case).
      They (Comcept/Inafune) do not owe us an apology. If anything, someone owes them one for making this about so much more than the simple pleasure of playing a video game.
      -Logan O.

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    2. Honestly, I don't think it would have mattered if they did wait until the end of the Kickstarter to announce the funding. If anything, I think it would have angered more people. I was a little miffed at first when they announced their partnership with FUZE, because it was like they had Plan B the entire time (sure seemed like it when they were able to conveniently secure one near the Kickstarter's final moments) but instead insisted on relying on a Kickstarter with high hopes that it would be enough. This after an already botched Kickstarter MN9 had.

      So no, I do not think fans would be happy either way.
      - Dr. Jerk.

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    3. First of all he doesn't keep saying MML is his favorite MM series he as far as I know has said it a couple of times when asked. Even then the most common example people reference to they take out of context. When he was interviewed and asked something along the lines of favorite Mega Man he said MML because he thought if he were to think of them as children MML would be the awkward and clumsy child (aka the black sheep) that he sees potential in, while the other children do alright for themselves. In other words he's saying MML was not realized to the best of its concept and needs more development.

      Second, Keiji doesn't owe you anything except the content you pay him and his staff for, talk about self centered.

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  6. I was expecting this. Hopefully, Inafune doesn't need to come to Kickstarter again.

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  7. Too bad the Red Ash game Kickstarter didn't have a completely happy ending. I hope Inafune and Capcom now realize why a proper Legends 3 should *never* be released under any circumstances. Certain segments of the Mega Man fanbase are just too caustic for Legends 3 to be anything close to a success. I'll echo the sentiment of the previous anon who mentioned "backers getting their feelings hurt that some little suggestion they threw in their didn't get implemented into the game" and fans that feel like they "were cheated out of something when the game isn't exactly what they wanted". The whole response to Red Ash and Mighty No. 9 (and Legends 3 Devroom for that matter) just shows how disagreeable the Mega Man community has become as a whole, and how futile it would be to try to continue the Mega Man legacy (by either Capcom or Inafune) due to the fact that some of the fans will just whine about the games not being "perfect". In fact, this whole Red Ash saga reminds me very much of the failure of Sonic 4 which was due to similar fanbase response. In the case of Sonic 4, Sega eventually threw up their hands and gave up on their established fan community and went a completely different direction with the Sonic IP. In contrast, the positive responses of the fanbases for Banjo-Kazooie and Castlevania: SotN have made the Yooka-Laylee and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Kickstarters huge successes, and I foresee lasting success in both of those endeavors. So in the end, it's all about the attitude of the fans. If the fans are not going to appreciate a "labor of love" crafted specifically for them, then it's time for the developer to create some new IP and find another fanbase that actually cares.

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    1. I don't agree with blaming the market for why this failed. It's low hanging fruit to point at the fanbase and say "See, you don't appreciate Inafune doing this for you". Yeah, so people are going to have different opinions on things, big deal. The bigger lesson from all this is that he thought he could keep putting out concepts for re-skinned Mega Man franchises before establishing the ones he already got funded and everyone would rally behind him.

      Whether it was due to MN9 not being out yet, drama from previous events, fans who do not accept MN9/Red Ash as "spiritual successors" etc., he did not get the unity from the fanbase as he was expecting. Yes, there's personal hate thrown his way, and I don't agree with it, but some of the criticism around his business practices are valid, and I think you need to respect the opinions from fans that just do not want to get behind what he's doing as "continuing the Mega Man legacy".

      And I disagree with your point that even if Capcom did this the fans would be pissed. I think if Capcom made an honest effort to re-brand and re-launch the franchise, a huge majority of the fanbase would get back on board. Sure. some will be critical, when hasn't that been the case. But people don't just toss away their feelings for a nearly 30 year franchise that they grew up with.

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    2. Don't blame this on the fans. That's ridiculous.

      The Red Ash Kickstarter was a mess. Here's just a few of the red flags:
      1. Initially, Kickstarter was only for a prologue, not a full game
      2. Kickstarter video was not particularly impressive, seemed rushed
      3. Launching dual Kickstarters divides attention between them and causes confusion
      4. "We'll do a console release, but you have to back it first in order to vote for which console"
      5. Lots of things about the animation Kickstarter- mainly the fact that the initial goal was for a mere 5 minute animation
      6. No gameplay in sight (at first)
      7. Launching Kickstarter before MN9 is released leaves a bit of a sour taste for MM fans who backed it

      It's cool that they were able to salvage the campaign for the animation, but the damage was done to the main campaign.

      Responses for those other campaigns were positive because the campaigns weren't a colossal mess. Any one of the above red flags could cause a MM fan to decide not to contribute. If anything, MM fans are more tight-knit than ever these days!

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    3. I wasn't trying to blame the Kickstarter failure directly on the fans. (Although I can see where some of my comments could come across that way. Sorry about that.) What I was trying to say is that the community has just become too jaded, and releasing anything close to a Legends 3 game would result in nothing but complaints by fans who either don't like Capcom/Inafune for whatever reason or think their ideas for Legends 3 are better. So the specific failure I was trying to emphasize was the overall acceptance by the community, and the volume of people who waste their time complaining about a game that they say they don't have an interest in.

      Regarding the comments about the Kickstarter, yes, there was a lot of room for improvement, but it does not justify the malicious bashing of Inafune that I'm seeing. He's just getting started with his own business and trying to support himself independently of Capcom, so he's bound to have shortcomings early on. But kudos to him for being so ambitious at this stage. However, people really need to lighten up and remember that they aren't being forced to like the games or contribute to the campaigns, and that constantly repeating the same angry complaints doesn't add anything meaningful to the discussion.

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    4. Nah it is rightful assuming the fans are to blame, they just will never admit it. Legends fans are super delusional when it comes to MML's popularity and appeal.

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  8. How many games that Inafune has helmed since 2010 have actually seen the light of day? I can only think of one.

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    1. J.J. Rockets, the Japan-only mobile action platformer? 'cause that's the only one I can think of.

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    2. Soul Sacrafice

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    3. Besides the mobile games, they were a few Comcept has produced for consoles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comcept#Games_developed (with a few partners nonetheless) & a few upcoming (having not played them I'm not commenting on their quality though)

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  9. Honestly, as much as things could have been made better for the game's kickstarter, I do hope they either redo it with a smaller sum or open up funds for a way that people who helped support it can maybe still get the content that they wanted, because I'm saddened I couldn't get a complete works due to people bailing out on what could be a good game.

    But that also reminds me, yea this wasn't the greatest looking kickstarter ever and MN9 came out, but is it really necessary for people to down right hate on Inafune for trying to give us something that Capcom can't? It really blows my mind how inconsiderate people can be towards him and towards the team, who may have wanted that content to be added.

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    1. "...is it really necessary for people to down right hate on Inafune for trying to give us something that Capcom can't? It really blows my mind how inconsiderate people can be towards him and towards the team, who may have wanted that content to be added."

      ^This

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    2. The campaign was not ready to launch. If they had waited until now where they had the pre-alpha, a full game and more details about the game it would have done MUCH better. I didn't fund it because I'm not backing a demo. Halfway through the campaign you could get the 'full game' if you spent $80. If you just spent the minimum $25 you got the 'demo'. The rewards were not adjusted to reflect that making it even more confusing to those thinking about kickstarting the project. The $25 tier still said you got the full game.

      Poor planning and poor execution shouldn't be rewarded.

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    3. While yes, it would have been better off if he postponed the campaign to have things look better, from a developer point of view, there is no way they couldn't. The case of waiting not only kills the motivation of the team, but what if they were needed elsewhere? It could have meant that Red Ash was just an after thought if the team weren't together at the point.

      It may not, but people who want to make something they not only could love themselves, but their fans as well, is reward enough, plus each franchise with assets just make people feel creative, so if people got the design works/art books, they'd have more thoughts on how things could have been or help develop existing worlds of the franchise.

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    4. While you are right about that, it still doesn't excuse the poor management of the Kickstarter.

      If you open up a Kickstarter fully expecting your game and its stretch goals to be funded, then it needs to be properly managed. Nobody is going to fund your project if there is hardly anything to show, especially not if everything is a confusing mess. It needs a clear goal right from the get-go. Red Ash's Kickstarter was erratic at best.
      - Dr. Jerk.

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    5. Melkore, you may want to check again. The kickstarter was always for one game that, if funding reached the level, would give us the full story for that game. The $80 thing was for this game and the game they have planned afterward. It was always $25 for one game but that $80 was for two plus whatever kickstarter rewards you were getting.

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  10. Indelible legend, indeed.

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  11. I am legitimately angry that the Red Ash ani-mini-me got funded. It's just validation for Inafune to keep doing this sort of thing. On top of that, why did he need $150,000.00 for one mini-sode of something that may not even become a series? Why not do like some others have done and fiddle around in Flash or draw things on his own? Why make the fans fund his whimsy?

    That make is something else, I swear. And not the good kind of "something else", either.

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    1. It's just an anime adaption that is largely in development by another company. Calm down.

      And I'm sure a quick Google search will answer your question of what is the average budget of a high-quality anime production. Look up the 2003 series of Astro Boy, that had an enormous budget IIRC.
      - Dr. Jerk.

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  12. Inafune should do another kickstarter on this again, maybe in mid developments or at least after Recore get released (because people judge him based on M#9, so why not?), and for the top tier stretch goals... add Trigger as a playable character for a side mission perhaps? (with Capcom permission/licensed). That'll bait some more of the fans. That way... Trigger can at least tell us what's going on in ML3.

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    1. No, please, no more Kickstarters. This Kickstarter already had its chance for extra content, and that's not going to happen. If they were to do another Kickstarter now for the exact same thing, it would only flop worse. Hell any Kickstarter would flop now.

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    2. It's not exactly for "now" though, that's why I said mid developments which takes time for it to be created. By then, more ideas will get implemented and so for the extra content too. The Kickstarter was already messed up as is, so redoing it with a clearer vision is a welcome to me. It might be a one shot type of game so Inafune should give it the best and not just a barebone product.

      Well, Inafune don't have to do the Kickstarter again if he used the profits from his other IPs' but only if he's willing to do so (and if there's any...).

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  13. I didn't back the animation, but while I'm sad to see no additional content added into the game, at least there will be a game.

    Speaking of animation, whatever happened to that Mighty No. 9 cartoon? There was no mention of it again since the trailer was released.

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  14. It is truly sad to see Mega Man fans....hell,most video game fans in general....so bitter and jaded.

    It seems that most gaming companies are in a lose-lose situation with the way a majority of gamers act these days.

    Not only that,but it's a video game! Why let a simple video game get you so riled up? I think too many people take video games way too seriously.

    If you have to constantly whine and complain about something that *should* be a fun hobby,then you are in the wrong hobby.

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    1. Think we're bad? Try poking around the Sonic the Hedgehog fandom some time. Or the Silent Hill or Resident Evil fandoms..

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    2. Yeah they are not that bad, Mega Man fans are just as if not worse than them. Redirection is useless.

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    3. @Joseph Collins: Kettle meet pot? From what I'm reading here, Mega Man *has* reached Sonic the Hedgehog magnitude in the areas of incessant whining and developer hate. The only thing that's missing is the whiners that make demos for mediocre Mega Man fangames and insist that their single-stage demos are better than anything that Capcom could ever come up with. Saying that Mega Man fans are "not as bad" as other fanbases still does not justify the hate train and never will.

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    4. Are you trying to defend a poorly executed kickstarter run by a company that so far has failed to deliver on any of their previous kickstarters, yet keep expecting us to continue shelling out money? Fuck off. Even if mega man fans are shit, comcept's behavior here is absolutely unacceptable.

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