Kickstart Hail To The Victors Comment Count

Brian

httv2008httv 2009httv2010

Hi. You may be aware that for the past four years I've edited a Michigan preview magazine called Hail To The Victors (usually, anyway). It's 120-some pages of photos, previews, analysis, and history that we've been proud of.

Unfortunately, if we're going to make it to year five we're going to need some help. Our publisher went under sometime around January. We have access virtually all of the things we need to continue—the writers, photos, publishing expertise—and plan on taking HTTV independent this summer. The main problem: the up-front costs are daunting.

This is where Kickstarter comes in. If you haven't heard of it, Kickstarter is a crowdfunding site that operates under two simple rules:

  • anything on it must be a defined creative project
  • you either make it and get all the money or don't and get none of it.

The latter is in place to prevent people from getting half of the money they need to execute a project and finding themselves with a bunch of expectations and not enough capital to meet them.

We have launched a Hail To The Victors kickstarter that can be found here. We are aiming for 20k, which is about 2/3rds of our projected costs and is the level we feel comfortable will not result in massive losses. We have 30 days to raise this money. It is here. Go here.

Alter ego asks questions below.

photo-full[1]

Is this a donation?

It's more of a preorder. The lowest level gets you a magazine shipped to you for 15 bucks, which is a little less than we project the thing will cost shipped in June. We are not looking for charity here except insofar as me signing something is not worth the extra 15 bucks we've placed on that.

But I just hit up Beveled Guilt on Tuesday!

If you have donated any amount of money since June 1st of last year and would like to turn that into magazines, email me:

  • The email address/paypal username of the donation
  • Your address
  • How many magazines you would like to turn that into (max one per 15 dollars donated)

While this won't help us breach our 20k minimum, assuming we do hit it we will turn your donation from pure charity into purchase.

What do the higher levels get me?

Details are on the Kickstarter site. There are three main attractions past the pure preorder: various levels of autographing, a sponsor page in the finished product, and an exclusive Brian photobomb t-shirt. We are still working on a final product but this is the idea:

brian-photobomb preview2

You have no idea the personal sacrifice this t-shirt represents. There's a sentence above in which I refer to myself in the third person, fergodsakes. (Also if you hate it you can just get another mgoshirt.)

Also for 10,000 dollars I will show up at a child's birthday party in a Terrelle Pryor jersey. That costs five figures easy. Please no one get this.

Okay, so I signed up for whatever level of support I wanted to. What now?

Since the thing doesn't fund unless it funds fully, this would be a situation in which it would behoove you to gently notify your friends that they can help make this thing exist.

UPDATE: what happens if the project does not fund?

Nobody is charged until the 30 days elapses; if by that point the kickstarter has not made it no one gets charged.

Comments

El Demonio

March 21st, 2012 at 3:04 PM ^

I feel this is an exercise in vanity.  A T-shirt featuring Brian's likeness?  Referring to himself in the third person?  This should really be about the kids.

Obligatory \s

jka347

March 21st, 2012 at 3:13 PM ^

I'm thinking about signing up for the 10k level.  My kid's bday is the day of the UM-Ohio game this year.  It's going to be all day long in a location with no television or internet access.  Also no cell reception.  I think I've found a good corn maze in the middle of Montana... How badly do you want it Brian?!

My name ... is Tim

March 21st, 2012 at 3:17 PM ^

I'm hoping in light of the recent settlement the Wilpons pony up the 10 g's to make the Terrelle Pryor birthday party happen. Come on, Fred, you need to curry public favor any way you can right now...

MDubs

March 21st, 2012 at 3:24 PM ^

Kickstarter is awesome!  Also stoked to see Brian funded Tim Schafer's adventure game on there (me too!).  Brian Fargo also has a Wasteland 2 project on there currently on there as well.  Crowdfunding ftw! 

sundaybluedysunday

March 21st, 2012 at 3:28 PM ^

Question for you Brian: I would want one for myself and one for my father-in-law but I don't want to go through the process twice or anything like that. For a $50 "donation" would you do 2 magazines and one of the Brian shirts?

I'm not above haggling like a gypsy and you seem willing to play as well.

ND Sux

March 21st, 2012 at 4:16 PM ^

...have my eye on the "...Charles Woodson Covers the Rest" tee, but I didn't see any place to communicate that.  Thanks, and can't wait to see the mag (we all know the goal is toast). 

Hardware Sushi

March 21st, 2012 at 3:52 PM ^

I'm going to pledge enough for a t-shirt so long as the phrase "...take his talents to..." is never used on this website by Brian, Seth, Ace, or Heiko.

I hate that phrase so much. "So and so decided to take their talents to..." Shut the fuck up...you're going there or commiting there. You aren't packing up your talents in a suitcase and taking them somewhere.

/end rant mostly unrelated to this topic

Seth

March 21st, 2012 at 4:49 PM ^

Does this count when it's used only in such a way as to troll crossover Ohio State/Cavs fans? Because I'm pretty much willing to whore out whatever for people to make Indie HTTV come off but I'd hate to lose any method of tweaking Buckeyes.

So you know, we are very serious around here about cliche.

Blazefire

March 21st, 2012 at 3:56 PM ^

Donation, done. Seriously, though... if you would buy HTTV in the stores, why on earth would you not at least get in at the $15 level? Why, I ask you? WHY?!?

MGoShoe

March 21st, 2012 at 4:19 PM ^

...the damn tea party. Now I'm super disgruntled. Pledge stands regardless.

It's so easy to do. Just click through to my Amazon account and choose a preloaded credit card. What an intoxicating way to spend money.

mGrowOld

March 21st, 2012 at 4:16 PM ^

Am i the only one hitting refresh to see how this thing is doing besides Brian?  In the last 30 minutes, for example, the totals went all the way up to 4k plus and have dropped back down again in the 3k range.  I can only assume a CC was declined or somebody got cold feet or something and pulled back the pledge.

Either way it is kinda entertaining.......

ND Sux

March 21st, 2012 at 4:17 PM ^

About ten minutes ago the pledge meter said over $4,000, but now dropped back to $3,500+?  Did somebody make a withdrawal, or what? 

RakeFight

March 21st, 2012 at 4:42 PM ^

This is a great gift idea.  What is the best way to donate enough to have copies sent to friends/family?  Is it set up to accept multiple addresses, or will it need to be a separate pledge for each issue?