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Brent, thanks for your comment. I don’t think “upset” characterizes our response at all, as we’ve tried to make clear. Rather, what we have been saying is “Can we find a mutual beneficial way of addressing the confusion this has created?” or perhaps “Could you help us clarify it’s a different game?” We’re happy to see an earthquake-themed Euro out there on the mass market. We just don’t want it to obscure a serious educational game/humanitarian fund-raiser, if at all possible.
The Twitter-blocking by Stronghold of their own customers/fans was a self-inflicted PR fumble (we also teach crisis communications).
Surely a game of the same name and the same theme is infringing on some sort of consumer law? I can’t just go out and sell my island trading game “SETTLERS OF KATAN” even if the box art is different!
I have no desire to see this thing resurface on KS. They need to put on their big boy pants and front their own capital to publish this as yet another quasi-interesting middle weight Euro that everyone will forget in about 6 months. KS is not the platform for these drab little things, and Stronghold just ain’t got the game to bring decent production or graphic design to anything that isn’t handed to them, fully formed, by another artist or designer. Back to retail with you, Stronghold!… (and rename your game unless you want to look even more unprofessional).
I strongly doubt the naming issue had anything to do with their decision to cancel. From what I saw of the comments on the Kickstarter comments page where backers had cancelled their pledge, it was complaints about the costs and structure for component upgrades, shipping costs outside of the United States, and other points related to the getting and having of the game.
This peevishness tees up with my own second-hand experience with Kickstarter, about a year ago when Nights of Fire was launched on it. The company was offering an upgrade kit with miniatures and cards together: the miniatures could be used in both this game and its prequel Days of Ire, some cards were for just the prequel, and some cards were for a “link” game between the two. A small but quite vocal group of people variously complained about how they wanted:
– the miniatures but no cards; (gimme the toys!)
– the miniatures but only some of the cards; (I don’t have that other game!)
– all of the cards, but no miniatures; (No room for toys on my shelf!)
– some of the cards but not miniatures; (I like cardboard!)
– no cards and no miniatures (I can’t imagine why anyone would want these extras!)
The publisher posted once or twice about how uneconomic it was for them to try and make these changes, to the point where the changes would threaten the viability of the game itself… but they weren’t having any of it, they wanted what they wanted.
Some compromise was reached, but it impressed on me the volatility and volubility of the Kickstarter public: they want what they want, how they want it, when they want it and if you won’t supply it, and stretch goals, at what they believe is a reasonable price, they’ll walk.
A far more compelling factor than their basic ignorance of the name duplication, since real money was involved.
Still think your response was both measured and genius!
Nice card! Like you made it for somebody else to use….
Guess not.
Too true about Canadians! A US person like myself would have replaced the Cluster____ card with a picture of the new game!
Posted on Board Game Trading and Chat UK 12494 Members with Disclosure ” I have purchased and played Aftershock by Rex Brynen”
Rex, you are a polite genius.