Module 10: Alberta Kickstarter

Kickstarted Projects in Alberta

While sorting through the Kickstarter projects in Alberta, I chose to look at the Top 3 most funded campagins.  All three of these campagins were located in Calgary, with two of them already being closed and successfully funded, moving toward production/delivary.  Two of the projects were  games, and one was a Microhabitat.  The one campaign still open has already raised above and beyond their goal, and still has 21 days to go to receive funding.




Biopod - World's First Smart Microhabitat 

Having a goal of $30,000.00, biopad raised over $400,000.00 during their kickstarter campaign.  It is a kickstarted staff pic.  Bipod has a high quality video describing the products, the inspiration behind it, its uses and how it works.  The Biopod page provides a large amount of information clearly displayed in both video and graphic information.  It talks about the people behind the design, and provides an image of being very open.  It also touches on a current global issue of conservation of nature, and appeals to the idea of easily bringing in exotic ecosystems to your own home no matter where you are. The kickstarted is located in Cagary, though it does not appear to be immediatley obvious where it is actually being designed and built.  The project offers a variety of different rewards for funding different amounts.  The estimated delivery date was February 2016, but as of March it does not appear to have delivered yet.

Steampunk Rally

Located in Calgary, the project aimed to raise $42,000.00 dollars, and achieved over $230,000.00.   The video that is the first thing you see when opening the page does not make it immediatly obvious that it is a game.  But the story/promotional video is very eye-catching, describing the premise of the game before describing what kind of game it is.  It is later followed up by how the game works.  Once you scorll down the page offers more information on the game, and you are able to see a number of awards won by the company, which I assume is for the game.    The details of how to play the game are provided, and the rule books is also made available.  There are reviews on the game made available, with thoughts and comments provided in videos on YouTube to gamers who have tested the podcut.  There is a large, and always growing gamer community who is always looking for new games to play, and since you only need to donate $5.00 to receive your own copy of the games files to print your own, it would be easily affordable to see for yourself.  Again this campagin has provided a large amount of information.  Everything from game play, reviews, details on the designers, shipping information and they also include a risk and challenges section for readers who are thinking of investing.  It seems open and honest, and also will received before it was actually out of testing.  It is stated to be located in Calgary, but little information is available past that about Alberta.  As of September 2015, most of the games were sent.  In March 28, 2016 they postd a new update advertisinga new campaign, which leads us too...

Santorini

By the same oganization as Steampunk Rally, Santorini was the third campagin on the list of the top funded kickstarters in Alberta.  Between the end of March and now, it now has over $240,000.00 dollars raised for a $85,000.00 goal, with almost 3000 backers.  The campagin still has 21 days to go.  This kickstarted provides much of the same information, with details of the game made available following an infromation video.  Reviews are posted as well.  This game appears to be more expensive, and in order to be sent the game files to print off your own, you have to be $10.00 instead of $5.00.  There are so far less Facts made available in the FAQ section, but this may change as the campaign moves forward.  They also provide a shipping information as well as a risks and challenges section as well.  It is located in Calgary, but again does not provide any details.  Likely because it has little to do with the concept of the game, where the goal would be to appearl to broader masses of gamers across the world.