They didn't do themselves a favor by setting such an insanely high goal, but if you can ignore that, I think the project is still worth backing. I've been testing out various DK2 ready demos, backing several Kickstarters, etc - many of which are getting a lot of attention here, but I'm surprised to see so little discussion on Vanguard V. This is right up there with Technolust as far as polish/attention to detail goes, but much more approachable for the masses. The control scheme almost ensures you don't get motion sickness. Long store short: If you haven't yet checked this game out yet, do so now.
This game is doing so many things right, it deserves to be supported just for setting standards for games to come. The feel of being in the helmet, where you can see the reflection of your face, the HUD, the tight intuitive control, also the large space debris whizzing by the camera gives such a great since of 3D, it's all perfect. This is one of the only demos where I don't have ANY nausea (also Proton Pulse - by the same developer!), and I played it at least 4 times in a row. I think it's too early in VR for a game to get 200k though, which is unfortunate. But if this is a hint of what's to come, I am very excited.
Unfortunately I think the developer (Justin Moravetz) has underestimated the funding available considering the number of Rifts sold and delivered.
He's giving away the demo for $1. This means that if every single owner bought into the Kickstarter for the demo he'd only raise $60,000 of his $198k goal. There simply aren't enough prospective users at that rate. That's even after assuming there are no multiple order buyers of the Rift.
Not counting higher tiers it would require nearly 7500 backers of the full game ($20 tier) and everyone else ordering the demo ($1 tier) in order to hit the funding goal. Expecting one in eight owners of the DK2 to order your full game is a bit much, especially considering only 20k have been delivered so far.
I say this as someone who has backed the game at $16 and who would like to see it succeed. I just don't think the prospective audience is big enough yet.
Math below for those interested how I derived my numbers: I blacked it out so Liberal Arts types don't have to look at it. 😉 The sweet spot, assuming every one of the 60,000 orders decided to back the project: x = $1 donors // y = $16 donors (max 1,000) // z = $20 donors
x+y+z = 60,000 and x+16y+20z = 198,000
We should be able to safely assume all 1000 orders at $16 will be filled before anyone chooses the $20 option. I say "should" because 43 people seem to have chosen to pay $20 while early bird spots still exist. 😉
So y = 1,000 means: x + z = 59,000 and also x + 20z = 182,000 Sub the first into the second, x = 59,000 - z // (59,000 -z) + 20z = 182,000 19z = 123,000 which solves z = 6,474 (rounded) Subbing back in known values, x + (1000) + 6474 = 60,000, x = 52,526
This means 6,474 backers at the $20 price point, 1000 at the $16 price point, and the rest of the 60,000 preordered Rifts each backing the demo for $1.
6,474 x $20 = $129,480 // 1,000 x $16 = $16,000 // 52,526 x $1 = $52,526 // total = $198,006
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
- Arthur C Clarke
Also backed at $16 but I don't see them getting anywhere near their goal for reasons already mentioned in previous posts. I do hope they manage to somehow get the game finished in time for CV1 with a possible DK2 release for early backers if at all possible.