Name Recognition and Personal Investment in Kickstarter Reward Levels

I'm taking my own advice in a little thought-experiment. Based on consultation with the card game price gurus, I thought FOR THE FLEET might be better suited as a traditional board game with chits, boards and dice. I could use Kickstarter to fund the production of boutique prototypes to demo at conventions and ship to interested company prospects. By current specs, the prototype would include

6 Ship Consoles
6 Ship Pawns
18 Sector Cards
36 Target Cards
1 Home Base Card

1 Imperial Capital Card
54 Crew Chits
27 Bio Chits
27 Pep Chits
27 Fuel Chits

27 Tech Chits
27 Meme Chits
54 Glory Chits
6 Dice

I've advised people to use your actual printed space as an opportunity for limited rewards for Kickstarter backers. That real estate is limited and valuable. It costs nothing extra to print a credit on a board, card or chit, but it means a lot to your most excited community members. Even if you're just printing a book, you could offer small bylines on each page for each sponsor. "This page sponsored by Firstname Lastname." With that in mind, here is how name recognition could be used in FOR THE FLEET's reward structure.

Imperial Drone: $1. All backers are listed in the game's credits on the rule sheet.

Rebel Sympathizer: $10. You will get a print-and-play PDF version of the game, complete with kickass papercraft starship miniatures.

Rations for the Fleet: $20. [27] This pledge provides nutrigel, vitaloaf, and coffee for the rebellion. You can name one of the Bio Resources in the game. Your chosen name is listed on one of the Bio chits. Plus, you will get the PDF version of the game.

Energy for the Fleet: $30. [27] This pledge provides dark matter, compost, and other exotic fuels for the rebellion. You can name one of the Fuel Resources in the game. Your chosen name is listed on one of the Fuel chits. Plus, you will get the PDF version of the game.

Hardware for the Fleet: $40. [27] This pledge provides hull patches, computers and duct tape for the rebellion. You can name one of the Tech Resources in the game. Your chosen name is listed on one of the Tech chits. Plus, you will get the PDF version of the game.

Luxury Items for the Fleet: $50. [27] This pledge provides comics, saucy holo-vids, and adequately sized helmets for the rebellion. You can name one of the Pep Resources in the game. Your chosen name is listed on one of the Pep chits. Plus, you will get the PDF version of the game.

Dangerous Ideas for the Fleet: $60 [27] This pledge provides secret Imperial plans, ancient alien knowledge, and addictive cat videos for the rebellion. You can name one of the Meme Resources in the game. Your chosen name is listed on one of the Meme chits. Plus, you will get the PDF version of the game.

Rebels for the Fleet: $70. [38] This pledge provides wave after wave of crew members for the rebellion. You can name one of the crew members. Your chosen name is listed on one of the Crew chits. Plus, you will get the PDF version of the game.

Free Citizen: $100. You will get a rare, first-run prototype of the game made specially for you by the designer, plus a PDF version. The first ten [10] backers at this level will also get to name one of the crew. [International Orders: Please add $20]

Imperial Overseer: $200. [36] You can name a planet. Your name is listed on its card with the title of Overseer. You will also get a rare first-run prototype of the game plus a PDF version. [International Orders: Please add $20]

Imperial Sector Host: $300. [18] You can name a Sector. Your name is listed on its card with the title of Sector Host. You will also get a rare first-run prototype of the game plus a PDF version. [International Orders: Please add $20]

Fleet Captain: $400. [6] You can name a rebel ship. Your name is listed on the ship's console with the title of Captain. You will also get a rare first-run prototype of the game plus a PDF version. [International Orders: Please add $20]

Rebel Leader: $1000. [1] You can name the rebel's home base. Your name is also listed on its card with the title Rebel Leader. Throughout the game text, any mention of the Rebel Leader will use your name. You will also get a rare first-run prototype of the game plus a PDF version. Your prototype will be signed and numbered by the designer. [International Orders: Please add $20]

Galactic Emperor: $1000. [1] You can name the Imperial Capital planet. Your name is also listed on its card with the title Galactic Emperor. Throughout the game text, any mention of the Galactic Emperor will use your name. You will also get a rare first-run prototype of the game plus a PDF version. Your prototype will be signed and numbered by the designer. [International Orders: Please add $20]

Each of these rewards gives the backer a sense of identity within the game's setting. This helps instill a sense of ownership in the fiction. You can easily do this for books by naming characters after backers. In a game, you can name example players after backers, too.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about how you can use the game's fiction in a different way, to structure the unlockable rewards.

» Photo: CC-BY-SA Kai Schreiber