Interview: The Deft and Deadly Print Kickstarter

Here's a Kickstarter interview about the Deft and Deadly Print Kickstarter, starting in July 2014!

On July the 5th, I'm also publishing an interview about the company behind the Kickstarter: Curtis, Lars and Nick of SagaRPG will tell you more about their company. Please check that one out too!

When and how did the Deft and Deadly Kickstarter get started? 

We started the SagaRPG The Deft and Deadly Print Kickstarter after getting feedback from our fans when our first adventure, “The Deft and the Deadly” was released. The demand for a print run was obvious so we decided to do a Kickstarter to fund one.

How did you join the Kickstarter and what is your role or position?

We have all had a hand at contributing to our Kickstarter, from producing the Kickstarter video to creating the pledge tiers. We are excited to get this print run started! 

What can you tell about the Kickstarter?

The goal of the SagaRPG The Deft and Deadly Print Kickstarter is to raise money for a print run of our already produced adventure. That means there is no development time, no waiting for artists, no waiting for writing, etc. Our product is done and ready for press, all we need is your support to print. More people who pledge and support this project could mean the additional funding to support future print runs of our future products without the need for kickstarting the project.

This Kickstarter presents the opportunity for some backers to develop the boom town of Darkwood in future products. There is also a limited number of backers who could receive a signed printed copy which for collectors of RPG memorabilia is an excellent value. We also have a pledge level that backers can test play a future SagaRPG product online (skype and virtual tabletop).

Can you give us an exclusive teaser about the Kickstarter?

One of our pledge levels allows backers to name a character (with design credit in the product) and work with us to design a horrible or memorable death for that character in a future SagaRPG product. This pledge level is thusly named: Name a Red Shirt. 

What are the best things about the Kickstarter and what type of players or GMs would you recommend it? 

The best feature of the SagaRPG The Deft and the Deadly Kickstarter is that the adventure is ready for print NOW! Once the Kickstarter is funded the print run will be immediately ordered and backers will get their printed copy much quicker than the average Kickstarter. Our backers are also going to get a print copy of our adventure, “The Deft and the Deadly” at a discount. Those backers that are pledging at our design level tiers will be able to help build the booming town of Darkwood. The people who will find the most use of our product are those that are looking for an adventure with a strong plot with a sandbox feel. With a 160 pages this product has a lot to offer. 

What are the current goals for the Kickstarter? What are the biggest challenges? 

At a minimum we need $6000 for a print run. The more we get in this Kickstarter the more we will be able to fund future print runs of our products. Getting exposure for our Kickstarter is the greatest challenge we face.

Is there anything else people should know about the Kickstarter? 

This Kickstarter is live and you should pledge today (include link) because there is an early bird special with additional discounts. 

In your opinion, what are the most important things to consider when starting a Kickstarter? 

The most important things to consider when starting a Kickstarter are: fulfillment, discounts and getting the word out. People need to know about the Kickstarter so getting the word out there via social media and advertising is important. It is also critical to use discounts to draw people in to try your product. The final detail, and perhaps the trickiest is making sure that people get what they paid for. 

What skills, tools or other resources do you consider to be the most important in running a Kickstarter?

We think Diplomacy and Profession (merchant) or (scribe) are the primary skills needed. Masterwork Artisan Tools (Adobe Creative Cloud) and a wand of message would also help a lot.

Now for the real answer: It’s important to have someone maintaining the social media presence so you can drive more pledges through the Kickstarter’s duration.

What do you find most rewarding about running a Kickstarter? What about least rewarding? 

The most rewarding thing about running a Kickstarter is the chance to get people involved in your product. The least rewarding aspect of a Kickstarter is hearing your own voice on a Kickstarter video. 

Is there any further advice you would give to someone interested in running a Kickstarter? 

Be prepared.