More Campaign Questions

I found this over at my online and real life friend Nathan Jenning's 'blog. More interesting questions to consider when creating a fantasy campaign.

Questions for Campaigns at Each Level of Scale

What is the name of this place?

Why

1. Backstory
2. Size
3. Population
4. Army and size

What race is in charge here? Really?

Do they speak common? Something else?

Is anything illegal?

1. Weapons
2. Magic
3. Something odd or absurd?

Who is in charge? Really?

Secret societies? Cults?

Who is the wealthiest? Different from above? Really?

Stronghold?

1. Motte & Baily
2. Castle & Keep
3. Curtain Walls
4. Wood
5. Stone
6. Enchanted

What is the religion? Really?

Who is their cleric? Really?

1. What are clerics?
2. How do clerics work here?

Is this place for Law, Chaos or Neutrality?

Can we change alignment here?

Who is the most powerful?

1. FM
2. CL
3. MU
4. TH
5. Dwarf
6. Elf
7. Hobbit

Who knows the most?

1. Book knowledge
2. Experience

Is there a:

1. Tavern or Inn
2. Stable or Livery
3. Jail or Prison ... and who is in it?
4. Church or Temple
5. Bank
6. Town or Guild Hall ... which guilds?
7. School

Can we buy?

1. Supplies
2. Equipment
3. Weapons or Armor
4. Magic Items
5. Transportation

Can we find?

1. Healing or Potions
2. Antidote
3. Cures
4. Raise Dead
5. Curse or Remove Curse
6. Lycanthropy Cure

Can we obtain hirelings? Retainers?

Where is the nearest treasure to recover?

1. Is it legendary
2. Will it make us famous
3. Will it make us rich

Are there any problems around here?

1. NPCs
2. Monsters
3. Will it make us famous
4. Will it make us rich
5. Will it make us landed

Is this place its own problem?

1. Deception
2. Intrigue
3. Corruption

Does anyone need something done?

1. Are they rich
2. Powerful
3. Will they pay: in kind, coin, land
   

Is this place at war?

1. With whom
2. How long
3. Is it just
4. Who is winning

Where is the nearest dragon? And hoard? Or any creature that:

1. Petrifies
2. Paralyzes
3. Drains Energy
4. Poisons
5. Breathes a weapon
6. Contagious condition
7. Regenerates
8. Enchants

How do PCs find out about these things? Rumors?

[Review] How To Run A Kickstarter

Kick Starter (KS) has attracted various types of projects since its inception. Though there are folks who malign KS, deservedly so in a few cases, I would be the first to point out this a shortcoming of the format of KS offerings and the individuals behind those projects, not the KS folks themselves. I could spend a lot of time slamming certain notorious KS meltdowns, ranging from projects which began with good intentions but failed to deliver, to what appear to be outright confidence games intended to fleece people.

This is not a post about that, and I'd appreciate it if you would take discussions about such elsewhere.

Let me point out before I go further I've backed 9 KS projects:

• I received the correct rewards for my level of patronage every time. Yes I did; every one, every time. 
• The reward matched the description on the KS page.
• All but one project delivered later than promised, but only one of those eight was delivered more than a month or two later than promised. 
• In every case I received clear and (more importantly) believable communication from the responsible party or parties that (a) my project was late, (b) the reasons for the delay, and (c) a reasonable estimate of when I could expect my reward(s) to arrive. 

So, not a bad track record overall. I agree with KS in that I'm not buying a product so much as I'm supporting the development of a product. In light of my apparently unusual success with KS, what does it take to stand out from that crowd?

Douglas H. Cole and Gaming Ballistic LLC's Kickstarter Dungeon Grappling (DG). I was impressed on so many levels with how Cole conducted this project. I received constant communication about DG, fun things to read, my input/feedback was sought, and my e-mails were answered promptly (I sent two over the course of the KS campaign).

It wasn't just the communication. The product itself was exactly as advertised, save where backer feedback suggested changes the majority thought were a good idea. It was delivered on time and securely packaged to prevent damage to the product (I once received a badly damaged "collector's" version of a KS product due to the way it was packaged, no I won't tell you which one).

Now when the project is winding down? Cole is still seeking feedback. Are we happy with the product? What else would we like to see? Would we be interested in this semi-related product and here's what else the company has in the works. And, most importantly of all? Has everyone received all their rewards and are there any issues or problems with what they've received?

This is how to run a Kickstarter! Know your product, know your capabilities, know your audience. If the first 3 rules of a brick-n-mortar store are location, location, location then I'd say the first 3 rules of KS are communication, communication, communication!

Neither I, Cameron DuBeers, nor my Wobbly Goblin Press are employed by or affiliated with  Mr. Cole or Gaming Ballistic LLC. I'm just a gamer impressed to hell and gone by a well-run Kickstarter campaign.