"tl;dr: Vendetta Online. I don't know why it exists, nor why I should care."

Because it's awesome.

Impavid really has no idea why you aren't banned for the forum

One minor point, I don't think the term "space combat" actually appears anywhere on the KS page. In fact, if I google "space combat kickstarter" I mostly get irrelevant links from 2011/2012.

If, OTOH, I google "twitch combat kickstarter" I get the VO page as link number one. Which is great and everything....except I'd never heard the term before I started playing VO, and I've rarely heard it outside these and a couple of other forums..

huh, never thought of that but you are right

Impavid, if you're not here to help... then why are you here?

People support projects they want to; there doesn't have to be any rhyme or reason to it. I support Vendetta because I've been playing for over 9 years, and I've somehow always kind of had a sense of where it is headed and why I should care. I also know that things don't happen overnight; sometimes time takes time.

SS - I think you've been around as long as I have, and I have a lot of respect for you as a player (last time I remember seeing you was in the hidden capship sector in the old 'verse, I think). However, your post is way out of left field. Timing is everything. Inc & co have been doing the best job that they can with the KS, I think, while remaining honestly humble. That is worth a lot more to some people than potentially over-promising something. Like Inc said, it's kind of easy to like and support something that doesn't yet exist because it might be something.

VO is a different story; it's one of the only MMOs I can think of that has been around for as long as it has and remains relevant in the industry. Some people might like it, others won't because of past experiences. One thing is certain in my mind; 10 years down the road, anyone reading this probably won't be comparing Vendetta's Kickstarter campaign to SC's Kickstarter (or any other) as much as looking at what VO did promise in its Kickstarter and how VO's Kickstarter was run on its own. For that, I cannot fault Incarnate or anyone at Guild Software for remaining conservative. In the end, I think it's one of the things that has kept VO alive for this long.

Phaser, you're super right. The timing on that post probably could've been better; I've been sitting on it for a while and finally got to the point where it was either now or never. That said, I'm not taking such an emphatic issue with how the kickstarter was run (really well), what the rewards were (pretty good, all in all), what the stretch goals were (I like most of them). I just feel like there's a big, pretty important chunk missing from the whole shebang. Hence all the words.

And, while we're on the subject, I'm not sure it's fair to say VO is promising something that's already there. VO 1.9 doesn't exist. VO 2.0 doesn't exist. It's easy enough to frame these two huge major ghetto booty revisions as something that doesn't exist. They could be anything.

VO 1.9 could finally bring glitter-based weapons that inflict fabulous-over-time on your enemies, if that's the vision for VO.

And I've been trying to press that a lot-- I don't know, nor have I ever known, what the overall vision for VO is. There's a million and six different shades of "twitch-combat space MMO" I can think of and jot down on the back of my knees in a coffee shop. What vision, if any, drives VO and makes it unique? Why is VO any different from EVE Online, Star Citizen, Limit Theory, Infinity, Wing Commander, Privateer, Kerbal Space Program, or FTL? Not how it's different, but why. Not what systems exist or will exist that will differentiate VO from these other games, but why it is the way it is and how that will influence the game going forward.

Hell, just for example's sake, I'm going to write up a blurb here that would answer a 'why'. Call this fiction, considering I am not, nor will I ever be, Incarnate incarnate.

"Hi. I'm John Bergman, founder and lead producer of Guild Software. I spent the first half of my life growing up on sail boats and was always awestruck by both the wonder, and danger, of exploring the open seas. I also grew up playing PC gaming classics such as Wing Commander, Privateer, and Descent and I want to bring the same wonder of exploration to one of my favorite game genres: the combat space flight simulator.

But I need your help! For over a decade now, myself and my small team *cue friendly waving* have been building Vendetta Online-- a massively multiplayer twitch-based space combat sim-- to help bring this same sense of wonder I felt looking down of the edge of the USS INeedMoneyBad into beautiful and mysterious coral reefs off the coast of Atlantis to our massive space combat game. However, the road has been long and difficult and we're not quite there yet. To get there, we need you, Glorious Kickstarter master race to pledge your hard earned dollars to make this happen.

Here's how we've been approaching it so far:
* Stuff about game systems
* Maybe mention being dragged around by the whims of the industry.

Here is what we have:
* Facts about VO

Here's what we'll give you:
* Sweet prizes up to and including pasties emblazoned with the VO logo you can wear for your night job

Thanks! You guys are super awesome and, with your help, I'm sure we can make this dream a reality."

Edit: As an aside, Phaser, I think you've seen me much, much more recently than that. Historically, I switch names every few months I'm ingame because reasons.

[mod edit -personal attack removed]

The constant abuse by many toward others in the forums and in game are just ridiculous
Although not specifically allowed, the lack of moderation and resources all the way around allows it to be the norm.

Happy playing with yourselves in empty space

5 MORE DAYS to lift off or back to the drawingboard

I'm absolutely being helpful. Please re-read my post suggesting Inc. re-read Steve's post. Helpful and neccessary. There is far too much dismissal of unpopular ideas around here, even when they're right. Apologists might be popular, but they aren't helpful. Maybe you should try being helpful for a change?

Impavid, I'm not going to argue with you, but you saying I should try being helpful is ridiculous. I speak my mind openly and honestly; no hidden agenda.

I'm sure I could have done everything better than I did. But it is what it is, and right now I'm pretty ragged just trying to finish this all off to the best of my ability. Perhaps we can take it down a notch for now and everyone can follow up on what I did wrong sometime after the thing is over?

Inc, you should take at least a 1 week break after that. W/O phone or internet access.

A break... without internet? WTF? Sounds like work to me. :P

Heh, I haven't had a week off in years. I'd be happy with a day off, which I just haven't had in months.

But in all seriousness, the reason why I'm doing the KS solo is so everyone else can crunch on the "next possibility for income", which is iOS, and will be my target immediately following the KS. Plus some other stuff I'll be announcing shortly.

I'm doing whatever I can to generate enough capital to keep everyone employed and let us focus on improving gameplay.

Don't forget about beta testers *wink*

mainly because you guys are bad at testing things (a decade of proof exists now) and I want to make sure it works right when I finally get my hands on it!

If only you were as bad at diplomacy as they are allegedly bad at testing ...