Gorlom wrote:Wow this community seems to suffer a bit from being founded around backing the game on kickstarter. It would probably have a nicer tone to it if it was started up before the kickstarter campaign.
While from a legal view point I will have to assume that you have made a purchuse of beta access. I would prefere though to see it as you have given money to a project to help them make it better, and as a show of good will they give you access to the beta when they are ready to do so. That (to me) feels more like the Idea and spirit of kickstarter.
The Kickstarter is a considerable step-up from putting a "Donate" button on a website and hoping to fill the project's coffers that way (I'm looking at you Dwarf Fortress, though Tarn Adams is doing pretty well); it's giving the investors an explicit list of deliverables based on the level of contribution to a project. Failure to deliver on that list without some reasonable explanation or workaround would really raise eyebrows amongst the other Kickstarters. We shouldn't act completely spoiled and entitled, but we should definitely become a part of the project, become concerned and active when there are issues, and hopefully push it on towards success!
It's a bit like investing in companies in the real world. Investors who think companies can't live up to their promises or demonstrate growth in their industry will pull out.