Arkartia Site Kickstarter

gregory

Thanks for the background, Cirom. I saw the thing about doing it for less money, but I didn't understand quite how that would work. It looked as though they might have hit their target - but not had enough cash to complete everything. Wise to rethink it, then.
 

cirom

Hi Gregory, I really do not understand how Kickstarter works, I have never used it on one of my own projects, so I'm not clear on the differences of unachieved goals verses cancelled ones. All I know is that this is not one of those scenarios where people pay and then wonder what happened to their pledges or the deck that they believed they were helping come into being. I only agreed to be part of this if it was a situation where all pledges would be refunded no questions asked should goals not be met.
Admittedly the initial target was ambitious but I thought achievable, certainly when compared to so many other successful tarot kickstarter projects, albeit they were for lesser amounts but were also for far less, i.e. just a deck, whereas this is far far more than a deck. Nevertheless it was increasingly clear the initial financial target was not going to be met. Personally I think a large part of that is that despite the lengthy descriptions included in the KS info, the functionality was still rather unclear, what it all was and how it would all work. (Even I'm still unclear on various aspects) but that lack of clarity is unavoidable since there is no reference point of comparison with anything that's been done before. (at least in the tarot world)

But ultimately it does come down to the numbers. I believe this lower priced target is achievable. If not, well, we gave it our best shot.
 

Alta

I have been watching it and had thought at first that they would meet their target but then it slowed down. Marcus et al were likely wise to rethink and relaunch at that point. I also think he was wise to not over promise and build over time. These big IT projects can be difficult even for dedicated companies.
 

cirom

"Built over time" is very much the perspective here also. In fact it has to be. Any concept that is subscription based needs to be one that is constantly changing, offering something more or something different on a regular basis. In this case, to provide that will require more than dedication, it requires passion. Quite simply it would have to become the most extraordinary financial success, one that is in fact beyond our realistic expectations, for it ever to compensate the time that has already been put into it and will be required going forward.

Just as with so many things in the tarot world, this is ultimately a business. But not business as usual.
 

Signy

I'm by no means a Kickstarter expert, but I have backed several projects in the past.

Kickstarter projects are all or nothing. If 100% of the goal is not reached by the end of the time allotted, the project fails. Even if there's 34k pledged out of a 35k goal, nothing gets funded and no one gets charged.

That's why pulling Arkartia down and creating a new business plan when it looked like it wasn't going to make the funding goal was a great idea!

A lot of projects have 'Stretch Goals.' These are usually awarded past the projects funding goal. So, if a project is fully funded at 10k, and then gets an additional 5k on top of that, the developers might reward their backers with additional features they can now afford to create. Stretch goals are usually features the team would like to add, but aren't as important as the core project so if they don't get enough extra money to make them, it's not that big of a deal.

So if the project is for a tarot deck and book set, the reward could mean the book's illustrations are now fully colored. If the project is a video game, the extra money could mean 10 new levels are added. If the developers were going to add a soundtrack CD at 1k, and an art book at 5k, but only got 2k over their funding goal, the soundtrack gets made but the book probably doesn't get published.

Sometimes a project gets funded but it never gets completed. It could mean the team ran out of money because they had unexpected costs, planned incorrectly or mismanaged their funds. It doesn't happen very often, but it's still a risk. Usually the backers loose their investment, but sometimes the developers try to honor their promises in some way.

Last year I backed a project where a person embezzled funds and the team had to cancel it - I didn't get refunded because they didn't have any money to give back. A few years before that, I backed a video game where one of the lead developers sadly passed away before it could be completed. The project was canceled, but I was given another game for free. The backers at higher tiers got things like soundtracks, art books and other extras.
 

gregory

Last year I backed a project where a person embezzled funds and the team had to cancel it - I didn't get refunded because they didn't have any money give back. A few years before that, I backed a video game where one of the lead developers sadly passed away before the game could be completed. The project was canceled, but I was given another game for free. The backers at higher tiers got things like soundtracks, art books and other extras.
I'd be interested to know if that's the same one I was stuck for. But on the whole KS is safe.
 

Rallwedd

A Labyrinth

Hello Aeclectics!

I am a backer of the original project and soon the re-revisioned project, and saw that they have put a solo "gated spread" experience on Youtube, which is pretty cool.

It's here ... www.arkartia.net

You choose cards and then choose video links, following a "labyrinth" to the heart or perhaps a dead end. It's a really interesting thing, I don't think I have seen anything like it?

I learnt a surprising amount about court cards on my two trips through the maze, even if I did not find the centre either time!

R.A.
 

starlightexp

I think the choice of canceling the project rather then have it labeled as an "unsuccessful' on KS is a good PR move it nothing else.

In reading about this in various places the one thing that no one can really grasp is just what it is that this site wants to be and what it is that they gain from it. The focus to several, based on the comments, was that:
"Askartia, as described seems to be designed with a strong leaning toward marketing and merchandise."

According to one Suberbacker on Kickstarter "I could not understand if this was software or a video game or and online community... as a result I could not determine what exactly I was invited to fund and what I would in true get with it?"

It did come off like the more money you spent the more secrets you get and the more mythic your title was but that you also were going to need to buy extra little figurines to get special codes or something to unlock things. While this can all be fun I think people, myself included, were wondering why? What is the point? Aside from making a pretty site what really are they going to learn or gain from this in their tarot life or that can't be learned through the subscription you pay for at Tarot Town. It looks to be another monthly subscription service to learn, but if you already belong to one what is the point of two? The site appears to be geared to a person that likes to be guided and play an adventure game and that's great if that is indeed what it is but it was unclear if that was it was.


Asside from the visual parts what makes this a different community then say... Tarot Town. Why should one WANT to join. The app with tie in to decks you can buy was an interesting novelty but we all aware these days of how ephemeral technology is. At least one knows that when backing a deck project you still have the deck... and for me nothing will ever beat a quite morning, a deck of cards, a pot of tea and my thoughts.


All Paths are Valid as I say
No shade just thoughts.
 

Rallwedd

Arkartia Relaunched and Already 60% Funded in First Hour

Hello All Aeclectics!

I am only just on my first coffee and I saw that the Arkartia project was re-launched for us original backers (but the secret is out on Social Media) a day ahead of World Tarot Day tomorrow, which was the official public re-launch.

It seems to have already got 60% of funding in the first hour, and I am about to make my re-pledge now; although I want them to do at least one area on my deck-of-choice, the Tarocco Egiziano.

The new campaign page is https://www.kickstarter.com/project...tia-for-all-explore-the-magical-world-of-taro

I can't see those quotes from "suberbacker" and I believe that they were answered, as I saw a reply I think. The "interesting novelty" of an App is deffo down to opinion, but I have a load of Apps on my phone and use them daily, so it is not an "ephemeral" thing for me.

I've been learning about the project and with several emails to the creators, so I can blog on it and I like to think of it as a massive immersive tarot experience with lots of new and original content delivered in a new and original way. I worked through their solo "Gated Spread" (did anyone else here?) and it was something very unique and I learnt a lot about Court cards and my own family - again, it was very new and not something I've seen anywhere else?

But yes, I also like a real deck - although this is something entirely different. I know they're using Ciro Marketti's "Tarot Decrotif" on the site, so there's a reading system built-in, but I see that sort of thing as an addition to my own physical Tarocco deck, not a replacement ;-)

R.A.
 

cirom

Edmund, why am i not surprised by your take on this, followed as usual by the pot of tea. You make is sound so negative. You make public assumptions that its geared to marketing and merchandise, i.e the figurines are obligatory extras, (as far as i'm aware that is not the case). Now since its a subscription based service you are right in so far as the longer one remains a subscriber the more one will get from it, as new and more material will constantly be added. But to spin that into the "the more money you spend the more secrets you get" is a deliberately tainted parsing of the concept.

You state that no one can really grasp what it is. Really? no-one? Yet despite that somehow it managed to raise an approximate $30,000. Nevertheless If some people are still genuinely confused as to what it all is, a video, an adventure game, a resource of information and learning, an interactive community or all of the above, I can understand that remaining confusion. However if those people were even slightly interested in participating, but genuinely wanted further clarification before doing so (or not) I'm sure they could contact the team behind it and ask specific questions.

You ask whats the point of the project, I in turn ask whats really the point of your post other to put a negative spin and to put doubts in peoples mind, about something you claim to not understand. But I do know the answer to whats your point, thats why I was expecting such a post from you at some point. If you really were interested in knowing more you know who to ask, but is clarity really your motivation?

You ask "apart from the visual parts" whats different? Yet the "visual parts" is an integral, if not principal part, of most tarot projects wouldn't you say.

Edmund lets cut to the chase here, you try and make this all sound like a money making scheme with questionable purpose, value or staying power. I resent that, as from my perspective this project represents a very poor return for the hours I have put in and would need to continue putting in. So i can assure you its not all about frigging making money. You even question the ephemeral quality of technology. And yet we are discussing this through technology. You may prefer your physical deck, thats your preference, but its not a justifiable rational to trash an attempt by others to produce and provide a different tarot experience. Technology is part of tarot's present and certainly its future. But this is all playing games. Your issue is not with not knowing what this project is, or with technology, your issue is once again a personal one with the people behind it... you know it, i know it. To go to the effort of writing a lengthy post just to raise doubts on the work of your peers is taking holding a grudge too far.
This is not a rip off or a scam, or something that may not be around for long. I am an artist but not a rip off artist. If this project does get funded and launched, and subscribers then conclude its not for them, they can unsubscribe.... PLEASE Edmund..... let the personal grudges go, enough time has passed don't your think?