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Dear Melody, just to be clear – I have absolutely nooooo problem if you want to make it easy for the forum crowd to pick out their favorites! The long rambling scheme I wrote up was just the only way that *I* could think of to simplify the Formal Claims process and minimize pre-delivery favorite-swapping chaos. It may be worth mentioning that I’m a patient KS backer, though, and I’m used to waiting a year+ for reward deliveries. One project I backed funded in March 2019, and they just sent out the rewards surveys this January, because they finally got the full slew of supplies in. As long as I get occasional updates to let me know the project artist is making progress, I’m content.
For colors – I’ll be happy as long as I can get a blue-eyed dragon in something like Black Rainbow, Emerald Rainbow, or Blue Rainbow. And I’ll be extra happy if I can also get a Prismatic Spring or complementary Yellowstone Hot Springs scheme with blue, green, or amber eyes. Judging by what we’ve seen in the sneak peeks, I’m pretty sure I’ll be perfectly happy… <3
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
Continuing the Kickstarter option rambling…
– KS Update Feature:
Every KS project page has an “Update” tab, which acts like the page’s blog. Updates are also emailed out to backers, at least for backers with an email linked to their account. Melody / Windstone could post the Dragon Lot Pictures as an “Update” post, with a 2-for-1 efficiency: pledged backers will get the pictures in their email inbox and everyone (including potential backers) can look up the pictures on the KS page too.Updates can be posted starting the day of the launch and done as many or as few times as the KS creator wants. You could start by posting the original batch picture(s), then in subsequent updates post pictures with the chosen dragons X’d out once the Choosing-of-the-OOAKs starts.
Also, updates can be Public (visible to any who visit the KS page) or Backer-Only (visible only to backers of the project). The update title appears on the KS page, but the post body is “locked”. For example, if you wanted to tease people, you could post examples of the dragons in process for everyone to see, but limit the numbered Dragon Lot Pics to only active backers. Or you could post fulfillment updates that only go to backers, and keep Dragon Pictures public so potential backers can see more examples.
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
Like Ela_Hara said, there are two message systems on Kickstarter: private messages and open comments.
The “comment” system on the Kickstarter page is like Windstone’s forum, where everyone can see what you wrote and any replies from the KS artist. The direct message system is like Windstone’s PM system, private between you and the artist. Both are day/year stamped, I’m not sure about hour/minute, but they do stack “in order” of time of receipt.
StormDancer, I like your idea! Also “Mystic Dragon” or “Young Mystic Dragon” would be appropriate.
Should we use the “open comments” thing on Kickstarter for claiming dragons?? That way others could see for themselves which dragons were claimed by who… or would that infringe on people’s privacy? Kickstarter users invent their own user-names just like on forums, so it isn’t like you would be identifiable.
I would not use the “open comments” as the official dragon-choice messages. The public comments could be good to get call-outs for what color-batches people like (potentially including Kickstarter-backers who aren’t Windstone forum participants), but there would be too many issues for the Formal Choice – privacy being a Big Issue, and I’m also not sure how well you can track the chat-messages on the creator’s side.
There’s one other message system I forgot to mention earlier – the Project End Questionnaire. “Congratulations! The project has been successfully funded! You pledged at XYZ level, your rewards were XYZ. Please fill out your backer survey at the link to get your rewards.” That questionnaire is where backers fill in (1) shipping address, (2) email for delivery of virtual rewards, (3) apparel size, etc. The survey is sent out when the project creator is ready to start fulfillment, or to get the information they need for fulfillment. For projects I’ve backed that have customization options, the PEQ is where those choices have been made / recorded. If BackerKit is being used for the rewards distribution, then the PEQ is done through BackerKit’s system.
I will openly admit I have never run a Kickstarter or handled any survey / shipping project like this. I do however have to keep track of large amounts of data and information at work and somehow keep it organized for sanity. I couldn’t help but think how I’d set it up, and here’s what I would recommend:
– DO NOT allow formal choosing-of-the-OOAK-dragons before the Kickstarter has finished.
–> What this does: allows you to lock in the # of backers at each pledge SO YOU KNOW HOW MANY DRAGONS TO MAKE before the masses start arguing over who gets what dragon
–> Caveat: Try to get people to commit via message to a “category” (cool, warm, pastel, splatter…). You can also let people message or comment on their favorites, so you know which are the Surprise Popular color schemes (I’m thinking of a certain mahogany young ori…), and can decide if you want to make more. You can also then warn people that “Make sure you have a back-up, that’s a really popular dragon!”.– DO finish up ALL the [# of paid-at-Funded-date dragons x % extra in each color batch] and get ALL the class pictures assembled, before opening up for the formal choosing-of-the-OOAK-dragons
–> What this does: if everyone can see ALL the dragons in the pile, then they can lock in their favorites ONE TIME ONLY. “These are your options, make your choice FROM THESE OPTIONS, that’s all, folks!*”– ONLY THEN open up the formal choosing-of-the-OOAK-dragons, even if it took months to get all the dragons painted after the final surge of backers doubled the number of dragons you needed!
– Use the official survey (PEQ), which can be looked up to verify choices by either creator or backer.
–> “List your top 10 choices for your dragon from the IDs in the class pictures. If you have a batch preference (ex. cool, warm, neutral) but no specific dragon choice, please list those batch(es). If you prefer to be surprised, please write “True Grab Bag”. Non-replies will be treated as True Grab Bag.”
– The surveys should be time-stamped when they are filled out and submitted. That will create the “paper trail” you can use to determine who goes where in the choosing order.
– BUT WHAT IF THERE ARE CONFLICTS? TOO MANY PEOPLE CHOSE THE SAME DRAGONS!!! Here is where you use the direct message system. Notify the backers who landed too low in the choice-queue and missed all 10 top favorites. Ask them to review the updated choices, and choose a new list of favorites.
–> You can still keep their choice priority from the original survey submission, or re-set the queue as needed to keep the order fulfillment flowing.
–> Note: Sometimes the surveys only allow re-take updates to the shipping address, so re-taking the survey may not work for updating choices. Direct messages would be the “safest” update method.* BUT I WANT MORE DRAGONS! I GOT A BONUS / RAISE / INHERITANCE / TOOK OUT A LOAN, I CAN BUY MORE NOW!!!
Someone wants to add on a dragon or three? Great, good for them! If Melody wants to keep painting, why not? BUT – those extra last-minute orders? They will COMPLETELY fudge up the “one choice, only after all the options are available” queue system. So Windstone can do what every single other KS project I’ve backed has done when overloaded with add-ons AFTER the project closed: “Thank you for your additional order! The add-on rewards will be made available after the primary project fulfillment has been completed.”
– Does it sound bitchy? Yes, yes it does.
– Does it mean a delay in getting your extra dragons? Yes, yes it does.
– What dragons would you get to choose from? The ‘leftovers’ from the main batches, and new dragons painted after the main fulfillment batches are done. Add-on queues would probably be set by the timestamps from directly messaging Windstone / Suzy once an Add-On Batch Class Pic is posted. Rinse and repeat for as long as the add-on orders keep trickling in.
BUT I LIKE THE NEW ADD-ON DRAGONS THE BEST! CAN I SWAP MY MAIN-FULFILLMENT CHOICE FOR ONE IN THE ADD-ON BATCH?
– Sure – via the normal forum swap! By this point, your main-fulfillment dragon should have shipped, and returns should only be for Problem Dragons, not color choices.Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
FYI: It looks like someone’s sending off a Windstone collection full of test paints on ebay, username = “badabobtcb”. Currently there’s a barn swallow wizard frog, two teal/blue young Orientals, an autumn leaf baby ki-rin, an indigo young dragon, and a sitting bear cub. I think they had some last week too. I’m posting here to make up for staying silent on the Little Rock Dragon that I snagged last year. =) And because I’m on a budget this year and really need someone to take that frog out of my temptation range. >.>
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
Like Ela_Hara said, there are two message systems on Kickstarter: private messages and open comments.
The “comment” system on the Kickstarter page is like Windstone’s forum, where everyone can see what you wrote and any replies from the KS artist. The direct message system is like Windstone’s PM system, private between you and the artist. Both are day/year stamped, I’m not sure about hour/minute, but they do stack “in order” of time of receipt.
StormDancer, I like your idea! Also “Mystic Dragon” or “Young Mystic Dragon” would be appropriate.
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
For the Hoarder / Bantam dragon kickstarter, I know Girl Genius (webcomic / comic books) often uses Backer Kit to help the fulfillment part of their Kickstarters. I haven’t noticed any outfits who help set them up (undoubtedly for a fee), though I’m sure they’re out there.
(Also on the Squeaks thread) I’ll squeak for cool blue-greens and a batch of Prismatic Spring dragons! I really hope to pick up one to fit in my mixed Rainbow / Emerald Peacock / Black Violet Peacock family. And my little-dragons Prismatic Spring clan would love another member!
I still think it would be neat if the dragon name echoed the general “royal” theme that sort of exists already. I think Page and Squire and Seer and Prince have been shot down already. Others that came to mind are / a quick search: Baron, Baronet, Marquis / Marquess, Earl, Duke / Duchess, Bishop, Esquire, or Herald.
In random things I didn’t know, apparently “Junker” is a German noble honorific, meaning “young nobleman” or otherwise “young lord”. Huh. I’m not sure most people would hear “Junker dragon” and think a noble guardian of treasure, though!
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
For the Hoarder / Bantam dragon kickstarter, I’ll squeak for cool blue-greens and a batch of Prismatic Spring dragons! I really hope to pick up one to fit in my mixed Rainbow / Emerald Peacock / Black Violet Peacock family. And my little Prismatic Spring clan would love to grow too!
I also will continue to squeak for all the pebbles (the small foxes and cougar and tanuki) in silver rainbow sparkle. I still haven’t caught up to the pebble dragons, though, so it’s a “take your time while my budget restabilizes” squeak! XP
For grab bags – the one thing that would really grab me (again) would be Cool Batch Young Orientals. I’d love to have a little companion for my Cool Batch Sitting Young Oris! (Though those definitely wouldn’t help the budget restabilization effort…)
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
I would love Windstone pins!
I use pins as cubicle & wall decorations. They’re really a really convenient way of adding a bit of color and cheer at work, though I mostly stick with more “grown-up” pins like metal-tone and NASA there. At home I use pins in shadowboxes to hold things in place, and those ones are whatever takes my fancy.
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
My package brought a few giggles with it, and started as a mystery. Early in the week, an small Amazon package showed up in my mailbox – no return label, just… a package! Being a mysterious package with my name on it, I naturally opened it, to find – a tin of fudge!
I spent most of the week wondering about this mystery package of fudge, because I was pretty sure the gift swap is supposed to include notes, and the only thing in that package was the tin of fudge. And then, late that week – another mystery Amazon package, this time a box! Still no return label. Thus – it got opened, and in it I found – goodies! With a note! Actually about four notes. Apparently they printed out a bunch of notes, but only put them in one box. Ah well, at least now I know – thank you, Natasha!
A coloring book, NASA stickers, Greenies – one of my cats’ favorite treats!, a fluorite-crystal LED light string, and, of course, a tin of fudge. I am still grinning, and trying to figure out what to do with all the stickers! =)
I hope December is treating everyone well! Best wishes to all for the holiday season!
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
I can safely say that Natasha mailed hers! =D
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
Oh, and I received my package! It contained many grins. I haven’t been able to get a decent picture yet, hoping tomorrow. =)
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
Box away! Just got back from shipping it today, expected arrival at its destination probably next Wednesday.
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
My box is packed and ready to ship, I just need to make it to the post office. That didn’t happen today, but I should be able to make it this week after work, or next Saturday at the latest.
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
I have 43 Windstones right now, not counting a couple of PYOs I got to eventually play with. I wanted to be able to differentiate between “main” sculpts and Pebbles. I think my “target goal” is ~100, but only about 1/2 that is the main sculpts. I don’t have a whole lot of room, and everything has to fit around the “main family” I’m building. But I adore the pebbles, and those can be snuck in practically *everywhere*. So I expect those to become a proper Hoard as the years sneak by.
I think the survey question that threw me the most was “what collectibles do you *dislike* the most?”. I have to admit I put “red eyes” on mine – I know there are complaints about too many blue eyes, but I want happy dragons. Blue tends to seem the most “happy” to me, silver or gold “calm”, green “impish”, but orange “irritated” and red “angry”. Blame my early obsession with McCaffrey’s Pern books?
I put embroidered patches or embroidery designs (for those with machines) – also art prints! And coloring books! And pewter “miniatures”, since in the blog I saw they had experimented with those in the past. Also magnets or pins. And I think some other things. I spent about an hour with the survey on that page while I wandered around thinking and adding ideas.
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
My pair are very fun to play with. In some lights, they look like brothers:
And under other lights, it’s more obvious how different they are, more like cousins:
Either way, they pair well together, and this sculpt is almost made for a “guardian pair” posing. Their favorite duty is definitely guarding (or teasing?) the Pastel Rainbow curlie.
I really didn’t intend to get two of these, as much as I love them. I also still love a bunch of the other Cool and cool-color Wilds, some of which would go better with my “core” collections’ colors. So I’m willing to entertain trade or sale offers on either of them. But mostly tentatively, because, really, they are so much fun!
Continuing the family tradition of being obsessed with shiny things.
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