Duke Togo Posted July 15, 2014 Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) I just re-looked at the thread start post. " You want a new Robotech series...? then pay us???" Does this irritate anyone? Is it incredibly in poor taste? Not "please help us fund our project" but "pay us" Its like a homeless person screaming at you to give him $20. The thread starter really needs to take a marketing class. What they don't realize is that we have nothing in common with them.Edit: Nice miss, A1 Edited July 16, 2014 by Duke Togo
EXO Posted July 15, 2014 Posted July 15, 2014 I just re-looked at the thread start post. "You want a new Robotech series...? then pay us???" Does this irritate anyone? Is it incredibly in poor taste? Not "please help us fund our project" but "pay us" Its like a homeless person screaming at you to give him $20. The thread starter really needs to take a marketing class. Are you talking about the original poster of this thread? You understand he's being sarcastically egregious, right?
CoreyD Posted July 15, 2014 Posted July 15, 2014 Obviously a dead horse at this point, but here's a new kickstarter for some action figures where they very clearly state where the initial funding is going. (Look near the bottom) https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/549582372/amazing-heroes-retro-style-super-hero-action-figur And they're only asking for $30,000!!!
coronadlux Posted July 15, 2014 Posted July 15, 2014 Just saw their update. Now. You get a poster autographed by Svea Macek. On canvas. Only available through KS. I have the comic, I also have a scanner, and, my girl works at a graphic design department, guess what, I can get one on canvas too. Workout the ugly signature from a little known person.
Agent ONE Posted July 15, 2014 Posted July 15, 2014 Are you talking about the original poster of this thread? You understand he's being sarcastically egregious, right? I didn't.
Seto Kaiba Posted July 15, 2014 Posted July 15, 2014 Obviously a dead horse at this point, but here's a new kickstarter for some action figures where they very clearly state where the initial funding is going. (Look near the bottom) Nah, it was a dead horse fifteen pages ago, now we're flogging the cans of dog food that used to be that horse... but I'm sure the dog food did something to deserve it. I'm not surprised Harmony Gold is unwilling to spell out where the money is going. To date, the only people who've been willing to comment on the actual sales of anything Robotech have been former employees who no longer feel any obligation to the company line that Robotech is "selling gangbusters". Most of the cash would probably go to attorney's fees to ensure everyone signs some ridiculously convoluted NDA and checking to make sure every little thing won't get them sued six ways to hell. Just saw their update. Now. You get a poster autographed by Svea Macek. On canvas. Only available through KS. I have the comic, I also have a scanner, and, my girl works at a graphic design department, guess what, I can get one on canvas too. Workout the ugly signature from a little known person. Where it becomes tragic is that they actually believe this is a thing people want... poorly-drawn knockoff Macross art signed by Carl's widow, who was responsible for the meme-inspiringly awful artwork in the book it's from. Of course the number of backers has continued to drop off sharply, to the point of almost being in single digits... this is their idea of an incentive, and that's awful. (I wonder if it's just a coincidence that the bottom fell out around the time they posted the FAQ?)
Twoducks Posted July 15, 2014 Posted July 15, 2014 Someone should do an abridged version of Knights of Sidonia and call it "R-tech Academy". Hell, the series already looks like a crazy future version of the Macross universe in a way so calling the weird aliens sentient protoculture and having the main character be Max’s grandson would not be too much of a stretch. Bet it would be more interesting than what HG plans to do (at least it has 12 episodes already animated).
TheLoneWolf Posted July 15, 2014 Posted July 15, 2014 Just saw their update. Now. You get a poster autographed by Svea Macek. On canvas. Only available through KS. Ugh, even by the standards of 1980's comics, that was a pretty lousy piece of art. But make no mistake, this criticism is by no means a condemnation of Svea Macek, since she never presented herself as a serious artist. I always got the impression that for Svea, drawing was a only pastime. In any case, she's not a renowned artist, so I can't imagine why an unremarkable reprint signed by her is worth $100. Harmony Gold's really stretching here.
CoreyD Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 Probably because they have a bunch of leftover posters in a warehouse somewhere and want to offload them?
skullmilitia Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 To be in looovveeeeee....... Yay Robotech Art! it's the BEST! I can't wait to see what amazing concepts that have for uS!!!! >_> 0_0
EXO Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 A lot of the criticism on the kickstarter comments thread bother me. I'm not sure if it's anyone here or not that that even matters. But I feel like going there to bad mouth them in an over all general sense just looks like trolling. To me the only valid warning to any one thinking of donating would be to look at who they are sending their money to. You can demand to see a statement of where the money is going to be used and anyone can make a list or pie chart to satisfy that need, but that doesn't really tell anyone that it's actually going to go there. All anyone else has to know is if it's actually worth putting down hard earned cash to support a project that has record of delivering uncompleted and unsubstantial material. The tax evasion, the licensing debate, Carl Macek's involvement... critiquing those things just seem like blind hate and to me, they dilute the actual valid criticisms that some people are posting. Anyway, I'm not gonna tell anyone to stop, you did pay to comment... I'll just save my dollar. And pleeeease tell me no one here actually paid the $2 to put negative comments. That's just plain dumb.
jvmacross Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 In response to the topic's question....nope However, what I would want is for this to finally wash up to shore.... I'm thinking no one will ever see Robotech Academy either...
Einherjar Posted July 16, 2014 Author Posted July 16, 2014 (edited) Does this irritate anyone? Is it incredibly in poor taste? Not "please help us fund our project" but "pay us" Its like a homeless person screaming at you to give him $20. The thread starter really needs to take a marketing class. Actually, taking a couple of those classes in business school made me very cynical about the whole field. In particular, when it came to deceptive marketing/promotion. I don't apologize for being rude about this, especially after the important points that have been made about this series pilot that won't be talked about or seriously answered by those that matter, ever. Besides, they'll win one way or another. I have no delusions that this thread will really make a difference with what is going to happen anyway. Edited July 16, 2014 by Einherjar
Guest davidwhangchoi Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 And pleeeease tell me no one here actually paid the $2 to put negative comments. That's just plain dumb. umm... i fear that may have happened... but i'm sure they saved a lot by switching their car insurance... jk i would never waste 2 dollars to complain. i just went ahead and ordered a wendy's chili w/ cheese instead
EXO Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 umm... i fear that may have happened... but i'm sure they saved a lot by switching their car insurance... jk i would never waste 2 dollars to complain. i just went ahead and ordered a wendy's chili w/ cheese instead I guess you took the healthier route...
Seto Kaiba Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 Ugh, even by the standards of 1980's comics, that was a pretty lousy piece of art. But make no mistake, this criticism is by no means a condemnation of Svea Macek, since she never presented herself as a serious artist. I always got the impression that for Svea, drawing was a only pastime. In any case, she's not a renowned artist, so I can't imagine why an unremarkable reprint signed by her is worth $100. Harmony Gold's really stretching here. Simple... because Harmony Gold is counting on Robotech fans' belief that everything touched by Carl Macek is solid gold to make this into something appealing. Apparently "everything touched by" extends to his wife, which is creepy as hell when you think about it.
technoblue Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 Another bump in funding before midnight, and another interesting anecdote: As of this moment, high-level pledges (I classify these as any pledge at or above $1,000) account for $39,000 or 27% of the total. BTW, I have not pledged to this project for laughs or for gain. As I stated on the first page of the thread, I'm sitting out. I learned my lesson with Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles and a couple awkward convention panels that introduced me to Kevin McKeever and other HG members out here on the east coast. Ah, my dazed and confused days! I did walk away with a floppy Robotech Masterpiece from Toynami. There's that, I guess.
TangledThorns Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 I wonder how some of the folk would feel if Carl Macek was still alive and was involved with this project? Would it make a difference in your attitude towards? Even though I donated to the KS it'd make me feel more confident honestly. Still, I donated to other things in the past that I felt passionately about such as charities and political campaigns but never expected a return on. This KS could be Robotech's last hurrah, especially if it fails. Some may be OK with that, not me.
Duke Togo Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 I wonder how some of the folk would feel if Carl Macek was still alive and was involved with this project? Would it make a difference in your attitude towards? Even though I donated to the KS it'd make me feel more confident honestly. Why? Ok, he stitched these three shows together 30 years ago. What did he do with it since then? What has been done with Robotech in the meantime that was quality? Nothing. Not a single damned thing.
CoreyD Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 Another bump in funding before midnight, and another interesting anecdote: As of this moment, high-level pledges (I classify these as any pledge at or above $1,000) account for $39,000 or 27% of the total. BTW, I have not pledged to this project for laughs or for gain. As I stated on the first page of the thread, I'm sitting out. I learned my lesson with Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles and a couple awkward convention panels that introduced me to Kevin McKeever and other HG members out here on the east coast. Ah, my dazed and confused days! I did walk away with a floppy Robotech Masterpiece from Toynami. There's that, I guess. I've been seeing a lot of high-level pledges coming in while most of the western hemisphere is asleep. For example, right now there are whopping 3 pledges totaling over $6,000. Is there big non-western hemisphere interest in Robotech? I wouldn't think so, but it seems like big dollars seem to come in later at night? In the end it doesn't really mean anything. It'll either get funded or it won't. Won't really change much either way.
TheLoneWolf Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 I wonder how some of the folk would feel if Carl Macek was still alive and was involved with this project? Would it make a difference in your attitude towards? Even though I do like Robotech (it's probably got a lot to do nostalgia), having Macek involved wouldn't have changed anything for me. After I read Macek's outlines for Robotech II: The Sentinels in Robotech Art II, and the Sentinels scripts that were released by Eternity Comics, it became clear to me that Macek is not a good writer. Watching the trailer for Robotech 3000 didn't help either. After watching Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeada subtitled, I came to realize that Robotech's storytelling strengths were primarily derived from its original Japanese components, not Macek's writing. Though, I do give credit to Macek on doing a good job editing them together, especially given his limited time and resources. Macek is indeed a good editor and, through his releases at Streamline Pictures, proved to have an eye for what types of anime American audiences would be most receptive towards. But I can't say that he's a good writer, which is why I wouldn't donate to Robotech Academy, even if Macek were alive and writing it.
JB0 Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 I'd be a lot less disgusted by how they keep harping about Macek in their sales pitch. But I still wouldn't throw good money at the people who brought you Shadow Chronicles.
Seto Kaiba Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 I've been seeing a lot of high-level pledges coming in while most of the western hemisphere is asleep. For example, right now there are whopping 3 pledges totaling over $6,000. Is there big non-western hemisphere interest in Robotech? Not really, no... the locale where Robotech is at its biggest (which is still pretty small) is Central and South America. There are a few fans in countries like Serbia (IIRC, the Robotech Genesis lead was from there) but they're nothing like the frothing fanatics in the countries south of the border. (Pandering to them is why they had the Spanish VA for "Rick Hunter" make a video.) In the end it doesn't really mean anything. It'll either get funded or it won't. Won't really change much either way. Looking distinctly like a "won't" at this point. A good chunk of the total thus far is from a small handful of people throwing obscene amounts of money at the project. Kicktraq's predicted target window has been steadily trending downwards and now is almost entirely in the failure zone. A few days ago that graph had it about half-and-half, now the high-end estimate is a mere $506k and dropping several grand every day. The low has dropped below $300k. After I read Macek's outlines for Robotech II: The Sentinels in Robotech Art II, and the Sentinels scripts that were released by Eternity Comics, it became clear to me that Macek is not a good writer. Ignorance of that, or perhaps willful denial of that, is what Harmony Gold is counting on. They put a LOT of effort into making sure Robotech fans would blindly attribute everything they liked to Macek's contribution and slandering the originals as inferior trash, and now they're hoping for a payoff when fans mistakenly associate the quality material from Macross in particular with Carl Macek instead of its true creators. I'd be a lot less disgusted by how they keep harping about Macek in their sales pitch. But I still wouldn't throw good money at the people who brought you Shadow Chronicles. That'd be why they're so insistent that this is all Carl's doing... because the fans who know it isn't are already refusing to contribute and calling this the worst idea ever. If they were open about this NOT being Macek's doing, they'd barely get enough money to take a cab to the unemployment office.
Duke Togo Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 If and when this KS fails, we'll get blamed for it.
Mr March Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 (edited) I wonder how some of the folk would feel if Carl Macek was still alive and was involved with this project? Would it make a difference in your attitude towards? Even though I donated to the KS it'd make me feel more confident honestly. Still, I donated to other things in the past that I felt passionately about such as charities and political campaigns but never expected a return on. This KS could be Robotech's last hurrah, especially if it fails. Some may be OK with that, not me. I can confidently say Macek's involvement (were he alive) would make zero difference in my attitude toward this kickstarter. Now, I'm not really the type to support hyperbole in calling Macek the oft-labelled antichrist of anime, but honestly the man was nowhere on my radar with regards to anime. I think the closest brush I ever had with him was Vampire Hunter D, which I've been told was distributed in North America by a company in which Macek was involved. I suppose if you're a Robotech fan then Macek's reputation might carry weight and have the pull of nostalgia (kinda what HG is counting on with this kickstarter). From the eyes of a non-fan, I've heard Macek's reputation derided as much as it was praised in the broader anime community. If anime had more noteriety in North America, Macek is what would have been called a "controversial" figure of the industry. So yeah, no difference Edited July 16, 2014 by Mr March
azrael Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 I'd wait till after SDCC before making predictions about its funding status. And lots of people may be holding off till the end. Sidekick is predicting a 82% success rate. http://sidekick.epfl.ch/campaign/249359572-robotech-academy
TangledThorns Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 I'd wait till after SDCC before making predictions about its funding status. And lots of people may be holding off till the end. Sidekick is predicting a 82% success rate. http://sidekick.epfl.ch/campaign/249359572-robotech-academy 90% now I did share the KS link on Facebook though none of my friend's that I know who are Robotech fans responded if they donated or not
EXO Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 Actually, taking a couple of those classes in business school made me very cynical about the whole field. In particular, when it came to deceptive marketing/promotion. I don't apologize for being rude about this, especially after the important points that have been made about this series pilot that won't be talked about or seriously answered by those that matter, ever. Besides, they'll win one way or another. I have no delusions that this thread will really make a difference with what is going to happen anyway. It's a win-win for us, IMO... it the Kickstarter fails, who cares... if it succeeds... more popcorn!
Seto Kaiba Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 If and when this KS fails, we'll get blamed for it. Fixed that for ya... though some are ALREADY blaming us for the Kickstarter not doing too hot, and trying to use that to get any thread that's critical of the Kickstarter locked in the name of "protecting" it. I'd wait till after SDCC before making predictions about its funding status. And lots of people may be holding off till the end. Sidekick is predicting a 82% success rate. http://sidekick.epfl.ch/campaign/249359572-robotech-academy Kicktraq's predicting 81%, so they're in the ballpark... though it's amusing that the only thing climbing is the percentage of the donation that belongs to a handful of people. 11 fans currently account for 30.5% of the $147,656.
505thAirborne Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 It's a win-win for us, IMO... it the Kickstarter fails, who cares... if it succeeds... more popcorn!
coronadlux Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 Yup. I'll find a bootleg copy and watch it that way. Lol. If I like it, I will buy it, if not, well, or didn't cost me a dime, only time.
Guest davidwhangchoi Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 personally i think the kickstarter will pass... but it's in a year that will be a 30 min pilot... and that's it... no network is going to pick it up so guess what???? more kickstarter!!! (except the term kickstarter will be incorrect. more like pushing a dead horse) meanwhile a whole season worth of episodes of Jojo's and Attack on Titan will completed.
BeyondTheGrave Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 (edited) Anyone listen to dougbendo's podcast? Also fixed Edited July 16, 2014 by BeyondTheGrave
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