From Dream to Delay: Why Kickstarter Timelines Fail

From Dreams to Disasters: Why Your Kickstarter Game is Late

So, you launched a Kickstarter for your dream game. Congratulations! You’re riding high on a wave of support and anticipation. But then reality hits. The estimated delivery date looms, and you’re nowhere near ready. What went wrong?

Delays are practically a rite of passage for crowdfunded games, and it’s rarely due to malice or incompetence. It usually stems from a cocktail of inexperience, over-enthusiasm, and plain old bad planning. Let’s break down the common culprits.

The Optimism Trap: Underestimating Everything

The biggest offender? Underestimating the time required for, well, everything. New developers often fall victim to the “90/90 rule” – the first 90% of the code accounts for the first 90% of the development time. The remaining 10% accounts for the other 90% of the development time. This rings true for every aspect of development.

Building a polished, engaging game is a complex beast. Every feature, every asset, every line of code takes longer than you initially think. Factor in debugging, playtesting, and unforeseen technical hurdles, and your timeline quickly spirals.

Actionable advice: When estimating, take your initial guess and at least double it. Seriously. Then, add a buffer on top of that. Be pessimistic. It’s better to deliver early than to perpetually apologize for delays.

The Scope Creep Monster

Your Kickstarter was a success, exceeding your funding goals. Suddenly, everyone has ideas for new features, new content, new platforms. This is Scope Creep, and it’s a silent killer of timelines.

Backers are excited and want to contribute, and it is easy to get caught up in it. But every added feature adds complexity, increases development time, and introduces new potential bugs.

I saw one project balloon from a simple roguelike into a sprawling RPG with crafting, base building, and multiplayer. The original delivery date was missed by years.

Actionable advice: Define your scope before the Kickstarter. Stick to it. If you absolutely must add something, carefully consider its impact on the timeline. Be prepared to cut other features to compensate, or delay the new feature as post-launch content.

Art Asset Apocalypse

Art is time-consuming, expensive, and often underestimated. A single character model can take days, weeks, or even months to create, rig, and animate. Environments, sound effects, music – it all adds up.

Many indie developers rely on a single artist or a small team. If that artist gets sick, needs a break, or encounters creative roadblocks, your entire schedule grinds to a halt.

One dev I know meticulously planned the coding side of his turn based strategy game, but was shocked at how long it took to get the final 10 unit sprites.

Actionable advice: Start asset creation early, ideally before the Kickstarter. Get firm quotes from artists and factor in revision time. Have backup artists lined up. Consider using placeholder art during development to keep progress moving.

Building a Realistic Timeline: Honesty is Your Best Friend

A realistic timeline isn’t about wishful thinking; it’s about hard numbers and honest assessments.

1. Break Down Tasks: Divide your game into smaller, manageable tasks. Be as specific as possible. “Implement combat system” is too vague. “Implement basic attack animation for Player Character” is better.

2. Estimate Each Task: Based on your experience (or the experience of your team), estimate the time required for each task. Be brutally honest.

3. Factor in Contingency: Add a buffer to each estimate. At least 20%, but more if you’re unsure.

4. Account for External Factors: Consider holidays, conventions, personal commitments, and potential illnesses. These are real-world factors that impact development.

5. Use Project Management Tools: Tools like Trello, Asana, or Jira can help you track progress, manage tasks, and identify potential bottlenecks.

Managing Expectations: Communication is Key

Delays are inevitable. But how you handle them can make or break your Kickstarter.

1. Be Transparent: Don’t hide bad news. Explain the reasons for the delay in detail. Backers appreciate honesty, even when it’s painful.

2. Provide Regular Updates: Even if there’s no major progress to report, post an update. Let your backers know you’re still working hard.

3. Set Realistic Expectations: Avoid making promises you can’t keep. Don’t set new deadlines until you’re absolutely sure you can meet them.

4. Engage with Your Community: Respond to comments and questions. Show your backers that you care about their concerns.

I was on a team where we had some trouble with our artist getting sick. We were up front about it and our community was understanding.

Mitigating Risks: Plan for the Unexpected

Shit happens. Code breaks. Team members leave. Life throws curveballs.

1. Technical Challenges: Have a backup plan for critical features. Research alternative solutions. Don’t rely on a single, unproven technology.

2. Team Member Departures: Document your code and processes. Cross-train team members. Have contracts in place to protect your project.

3. Personal Emergencies: Build a buffer into your timeline. Encourage team members to take breaks and avoid burnout.

4. Early tech demos: If possible, launch a demo before your kickstarter. Getting that crucial feedback early, and getting the code functional before launch, is invaluable.

Pre-Kickstarter Prep: Laying the Groundwork

The best way to avoid delays is to be prepared before you even launch your Kickstarter.

1. Prototype Your Core Mechanics: Make sure your game is fun. Validate your idea before asking for money.

2. Create a Detailed Design Document: Outline every feature, mechanic, and asset. This will serve as your roadmap.

3. Build a Proof-of-Concept: Demonstrate that you can actually build your game. Show off screenshots, videos, and playable demos.

4. Start building your community. Having a mailing list and discord server before launching will help to gauge demand, receive feedback, and generally prepare you for post launch development.

5. Consider starting SMALL. Launching your first kickstarter for a small project that you know you can finish will help you learn the ropes and build confidence.

The Takeaway

Kickstarter delays are common, but they’re not inevitable. By being realistic, transparent, and proactive, you can minimize the risk and keep your backers happy. Remember, building a great game takes time. Don’t rush the process. It’s better to deliver late and deliver well, than to deliver on time and deliver a broken mess.