Tell us a bit about yourself, Van Ryder Games and Detective: City of Angeles.
We are a game publisher that loves producing thematic games that bring stories and adventures to the table top. Detective is one such game and it really brings film noir alive in board game form!
What did you do to build up a following before you launched City of Angeles?
Well we have been around for several years now and build our audience more and more with each new product release. We have a very loyal fan base and a lot of folks that know exactly what quality they can expect from us along with top tier customer service.
When did you launch and why did you choose that exact moment?
We launched on October 10th. I think their is something out there people say launching on Tuesday is best, but I think launching when you have an incredible product with an equally compelling KS page presentation is really what matters.
You have run lots of Kickstarter campaigns through the years. How has the Kickstarter scene changed since you first started?
Yeah it has changed a ton since our first project. The scope has grown exponentially and the quality of the products is as high as it has ever been.
You only have one unsuccessful campaign under your belt. What happened?
Funny story… Well technically that is true, but we’ve really never been unsuccessful. When we launched Saloon Tycoon initially I inadvertently chose the wrong KS end date and the project launched with a 60 day timeframe. Once you launch you can’t change anything, but there was no way we were going to do a 60 day campaign. We cancelled the project minutes after launching. I redid the entire KS page in about an hour and we launched again and funded within 48 hours. I learned a real valuable lesson that day about double checking everything before launching.
What is your best marketing tip during a campaign?
That is tough because every campaign is different. But we have seen great value with BGG ads during the Detective campaign. If you have amazing art that will sell then those ads will probaby get you at least your investment worth in pledges and probably more.
What is your main tip to handle the mid-campaign drop of new backers?
You don’t handle it, you accept it. It is going to happen. Hopefully you are well on your way to funding because while you can still move the ball forward in the middle of the campaign, even the best tactics are probably only going to drive a few more pledges than you would have gotten anyways. But everything you were probably planning anyway is what you should be doing, going on podcasts, doing interviews, advertising on BGG and Facebook, etc. etc.
How do you structure your days during the campaign
Each one is different. I stay on top of comments and messages from backers and potential backers. I want to stay engaged with the community and make sure we are answering any questions and addressing any concerns.
What’s the best kickstarter advice you ever received?
I think it (like most of the best KS advice you can get) was from one of Jamey’s blog posts on stonemaiergames.com where he talked about setting KS pledge emails to go straight to delete. Canceled pledges never stop stinging at least a little bit, but doing this one little thing makes it so you really never even notice they are happening unless you are deliberately checking. Your psyche will thank you for doing this one little thing if you are a KS creator.
What´s your thoughts regarding stretch goals?
I mean, personally I wouldn’t mind if stretch goals stopped being a thing. But one thing I have learned about KS is that the things that work, work for a reason. Usually when a project doesn’t have stretch goals there is a very clear and evident impact on the campaign. It is easy as a publisher to just want to say, this game is amazing as it is, and you may be right, but stretch goals have become as much a part of board game kickstarters as the games themselves. To not offer them is almost definitely the wrong decision except in very unique situations.
What is your comment in the debate about paid vs unpayed reviews?
Well we’ve never paid for a review for a KS or otherwise. But I have nothing against it. Do what you gotta do. I actually don’t think reviews have very much of an impact on KS funding. I think having a few reviews on the page is prudent, but I think a very low % of KS backers are actually taking the time to watch reviews on the page. The benefit of them is more that reviewers with a following can bring more backers to the page from their own channels.
What do you think is the most important element of a Kickstarter page?
The graphic design and layout and it is not even close.
What is your favourite board game at the moment and why?
Why must we always choose one! I will go with This War of Mine. So good.
Do you have any role models in the board gaming industry?
Yes. We don’t really even know each other, but I did get to meet Scott Gaeta briefly at Gen Con this year. I really am just so impressed with him and his company (Renegade Games) and everything they do. I would love someone like that as a mentor as I still have so much to learn in the industry. So Scott if you are reading this… what do you think? Haha no doubt he is way too busy, but that is fun to think about.
Anything else you want to add?
Thanks for taking the time to listen to my thoughts! Just about a week left on Kickstarter for Detective: Ctiy of Angels, so we hope folks will give it a look.
Where can people reach you?
I’m on twitter, @vanrydergames
A series of Kickstarter interviews 