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[Neonivek]

I don't understand how its against the rules.

It is outright written in the rules that personal funding is not allowed. Such as putting your kid through college or yourself.

[kaijyuu]

They're offering quite a few side projects (like some more Lookouts), plus they insinuate not having to worry about maximizing advertisement views will give them more time for other stuff. So some things are getting kickstarted.

[Neonivek]

Any kickstarter where you are basically just taking a lot of money you have to be a bit more subtle.

[Rez]

You've got to pretend you've gone nuts or something.  Make sure you ask for a lot of money the first time, because you'll never be able to kickstart again.

[Jackrabbit]

At the end of the day they're just asking people and if people want to they will. I know they're not exactly an underdog at this point due to having large mountains of cash that they have money fights on but it's like they say, they're asking people. Are you willing to support the site through donations? Or do you not mind ads? And they'll go with whatever their readers want or are willing to do. No threats, everything will go on exactly the same as it always did if this doesn't work out and they're using Kickstarter because it's a new and extremely good platform for allowing them to do this. Nothing wrong with that.

Rules wise however, it's a different kettle of fish. I don't see it as a real issue and frankly I like the idea in theory. I guess we'll see how kickstarter deals with it. I suppose they could argue that people's donations will allow them to produce more content or content specifically as rewards for the funding itself. That said, if the thing being kickstarted is the rewards for the kickstarting then I really doubt they'd let that fly. It's too meta, for one thing.

e: their argument is that the kickstarter is to allow them more freedom to make comics and there's a lot of precedent for that. I thought this was specifically an ad driven thing but I am totally up for that.

[MrWiggles]

To my knowledge, there isn't a limit to 'how big' you can be and use kickstarter. Kickstarter itself, is just a different means to finance something. That's all. I can't really see the difference between ad supported and crowd funded. They're both financing means. This isn't for personal spending, this is for running the Penny Arcade comic and associated side projects.

I've seen number of projects for sequels on crowd sources sites and kickstarter in particular. So I dont even think Penny Arcade is doing anything unique.

And when I'm saying against the rules, I actually mean the literal rules not your personal 'sprit of intention' that you've assumed for Kickstarter.

[Draco18s]

I went ahead and reported the project under "not a project" but included indication that I was split over that or "is a charity" or "inappropriate rewards."

No really.  Look at the $15 level or the $300 level.
"Will follow your tweets for a year."  WTF?

[MrWiggles]

How is it not a project?

[Draco18s]

How is it not a project?

The funds are going to support an already-existing website.

The plan is to, quote, "remove the advertisements."

Oh, and it lasts a year.  For a million dollars they're going to remove all ads on the site for a year.

[kaijyuu]

I don't see how funding a company is remotely similar to a charity.


Though you got me on the inappropriate rewards, heh. Well kinda; the tweets one is the only 100% ridiculous level, the rest are sane with something ridiculous tacked on (like chasing ducks).

Oh, and it lasts a year.  For a million dollars they're going to remove all ads on the site for a year.

I'm not sure a million dollars would break even with what they gain from ads and novelty items, to be honest. They've got 14 employees and their ridiculous number of projects to fund, not counting the new ones offered here. Without their store I wouldn't expect a million to last more than 7 or so months.

[Karlito]

Well the money if for business expenses- to replace their existing source of ad revenue. It's not really being used for a project. It's not like they'll stop making Penny Arcade if the funding goal fails.

[Jackrabbit]

But it will enable them to produce more content, which is the main goal if you look at the QnA. Removing ads is just a means to an end. This looks like absolutely a project and isn't even unique in concept, PA s just higr. And has more exposure.

E: that's meant to be *huge, android phones are just assholes

[MrWiggles]

The Project /is/ Penny Arcade. It doesn't matter if it existed prior.

[Draco18s]

The Project /is/ Penny Arcade. It doesn't matter if it existed prior.

Actually.

1. Funding for projects only. A project has a clear goal, like making an album, a book, or a work of art. A project will eventually be completed, and something will be produced by it. A project is not open-ended. Starting a business, for example, does not qualify as a project.

I do not believe that PA qualifies here.  They are technically trying to "run a business"

2. Projects must fit Kickstarter’s categories. We currently support projects in the categories of Art, Comics, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film, Food, Games, Music, Photography, Publishing, Technology, and Theater.

PA fits...where?

3. Prohibited uses:
    No "fund my life" projects. Examples include projects to pay tuition or bills, go on vacation, or buy a new camera

Or say, paying for webhosting?

Prohibited content. There are some things we just don't allow on Kickstarter.
 * Pornographic material

Say, "Gabe thinks about you during sex"?

[Scelly9]

Prohibited content. There are some things we just don't allow on Kickstarter.
 * Pornographic material
Say, "Gabe thinks about you during sex"?

That is not porn.