Author Topic: Kickstarter campaign - possibly something of interest!  (Read 1995 times)

Retro Reflections

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Kickstarter campaign - possibly something of interest!
« on: July 26, 2023, 09:08:56 AM »
Hello!

Apologies in advance for using the 'long time lurker, first time poster' line in order to promote something, but I thought this might appeal to a few people here; I'm getting ahead of myself though, so let me introduce myself properly first.

I'm a videogames industry veteran with 30 years of experience in graphics, design, project management and journalism, going all the way back to my first game on the VIC-20, via all manner of 8 and 16-bit computers, consoles and handhelds, numerous UK magazines, and a number of games on mobile up to the iPhone. However, my first love has always been arcade coin-ops, and as such I've been working on a visual guide book for a number of years.

Due to my health falling apart because of severe bilateral emphysema, the book's taken considerably longer than I'd have liked, but it's now finally complete and ready to launch; in order to achieve this, I've created a Kickstarter campaign to bring it to fruition. INSERT COIN - A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF ARCADE VIDEOGAMES is an A4 hardback 211 page coffee-table artbook, featuring images rendered in high-resolution CG, through research scoured for years across the internet (including this fine forum). It's also the first in a planned ongoing series, each featuring fifty classic cabinets, their control panels, side art and marquees, along with other information such as components, dimensions, designers, development staff, and more.

The thinking behind this creation was that the games themselves have been preserved across multiple formats in perpetuity, but the actual machines themselves are, aside from the efforts of collectors, restorers and the like, dwindling rapidly in number, and their physical compositions deserved proper documentation in a real-world format, one that would likely appeal to the arcade community as well as tickling the nostalgia bone of everyday folk who fondly remember the occasional coin drop back in the dim and distant.

The campaign starts on Tuesday August 1st, and if you're interested, it can be found here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

I hope some of you might find such a book interesting, enjoyable, and useful enough to take a look, and FYI, the first 100 backers will receive a special edition print featuring unique cover effects and their name enshrined in print.

Anyway, I hope I haven't bored you all completely by now - thanks very much for taking the time to read all this, and of course, mods, if this is in violation of forum rules or just simply in the wrong place, please feel free to take the appropriate action.

All the very best,

Robert David Swan
Author/Illustrator, Retro Reflections
« Last Edit: August 03, 2023, 10:04:02 AM by Retro Reflections »

Andreas_AUT

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Re: An introduction, and possibly something of interest...
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2023, 03:00:20 PM »
Hi Robert

good luck with the book, ill follow the project. Last book i have bought was the missile command book from Tony Temple.

If i were you, i would post that on ukvac and klov too.

Cheers
Andi

DarthNuno

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Re: An introduction, and possibly something of interest...
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2023, 07:07:49 PM »
Hello Robert,

Welcome here, and good luck for this project that I'll follow of course.

 :spaceace: :spaceace:

Retro Reflections

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Re: An introduction, and possibly something of interest...
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2023, 11:27:03 AM »
*** THE KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN IS NOW LIVE! ***

Hello!

Just a quick update to let you all know that the Kickstarter for the book is now up and running, with several levels of rewards available:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

Let me know what you think, and if you can help spread the word as far and wide as possible, that'd be truly appreciated.

All the very best,

Robert.

Retro Reflections

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Re: An introduction, and possibly something of interest...
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2023, 08:27:38 AM »
Hello again!

Another quick update to let you know that the campaign is going fantastically well, and is already at over 20% of the way towards its target after only 2 days - not only that, but Kickstarter have selected it to be featured under their 'Projects We Love' banner, and promoted across their site:

"Congratulations! We?ve selected INSERT COIN: A VISUAL GUIDE as a ?Project We Love,? which is our way of highlighting brilliant examples of creativity. You?ll see a badge under your main image or project video, and we?ll feature your campaign across Kickstarter."

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

All the very best,

Robert.

Retro Reflections

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Re: Kickstarter campaign - possibly something of interest!
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2023, 12:23:55 PM »
Hello, hope you've all had a great weekend!

I thought you'd like to know that the campaign has now hit 30% in less than a week, thanks to your support (even though there's been a bit of negativity towards the project, but as the saying goes, you can't please everybody)... Anyway, I'm currently in the process of finalising the book's production details, so should the campaign be successful - and fingers crossed, it's looking good so far - the composition will be set and sorted, and the book ready to go into the publisher's production schedule. I should be able to provide more details at the end of the week, so I'll post another update then!

(And for anyone who hasn't had the chance to have a look as yet: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide )

All the very best, and have an excellent week,

Robert.

Retro Reflections

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Re: Kickstarter campaign - possibly something of interest!
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2023, 10:33:44 AM »
Hello again!

Hope you've all had an excellent week, and your weekends are off to a cracking start! Just to let you know that the campaign has now leapt up to 58% in 12 days (which absolutely blows my tiny mind, to be quite honest!), and the composition of the first 'special edition' 100-copy run of the book is now sorted - 211 170gsm silk-coated colour pages, all wrapped up in a supermatt laminate A4 hardback cover, featuring embossed foil blocking on the cover, back and spine. And of course, the names of the first 100 backers immortalised within!

Again, if there are any questions, don't be afraid to ask, and for those of you who haven't had the chance to have a look as yet, the campaign can be found at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

Thanks again, and as ever, all the very best,

Robert.

Retro Reflections

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Re: Kickstarter campaign - possibly something of interest!
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2023, 10:06:27 AM »
Hello again, hope you're all having an outstanding week!

Hopefully you're not completely sick to the back teeth of these posts by now, but if you're not, you might like to know that the campaign is now just shy of 66% of the way towards the project goal in only two weeks! So very many thanks to all from here who've contributed, and to those who've not had chance to have a look as yet, there's now a public update that lists the fifty games that'll be featured in Volume II, and backers will now receive all three 4K digital wallpapers along with everything else in their tier!

As usual, if you've got any questions, feel free to ask away, and if you're interested, the campaign can be found at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

Thanks once again, and as always, all the very best,

Robert.



Retro Reflections

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Re: Kickstarter campaign - possibly something of interest!
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2023, 10:56:24 AM »
Hello again!

Hope you've all had a most excellent week - got a few updates to keep you all abreast of! Firstly, the final dimensions for the book have come back from the publisher: 21x29.7x20mm, with 2.3mm hardback laminate covers and 170gsm (.15mm) silk coated pages; as a result, the Kickstarter banner image has been updated accordingly!

Secondly, backers of the top two reward tiers will now have their choice from one of five premium cotton T-shirt designs, in sizes from S to 3XL, and pledges to the top tier will be rewarded with one of two A2 200gsm silk coated posters, featuring artwork from the book's endpapers!

And finally, the campaign is now up to 72% as it heads into its final fortnight - if you've not had chance to have a look as yet, you can find it right here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

As always, all the very best, and have a fantastic weekend!

Robert.

Retro Reflections

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Re: Kickstarter campaign - possibly something of interest!
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2023, 10:37:14 AM »
Hello again, hope you're all having an excellent week!

To celebrate the campaign reaching its target well in advance of its final seven days, I've decided that not just the first 100, but everyone who backs a reward tier will be named in the book!

And as such, this distinctive first run of copies will not only feature the embossed foil logo across the book's covers and spine, but will now possess the additional tagline of 'Kickstarter Special Edition' (as shown here in this new banner) - unique elements that won't appear ever again in future releases of Volume I!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

Thanks again, and as always, all the very best!

Robert.

Retro Reflections

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Re: Kickstarter campaign - possibly something of interest!
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2023, 11:46:21 AM »
Hello, hope you're all having a fantastic week so far!

The campaign's now heading towards its last 12 hours, and I can't thank everyone enough for all of the incredible support shown for this project. To say it's exceeded my wildest expectations is the definition of understatement; however, I've been politely asked by a respected member of the arcade community (Del from Delusional's Arcade) to change the cabinet ident I've been using, as there has been some confusion regarding his own mark, which he has used for many years.

As the last thing I wish to do is create any emnity or uncertainty, I've been happy to change said ident to better reflect the book's title; I hope that this doesn't negatively affect anyone's perspectives of the project too much, and if so, I can only apologise.

So, for one last time, if you're interested, the campaign can be found here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

Thanks once again, and as ever, all the very best,
Robert.