Toejam and Earl: Back in the Groove (New and Official Game) by Humanature Studios

[Nz17]

Warning for the Kickstarter adverse: yes, this is a crowd-funded project operating through Kickstarter.


Toejam and Earl is finally back! We're goin' indie, and old skool like GAME ONE, with a fun retro-comics style, and plenty of funk!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1578116861/toejam-and-earl-back-in-the-groove/

The developers are targeting PC platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux) and modern consoles for "Toejam and Earl: Back in the Groove." So far 1,498 backers have pledged $85,271 toward the $400,000 goal.

There is a bunch of media including illustrations and videos at the KS link and a funky fresh jam.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXbj1xun1Lg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lC-f-s0XbQ

[Tanooki]

That looks kind of fun, and it's already up another 11.5K since you posted that a few hours ago. Unless this hits a wall I think it'll probably get funded and then some. Once the press get their hands into it and make it more publicly noticed the cash will roll in.

[Bojay1997]

I'm interested in backing it, but I think the amount of physical goods this project is offering is just not sustainable. I've backed campaigns with far larger budgets that have received many multiples of what they are asking for that still had trouble fulfilling a much smaller number of physical goods. I wish them luck, but the focus should be more on the game and not on a bunch of goods.

[Nebagram]

Backed, but only at the $15 level. Really hope this makes it. :)

[Greg2600]

I'm interested in backing it, but I think the amount of physical goods this project is offering is just not sustainable. I've backed campaigns with far larger budgets that have received many multiples of what they are asking for that still had trouble fulfilling a much smaller number of physical goods. I wish them luck, but the focus should be more on the game and not on a bunch of goods.

The physical stuff they're giving out will cost them peanuts. A coffee mug, t-shirt, lanyard, and a few non-pose-able plastic figures. I may kick in enough to get those TJE figures though!

[Tanooki]

I think if you figure what those may cost at a medium to upper range variety shop in the mall for each item individually, then factor in the game, it's not that terrible of a price.

[Bojay1997]

The physical stuff they're giving out will cost them peanuts. A coffee mug, t-shirt, lanyard, and a few non-pose-able plastic figures. I may kick in enough to get those TJE figures though!

Disagree. They are giving people a mug, keychain and poster at the $40 level. Even if it's a $2 mug, a 50 cent keychain and a 25 cent poster, the shipping on those three items is gonna run several dollars in the US not including the cost of working with the fulfillment companies they have apparently already contracted with. You also have to pay someone to design all those things. When you figure KS takes 10% to start, taxes are collected on whatever is left, then the pool of money actually available to produce the game becomes fairly small. I've backed over 80 game projects on Kickstarter at this point and I can speak from experience when I tell you that physical item fulfillment is a financial killer for smaller developers and giving away physical items at such a low level is almost unheard of. The game should always come first and the fact that they seem to have given more throught to plastic crap and very little to creating a nice presentation video and great gameplay footage is a big red flag for me. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt given the great games they produced in the past, but I'm sure not gonna jump onto this one with substantial support.

[Greg2600]

Well, people aren't going to donate in larger amounts without the swag in return.

[The Adventurer]

Well, people aren't going to donate in larger amounts without the swag in return.

I think there are a few thoughts on that. I'm in the camp that fewer physical rewards are a good thing overall. But it's possible the data shows different.

[Bojay1997]

Well, people aren't going to donate in larger amounts without the swag in return.

Sure, I agree that at the $100+ level you need physical swag to get a great response and higher pledges. I don't think you need it as low as $40 as you can generally attract those backers with digital items or special access or some other reward. My concern is that this is going to end up like some of the projects I have supported where the campaign creator literally doesn't have money to pay shipping costs in two years or can't provide all the physical items promised because the money has already gone to salaries and overhead. I'd rather the campaign be realistic and focus on actually providing a great game than trying to entice lower level backers with promises of plastic. Maybe they will surpass their goal by a massive amount and this won't be an issue, but it makes me very nervous, especially given how many campaigns have gone down this same road now and shown how big of a problem overpromising on the physical side can be.

[Nz17]

I think it is strange they have so many tangible rewards /except/, you know, for a physical copy of the game itself. :?

[Tanooki]

I think it is strange they have so many tangible rewards /except/, you know, for a physical copy of the game itself. :?

Winner, end of the discussion right there. :D

Seriously though, what the hell? Call those dudes up at IndieBox, work with them to make one of those flat credit card flip job USB things, and throw the game on that in a little plastic case which also has a basic label with a steam key on it too. And then while you're at it, have them make up some IndieBox style crap in a box to go in the shipping box.

I've got the Steamworld Dig one and it's cool. Burlap snap pouch for the box. Inside is that described usb game card/case/sticker, a little metal sign, sound track, printed manual, sticker and a few other things. And this is something they sold on subscription for $20 or $25 after the fact from the left overs pile. They obviously know their stuff and can do it as a really nice price, so why not throw the EWJ guys and them together as it would make good sense.

I never do kickstarters as often I just see it as lame panhandling with most projects going up in flames, and those that don't you don't see anything for your value for maybe a year or two down the line. I don't like giving money away to wait that long to get it back. That said, though, for all those who do buy into them, something like that would make far more sense. They clearly have some nice toys and junk designed so I think it could work. If they IndieBoxed this sucker at the $30-~ level I'd be damn tempted.

[Sailorneorune]

I would love a physical copy of this game too, but I also understand that now they're just trying to get the darn thing made.

So I backed it, and will also buy a Wii U version if released.

[ProjectCamaro]

Sorry but I am so sick and tired of Kickstarter begging.

I LOVED the first Toejam & Earl and while this sounds good I do not care for the graphics at all, they are trying to make it to "realistic" when they should have gone with a more cartoon feeling like the original.

[Tanooki]

I don't like the begging either, but sometime it's a necessity. My wife is looking to set one up shortly for like $1000-1500 for this fiber/spinning wheel business she's doing where she'll make her own yarns of various types and dye them. We if anyone sees my comments knows we've had long standing cash problems, and this is a way to solve them once it grows. Hopefully she'll get funded, but I for one never pay a penny into these things but for her I hope she does as she can't maintain a normal job anymore and this would fix all our problems because she has a unique instant talent with this stuff that blows away others she's met thinking she's been at it for years, not months or days depending on the type.

Toe Jam and Earl I barely played the original of, but it was fun. I could see this game being alright, but I do agree going for more realism isn't such a good thing at all. I do wonder if it will get funded because the value it blew out so fast hit this wall and it has been a trickle since.

[Nz17]

They are sitting at $257,858 and their total has barely moved these last few days. I don't think they'll make their goal of $400K by the end of their fundraising period which is 16 days from now. :-/

[Bojay1997]

They are sitting at $257,858 and their total has barely moved these last few days. I don't think they'll make their goal of $400K by the end of their fundraising period which is 16 days from now. :-/

I think they will. They're only $143K away with more than half of the total campaign period remaining. Having said that, I think hitting most of the stretch goals is pretty unlikely which in some ways is a failure in and of itself given the relatively small amount being requested in comparison to other game projects.

[Greg2600]

I'm not as confident. 146K is a lot of money, and the most strident fans have probably already donated.

[Sailorneorune]

In my opinion, it's too soon to call, and too soon to get discouraged.

Not a lot happens with Kickstarters in the middle of the campaign. Just because TJ&E 4 isn't an exception to the rule doesn't mean we should hang up our Super Hi-Tops just yet.

[Nz17]

Looks like they are going to make it. Right now, they have "6,192 backers; $346,682 pledged of $400,000 goal" with 5 days left to go.

[Tanooki]

You can hope so. It will either come very close and fail, though I think if they had any honor if it were a few 10K short they could make it work, or it will just fund over the cap especially if the media gets involved for a last week push.

As of now they need 48K in 4 days. (12K/day.)

[Bojay1997]

It funded earlier today and is already at $410K. It looks like it may hit at least the first stretch goal for the classic character skins. Although I remain skeptical, I did back it at the physical game level as it seems like a pretty neat project. I just hope they didn't overpromise on all the goods and have enough resources to actually make a great game.

[Tanooki]

Glad they edged it in there. I don't regularly care to read game media news anymore, did some of them do a heads up it was about to close unfunded? They got a nice pile of dough there at the last couple days left into it to push it over. I'll have to keep this one on my radar like Mighty 09 as I think I'd enjoy them.