I'm surprised... [Kickstarter]

[PallElendro]

A dude actually paid $5,000 to get their character in Order of the Stick, and as an extra, too. There one panel, gone afterward.

[Mutant Sheep]

They also got O-Chul, and its not like they burned the money forever to get it. It's going to Rich and leads to reprinting the books. Its not just that one reward. Its supporting Rich with the money the person saved. (I'd say that its 5k well spent, unless its some godforsaken winged barbarian thingey. Don't wanna see that kinda thing dancing around in Oots unless its being stabbed in the face by an O-Chulich.:smalltongue:)

If you have 5k to spare, why not give it to the more-than-worthy cause of OotS in exchange for tons of cool goodies? :smallcool:

[Amarsir]

Kickstarter intrigues me.

If Rich had simply put in his news section "$5000: get a character in OOTS!" how do you think the reaction would be? I'd be fine with it, don't get me wrong. It's not disposable cash I have, but if buyer and seller are so inclined it's a big win/win for them and no bother to me. And yet something about the world we live in (and the internet they post in) makes me think some people would object.

Something about Kickstarter seems to blend donation with pre-sale with premium offer in a way that raises the appeal. It's great that so many people can be made happy, but it amuses me that this sort of Jedi mind trick makes things more palatable to a certain crowd.

[Chobarth]

A dude actually paid $5,000 to get their character in Order of the Stick, and as an extra, too. There one panel, gone afterward.

Why is that a surprise? I'd have done it in a heartbeat, if $5000 wasn't something I'd sweat. I doubt the person who paid that is sweating sending the kids to college someday...

Money just scales. Some people feel guilty they can't afford the $10. I didn't pay $100 for the 4 magnets, but if I had, my bank wouldn't really have noticed the loss. I considered the $1250 just to get a story about Aunt Judy - on a strong hunch I'm nearly alone for that one - but that much money hurts at my level...

$5K ? Boris Spud wanted a cameo (not even my character) just so I could bask in my friends joy when that comic came out... he is iconic in our game group. I hope the character that does cameo gives as much pleasure to the buyer. Maybe they'll tell us the background on the boards?

[turkishproverb]

So you're the one who bought it? If so

*hugs*

[Crazeemeel]

*More hugs*

[Chobarth]

No, I didn't buy it. I typed that all in English right?

Hopefully whoever did gives some background when the comic finally comes out.

[turkishproverb]

Yea. I misread it.

Hugs anyway!

*hugs*

[Eerie]

How do you know it's a dude? Could be a dudette. Or a group of people chipping in...

[The Succubus]

Whoever it was did us all a great kindness. By pledging that money, he allows us all to get the book missing from our collections reprinted and shows appreciation for Rich for all the work he's done over the past 10 years.

[Palthera]

If I had a disposable $5000 I would have done it in a heartbeat. Had I not already bought all the books I would have pledged to get the autographed copies.

I'd spend a quite considerable sum of money for a huge hardback compilation of ALL the books once the series is finished.

[Chobarth]

If I had a disposable $5000 I would have done it in a heartbeat. Had I not already bought all the books I would have pledged to get the autographed copies.

I'd spend a quite considerable sum of money for a huge hardback compilation of ALL the books once the series is finished.

I've never understood the appeal of autographed copies (of anything). To each their own, its not my money. Now a hardback compilation... yeah, I'd buy that.

Amusing that I support the person blowing $5000 for a cameo, but wouldn't pay a dime for an autograph. I'm really looking forward to seeing the cameo and finding out what characters were picked for the 3 extra stories.

[Gullintanni]

Now a hardback compilation...

Normally I'm not an autograph person either. I'm just willing to pay for it in this case because OotS is important enough to me to merit having the author's name on it. It's not just the books, but the forum community. Rich has built something special here, I think.

Now a hardcover collection of OotS books? That's something I'd shell out $$ for. In a heartbeat.

[ThePhantasm]

Having a little experience with Kickstarter drives in the past, I can say it is fairly likely that the 5K buyer was a small group / organization. They tend to pick up the more expensive prizes, especially early on like this.

[Xapi]

Having a little experience with Kickstarter drives in the past, I can say it is fairly likely that the 5K buyer was a small group / organization. They tend to pick up the more expensive prizes, especially early on like this.

Do you mean as a way to advertise something through the comic, to resell it, because some friends decided to put the money together???

[Michaeler]

It happens.

More often with a charity (http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/02/06) as an excuse but if you have the money, why not?

[ThePhantasm]

Do you mean as a way to advertise something through the comic, to resell it, because some friends decided to put the money together???

There could be a multitude of reasons. I'm just saying there's no reason to assume that it was a single individual.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

If I was in a position to spend $5000 on frivolity, there would so totally be a Shhalahr cameo.

[NerfTW]

Kickstarter intrigues me.

If Rich had simply put in his news section "$5000: get a character in OOTS!" how do you think the reaction would be? I'd be fine with it, don't get me wrong. It's not disposable cash I have, but if buyer and seller are so inclined it's a big win/win for them and no bother to me. And yet something about the world we live in (and the internet they post in) makes me think some people would object.

Something about Kickstarter seems to blend donation with pre-sale with premium offer in a way that raises the appeal. It's great that so many people can be made happy, but it amuses me that this sort of Jedi mind trick makes things more palatable to a certain crowd.

I think it has more to do with the fact that Kickstarter is used to fund projects, not just to donate money. Since we know this money is going towards reprints, and we can see how much is being raised, it takes on a different feel than a simple donation drive, which I have a dislike of. And I still donated because this was more direct. As in "I need X amount to print these books, please help", instead of "I need some money!". Plus, the money doesn't come out until the goal is reached, so it's not like you'll donate your money and then "Oh, well, didn't reach the goal, but thanks for the money anyways."

Besides, there's already at least one person objecting in the main thread for this.


If I was in a position to spend $5000 on frivolity, there would so totally be a Shhalahr cameo.

I finally built up the nerve to get the $250 drawing and they were sold out. Then I said I'd get the autograph Origin of PCs, and it was sold out.... :(

[King of Nowhere]

A dude actually paid $5,000 to get their character in Order of the Stick, and as an extra, too. There one panel, gone afterward.

There's several people who can afford to pay 5000 $ with the same ease as regular people pay 5 $.
And incredible as it may seem to some of that regular people, a good number of those rich guys made their money through perfectly honest means.:smallsmile:

It's not the kind of thing i'd do even if I could afford it, but I can think of dozens worse ways for a rich guy to spend 5000 $.

[Smolder]

If the character is only going to be in one or two frames, the most likely explanation is that you'll probably be killed unceremoniously by Belkar.

Personally, If I'd had the $5000, I would have insisted on being killed ceremoniously, but that's just me.

[White Tornado]

As a jobless student, I haven't got that kind of money at all, but even I thought about it for a few seconds. My favourite character, becoming a part of one of my favourite stories, however small? Yeah, I'd pay for that!

It would be hard to decide which character, though. It would be a tie between an annoying, impulsive gnome, and a clumsy paladin.

[Kobold-Bard]

A dude actually paid $5,000 to get their character in Order of the Stick, and as an extra, too. There one panel, gone afterward.

I'm picturing it like Fruit Pie the Sorcerer (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0091.html). They get a cutaway comic just about them & the Order; no story or anything. Some comical interaction followed by riding off to the sunset/becoming a new accessory for Belkar.

And I wouldn't be that surprised. As a stereotype RPG nerds tend to have high levels of disposable income relative to their income bracket, and a tendency to like owning rare/unique things. It's not that unexpected really that someone paid it.

[Porthos]

Don't forget not only do they get a cameo of their character in OotS, but they also get a full size color crayon drawing of said character, signed by Rich.

Not earthshattering but not insignificant, either.

[Howler Dagger]

I would do it if I had the money. It isn't just about the rewards, it's about helping fund one of your favorite comics.

[The Dark Fiddler]

If you have 5k to spare, why not give it to the more-than-worthy cause of OotS in exchange for tons of cool goodies? :smallcool:

Because there's plenty of much more worthy causes that could use $5000? I mean no offense to Rich, but "publishing out of print comics" ranks far, far below plenty of things on my list of things to fund when I have disposable income.

[Porthos]

Because there's plenty of much more worthy causes that could use $5000? I mean no offense to Rich, but "publishing out of print comics" ranks far, far below plenty of things on my list of things to fund when I have disposable income.

And yet, if I won the lottery (or came into sizable funds some other way) I know that among several other things, I would look to support art projects I felt more than deserved the money.

I would consider it something of a super commission, as it were.

[Gorm_the_DBA]

I'd pay $10,000 if my character was the one who killed Belkar in a duel over the last cheeto.

Seriously, that'd be epic to the max times infinity.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

I'm more curious that surprised.

There are more than a few wealthy folks out there who play D&D, and more than a few celebs who play D&D. So what I'm curious about is WHO paid $5000 for a cameo of their character.

Vin Diesel?
Wil Wheaton?
Joss Whedon?
Mike Meyers?

There is a list of celebrity D&D players here (http://thetorchonline.com/latest/20-celebrities-who-play-dungeons-dragons/), and it could be any of them, or none of them at all.

(Personally, I'm hoping it is Vin Diesel, mostly because I remember reading that he plays a half-orc...)

I don't know if Rich will ever tell us who paid for their cameo (there is an implied non-disclosure agreement), but if the person says "It was me" then Rich can say "Yep, that's them."

[Shhalahr Windrider]

(Personally, I'm hoping it is Vin Diesel, mostly because I remember reading that he plays a half-orc...)
Hey, I’m a Diesel fan just because he got Judi Dench in on the game while doing Chronicles of Riddick. Not only does he play, but he recruits. And he recruits some high-class players, too. :smallbiggrin:

[Vorynn]

Probably just some overpaid software engineer :P rather than looking at celeb D&D players, maybe start looking at LinkedIn for employees of Google, Apple, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, etc.... ? :P of course those lists will get rather long rather quickly :) Ultimately we'll never know unless the person reveals themself.... but meanwhile, sorry for dampening the speculation! Speculate away!

[Kobold-Bard]

I'm more curious that surprised.

There are more than a few wealthy folks out there who play D&D, and more than a few celebs who play D&D. So what I'm curious about is WHO paid $5000 for a cameo of their character.

Vin Diesel?
Wil Wheaton?
Joss Whedon?
Mike Meyers?

There is a list of celebrity D&D players here (http://thetorchonline.com/latest/20-celebrities-who-play-dungeons-dragons/), and it could be any of them, or none of them at all.

(Personally, I'm hoping it is Vin Diesel, mostly because I remember reading that he plays a half-orc...)

I don't know if Rich will ever tell us who paid for their cameo (there is an implied non-disclosure agreement), but if the person says "It was me" then Rich can say "Yep, that's them."

Well in the Kickstarter thread there was more than one person debating whether to spend a sizeable chunk of their wedding fund on it, so maybe one of them finally rationalised it enough to themselves that it seemed like a good idea.

As for not telling us, I seriously doubt it. What's the point unless you can go into the comic thread and lord it over all the peasant members who don't have an OotS cameo?

[Michaeler]

Here's a random idea, maybe two characters will cameo and one character will propose to the other character?

As ways to propose go, it's right in the middle of the sanity range.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Probably just some overpaid software engineer :P rather than looking at celeb D&D players, maybe start looking at LinkedIn for employees of Google, Apple, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, etc.... ? :P of course those lists will get rather long rather quickly :) Ultimately we'll never know unless the person reveals themself.... but meanwhile, sorry for dampening the speculation! Speculate away!

On the main thread, it was revealed that Keith Baker was one of the many donators! Rich and Keith get along just fine, Keith had a article here before one of the clean-ups of the site. (And a joke saying Rich could only draw crappy stick figures. Rich did the illustration for Keith's article in his regular, "non-stick" style. Quite good). I wonder if he decided to use the phat lewt from Eberron to have his character have a walk-on?

Nah, I'm still holding out it was Vin Diesel... :smallbiggrin:

[Porthos]

On the main thread, it was revealed that Keith Baker was one of the many donators! Rich and Keith get along just fine, Keith had a article here before one of the clean-ups of the site. (And a joke saying Rich could only draw crappy stick figures. Rich did the illustration for Keith's article in his regular, "non-stick" style. Quite good). I wonder if he decided to use the phat lewt from Eberron to have his character have a walk-on?

Nah, I'm still holding out it was Vin Diesel... :smallbiggrin:

Timeframe for Keith Baker doesn't match as he just pledged about an hour or so ago.

But it's a nice thought. :smalltongue: