Oculus Rift

[Chux]

Yeah, but in the old fashioned days, people bought shares in corporations and then became shareholders. If all those Kickstarter backers had backed Oculus the old fashioned way, they could have voted against this acquisition by Facebook. Or they could have at least shared in the payout.

But they didn't, and it was never presented this way. They're upset because of loss of potential income, and loss of "indy vision" imo.

[Joust Williams]

This doesn't really bother me that much, but it is still pretty weak. Although in hindsight you would expect something like this every once in a while

[Diff-chan]

I understand why these people would be upset, but I also think 'oh well'. They got what they originally paid for, and if they feel betrayed, maybe they shouldn't have expected more than they were promised. You put your faith in something and got screwed, you can't blame Kickstarter for that.

I do blame Kickstarter because of the dumb structure they set up. You set up this system where people are made to feel like they are part of something from the ground up, but they're really not.

I know none of the backers expected equity so I doubt many are that upset. Most of the comments on the KS board were the usual anti-corporate BS you see on any fan site.

Really, though, people who invest in a company early on should expect it. The fact that KS subverts this is the whole problem.

[Darmonde]

I do blame Kickstarter because of the dumb structure they set up. You set up this system where people are made to feel like they are part of something from the ground up, but they're really not.

I know none of the backers expected equity but really people who invest in a company early on should expect it. The fact that KS subverts this is the whole problem.

I agree, but I don't think that's what Kickstarter was when it started. It used to be for a guy who made something neat, and hey, I think people would pay 5 dollars for this, if I can get 100 people then I can make it. But then companies started using it, without quite breaking any rules, and it gained mainstream acceptance. You can feel like a part of the process but really, people just see it hitting all these news site, and they wouldn't be talking about it unless it was legit, right? So tons of people who have no idea what they're paying for start throwing in money and now its an easy target. But really, if you're putting money down its probably your fault if you don't look into the details.

KS blew up into this giant stupid corporate marketing garbage, and it wasn't about to say 'no, we don't want this money'. Kind of like the Oculus I guess!

[Andrew]

I've always thought Kickstarter was fucking stupid, and this seems like a sort of neener-neener moment.









But if the Shenmue 3 thing really happens...

[Chux]

Fuck Shenmue, and fuck you.

I even put it in big letters.

[kingoffighters]

Chux, what do you have against playing Forklift simulator 3000?

[Diff-chan]

I agree, but I don't think that's what Kickstarter was when it started. It used to be for a guy who made something neat, and hey, I think people would pay 5 dollars for this, if I can get 100 people then I can make it. But then companies started using it, without quite breaking any rules, and it gained mainstream acceptance. You can feel like a part of the process but really, people just see it hitting all these news site, and they wouldn't be talking about it unless it was legit, right? So tons of people who have no idea what they're paying for start throwing in money and now its an easy target. But really, if you're putting money down its probably your fault if you don't look into the details.

KS blew up into this giant stupid corporate marketing garbage, and it wasn't about to say 'no, we don't want this money'. Kind of like the Oculus I guess!

Yea this is a good point. It's like KS wasn't designed for this stuff. It's so some hipster in Williamsburg can make his art project without starving on the street.

[Frogacuda]

I think backers and supports of the Rift do have a reason to be upset. They wanted to support a group that was bringing this tech to gaming and do it because they wanted to see it done. And that group kind of just sold out to a giant corporation that doesn't think the same thing.

Even if the Rift continues unaffected for a while, it's silly to think that this isn't going to affect the product. Facebook is going to tweak it to try and get what the can out of it and the goals for the project are no longer what Kickstarter backers originally funded.

Eventually this will probably be true. But I don't think we'll see it affect the first Rift release, and once that happens, the world will either be changed or it won't. From there they can fuck up all they want, but it won't change the fact that VR is a product people want and companies are going to service that market. 3DFX fucked up but it didn't make 3D cards go away. Same thing.

As long as the Rift makes it to market relatively uncorrupted, it'll succeed or fail on its own merits and VR will either be the thing that backers hoped, or it won't, and none of that will have anything to do with Facebook.

[Mzo]

I heard Ben Kuchera on NPR this morning. Strange and troubling times.

Ew, as what, Professionally Wrong Hack?