User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA
YouTube

Posted Mon Feb 03, 2025 10:01 am

Back in 2016, I funded the original Kickstarter for the A1200.net keycaps campaign. At the time I had an A500 with yellowed keycaps that I thought I'd get a set and treat her to a day at the spa. Or a facelift.

Either way, on November 27, 2016, I backed a set in the original color palette. Less than a month later the campaign reached 100%. Soon a few additional stretch goals unlocked as well - some European keyboards were supported, etc.

I think it was around this time when a lot of the updates and communications were being redirected to the A1200.net website. By mid-May 2017, the 3D models were done and the expensive molds were underway. By that summer, the first tests were revealing issues with the molds requiring they be completely replaced.

Various iterations followed, pushing the original timelines deep into 2018. By the fall of 2018, batch #1 started to get produced. Folks in this batch were (I think) in Europe as the UK layouts were the ones being produced. Packing those up and shipping went through the end of the year. The actual arrival of that batch was expected to be in February of 2019. Batch #2 was scheduled to start the summer of 2019.

I had no idea which batch I was going to be in at that point or how many there might be. Truth is, I don't think that was ever communicated. If it was, it was so long ago I don't recall the particulars anymore. Regardless, I think it was around this point where a second campaign was started on Indiegogo. Considering it had been two years and I was still wondering where my caps were in the queue, I decided to abstain from backing another campaign. Some folks backed both.

Step forward a few more months and the pandemic started worldwide and the factories went quiet and supply chains were thrown off a cliff. You guys remember. And the campaign limbo really began. Frankly by 2022 I gave up. I began to seriously assume the set I'd backed was used to fund the project - particularly when the original molds had to be replaced. I made this assumption because my caps were never sent, yet now even computer cases were being designed and produced, multiple keycap color options, and on and on.

Ironically, it was just a couple of weeks ago when I started to unsubscribe from the campaign Kickstarter emails.

Then, on Saturday - 2,988 days since my original pledge - a strange package quietly arrived on my doorstep. My first reaction when I removed the plastic covering was total confusion. When I slowly started to realize what I was looking at, my reaction changed to shock. Over 8 years! A child born the day I pledged would now be in 3rd or 4th grade.

IMG_0183.jpg
808 backers pledged S$ 174,778 to help bring this project to life. "808" is a magical number if you're into electronic music. Anyway, I was one of the 808. (S$ = Singapore dollars)

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Hate to say it, but the machine I had bought the caps for is no longer even in my collection anymore. It is long gone. I got rid of it as I'd decided it was never going to get the facelift I'd planned for it. Staring at this box, there's a slight mixture of feelings ... it's hard to describe. But more than anything I think apathy. Just a complete lack of feeling at all now.

So crazy.

User avatar
Crazyeights

Posted Wed Feb 05, 2025 9:44 am

Exactly the same story with me! The first of my 2 sets arrived late last year - I am still owed a 2nd set of CD32 style key caps. It remains if they will never show. So Eric, what is the plan for your set now? After 8 years they deserve an honored spot in your collection. I'll be watching for your review.

The first of my 2 sets is black. I also backed the A1200 case for white, black, and clear to build a RE-A1200, but as it turns out A1200 keyboards seem impossible to get. I doubt now that I'll follow through with it now unless new keyboards show up somewhere.

User avatar
obitus1990
USA

Posted Wed Feb 05, 2025 8:48 pm

Glad you got it. That's just pitiful, though. I backed ONE kickstarter type campaign for a retro computer product...and after all the BS that ensued, I vowed never again. From now on, if it's not ready and available for purchase RIGHT NOW, it doesn't get bought.

I really feel bad for those who supported the Kipper2K complete keyboard replacement that was to be distributed by Amiga On The Lake. I haven't checked in on it for a while now, but even late last year, almost no one seemed to have gotten their pre-order, and the time frame had been years as well.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA
YouTube

Posted Thu Feb 06, 2025 10:24 am

Yes, I think with some of the campaigns - especially the first one a person or group ever attempts - there is far higher risk involved. I used to assume that if it was on Kickstarter there was some level of security but there really isn't. But, if the person running a campaign has a a few successes and has gained a level of trust, already it seems to imply a much better chance of success. But for a first timer? Massive risk with some folks.

And they aren't usually intentional "money grabs" per se from the start, but when the years go by and the communication either turns aggressive or goes silent that's the lasting impression.

Although, some campaigns raise eyebrows right off the bat. The one I remember being completely ludicrous was for a great-looking RPG called Unknown Realm: The Siege Perilous. It was run by a husband/wife team called Stirring Dragon Games. I remember after seeing the beautiful screenshots that the prices they were asking - $90 for a cartridge of the game - made no sense to me at all at the time. They were very antagonistic (mainly the wife, who did all of the talking) from the get-go and gave me really bad vibes. Based on that alone I didn't support the campaign.

But I followed their "progress".

This all started in 2016. And I think more than a few of my friends sent money their way. "1,246 backers pledged $126,343 to help bring this project to life." Incredibly, they are still showing a working demo of the unreleased game after all these years - as recently as October 2024.

That said, you have to believe all the money they received was used up long, long ago, and not saved away for pledges. Will it ever go on sale? Maybe. But I wouldn't expect anyone that pledged to see a single thing in the mail UNLESS, like with my keycaps, it's long after the published game makes enough money to fund those physical copies and shipping fees. But I wouldn't count on it.

User avatar
fxgogo
Twickenham , U.K.

Posted Tue Feb 11, 2025 10:07 am

I find it incredible that you got yours. I never backed it, too risk adverse. It is definitely not the right way to run a business. I can understand that a lot of people who start these campaigns have no experience with manufacturing, but it is not an excuse to not communicate with your backers. At some point, I think these fund raising websites are going to need some sort of legal oversight, especially as they often are global campaigns.

User avatar
Zippy Zapp
CA, USA

Posted Tue Feb 11, 2025 12:48 pm

Still waiting on mine. I chose certain colors that apparently are last on the list to be made. I am can only guess that it is total incompetence that it is taking this long. There is no way it should take this long to produce the amount of sets that were backed no matter what the color scheme. The snakey part is that he often sells complete sets on his website. Selling sets on your website before all the backers that funded this venture get their caps is just plain wrong.





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