Get the word out, or keep intellectual property confidential? Kickstarter experience? Thread

I am working on a new project and hope to launch a Kickstarter. My going theory is to get screenshots and movies out as soon as possible - see if I can build a following. I think my idea is 'novel' enough, but I think that the benefits of getting the word out outweigh potential issues with someone copying my work or idea.

I guess it depends on how novel your idea is, or if you are building with an off-the-shelf game engine. Are there any other advantages to keeping IP confidential?

Also, on the same note - Do people have experience with Kickstarter? They say you have 30 days to make it.

Here are some of the channels that I can see playing a role.
Twitter
Game Forums
Game Conferences
Facebook

Any thoughts on strategy to get the most out of the funding period would be greatly appreciated!

I did a kickstarter for 60,000. Failed miserably because I didn't have enough there. I updated it with photos regularly, but there was so little programming done because we were still hiring and it was just starting production, I barely got to $100 dollars. So you definitely need to have quite a bit of it done. As for keeping the IP a secret, it would make more sense to announce it so people know about it and it does get hype before the kickstarter. I eventually decided to scale down to a smaller game due to the team size. We're going to officially announce the game once we hire an animator and get some animations and a trailer done, and then we're going to do a much smaller kickstarter for only about $5,000 just to pay for the basics.

Also, you need to know that kickstarter and amazon take about 10% of your profits. People are very harsh on there, so be prepared to fail unless you have the most original and amazing ideas. And People don't read what you write. Write it anyway, but show it through pictures and videos. I got so many messages from people asking questions that would've been answered just by reading.

Yeah I worry about releasing an IP too early without having enough done a lot. Too worried about idea theft, whereas if you've already done a decent chunk of your IP if somebody decided to copy your IP you would have a head start.

EDIT: Also I was considering doing a kickstarter but its a LOT of effort to do properly, you need to properly plan rewards and write it up very well, and follow through with everything. It isnt just "write this thing and get free money". So after researching quite a bit I decided not to do it.

Edited by: KatsMakesGames

Thanks for the thoughts. My feeling is that I want to try and start building a following. Use the feedback that I get to make the game better - so that it might have a better chance on Kickstarter or another crowdfunding platform. I am not worried about the work - the effort that is going into the game far outweighs it. I have not released any games, but I am coming from the startup community and know first hand how important it is to be active on all of the channels. Maybe the best plan is to release a little bit, often. Post to Facebook and Twitter, respond to feedback, progress towards a demo and then launch crowdfunding.

I think you are right about IP. II is better to get the word out.

"Intellectual property" are all the assets in digital form, mostly. The idea of game execution as well can sometimes to go in there. But it is hard to protect that. And usually (99%) it not needed.

If you are concerned someone to steal you idea, dont be! Nobody will gain anything by stealing your idea.

To all who are concerned about this: If someone steals your idea, to actually get any benefit out of it that person has to CREATE a video game out of it. So real and often costly production has to be made. On top of all that, final production might turn into something completelly different than your vision.

Come on people. Think some logic. I can not take Starcraft 2 video game idea before it is made, and use some kind of miracle program to print me final game out as it would be after if source developers did it.

Publicity is what you probably want. What you should be concerned is to have enough of content to show and the way you do it.
As long you dont upload 3d models, code, and other diginal assets, you should be fine...

Edited by: tigerija