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8-Bit Funding - An Interview with Geoff Gibson
We had a great chance to talk with Geoff Gibson, founder of DIYGamer.com about his latest project 8-bit Funding to find out how the project came about and how it's been progressing.
8-Bit Funding is a crowdfunding site that relies on a community or 'crowd' of funders to micro-fund indie projects. The site's goal is to help anybody who has anything to do with the gaming industry fund their projects through to completion. Whether it's a video game, a board game, card game, or even a gaming inspired project, like a gaming focused bar or cafe.
Projects are funded via PayPal to make things easy and simple to use for almost anybody in the world, no matter if you're a funder or a project starter.
Blitz 1UP:When did you originally come up with the idea?
Geoff: Last November. As the founder of DIYGamer.com I would work with indie developers fairly often and would often direct them to Kickstarter.com as a means to find further funding. Eventually I got sick of directing them to that site just to see their project be unsuccessful. Figuring a gaming-exclusive site would work out better, I decided to explore the idea.
Development started soon after.
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Blitz 1UP:Got any ideas for what you want to add next?
Geoff: Well we're still patching up some initial launch bugs, but ideally our next big feature will be to place a bigger emphasis on user profiles. Currently they don't really do anything. Ideally I'd like for users to be able to send PMs, input their favourite types of games, have a list of games they've funded with a tally of how much they've contributed in total, maybe make a sort of 'high score' board for contributors... Really, we want to make 8-Bit Funding not only a place for developers to ask for money, but also a place for users to enjoy the experience of funding.
Blitz 1UP:Have you had any problems defining the whole 'indie' aspect of it? Where do you draw the line and how did you decide that line?
Geoff: Honestly, we didn't. There is no line. We appeal to indie developers and project creators because, more often than not, they are going to be the ones who need additional funding. That said, we're not specifying that this site is only for indie developers. If EA wanted to fund a project through our site (not that they ever would) we would have no problem with it.
Blitz 1UP:Any early success stories?
Geoff: Yes, actually. Our first game was successfully funded - Expedition: The New World. It's a rogue-like that has you settling the new world in the 1400s. Has a sort of Oregon Trail feel to it, which I can certainly appreciate. Additionally, another game Cardinal Quest has almost reached $3,000, which we're very impressed with.
Both developers have done a tremendous job in getting people to take notice of their games/projects.
You can check out the 8-Bit funding website here: 8-bit Funding
And don't forget to check in on DIYGamer too! DIYGamer.com
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