Questions Going Into 2025
Added 2024-10-21 01:42:06 +0000 UTCHi all,
The last two years have been some of the hardest for me, trying to juggle working on the comics, the card game, a video game and my fair share of bad friendships, unkind neighbours, family drama and some actual, literal sabotage. Social Media has rather unceremoniously become a less fun place to hang out too, right? But I'm not here to focus on all that.
2025 is the year a lot of things are going to happen, no matter what. Among other plotlines, the Quest Sprout main storyline will be resolved. Swords will reach Episode 1000. The card game will have already launched, Kargob willing, which frees me up to work on another Kickstarter and I think it's very important for the future of Swords that I pick the right one.
There are some other things I want to do, but that list is always a lot longer.
I think the start of 2025 will be a good time to refresh Patreon too. I need to make sure it not only aligns with my goals but serves you the way you want it to. You are its beating heart, after all. Am I the kidneys?
The following questions are about Patreon, Kickstarter and Feelings
Patreon
What would I need to change for you to increase your monthly donation?
Would you increase your donation for extra bonus episodes, without Roman Numerals, exclusive to Patreon? Is it important if they focused on your favourite character?
What do you think I could do to most improve the Swordscomic Patreon?
Would you be willing to tell one other person to join the Swordscomic Patreon?
Would you prefer Sticker Club to remain every 3 months, or would you rather get more stuff, but it releases every 4 months? (Anyone can weigh in on this, but feel free to ignore this one if you have 0 interest in Sticker Club)
Kickstarter
Its 2025. Cut the Deck has launched and there's no fear or doubt that a second Kickstarter campaign would overlap with the first one. Also everyone loved the card game, obviously.
What project would most excite you, to shape the next few years of the Swords brand?
Swords Reforged : A remastering of Swords Episodes 1-500, to the same high resolution as 501-875 currently have; rearranged into chronological order with gaps filled in, character designs a little more consistent and jokes edited to be a little sharper in places
A hardcover book release of Swords in its current state
A Swords: Cut the Deck expansion box, that could also be played as a standalone set
A small-scope Quest Sprout video game in a classic RPG style, where nobody dies and everyone goes on little qwests
A smaller "housekeeping" campaign to cover our operational costs, with the promise that we will run 0 popup/banner ads on the Swords website for X many years; and also include some stretch goals to expand the swordscomic.com Archive system with more info, types of content and with an easier way to read story arcs grouped together
Feelings
Are you still enjoying Swords in its current form?
Would splitting the series into 3 different spin-offs after Swords #1000 excite you?
Swords
Swords : Side-Quests (guest artists doing multi-page stories about side characters)
Swords : The Adventures of Quest Sprout
Which online spaces should I be trying harder to grow, and which ones should spend less energy on or delete entirely?
Hopefully that's not too much stuff to ask! It's a little more involved than the annual survey, which, rest assured, I also read all 1100+ responses to.
Let's make 2025 the YEAR OF MOMMA SPROUT
Thank you!
Comments
Patreon 1 - Just moved up to the Scolar level, which is the most I can afford atm. 2 - Not sure, I feel like your best work should be shared with everyone, not just people who pay more. 3 – don’t know, because I have just moved up a tier and I’m not using Patreon as much. 4 – I would, but I don’t know anyone who would be interested! I do have a Quest sticker on my work laptop and I’ve had students ask me about it, so I’ve at least been referring them to your work. 5 – I still have to receive the first shipment, so it’s hard to say right now. If it saves you on shipping once every 4 months would be okay with me. Kickstarter I actually misread the question and thought you were asking for ideas for a Kickstarter, so I wrote the following idea: Whoo, that’s a hard one! A board game perhaps? Maybe in the style of a game like Andor? Not full DnD, but a more structured story. Of the remaining options, my preference is the Quest Sprout video game. Feelings 1 – Yes, I am. 2 – That does sound good, as long as it doesn’t water down the brand. 3 – I’m not sure about this one. Keep up the great work!
Kornelis
2024-10-27 09:11:38 +0000 UTC1. I wouldn’t spend more on Patreon in general, since I have enough subscribtions already(but I read swords on ig so I support you here). 2. -Hardcover book, for sure. - I am not a fan of ‘dlc’s’ for boardgames, but I think I will like cut the deck, so that’s a maybe - video game would be fun, but I have too many games to play already, so probably not for me 3. - yes, I am still enjoying swords(and stars) - I don’t know about the spin-offs. Probably not, there are too many things to follow already, it might be too much(and I hate my FOMO) Also, this is a little difficult to answer as a comment(in the app) a survey would have been easier lol
theLordFire
2024-10-23 19:56:17 +0000 UTCI have been harbouring a secret fear that you can look through all the Patreon content in an afternoon and be done, so that is great to know, thank you
Matthew Wills
2024-10-22 00:24:39 +0000 UTC-I'm not super helpful for Patreon -- I haven't had time to get through the backlog of stuff, and I primarily subscribe because I like you as a person and an artist and want to support that. - The Qwest Sprout video game KS I would support in the range of 20-25 usd for the game. I don't particularly care about the others, but would probably throw 1-5 usd at them to support you. - I like the idea of the split, but I'm concerned about the tenebility. Supporting more artists and getting more quest spout would be dope, though. - I follow you on threads and here. I don't know anyone irl who's still on Xitter or who joined BlueSky, fwiw. Threads is 100% why I subscribed here in the first place, and I'd done ko-fi before that, so I'm probably a bit biased into thinking it should be a priority, lol.
Bri Chivatero
2024-10-21 23:43:43 +0000 UTCWell I'll be honest with you, I've been supporting you for a while now and I STILL don't get the Demon King plot because I've never seen the comics in the correct order. One day I might sort them out. But I love your work!
Dd
2024-10-21 15:12:33 +0000 UTCHey buddy! I just joined up from your r/comics posts so I know nothing of the card game, etc., but I subbed because the primary offering (comics) is great and it seems there's a backlog to enjoy. Regarding other goodies, I may not go for Sticker Club just to have you ship me stuff from NZ to US - carbon and all - though it does sound really cool and I'm curious about what goes on in there. Regarding future offerings, I would be interested in either the "Quest Sprouts" concept or the housekeeping KS. It's hard to hype maintenance costs on KS, though. I'm just here to keep the lights on and probably won't need extra stuff as long as the comics are coming. Hope this very individualized datum helps. Take care!
nerp
2024-10-21 15:10:53 +0000 UTCHardcover book for sure!
Nate Kalenske
2024-10-21 13:12:03 +0000 UTCMomma Sprout year woo
D'Artagnan Wayland
2024-10-21 12:30:27 +0000 UTCI am on BlueSky! https://bsky.app/profile/swordscomic.bsky.social So far so good, too!
Matthew Wills
2024-10-21 05:04:13 +0000 UTC"Social Media has rather unceremoniously become a less fun place to hang out too, right?" You're on Xitter... so yeah I can see that. Maybe try bluesky? It's very welcoming and enjoyable right now. And we're absolutely getting all the good people who are tired of Elon ruining Twitter. Patreon 1 - Nothing? If I could donate more I would already. Not for the stuff, just to help you be free to create what you want to create. 2 - Honestly I hate all that kinda stuff, but that's just me. 3 _ It's not perfect? 4 - I pimp out Patreon at people on other comics comment sections, admittedly I'm not very active on your boards. 5 - I'm more interested in Lore drops, but again, that's just me. Kickstarter ???? I have no idea because i have no idea if CtD is really good or not? I'm sure some people would be interested in a hardcover Swords book, but for my money either a CtD expansion (if it's a really good game) or just a "keep ads off Swords for a few years" campaign (though honestly I'm not sure how many people besides me would throw in that). Feelings 1 - Yes. 2 - I don't know? I'm not interested in guest artists. If I were, I'd be on their comic site already reading their stuff. 3 - I have no honest answer as I'm not really understanding where else you might expand or what you could "cut" that I wouldn't miss. I really like both Swords and Stars.
Marcus
2024-10-21 05:00:33 +0000 UTCI would absolutely love Swords in a hardback format!!
Olivia
2024-10-21 02:29:26 +0000 UTCI'm not actually sure Patreon will do 1 item on a tier for their integrated merch, but that's all great stuff so I'll look at what would make a good Royal Lite tier. Thanks!
Matthew Wills
2024-10-21 02:07:22 +0000 UTCPatreon: - Maybe an in-between tier? $7 to $30 is quite a jump, but I'd be far more willing to increase my membership to something along the lines of $15-20 with perhaps more sticker/card-shaped goodies or something from the Royal tier (like maybe *just* tshirt rather than all of the included exclusives) - It would depend on the episodes, I'm pretty heavily in love with Sprout and his Qwests and not quite as interested in the other content, so perhaps if it was centered around that? But unlikely! - I'm not sure what could be done to improve it, I've never had much of a mind for that sort of thing... it seems pretty good right now! I like the email cadence and enjoy the content you post regularly. - I'd be willing to tell people about it, sure! - I like the sticker club every three months, but quarterly with a few more treats would be equally cool to me! Kickstarter: - QWEST GAME!!!!! Feelings: - I am enjoying Swords in its current form and intend to remain a member for the foreseen future =) - Three different spin-offs would be cool, mostly because I love the idea of Sprout having one! - I'm not familiar with the online spaces enough to speak on this one unfortunately... Anyways, hope this helps!
Rachel Soderberg
2024-10-21 02:03:45 +0000 UTCJust keep the sword jokes coming :)
Henry Weldon
2024-10-21 02:02:57 +0000 UTCI hadn't really thought of the book as a Milestone for 1k episodes, but that's probably a great way to market it actually. Which probably means a Cut the Deck expansion around episode 900 and then a hardcover book at episode 1000 would still be really reasonably spaced apart. A lot to think about there, thanks
Matthew Wills
2024-10-21 02:01:11 +0000 UTCIn that case, I’m more interested in the book, especially if 1-1k is done and able to be included. I think part of why I bought cut the deck was because of the one time purchase way of supporting you (as opposed to patreon being a subscription) and that makes the book more interesting for me.
Henry Weldon
2024-10-21 01:58:16 +0000 UTCThey really can't be one campaign. A book is a few months of manufacturing and deployment. A remaster is years of work.
Matthew Wills
2024-10-21 01:52:07 +0000 UTCI think something along the lines of a kickstarter for the hardcover of 1-1000 with a stretch goal being remasters of 1-500
Henry Weldon
2024-10-21 01:49:40 +0000 UTCAs for splitting it. I would say no. I love all the stuff in one place. I would love a hardcover book of the first 1000 comics with gaps filled in, for a Kickstarter.
Gen Giggles
2024-10-21 01:47:54 +0000 UTC
