iCP2: They're throwing in the towel.

[vcoleiro1]

 

The ADCs were NOT the problem with this project.  The PCB was just fine.  I had the ADCs working over a month ago but the operation got flaky when paired with the nub code module.  Once Craig made it relatively clear that the project was unlikely to finish, I stopped wasting my time trying to get the nubs to read accurately but I could move them around and get raw analog data.  It made no sense to spend even more weekends away from my daughter working on this but I believe with more effort, it would have been fully functional.

No keymats, no samples of plastics ever injected through the molds (if they were actually made), no final samples of the dome switch stickers and no clamps (that I ever saw) were the problem.  Link even considered finding money elsewhere to try and finish this and reward the backers but it's pointless when none of us STILL don't have any idea if any of these things ever existed.

 

IF anyone trustworthy was game enough to take up this project where Craig left off (and were able to get all plans, parts etc from Craig). I'd prefer to put in a little extra and get the ICP2 rather than waiting forever for $10

P.S  I don't like the chances of manufacturers providing refunds for parts.  That has got to be a long shot at best.

 

[Tenka]

Eh it only had two shoulder buttons.

 

[ShleeDragon]

I wonder if Weston is willing to use the design for the P2? Silver lining

 

[sswam]

well the PCB is the main thing, we can make our own cases out of duct tape or what have you

 

[ekianjo]

IF anyone trustworthy was game enough to take up this project where Craig left off (and were able to get all plans, parts etc from Craig). I'd prefer to put in a little extra and get the ICP2 rather than waiting forever for $10

Are you suggesting ED ? I'd rather he works on a real product like the Pandora successor that this shite in a bag that the ICP2 became. Let's not waste anyone's time anymore. 

 

[Tenka]

Is Craig's side now the only one calling the devices "Project 3, Project 4," and so on?  Despite the current Pandora's disconnection from Craig, I think I've still seen it called that quite a bit here.  I assume the Pandora 2 won't use that title though.

 

[vcoleiro1]

IF anyone trustworthy was game enough to take up this project where Craig left off (and were able to get all plans, parts etc from Craig). I'd prefer to put in a little extra and get the ICP2 rather than waiting forever for $10

Are you suggesting ED ? I'd rather he works on a real product like the Pandora successor that this shite in a bag that the ICP2 became. Let's not waste anyone's time anymore. 

No, I was thinking more like Link or even Mweston.  Anyone really other than ED as I know he has other plans. Although a comms link with GC via ED may still be needed. But not him running it. Unless of course he decided he would like to do it, that would be amazing of course

 

[Exophase]

IF anyone trustworthy was game enough to take up this project where Craig left off (and were able to get all plans, parts etc from Craig). I'd prefer to put in a little extra and get the ICP2 rather than waiting forever for $10

P.S  I don't like the chances of manufacturers providing refunds for parts.  That has got to be a long shot at best.

It seems like a shame to dump it all now too, surely a big waste of much time and money.. but now that the e-mail has been sent out can they really even take it back?

Most of the current backers are not going to agree to pay more at this point since the trust is going to be so low. If they tried to continue the project and sell to new buyers it'd look really bad, even if 100% of the profits were used to try to pay back the old buyers in full.

Maybe if there was some concrete known amount of money needed to make the current thing happen - completely in someone else's authorization with zero involvement by Craig, of course - if this amount isn't too high some kind people could contribute to make it happen. Maybe after putting that money up front the original buyers could be asked to voluntarily donate something back to those people out of appreciation. If we were talking a few thousands or maybe even a few tens of thousands it might be possible. But like MWeston said, with no one outside of Craig knowing anything about the mechanical side of things how can it? You can't just get people to start from scratch there.. I get the feeling that you'd end up needing some huge sum like $50k+ to really make it happen :/

 

[vcoleiro1]

^ Craig would definately need to hand over everything to someone else for it to work.  $million dollar question is would he do that. hmm - I doubt he would hand it to ED given the current state of their relationship .  I wonder what percentage of backers would opt to put a little more in to see it finished.  It's not the first time a KS has run out of money and they have asked for more .  A  particular Ouya game comes to mind.

 

[Exophase]

In better circumstances people may have agreed to hand over more money. I think iCP2's buyers would be reluctant to after waiting this long with very poor communication, where it's apparent that the money was poorly managed. No one wants to throw good money after bad. A lot of them have wanted a refund for ages. Some of them have totally lost faith in KS altogether.

There are so many lessons to be learned here. The sad thing is that they were obvious already while it was happening, we could only sit back and comment on it all. But oh well, here they are anyway:

1) Keep your buyers informed of everything that's happening instead of just disappearing for weeks at a time

2) Even more important, keep your damn team informed of everything that's happening, here no one even knows what happened with half the development effort (the plastics). No one wants to work on something when it looks like everyone isn't doing their crucial part, especially when it's not a salary job.

3) Don't spend "profit" money on yourself before your product is complete and shipped (and then some, for the inevitable support needed afterwards)

4) Don't promise ridiculous release dates you can't possibly meet

5) Don't add extra features, it doesn't matter if you polled people and they said yes because they're poorly qualified to answer (and will believe whatever you say), and if you say it'll surely be fast and easy you'll almost always be wrong - be as conservative as possible with your goals

6) Have a full prototype before starting funding and more importantly have a full BOM ready (how can you even estimate necessary funds without one?!) AND using that buy all your parts as soon as you have the funding so you can't be bit with this "the prices went up" nonsense (which is a little questionable anyway)

7) Don't make videos giving other people advice on how to do successful KS just because you raised your funds

 

[vcoleiro1]

^ You forgot  ->  Don't publicly bag other KS projects saying they will fail just before  you launch your own KS that fails

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Ouya/feature.asp?c=43030

 

[Exophase]

^ You forgot  ->  Don't publicly bag other KS projects saying they will fail just before  you launch your own KS that fails

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Ouya/feature.asp?c=43030

Oh man, that debacle.

 

[bzar]

I'm actually quite sad to see the project fail

(Original comic from the oatmeal)

 

[ramboky]

The ADCs were NOT the problem with this project.  The PCB was just fine.  I had the ADCs working over a month ago but the operation got flaky when paired with the nub code module.  Once Craig made it relatively clear that the project was unlikely to finish, I stopped wasting my time trying to get the nubs to read accurately but I could move them around and get raw analog data.  It made no sense to spend even more weekends away from my daughter working on this but I believe with more effort, it would have been fully functional.

No keymats, no samples of plastics ever injected through the molds (if they were actually made), no final samples of the dome switch stickers and no clamps (that I ever saw) were the problem.  Link even considered finding money elsewhere to try and finish this and reward the backers but it's pointless when none of us STILL don't have any idea if any of these things ever existed.

And there's why we never saw a single case or swivel clamp. My bet - the molds were never made and the money for making them is gone. 

Craig is a liar and a fraud, plain and simple. Anyone who believes anything else at this point is a fool.

 

[xiongxioi]

This is beyond the point of ridiculous. Can Craigix even succeed in the most simple task?

I know it's not as easy as it seems, but for Christ's sake, you can get similar products from the Chinese for peanuts, and Craigix's team has experience on this sort of things.

Craigix's selfishness and incompetance has created this abominable situation again. He must have realized he won't get any profit out of this project if he continue, so he simply quit, and together, drops what left of  his dignity.

If I was given that much money and trust, I would send ICP2 to their rightful buyers on time regardless of its profitability; I would do it even if it means lossing money.

I was in a good mood a moment ago, Grrrr :angry:

 

[Fzero]

Oh well, that's that then.


Gutted.


I too am not expecting the [part?] refund anytime soon

 

[_wb_]

I didn't see this one coming. I was well aware of Craig's reputation when I pledged money on the iCP2 KS, but until then that reputation was being someone who lies, deceives, and always delivers waaay past the originally announced date. Never on time, but at least he delivers. Since I was not in a hurry and didn't care much about whether it was going to be Christmas 2012 or Christmas 2013 or even Christmas 2014, I thought "why not?" and ordered an iCP2.

At this point, Craig's reputation cannot sink any lower. He's still a guy with good, maybe even brilliant ideas. But he is not to be trusted at all with their execution. Not even a little bit. Lesson learned.

If and when I get any money returned from this, I'll probably donate it to ED to help make the Pandora successor happen. As long as Craig is not involved, of course.

 

[PokeParadox]

Can I at least get my ICP1...!? :S


Well that's just poo... expected but still utter poo!

 

[crazyhorse]

The ADCs were NOT the problem with this project.  The PCB was just fine.  I had the ADCs working over a month ago but the operation got flaky when paired with the nub code module.  Once Craig made it relatively clear that the project was unlikely to finish, I stopped wasting my time trying to get the nubs to read accurately but I could move them around and get raw analog data.  It made no sense to spend even more weekends away from my daughter working on this but I believe with more effort, it would have been fully functional.


No keymats, no samples of plastics ever injected through the molds (if they were actually made), no final samples of the dome switch stickers and no clamps (that I ever saw) were the problem.  Link even considered finding money elsewhere to try and finish this and reward the backers but it's pointless when none of us STILL don't have any idea if any of these things ever existed.

 
And there's why we never saw a single case or swivel clamp. My bet - the molds were never made and the money for making them is gone. 


Craig is a liar and a fraud, plain and simple. Anyone who believes anything else at this point is a fool.

I can see craig driving off in his new Nissan Leaf on yet another foreign holiday with his 3d printer at his side.

 

[jorlinn]

Thank you for the honest update.

Please revoke any moderation or administrative rights from Craig to these forums if that has not already been done. I backed at a $95,- level ($20,- for shipping). I hope to get a fair amount of that refunded.

Such a shame about all the collective time spent by both the ones at the production/ planning end and everyone who has commented about this project, especially those who have created tangible proposals associated with the iCP2, the keymat layouts for instance. Thank you for your dedication and hard work!

If this project is restarted, I won't even back it if Craig is assigned to pass around coffee for the team, as he will probably spend the money allotted to that task on an industrial coffee maker with twin jet engines.