Real-World Turn-Based Reality

Getting started with Turn-Based Realities, LLC is sort of like trying to figure out the rules while “playing the game”. First some history:

I realized awhile back (and only decided to act upon it this year) that unless I invested much larger contiguous blocks of time to my Ikosa Framework, I would never get this vision of automating turn-based realities out of my head. I thought of several avenues (none of which would happen until I made my move) such as getting investor help, producing simple tools, or producing a cut-down game-experience to get going.

In all of those scenarios, my best option has been to continue pushing the coding along until I had a workable demo, or a cut-down game. I became aware of Kickstarter (like many people) earlier this year, and began to see this as a vehicle to “kick-end” my vision.

Deducing the rules (and making the moves):

1. Kickstarter Account (to use Kickstarter)
   • guidelines suggest Facebook for identity
   • should probably do a video (*sigh*)
   • need an Amazon Payment’s account (alright, now household finance needs isolation from this)
2. Facebook Account (to help prove I am who I am to potential backers)
   • Now all the women in my life know what I’m up to
   • All of my Mom’s friends think my picture is scary-looking (that’s just me)
   • Change picture (look better in profile anyway, thanks to my non-centering eyes)
3. Acquiring Guildsmanship.com (branding for Guildsmanship and Battle-Scapes)
   • Would’ve liked to do this via the company, but don’t have that yet
   • Also, setup a WordPress account to track my ramblings…
   • …make is a WordPress premium account
   • Moving ownership of hosted Source Control provider would be good as well
4. Founding Turn-Based Realities, LLC (so help isolate work from home)
   • Use LegalZoom.com
   • Wait for State of Pennsylvania to wave magic bureaucracy wand
   • …wait…
   • Alright, done (about a month later)
5. Business checking account for TBR-LLC (so I can set up Amazon Payments)
   • Find time to set up an account
   • Answer awkward questions about volume of transactions (um, none? maybe lots?)
   • Set up account (yay! TD Bank!)
   • Discover from Amazon Payments you need to instantly validate using online TD Bank service
6. Creating online account access to bank account (so Amazon Payments can validate the account)
   • Possibly wait 2 business days for online account setup to be finalized
   • Yay! next day (go TD Bank! you are rocking it for me)
7. Amazon Payments account (to use Kickstarter)
   • Fill in information
   • Validate bank account (business account requires manual validation! and a bank statement !!! ERK, brand new account, I have no statement…)
   • Tax interview not so bad, except the LLC with a single owner is taxed like an individual
8. Polish up KickStarter Project (and Profile)
   • Video! Ug, but OK
   • Rewards! OK, gaming software is the reward…?
   • I’m a software guy, not a T-Shirt guy! (maybe a fulfillment shop?)

So this is the big campaign before the “Campaign”.