I’m willing to accept when I’m wrong about a crowdfunded project. Despite my initial reaction towards Queer Quest, I still gave it a shot. Unfortunately, it didn’t come close to getting funded, but that didn’t stop developer Mo Cohen from returning via Patreon. Between the announcement of a second campaign, along with a new update on inclusiveness, I reached out to Mo for some insight into the game itself.
As both a supporter and member of the LGBT community, I was skeptical at first. As I looked deeper into what Queer Quest actually was about I started to fall in love with it. The basic premise is the story about a woman looking for her “super babe girlfriend”. There’s more to the game than that, though. It’s a look into the queer community and how they react to times of tragedy. It should go without saying that that is something I can get behind.
Inclusiveness in Queer Quest
As a transwoman, gender issues are a very sensitive subject. The blog post on Mo reaching out to a select few was refreshing to see. So few game developers actively seek out advice from people they can’t relate to. There was at least one transgender character in Queer Quest from the beginning, but after talking with others she decided to include at least one more. And she came away with a lot of great feedback that I look forward to seeing in the final game.
With this information, I asked Mo about her experience talking to transwomen and if she would be reaching out to other members of the community. It was a great experience for her, and she took a lot of the feedback to heart. She had already some idea of the basic pitfalls to avoid, but getting it from those who know best can’t be beat. She’s looking forward to exploring the trans characters better and to flesh them out as best she can.
Next on the list are disabled queers, followed by bisexuals. Mo plans on reaching out to anyone that isn’t someone she identifies as. The plan is to “go through each community from ones I have the least experience with to the ones I have more experience with”. That could explain why she reached out to the trans community first. I’m honestly impressed with the extra legwork Mo is doing to make sure Queer Quest is all inclusive and respectful to the community as a whole.
From Kickstarter to Patreon
Of course, I also had to bring up crowdfunding with Mo Cohen. One question I always ask is why go through Kickstarter? Granted, it is the proverbial 800 pound gorilla, but there are other options out there. The main reason was because it has such an established base of fans and creators. Mo had a lot of experiences to draw from and they helped her by giving advice. While not successful, the Kickstarter was a great experience. It also raised a lot more awareness of Queer Quest than most other avenues.
Indiegogo was an option, and one that Mo had considered. She liked the idea that no matter how much was raised she could keep the money to continue development. I know myself and others don’t like the flexible funding method, but I can understand her reasons for liking it. In the end, though, Kickstarter won out.
Kickstarter also just has strong name recognition, and a unique community of folks who spend their time exploring and backing interesting projects.
– Mo Cohen
Not all Kickstarter projects manage to get funding. Unfortunately, Queer Quest was one that failed. When asked if she’ll try a second time, Mo told me she’s sticking with Patreon for now. Maybe in a year or so she’ll consider going back to Kickstarter. As so many project creators can attest to, running a campaign for a full month is a stressful and tiring process. It requires a lot of energy and Mo is liking the slower speed of a monthly Patreon campaign. And I don’t blame her.
Down But Not Out
All in all, I do hope for the best in the continuing development of Queer Quest. After seeing how passionate Mo and the two other creators of this interesting queer “point and clit” adventure game are it’s become infectious. With Mo wearing most of the hats, I’m sure this is a daunting task. But, to see her reaching out to others in the LGBT community it means they’re trying hard to be all inclusive. Going through Patreon also means they’ve not given up.
I want Queer Quest to be a way of giving back to the queer community, and I can’t wait to have it out in the world.
– Mo Cohen
