It's a good thing nobody's forced to back it, then. ;) I feel somewhat the same as you, but is this really different than the recent games explosion on KickSt

It's a good thing nobody's forced to back it, then. ;) I feel somewhat the same as you, but is this really different than the recent games explosion on KickStarter? Gamers help fund the development of the game (usually in return for a copy of the game and some trinkets) and then developer goes on to make profit from it. Other products are much the same, with music and video being obvious ones that are similar, but even physical products that are being developed often go the same route. There have been plenty of things that I would have donated to help bring to existence and paid for afterwards. Most of them will never be on KickStarter, but if they ever are, they'll get my backing. The ones that I don't feel that way about, won't.