So, Did the Spinward Traveller Debut Happen at Gencon?

[savage]

To the Wire Fraud unit - Ken's probably small potatoes. Plus, they're focused upon bank fraud.

There are a lot of small production companies that pop-up and go under here.

Perhaps the FBI does think it's small but they have been emphasizing online crowdfunding scams like kick starters in the past few years. We saw footage so really need to ask the actors what they filmed. A few people paid big bucks to support this effort as extras etc.

Extras get paid minimum wage in Atlanta not charged $1000 to make an appearance. Anyhow, wait and see I guess. I'd like my T!

 

[atpollard]

As reluctant as I am to wade in as a defender of failed kickstarters, and I may have missed it among all the talk of FBI tracking people down, I was not under the impression that Ken had been convicted of anything.
In fact, I don't think that he has actually been formally charged with anything.

He has been accused of lots of things on the internet, but I don't think that the FBI enforces Internet Mob Justice just yet.

Now stories of people who have been waiting for stuff so long that they can no longer challenge the sale ... that really stinks ... and if true, I wish all the state AG all the luck in the world at whatever action they ultimately choose to take.
I simply suggest that we hold off on the lynching until after an actual trial and conviction ... it is just so darn hard to un-lynch someone that I really want to get it right the first time.

Thank you for listening.
Carry on.

 

[savage]

... but I don't think that the FBI enforces Internet Mob Justice just yet.

Now stories of people who have been waiting for stuff so long that they can no longer challenge the sale ... that really stinks ... and if true, I wish all the state AG all the luck in the world at whatever action they ultimately choose to take.
I simply suggest that we hold off on the lynching until after an actual trial and conviction ... it is just so darn hard to un-lynch someone that I really want to get it right the first time.

Thank you for listening.
Carry on.

Whoa. I don't think FBI discussions in any way suggest a lynch mob. And if you we're reading earlier, i have mentioned the same thing you just did that he might still be working on it and I read somewhere a discussion of December/January delivery of the project.

That being said; He seems to be in Atlanta now. Let's also mention that changing names is pretty common for people in the acting career, if that's what he's doing.

 

[aramis]

I think changing names (in social media) is not all that common.The use of "stage names" is forbidden on most social sites. Thus, while many performers, actors and drag queens (for example) will have "stage names," this is not the case for social media.

Given the number of SCAers using their SCA names (essentially stage names), and Facebook, being aware of the issue, and doing nothing...

... and that twitter doesn't check, either...

Nor, apparently, does Myspace...

I find your claim dubious.

 

[aramis]

I am referring to FB rules regarding the use of stage names of actors and actresses as actual names. I am not familiar with SCA.

Having seen several stage names used on FB, too. They don't actually enforce it. Seriously.

 

[pendragonman]

Having seen several stage names used on FB, too. They don't actually enforce it. Seriously.

To be clear, they don't actively police it. If your account gets hijacked or your account gets reported for not really being you then they do something. Otherwise, you can call yourself almost anything you want.

 

[atpollard]

"Taminator Harrison" was acceptable as a facebook name for over a decade, about three weeks ago they blocked her login password until she changed her first name from "Taminator" to something that they could verify. She was complaining that she had to be "Tam Harrison" on facebook.

I have no idea what the official policy is on facebook (and care even less), but I know first hand that is falls somewhere above 'nothing' (or I would not have had to read Taminator's complaints).

 

[rich4421972]

My point (which was very unclear) was that Mr. Whitman might become harder to contact because he is advertising himself in a different way (i.e. "Whit Whitman" This link here, the actor and film producer). I think (opinion here) that he is a master at what he does. I have always loved Traveller4 and all of the wonderful products that were going to be game tie-ins. I won't mention them.

 

[Mako]

Could be.

The D20 Entertainment site seems to be gone (at least temporarily), and apparently his e-mail address is no longer working.

The commentary on the Pencil Dice Kickstarter page is certainly interesting.

 

[cuTTer]

FYI

For those of you who may have a vested interest,

http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2015/11/ken-whitman-25k-in-debt-by-his-own.html#comment-form

 

[rich4421972]

Getting back to the OP, it is probably unlikely that a finished product will ever be seen. IMDB now lists "Spinward Traveller's" release date as December 31, 2022. IMDB seems to be the only place where he ("Whit Whitman") is still listed as having the name "Ken Whitman."

Raw footage from his other film projects seems to have been lost. CGI artists have not been paid and Whit has relocated to Las Vegas, NV in hopes of succeeding at some "Awesome new plans."

Still just three minutes of finished footage for the Traveller "pilot" episode. What we saw at GenCon in July was approximately 23 minutes of unfinished, uncorrected, unlighted video without CGI additions.

I have tried to reach out to him but only got some general statements of "I do care. Progress is slow but it is moving" and etc. There is quite a bit of mystery about what is going on and what Whit is thinking about these days.

Grin and bear it, I guess.

 

[Mako]

I suspect those "I've moved" postings are just ruses.

A bunch of the "Limited Edition" resin, Traveller spaceships have recently showed up on display in a game store in KY, so I suspect Ken isn't too far from that.

 

[rich4421972]

He (Whit Whitman) does have a Las Vegas residence. He does keep his Stage32 profile page fairly up to date (even though he won't communicate with backers).

 

[Echo]

This link for the latest:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/conten...-Entertainment-5-In-Return-For-NOTHING&page=1

I will respect CotI admins in not defaming his name, but I will nevertheless be using his name in my next Traveller campaign as inspiration for a re-occurring NPC...

 

[rich4421972]

Excellent information. I hope good things
will be coming soon.

 

[vargr1]

Has anyone noticed that Mr. Whitman has pulled down his Spinward Traveller facebook page?

 

[MJD]

My experience is that Mr Whitman moves from one apparently good idea to the next.

He owes me money from two previous projects; I won't be involved in any more.

 

[savage]

My experience is that Mr Whitman moves from one apparently good idea to the next.

He owes me money from two previous projects; I won't be involved in any more.

He put something on Kickstarter about talking to studio execs. As a project manager, i see the unrealistic plan approach a lot.

 

[Draconian]

Things do not look good. There are indications [the entity] has claimed the hard drive containing the Knights of the Dinner Table video footage has been accidentally damaged. [The entity] is not responding to offers to help recover the footage from the hard drive. It is unclear whether Spinward Traveller original footage is on the same hard drive.

Maybe this establishes the groundwork to say the Spinward Traveller Kickstarter cannot go ahead because of an "act of God."

There is an informational web-site about these evolving situations. I can make no representation of the veracity of the claims, but sources mentioned can be followed.

http://notanotherdime.blogspot.ca/

 

[nats]

I cant understand why Marc Miller hasnt commented on this at all? Isn't he one of the partners in Spinward Traveller? I dont understand what is going on. You would have thought that my now, out of sheer decency, Marc would have issued some sort of formal apology or explanation to all the fans affected by the models/film etc.

Maybe he is pursuing it in the courts as we speak but I honestly dont see, even if he is, why that would prevent any sort of apology. This one thing has really ruined the whole Traveller name in my eyes and I am probably not alone in this. But that is minor stuff compared to the people who have actually lost money to these scams. As Marc is involved he should have released something by now. It just looks like he doesn't care about the fans at all.