Looking at how Abiotic Factor and Pillars of Eternity did it, it can be done right and not be a scam. But it's tough to guess which project won't end up like this mess.
It's a big reason why I tend to avoid Kickstarter/early access games. I understand the funding these campaigns bring in help keep the studio afloat, but I would rather wait for the full release.
No game suggestions, friend requests, surveys, or begging.
No Let's Plays, streams, highlight reels/montages, random videos or shorts.
No off-topic posts/comments, within reason.
Use the original source, no clickbait titles, no duplicates.
(Submissions should be from the original source if possible, unless from paywalled or non-english sources.
If the title is clickbait or lacks context you may lightly edit the title.)
Looking at how Abiotic Factor and Pillars of Eternity did it, it can be done right and not be a scam. But it's tough to guess which project won't end up like this mess.
It's a big reason why I tend to avoid Kickstarter/early access games. I understand the funding these campaigns bring in help keep the studio afloat, but I would rather wait for the full release.