Yes it's risky, but we're doing our best to spread the word and find our niche people. By the time MJOLNIR I hits Kickstarter we should be well into the 20k+ followers across social media and have thousands of email subcribers (based on pacing from June 2017 till now), and hopefully then the campaign will be successful. If not, no hard feelings...we'll be happy that we stayed true to intentions until the very end (i.e. making a design-focused case).
Now, we are of course willing to implement changes. Like if someone says "move GPU down 1 cm" or something, we'll definitely consider it. But on Reddit the responses today we're basically "PUT IN A 200mm CPU COOLER, now" which is unrealistic to take seriously when the case has a limit of 50mm.
I remember the first time I saw DAN A4 SFX, I fell in love with the design straight away and cared very little about the 50mm CPU cooler limit. For me personally, DANs design was worth the compromise. I can't be alone in this (obviously not because DAN sold like cupcakes).
Cases are not made in a vacuum. They are made to hold components... Heat generating components.
When you say premium case, people are going to want to put in well... Premium components. Generally speaking, premium components usually produce more heat.
The 50mm cooler limit is particularly important. It greatly limits how powerful your CPU is. If people spend $300 on case, they're probably going to spend $300 on an 8600k. This means it needs to be cooled effectively.
Again, you have to consider that your case is not made in a vacuum. Why would you limit yourself to only two easily available cooler that can be barely cool a hexacore chip. There's a reason why Ghost S1 is at 66mm CPU cooler support.
Your case is already at 8L in size. Yet the similar sized S1 offers support for water cooling and a much better air cooling support. It can fit a Big Shuriken 2, Samuel 17, and NH-L12.
DAN wanted the smallest case he can get away with. His design language was the result of a functional design... How small can you get a case to be while still fitting standard sized components?
What is your design language and goals?
I mentioned that your message that you are getting across was particularly important. The way you approach it was that we are different because our looks better. Your approach was purely superficial.
If anything it was quite insulting. Our lovely cases hold our components. Our components are a reflection of the build just as the case.
From that vibe, from that approach, what kind of feedback are you going to get? It's obvious from your language and your mock up you don't really actually care.
People pick up on subtle clues a lot. It's quite alarming how easily you brushed off multiple warnings about your thermals, even from Necere who you should most listen to (no one wants sucky thermal at a prototype phase, that should be theorize and accounted for before you drop money and on time on it). No one is going to want to put an i4 in a $300 case. They're enthusiasts. They want to put a 8700k.
Your competitors are listening. They are asking, what do you want? What kind of PC do you want to build? Let us make your dream build and ideals possible. Look at the C4 and S1, both direct are direct descendants of prior experiences of the Dan A4 SFX.
What message are you giving your audience? That you are prettier? Get real. If you're selling a more mass market case then yeah, you can do that.
Your message is lacking. It needs clear and focused guidance in a way that makes feedback inviting.
