Why I don't like Starter Pet Stretch

And then letting us test our weapons on him?

 

I think they have planned the stretch goals first. It seems a bit weird that they would think that a whole new race would be as cool as a cool race with an equally cool "back-story." The Novakid should have been the last goal, the pets should have been the second, and I think the fossils should have been first. Then again, it doesn't matter seeing as how fast they are selling copies of the game, even before it is released and they will all be reached by this Thursday.
I'm not opposed to the idea of the starter pets though, as long as there is a way to just have them in your ship so they can wait there.

 

Meh, I don't have any real issue with the starter pets stretch goal. Sure, it's a little underwhelming, but there's only so much they can do as a stretch goal. To avoid bogging down development, they have to either work within the current architecture of the game (Novakids, fossils as rando-spawned objects) or do something simple (starter pets).

Stretch goals also have to be decently interesting to a good amount of people. A new race is a good option, especially one that consists of free spirited glowing space cowboys. I'm surprised they went with fossils as a stretch goal; it was the one I loved the most (because fossils are awesome) but I don't imagine it as being super popular. Starter pets are a choice a lot of people complain about, but they're a reasonable idea as to what would be simple and likeable.

So while I don't very much care for the latest stretch goal, I understand why they chose it and take no issue with their decision. Especially since I can't think of another stretch goal that fits those criteria.