You may have thought it was too good to be true when you first heard that the sci-fi author Neal Stephenson was personally leading the development of a motion controller-enabled sword fighting simulator, but the project has passed its first stumbling block. The game's called Clang, and it has achieved its $500,000 goal on Kickstarter, about a day before its deadline at noon. It looked like the project was in jeopardy — it was $90,000 short of the goal with five days left — but with support from over 8,500 backers the game will come one step closer to reality. Of the multiple pledge levels, eight coughed up $10,000 for a full-size steel longsword, a studio tour, and lunch with the team. The Kickstarter page says the pledge gifts are due to go out in February of next year, but no word yet on when development will begin. Stephenson is certainly excited to have the project funded, however, saying that "words are somewhat lacking right now, but we are so thrilled! Thank you all so much!"