How many of you have actually ''been'' able to take your ideas for games, etc and actually made some money from it. I''ve a good game idea, it''s fairly original, and I''m sure it could be a great seller. Although, I''d like to know just how much money I would likely get for my efforts, there is me, already working as a Senior Artist for a top games company (so the graphics aren''t a problem), and a friend (senior programmer) at another company (3 titles to his name). Does anyone know how the split is made up, or where I could get some information on actual figures, I need to work out a business plan, but haven''t got a clue as to what we could expect after everything else has been paid, and if we''ve missed anything else out in our current plan, we don''t plan to release a full on top 10 commercial title (delusions of grandeur) but rather a cheap but extremely fun game, I''d love to hear from anyone who''s actually been able to take this dream all the way, I mean, when it comes down to it, has it made you rich? Or have you just gotten enough to get by on / broken even? Cost''s are fairly low to start, a spare-time project which has been getting a lot of time spent on it recently, and it''s shaping up real nice, we''ll be ready soon to talk to publishers, but again, I have no idea what to ask, please help me. U can email here if you have any information which may benefit me and the whole community, I''m also interested in hearing of potential publishers too, as I''m not sure of them all... or you can email me in private : - Stringer_ST@Yahoo.Co.Uk Thanks

I cant give exact figures but let me tell you its hard work. You have to take your idea and write the whole story out (40-100 thousand pages) then get some conceptual art together, get a presentation made up, be ready to present it MANY times to MANY companies, and hope for the best.

1) Wrong forum (I''d say)
2) Get a few small games out before you throw yourself into the deep end. Experience is trumps in this industry...
3) I doubt you can pull off a full-size game with three people only. I''m not saying it''s impossible, it''s extremely hard though. Also, I''m not saying you should hire up an army - see #2
4) Don''t expect big money to roll in until you get really good.

- hillip@xenoage.de''>JQ
Full Speed Games. Period.

quote: Original post by Teamshibi
You have to take your idea and write the whole story out (40-100 thousand pages...

Thats a lot of pages! What kind of games do you make?!


[edited by - carrot on August 14, 2002 5:48:37 AM]

Yeah, I''m wondering how long it''s taking him to write that...
I think the game industry isn''t as old as the time it would take to write that. (or to even come up with so much content)

- hillip@xenoage.de''>JQ
Full Speed Games. Period.

hmm, I already work in the games industry, have done for several years, and I''ve never ever heard or seen anything on the magnitude your talking about, certainly an A4 Binder full, but 40 to 100,000 pages ?

Anyway, the just of this is, we''ve done our design, we''ve moved on from that, and we''re concentrating on our content now, but I''m still none the wiser on prices?

Let''s say for example, the game sells 10,000 units

from that

what needs to be deducted

Cost of Packaging
Advertising
Publishers Costs

etc, etc? Any ideas

Also, I''d appreiciate a list of publishers who are used to dealing with smaller companies and have a deep interest in that area.

Thanks

Oh, right. Go to the Business forum on this site and ask there/read their FAQ. There actually are some publishers, etc. hanging out there so you should get info quickly.

- hillip@xenoage.de''>JQ
Full Speed Games. Period.

I know that the script for MGS 2 was about 800 pages, but 40-100 thousand does sound like a bit much. Even for someone like me who loves typing docs from morning to evening.

Personally my design docs are usually 100-500 pages

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I rule, you drool!

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"If the whole world was out to get you... they would have gotten you by now."

ack, I meant words not pages!