My point exactly. In attempting to make money at games it becomes an exercise in reducing the risk of a game not being successful. The business plan side of it goes a long way toward helping your investors believe you have done due dilligence in solving the problem. Nothing is ever carved in stone but making the odds favor success is what investors want to see.

Here's to hoping it works

Kressilac
ps Lets not lose sight of the fact that I believe the idea I have is a great one. I would tell you but I would have to kill you afterwards. *chuckle* Non-disclosure agreements are wonderful aren't they.

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Derek Licciardi

Yup, its important to remember there are no sure things, and in the games business this is even more true.

Just having a business plan wont make you successful, however, not planning is really ensuring your failure...

-Geoff

Splat: Grrrrrrrr

???

Of course, there are exceptions.

Blair Witch Project anyone?

The Blair Witch Project cost around $250K to produce. And, based on the (intentionally) piss-poor production value and (intentionally) sophomoric acting talent, I think they paid too much...but that's a different topic...

The Secret to the Success of The Blair Witch Project was pure marketing. As much as I despise the film, the commercials were great. At least the first 2 million times I saw them...

While I keep hearing how "little" the movie cost to make, I've not heard any totals for how much the advertising campaign and it's line of hype added to the total. From my own experience in supporting the advertising arm of cable network, they dropped a hell of a lot more than $250K.

And, for the record, the movie "Clerks" only cost $27.5K to make.

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DavidRM
Samu Games

I think people blindly throw this word "passion" around as if it transcends
everything else. I pratically see it on every posted game programming job position
description I read. "Must have a passion for creating games...", blah blah.
But you never hardly see this word used for anything else besides game
programming positions. Why? Is it because people look down on games compared
to other jobs?

Is "passion" just another expression for being "not lazy"?

Believe me, you can have passion for lots of things, so I don't see why
this word is used more in computer gaming context than anywhere else.

Reaver

Passion : Willingness to work ridiculous hours for a low base rate of pay in a skilled job with no overtime, no bonuses (which actually materialise) and no royalties.

The passion clause in games jobs advertisements underlies the the fact that games companies understands that the nature of the industry attracts people willing to ignore sense and financial rewards in return for doing something they love.

Slavery is an industry standard.

I guess I believe that you don't have to be a slave driver to produce a popular game. If your business plan is organized enough, intelligently thought out while not ignoring the common problems, and your people are talented enough, then you can pay them what they deserve and stand a good chance of making a successful product. Call me an idiot, I just think I can do it better than has been done in the past. Isn't this attitude what makes innovation happen.

Kressilac
ps I refuse to succumb to the status quo.

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Derek Licciardi

AlexM: Umm, why are you growling at me?

- Splat