Hi, I am new to this forum and was wondering how you game developers feel about making money ingame. Do you feel that that is ok, or do you refuse to add donation/payment options? I noticed a lot of 'hostile' responses to ingame advertising companies and was wondering if you feel the same way about making money with your game. The reason I am asking this is because I am looking for game developing companies/individuals who are active in the UK, Australia and Ireland. I am working for a commercial company that offers payment solutions, so just thought I would come to the source and ask you guys how you feel. thanks very much for your time.

It depends on how they make money in-game. I don't mind micro-payments for things that are convenient or non-necessary. I also don't mind being charged for add-on content. In short, the way XBox Live works is ok by me.

I don't like the idea of having to pay extra money in order to be competitive with other players. Payed content in a PvP game, or a PvE game like an MMORPG, is a no-no.

Donation options are always ok. I don't think I've met anyone who gets upset about that.

I don't like in-game advertising. Theoretically, its ok as long as you're subtle with it an add it in appropriate places. Like, a coke machine in a hallway, or advertisements in the baseball game. My opposition about advertisements, however, is that advertising companies are always looking for better ways to get in your face. It starts subtly, but pretty soon just having their advertisement blending in with the setting isn't good enough. Things like this tend to be why people don't like advertisements. That and the coke machine that's suspiciously indestructible because Coke doesn't feel that destroying it conveys the correct brand image.

Basically, I don't trust advertisers to care about the game enough to be subtle and non-distracting. Of course, my opinion of advertisement companies is low to begin with.