So I am working on a game whereby a person got themselves a license for the Hero Engine and is attempting to recruit players from an mmorpg site to make an mmorpg. The way that volunteers are to be paid is a share system based on work contributed and also experience in the games industry and being able to say you had your name on a published game. Now I don't know whether we will ever get a game shipped and if we do I doubt the credit or the money will be worth much. What I do think is interesting is the test of whether a game with a limited primary vision and with programmers who initially have no experience with HSL will ever get published. Now I don't really care if anything happens with the game, there is no reason not to learn HSL, probably won't be too much work given my other language experience, and is a good language to know. I am only spending my copious free time and I already make lots of throwaway games to practice mechanics and for shits and giggles.
What do you guys think about this sort of business model?

Does this "a person" have a registered company, and are there signed business agreements between them and the "staff"?
If not, I'd be reluctant to call it a "business model" at all; I'd call it a hobby pretending to be a real business venture.

Does “a person” live in Canada and go by the name “Byron”? I can’t say more until I know the answer to this.


L. Spiro

Does “a person” live in Canada and go by the name “Byron”? I can’t say more until I know the answer to this.

I'm gonna guess you got screwed over by a guy named Byron who lives in Canada, though I thought it was an Asian company that screwed you over... Either that or you're suggesting anonymity is not something to be desired when it comes to contracts, and if this guy is serious he needs to get his real life info out there in a contract.

[quote name='YogurtEmperor' timestamp='1324438028' post='4896014']
Does “a person” live in Canada and go by the name “Byron”? I can’t say more until I know the answer to this.

I'm gonna guess you got screwed over by a guy named Byron who lives in Canada...
[/quote]

I can't have gotten screwed over since I haven't done anything. The guys name appears to be Matt. The "company" is called Nefarious Means.

I can't have gotten screwed over since I haven't done anything.

Not you, I meant Spiro.

Does this "a person" have a registered company, and are there signed business agreements between them and the "staff"?
If not, I'd be reluctant to call it a "business model" at all; I'd call it a hobby pretending to be a real business venture.

Well it is a hobby I am guessing, but he says he does intend to publish the game. As I said even if the game doesn't go anywhere I am fine with just getting to play around with Hero Engine for free.

[quote name='AltarofScience' timestamp='1324438744' post='4896017']
I can't have gotten screwed over since I haven't done anything.

Not you, I meant Spiro.
[/quote]

If you and Spiro want to start a derail take it to PMs.

If you and Spiro want to start a derail take it to PMs.

Oh relax, dude. I was simply trying to clarify for the sake of the thread what it was Spiro was saying. I'm not sure if he's talking about a Byron from Canada because of a specific past experience, of if he's trying to make a more general statement (and exactly what that general statement is). My post was more or less asking Spiro to add more to his post so that I (and others, you included) can understand it better. I wasn't trying to derail anything, and I suggested in my post (while guessing it may be what Spiro was referring to) that if you want serious business, get a contract signed without anonymity (which should help show that I'm not here to derail it, but am giving you my response to your question, though I was giving it while guessing at what Spiro was saying).

What do you guys think about this sort of business model?

Our thoughts are expressed in the other thread on this business model, entitled: "Fair/Realistic Profit Sharing Breakdown?"
And I've written about it in my column.