I know this post probably belongs in 'the business of game development' forum, but since this one really focuses on design implementation, I figured I'd post it here. What methods would be good for self publication in your opinion? I've come up with a few cool ideas I think would work really well... For example, say I plan to create a game, then a sequel.. I don't plan on excellent sales for the first game, so I anticipate sales from the sequel. Here's my strategy: Game #1 will be free for all who would download it/install it from a magazine distro or whatever... People who play the game will be encouraged upon installation (and completion of the game) to make a small donation to the developer (but here's the twist, Donations over say... $20 will get the person's name in the sequel's credits. Now, I can tell you- I'd probably pay 20 bucks to get my name in a game's credits.. show all your friends, ect... and on top of that- every person who donated the $20 is almost guaranteed to buy the sequel since their names will appear in the credits (not to mention friends, family, ect...)! Game #2 will be a typical sequel, but this time around, key NPCs from the first game will be made playable. Game #1 will purposely hype these characters up to get the player LUSTING after their control. This game should be available for purchase for a modest fee, or at this point, with your marketing strategy you should have several publishers knocking on your door. To maximize profits, Game #2 should be 'near complete' when Game #1 is released, then released when Game #1 has past its gestation period. Anybody else got any tactics they'd like to share with the community? -eldee ;another space monkey; Edited by - eldee on December 21, 2001 6:10:31 PM

ummmmmmm.... does this sound really, really bad to anyone else?

Yeah Gaiiden, I''m with you on this one. Sounds like a pretty bad idea. Although, distributing it free might keep it from being pirated...

I don''t know that I would really pay $20 just to see my name in the credits for a game. Especially if I were to realize that I might be waiting 10 minutes for all the names to scroll by, just to see my name in a medievel(sp?) font that''s nearly blurred beyond recognition when shrunked to 8 or 10 point. And I''m pretty sure that even if it was in there, friends and family wouldn''t buy it just based on that fact.

Not to say we don''t applaud your creativity--I do, anyway--but it''s based on some shaky assumptions about human nature and still a relatively weak business model.

I think it''s a good idea to create a freeware title (AKA "demo") for your first project, followed up by more polished for-profit titles. The rest of the "business plan", though, has flaws.

1. While some people may pay to get their "name in lights" (even the relatively dim lights of a shareware sophomoric title), I doubt that are enough such people to base a business plan on. Don''t focus on how you can trick people out of their money. Instead, focus on creating a game they want to pay for.

2. "NPCs from the first game will be made playable..."
If your game isn''t a big hit, who cares? Which is also the flaw with trying to sell "name in the credits".


DavidRM
Samu Games

quote: Original post by DavidRM
Don''t focus on how you can trick people out of their money. Instead, focus on creating a game they want to pay for.

My aim wasn''t to trick anyone, but to get exposure with the first game.
Not to say the first game was to be poor quality, or "shareware"
quality, as you''ve taken it to be..
I''m just saying, release the first game for free, to gain exposure,
then the second game will sell better.
And if the first game is good, you''ll get donations, and the
sequel will sell.

I suppose I didn''t put my point across with the first post, but
my intent was never to trick anyone. Tricking someone is putting
pre-rendered CGI shots all over your game box and selling something
that looks like shit. Drawing someone''s attention by making
your game free isn''t tricking anyone.

-eldee
;another space monkey;

why is everyone so bent on making quick money off their own games?

Let´s face it, you´ll never get big money off a game which consists of one shareware/freeware and one retail title. First of all, shareware is as good as dead, with the market shifting you won´t be able to get as much exposure as you used to.

Paying 20 bucks for a name in the credits won´t make you much money either, first, most people just won´t pay for it - it´s not worth it. Second, even if you have enough people paying for it they´ll be disappointed as draqza said, six-point font just won´t cut it.

And I doubt that teh idea with the characters will work well.. at least I´ve never seen something like that work. Besides, players aren´t as dumb as you might think, they´ll notice when a character is blown out of proportion.


Another one: You won´t have publishers knocking on your door. Period. This is simply not how it goes. In order to get a publisher you usually have to do long, long, long talks. The process of finding a publisher is hard work and takes months, that is if you have a triple-A title. For small time game it will probably be even harder.

Just to give you an idea of how the market looks right now: Check out the Ikarion website, a german company which has successfully produced games for the last eight years. Their last project, Armalion, failed to attract a publisher soon enough. THe game is 75% finished and looks quite good at this point. Still, no publisher could be found in time = bankrupcy. Now they´re closing down. Have a look at www.armalion.de



What´s wrong with creating a few small demos or game prototypes for a portfolio and then trying to get a job in the industry? Everyone seems to be trying to make their own games, with little or no business experience - I´m not even talking about programming skills. A job will provide you with a steady income for work you´d do anyway. And it´s a souce of very valuable experience, if you´re serious about making your own games you can work for a few years as an employee, preferably with a few different companies, and then start your own. This is how almost all of those people who I know have done it. YOu might not always be able to work on exactly what you want, but without real experience you´re toast, especially on the publishing side. To get a game published you need connections, and those take time and opportunity do develop.

It''s a shame of Armalion, cause it looks like they had done a great deal of work in it. It must be that 3D hype that is going on that killed it.

Economics is a subject that does not greatly respect one''s wishes.
-Nikita S. Khrushchev

It''s not a matter of wanting to make quick money off my first game. It''s a matter of wanting enough money to quit my day-job and do this stuff full time for about 5 years.

I have somewhere around 3 to 5 ideas that I''d really love to work full-time on.

I suspect we all have ideas we would like to work on full time. I have a brill idea for a whole new genre of games (well I think so anyway) but there''s this nasty business called RL.

Honestly I wouldn''t pay to have my name in the credits of a game I had hardly contributed to. Anyway my mum can''t operate a computer and the rest of my family wouldn''t care.

Releasing a free game in the hope of making profits on the second release only works if you can attract a large fan base to the game. Large and loyal - in between the first and second releases loads more games will be published.

How many NPC''s have you in mind? If it''s under 100 the players you attract to play them in the sequel won''t give you a profit and if it''s over 100 most players simply won''t associate with that many NPCs.

I''m sorry eldee I think any one with ideas should be encouraged - I like the spirit - but I just can''t see this working.

Without being too pessimistic... The only way to go full time on game development is if you are employed by a development company. Unless you have a really rich wife/husband/parents. Especially if it´s your first game.