Funding New Games 19
Reedo writes "RPG Vault has an interesting article about securing funding for new games. The article was put together by Doug Mealy, the President of Online Marketing and Public Relations. It covers points of view from investors, as well as game developers who have succeeded in landing funding. A good read if you're curious about what's involved when trying to get a game funded."
Re:What the fuck is this? (Score:2, Funny)
Don't worry guys... (Score:4, Funny)
On second thought, worry.
Notes from Underground (Score:5, Interesting)
Take my little project [banarnar.com], for example. I'm currently trying to scrape together $3,000 to: 1) buy a decent soundtrack, 2) buy some decent sound effects, and 3) advertise on a few websites. The rest of the time and effort required to bring the game up to a "marketable" level (adding lots of eyecandy and gameplay extras) comes directly from me, so I don't include that in the final price.
I'd like to be able to simply take out a personal loan, but for that I'd have to be pretty sure that the game could sell at least 300 copies online at $10 a pop.
If this little game works, it's not that much of a stretch to pull together $30,000 (about the size of a car loan) for a game, if you could expect to sell 3000 copies at $10 each. It then becomes like real estate, I suppose.
If it were only that easy. I suspect that the distance between a finished game and a sold game is just as long as the distance between an idea and a finished game... Clearly, big budgets don't necessarily equate to big sales, but does that mean that small budget titles don't even stand a chance at profit?
Re:Notes from Underground (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:Notes from Underground (Score:4, Informative)
HDI reviews outside development stuff (not just computer games, but board games too) with an to publishing, so they would be more then happy to give you a fair shake.
Re:Notes from Underground (Score:1)
Re:Notes from Underground (Score:2, Informative)
As far as your project "Vortex" goes, you probably will be able to sell 300 copies, only because I think that someone can probably sell 300 copies of almost anything. But selling 3000 copies is going to be a lot tougher.
My advice is to make your own sound effects, pay some musician friend to make a little soundtrack for you, and keep the advertising money. Then you will have something that might be a workable demo for you to get an intro into a game developer. That's the best way to really get into "The Industry", especially since Demos are key. I've met a lot of programmers who have the resumes but couldn't make games for shit, and also seen great demos come from nowhere. Of course, I've also seen people with great resumes and great demos, they aren't exclusive properties!
I'd also like to make a few suggestions for your game. First, brighten it up, it's way too dark. Secondly, add some textures or decorations, especially around the edges of the screen. The flat shaded polys have that retro look going, but they aren't enough. Bring your game into the 1990s at least!
Also one thing about your "business plan". You're looking for $3000 to spend on a game that you're projecting to bring in $3000 in revenue. At that rate it's going to take a LONG time to raise your $30,000...
--A game developer on my lunch break from the 2003 Game Developers Conference
Can we get another Zero Wing? (Score:4, Funny)
I provide game developers with funding... (Score:2, Funny)
Cower under a table? (Score:2)
No, that's Hollywood. What am I thinking of?