Advice needed, financing etc
by Mathieu Bouchard · in General Discussion · 03/26/2001 (11:08 am) · 6 replies
I am seeking serious advice on what steps I should take next in my game development career. I will try my best to explain my current situation in order for you to give me the most accurate advice that you can provide...
-I managed and coded a very successful Total Conversion (Tribes RPG). If you haven't played it, then for the sake of this post, assume that it has extreme potential to be marketed. To help further my credibility, a popular magazine (whose name I am not allowed to post yet) will be publishing an article about my conversion in the next few months;
-I want to extend my game into a better engine in order to add more features. I am considering both Tribes 2 and V12 almost as equals. Only differences are that V12 is marketable, and T2 lets me develop in a constant beta-testing environment (existing T2 players help test my conversion as it is being developed);
-I want to have my game on store shelves, and I don't want to charge monthly fees. Only a one-time fee to purchase the game; and
-I have no money, and my goal is to get financed to develop this game.
What would you suggest I do, especially for my last point about financing?
Thanks,
Mathieu Bouchard
-I managed and coded a very successful Total Conversion (Tribes RPG). If you haven't played it, then for the sake of this post, assume that it has extreme potential to be marketed. To help further my credibility, a popular magazine (whose name I am not allowed to post yet) will be publishing an article about my conversion in the next few months;
-I want to extend my game into a better engine in order to add more features. I am considering both Tribes 2 and V12 almost as equals. Only differences are that V12 is marketable, and T2 lets me develop in a constant beta-testing environment (existing T2 players help test my conversion as it is being developed);
-I want to have my game on store shelves, and I don't want to charge monthly fees. Only a one-time fee to purchase the game; and
-I have no money, and my goal is to get financed to develop this game.
What would you suggest I do, especially for my last point about financing?
Thanks,
Mathieu Bouchard
#2
As for financing.... It's a bitch.
In all honesty, I'm rather surprised that you weren't picked up commercially after Tribes RPG.
06/16/2001 (12:37 pm)
I would develop for the V12 rather than Tribes2, aim for a commercial product from day one.As for financing.... It's a bitch.
In all honesty, I'm rather surprised that you weren't picked up commercially after Tribes RPG.
#3
But without skill, it wouldn't matter even if you did know the right people... Unless you want to make "Return Fire 3". :-)
06/16/2001 (12:53 pm)
"Actual skill is secondary"But without skill, it wouldn't matter even if you did know the right people... Unless you want to make "Return Fire 3". :-)
#4
Try finding marketing and distribution. As an independent, you can just about forget getting your product in any meaningful retail distribution chain. You'll discover that the big publishers don't like seeing their shelf space diminish and are willing to pay to keep YOUR products from bumping THEIRS.
Of course, there's always the Internet and word of mouth.
06/16/2001 (2:10 pm)
Getting financing is only the beginning. Once you borrow the money... now your troubles really begin. Try finding marketing and distribution. As an independent, you can just about forget getting your product in any meaningful retail distribution chain. You'll discover that the big publishers don't like seeing their shelf space diminish and are willing to pay to keep YOUR products from bumping THEIRS.
Of course, there's always the Internet and word of mouth.
#5
Today I can walk into a store (say Target's for example) and find almost a dozen titles by indies (published by the smaller publishers). 5 years ago the same store might have had one or two by indies.
Target's might be more liberal than other stores, but I suspect the same trend would be true in stores like K-Mart or WallMart...
Now I agree, they defiantly don't get the best shelf space. But at least they are there.
06/16/2001 (3:45 pm)
In recent times I've been seeing more and more indie software on store shelves. Mind you they are generally the bargain price software, but they are at least on the shelves. Today I can walk into a store (say Target's for example) and find almost a dozen titles by indies (published by the smaller publishers). 5 years ago the same store might have had one or two by indies.
Target's might be more liberal than other stores, but I suspect the same trend would be true in stores like K-Mart or WallMart...
Now I agree, they defiantly don't get the best shelf space. But at least they are there.
#6
down the better choice
2.this is just my opinion, so dont take this the wrong way, but in your situation i would go with the opposite
pricing model. charge a small fee for the game itself, and a monthly fee for servers. this approach has several
advantages.
a. allows the engine to be incrementally updated. this way you dont have to write a new engine every year and
reinvent the wheel with each new version.
b. allows the game to grow along with its user base.
c. allows developers to finance continually expanding game world and improved gameplay
d. drastically increases games longevity
and again, my opinion, but you should consider electronic distribution. not as cool, but hardcore gamers are mmorpgs bread and butter, yes? they dont need a pretty package to make a purchasing decision. from what i hear, boxes on shelves are for the big boys, not so much the independents. and theres nothing wrong with mail order for 56kers.
as for financing, cant say much there, except there are different answers for different needs. like i posted
elsewhere, check out the small business administrations web site, they have all kinds of tips for sb startups,
and lots of info on how to write a business plan (if you dont already have one.) a business plan can go a long
way to make your venture look more legitimate. if you have a rich uncle or something, he might take you more
seriously if you hand him a professional business plan.
dont know how much of this helps, but i tried.
btw, congratulations on the article, i got a peek at it and they definitely gave you a glowing review. im sure
youre extremely proud of how the last two years work paid off. after reading that, im thinking about buying
tribes just to play your game!
again,congratulations to you and your team, yall deserve it.
07/01/2001 (7:14 pm)
1.V12 i doubt you will have any problems convincing your beta testers to switch to a non-t2 build. V12 is hands down the better choice
2.this is just my opinion, so dont take this the wrong way, but in your situation i would go with the opposite
pricing model. charge a small fee for the game itself, and a monthly fee for servers. this approach has several
advantages.
a. allows the engine to be incrementally updated. this way you dont have to write a new engine every year and
reinvent the wheel with each new version.
b. allows the game to grow along with its user base.
c. allows developers to finance continually expanding game world and improved gameplay
d. drastically increases games longevity
and again, my opinion, but you should consider electronic distribution. not as cool, but hardcore gamers are mmorpgs bread and butter, yes? they dont need a pretty package to make a purchasing decision. from what i hear, boxes on shelves are for the big boys, not so much the independents. and theres nothing wrong with mail order for 56kers.
as for financing, cant say much there, except there are different answers for different needs. like i posted
elsewhere, check out the small business administrations web site, they have all kinds of tips for sb startups,
and lots of info on how to write a business plan (if you dont already have one.) a business plan can go a long
way to make your venture look more legitimate. if you have a rich uncle or something, he might take you more
seriously if you hand him a professional business plan.
dont know how much of this helps, but i tried.
btw, congratulations on the article, i got a peek at it and they definitely gave you a glowing review. im sure
youre extremely proud of how the last two years work paid off. after reading that, im thinking about buying
tribes just to play your game!
again,congratulations to you and your team, yall deserve it.
Torque Owner Hap
Then we ran Ingava.com, producing G-Sector, Outbound, LaserAge, and Robocrush. Over 1,000,000 combined downloads from Download.com alone.
download.cnet.com/downloads/1,10150,0-10001-103-0-1-7,00.html?tag=srch&qt=Ingava...
After all this, there is one thing that still stands. Getting financial backing is about who you know. Actual skill is secondary. Unfortunally, we are still looking for investors.