Websites for Budding Games Designers
by Timothy "Timpa" Hanslow · in General Discussion · 06/14/2001 (4:17 am) · 30 replies
Look people its very straight forward. If you have a project you want taken seriously then you need a focal point. A website for supporters to see how youre doing and somewhere central to post updates, newly created files and t hand out work lists. There is no shortage of free webspace providers on the net.
I think we need a central point.
Personally I do some web design work :) (tongue in cheek) and even though im not devoted to putting that much effort into my own personla page. Im willing to offer some assistance to someone or someone's who might need it.
Its easy to set up an ezboard, ftp space through freeservers or just about anything else.
If youre serious abouyt making agame and getting people on board then give them something to look at when they wanna check you out.
I think we need a central point.
Personally I do some web design work :) (tongue in cheek) and even though im not devoted to putting that much effort into my own personla page. Im willing to offer some assistance to someone or someone's who might need it.
Its easy to set up an ezboard, ftp space through freeservers or just about anything else.
If youre serious abouyt making agame and getting people on board then give them something to look at when they wanna check you out.
#2
We have Garage Games as a central nexus for publishing and development, why not another central place to reach our audience?
If you think this would be a cool thing, post here. If you'd be interested in helping staff the site, email me.
arxfornax@planetstarsiege.com
06/14/2001 (6:22 am)
I have contacts at GameSpy. I could talk them about setting up a central planet site for independent developers that could provide individual site hosting and FTP service. I think they would jump at the chance, they might even get into it enough to set-up a central master server for indies who develop online games. Only problem is getting a volunteer staff to maintain the central planet site and design it in the first place. I don't have the time it would take for that aspect.We have Garage Games as a central nexus for publishing and development, why not another central place to reach our audience?
If you think this would be a cool thing, post here. If you'd be interested in helping staff the site, email me.
arxfornax@planetstarsiege.com
#3
Eventually, the front "door" of GG will not be aimed at developers, but will be more focused on players, showing best sellers, new releases, special sales and promotions, game reviews and player reviews of the products that the GG community creates.
Tools available to developers will be forums, site hosting, bug tracking, support systems, etc. Some of these may not be free, but most will.
This is one of the key features of GarageGames, i.e. a place for players to come to get fun and innovative content that is not available anywhere else on the Web. We have already secured the publishing rights to some key titles that will provide the needed "umbrella" for the others to ride under.
Jeff Tunnell GG
06/14/2001 (11:14 am)
Right now, GarageGames is focused on developers. However, this Fall, we will be launching the Player's side of the site. Obviously, that is too soon for V12 games to be completed, so we have been talking to developers that already have games nearly ready to be published.Eventually, the front "door" of GG will not be aimed at developers, but will be more focused on players, showing best sellers, new releases, special sales and promotions, game reviews and player reviews of the products that the GG community creates.
Tools available to developers will be forums, site hosting, bug tracking, support systems, etc. Some of these may not be free, but most will.
This is one of the key features of GarageGames, i.e. a place for players to come to get fun and innovative content that is not available anywhere else on the Web. We have already secured the publishing rights to some key titles that will provide the needed "umbrella" for the others to ride under.
Jeff Tunnell GG
#4
06/14/2001 (6:11 pm)
Good to hear.
#5
Thanks
06/15/2001 (10:06 am)
I have been wondering if GG would be willing to setup a place (ie: space on a server) for those of us who are using the v12 engine and need space to host development files on (note: not source code). This would allow those of us with spread out teams to keep things in a centeralized location. I would love to setup a simple version control system for my team to use to keep track of files and such. Anyway, its just a thought and maybe it has already been covered but I didnt notice it.Thanks
#6
Some rough calculations show that to provide FTP, server space, CVS, bug tracking, forums, and additional services, it will run about $5 per month per team member that has access to the development area. That is pretty much a break even cost for GG, but we feel it could be an important service.
Sourceforge offers these services for free to open source projects. They are backed by a money losing public company, and are in the process of moving it to a paid service as well. A story that I read about Source Forge's infrastructure and bandwidth requirements proves that we cannot offer this service for free.
It is costing VALinux literally hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to run the service.
Most of the people we have talked to so far, think the $5 per month per user is very reasonable. What do you think?
Jeff Tunnell GG
06/15/2001 (11:28 am)
Aaron. We have had a bunch of inquiries about this, so we are looking into hosting development. However, it will be a subscription service. It costs money for servers and bandwidth, and we need to make sure those costs are covered.Some rough calculations show that to provide FTP, server space, CVS, bug tracking, forums, and additional services, it will run about $5 per month per team member that has access to the development area. That is pretty much a break even cost for GG, but we feel it could be an important service.
Sourceforge offers these services for free to open source projects. They are backed by a money losing public company, and are in the process of moving it to a paid service as well. A story that I read about Source Forge's infrastructure and bandwidth requirements proves that we cannot offer this service for free.
It is costing VALinux literally hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to run the service.
Most of the people we have talked to so far, think the $5 per month per user is very reasonable. What do you think?
Jeff Tunnell GG
#7
06/15/2001 (11:45 am)
$5 per team member seems great! 
#8
06/26/2001 (1:12 pm)
$5 per team *does* sound great.
#10
06/27/2001 (7:14 am)
Since as of right now I'm a one man Dev house (I like the term "One man wrecking crew") $5 is good for me! :)
#11
06/29/2001 (2:01 pm)
Oops... my mistake. $5 per team member still sounds great.
#12
Of course, we weren't going to offer admin'd CVS services.
Base package for web stuff was going to be 10 bucks a month, then some per mega/gigabyte charge for file storage on the FTP server for development files.
Sounds like GG will whallop me in terms of pricing :)
06/30/2001 (8:44 am)
We were going to do something like this, but, never got around to a good mass storage solution at a price we could justify for this (not being our core web business).Of course, we weren't going to offer admin'd CVS services.
Base package for web stuff was going to be 10 bucks a month, then some per mega/gigabyte charge for file storage on the FTP server for development files.
Sounds like GG will whallop me in terms of pricing :)
#13
Jeff Tunnell GG
06/30/2001 (10:23 pm)
We don't need to have this be a major profit center. It is an important part of the foundation of services we need to provide, so world wide development teams can work together. We just don't want to lose money.Jeff Tunnell GG
#14
MatPec-
Endless Time
07/01/2001 (1:55 pm)
I am wondering, shouldn't projects have their own web page???? I mean, I know Garage Games will distribute the games and all, but Garage Games is not a baby sitterMatPec-
Endless Time
#15
07/04/2001 (1:12 pm)
Provided you ahve your own server it really isn't that expensive to get your own domain and have it forwarded. Only about 75 dollars. You have very limited bandwidth obviously but for a start-up indie game developer with no cash flow it's a great deal. Really easy to get it done too. Getting a system up that you could use to transfer is a little more complex but not out of the question...you just need a backend where only members of your team can access to upload.
#16
07/06/2001 (7:23 pm)
I can help with the planet website
#17
After some talks, we decided that the logistics of such a planet site were pretty insane. However.... I found out that a planet site devoted to independant developers is an idea that's been getting bounced around over there for quite some time. It's just no one has figured out how to do it without costing the company money yet.
07/06/2001 (7:42 pm)
Until I can find a way for GameSpy to turn a profit for such a planet site, it's a no go.After some talks, we decided that the logistics of such a planet site were pretty insane. However.... I found out that a planet site devoted to independant developers is an idea that's been getting bounced around over there for quite some time. It's just no one has figured out how to do it without costing the company money yet.
#18
Am I reading this right? IS the demand still there for low cost (NOT FREE) hosting for web and communication services?
07/08/2001 (8:19 am)
We can roll out a hosting solution for developers, the justification still needs written, but all the pointers say we can do it and not lose money. I just figured why compete if GG has the market cornered, but, after paying attention to this thread, seems like maybe they don't?Am I reading this right? IS the demand still there for low cost (NOT FREE) hosting for web and communication services?
#19
I am wondering, how do the other planet sites have funding? is it just the adverticement, or is there someone's pocket providing the money?
07/08/2001 (9:13 am)
I still think that each project/company should have their own server (wether free or not) and not bother garagegames with the web site. Although a planet "dev" would be pretty cool, garage games would be able to expand, and the rest of us have a better chance of selling/getting known.I am wondering, how do the other planet sites have funding? is it just the adverticement, or is there someone's pocket providing the money?
#20
With sites like the genre planets and File Planet already out there, publicity and getting our demos into the hands of the masses isn't a problem, but finding reliable hosting without too many restrictions can pose a problem for some people (esspecially for those running on a tight budget).
I was planning on setting up a dot-com and purchasing hosting somewhere for my team, until the thought of a central hosting and news site hit me.
I think GameSpy's planet sites generate revenue for GS through advertising, both of GS's products and for other websites\companies. <--- Not sure on that, but it's logical.
07/08/2001 (11:56 am)
I know GG is planning a file hosting service for the Dev teams at $5 per team member (very resonable) so teams can have an easy way to distrubute their project files amoungst their members, there's been mention of low-cost hosting on the horizon as well. I think the demand is here for a centralized place for both site hosting and publicity. I'd be very happy if Garage Games set something up. Regardless of who is handling the service itself, I feel it would be of great benefit to the development community.With sites like the genre planets and File Planet already out there, publicity and getting our demos into the hands of the masses isn't a problem, but finding reliable hosting without too many restrictions can pose a problem for some people (esspecially for those running on a tight budget).
I was planning on setting up a dot-com and purchasing hosting somewhere for my team, until the thought of a central hosting and news site hit me.
I think GameSpy's planet sites generate revenue for GS through advertising, both of GS's products and for other websites\companies. <--- Not sure on that, but it's logical.
JoeSmith