Ah, you of course have the right to disagree... but I think you're off base.

No reason to get into it again, I think I've presented my feelings on it pretty clearly, and I appreciate the time others have put into responding.

Just remember, a "good suit" is not a taskmaster, freeloader, or idiot any more than a football coach is.

Enough of that.

On to shareware.

The shareware option is just ONE option. I'm going to look at which of them is most cost effective and brings the largest profit.

My understanding is that depending on what the product is registration rates can vary from almost zero to up to 50%.

Now you're making a LOT of assumptions:

1. The market for this game are NOT kids! They'll have disposable income.

2. The bonus for registration is NOT "just a few more levels".

I don't know if the shareware model will work for me, but in responding don't make the assumption that this will be a level based game for teenage guys (nothing wrong with that, just that this isn't that type of game).

I have to balance - if I think I can get 2-5% registration rate then it probably makes more sense for me to do it that way than to sell it off.

What do you all think?

That post was just funny. I have heard too many people saying they have the idea for the perfect GAME. GUESS WHAT!!!!! you have the idea, but the only person who could make it exactly how you wanted is YOU. And Every Manager needs SOME programming skills, at least how to understand it. Also, age does not matter here, its ability. Im only 13, k, I have been programming for 6 years, 4 of them c/c++. Ive made a couple games, BUT, there are hundereds of people out there that are 100's of times better at me and more talented, and I understand that. Also, Because you dont program, more often then not, your expectation will be way too high.

Sure, the registration rates can vary from 0% to 100%. But the curve for most games that are released centers around the 1% area.

You must remember that most (I would love to here of one) successful shareware games were NOT that particular company / team's first creation.

What I would normally recommend is that you create the game, THEN see if it's good enough to attempt to sell. Most programmer's make countless dumb, silly, not high-quality games before they are good enough to make what most of us consider to be quality shareware. However, this option is not for you, because _you_ (not your "team") cannot produce much at all. My best advice for you is, if you REALLY think you have a killer idea (which is unfortunately unlikely), put together a design document (and maybe a technical overview, assuming you have enough knowledge of what the programming hurdles will be), show it around to some VCs, maybe get some money, and hire some quality programmers on a salary.

Either that or certainly don't set your sights so high. If you manage to complete the game, I'd be happy for you. That's an accomplishment. Your "payment" problems are like planning for your wedding at age 4 - you don't have to worry about the arrangements until you've survived childhood, got an education, found a girlfriend that you really like, etc. And you aren't even guaranteed of all that - you may (read; probably) will die of hunger at age 7, way before your wedding.

Enough metaphors, I'm must sound grumpy but I just wanted you to know that you are planning way to far in the future. Most likely, your profit will be $0.00 in which case the %s don't matter whatsoever.

- Splat

I totaly Agree wit Splat, I made at least 15 small games before I started my big project. My Big Project was started over twice because I was not tackling the problems right. My game still sucks. It took me about a half year to write the engine. and a couple more to make the game. It is a Smooth Scrolling 2D Game. People who plaid it had fun, but not near quility of other FREE games out there. So I made a 3D Engine and made a small game, but later found,at that time, I did not have enough Math Skills 2 do the best Physics and Collision Detection and the game was lost. Just wanted to show you how hard Ive worked and are farther than you but not by much. And I thought it would be much easier, just make a game(HA). And your not looking at it in the right view.

I'd really appreciate you comments, opinions, and answers to any of my questions.

I don't know anything about programming (well I did do basic on my C64 when I was 14 but that's it). I have a game idea.

Laughing yet?

OK, I'm NOT going to learn programming. I don't have the time. I know this is the Wrong Way to do it, but that's how I'm going to do it, because I have no other choice.

I've already assembled a tentative group of people to help me build the game.

The team is:

Me - oversight, design, quality control, boss.
C++ programmer
Graphic Designer
Internet Expert

No one is getting a dime up front. I'm offering a percentage of potential profits. I'm considering 40% for myself, and 20% each for the other 3.

The concept is SIMPLE, as is the programming. Think something a bit more complex than Tetris. No 3D shooter, no polygons, no AI.

I believe this makes it more feasible to do with a small team, and no venture capital whatsoever.

The idea is also very original. Really it is. It's not Tetris2 or Doom4. It's really something unique.

It could be successful or it could flop totally. Again, think tetris - if we do it right and it "catches" it could be really good. Maybe not.

I'm considering distributing it as shareware. It is going to be pretty small (under 5 megs) and ther e are obvious hooks that make it worthwhile to register.

I'm also in the good situation that I'm not expecting to make Mega Money. I want to make money, most definitely. But I don't expect to get rich. If the team as a whole made $50,000 I'd be thrilled beyond words. If it made $12,000 I'd be pleased as punch (again, team profits). I've got definite and important economic goals but they are, all things considered, considerably more modest than many….

I'm not 15. Nothing against 15 year olds, but I'm old enough to be beyond the "yo dude let's du a killer engine" stage.

OK, now down to some specific questions:

1. Does any of this sound vaguely reasonable?
2. Is shareware a legitimate option to make a profit on a product that is easily downloadable and has "hooks" that make registration worthwhile?
3. Are the profits I'm offering (20%) too high or too low? Remember, there is NOTHING up front and NO guarantees. This is a percentage of PROFIT not sale, regardless of whether we sell it to a distributor, sell via shareware or whatever.

I don't know, I'd just love some comments on all of this….

(cross posted to another discussion)

Just a quick comment on the shareware issue.

2) No. Shareware hardly ever makes any money.

I don't remember the exact quote here, but I remember reading that someone asked John Carmack once whether shareware made any money. He replied that he drove a Ferrari. I think shareware has a great potential to make money, if it is done right. ID software obviously made enough from the Commander Keen games to continue on to make Wolfenstein and Doom which were also shareware. In fact, they didn't stop making shareware until Quake, and look how successful they are now (and were even then). So, the point is, don't let people convince you that shareware does not make money... if you do it right, you can be just as successful as anyone else in the industry in my opinion.

Good luck with your project.

Starfall