Two Questions?

17,201

August 05, 2011 11:45 PM

[quote name='Tom Sloper' timestamp='1312585040' post='4845263']
[quote name='Verdict' post='4845244']1. Would getting a team to join a game company be a better approach than getting a team to join on an idea.

Explain, please. I do not understand this question.
[/quote]
Nah, what I said is one and the same, scratch that part of what I said.
But what else is it I need to do, when you said you don't think I'm far enough ready to start the games?
[/quote]
Scratch that part of what I said, and please read these too. They are more answers I have written to people who have asked me questions similar to yours. I believe they'll further clarify my position on what you're trying to do.
http://www.igda.org/games-game-august-2010
http://www.igda.org/games-game-june-2010
http://www.igda.org/games-game-october-2009
http://www.igda.org/games-game-november-2007

-- Tom Sloper -- sloperama.com

Verdict

109

Author

August 06, 2011 12:26 AM

[quote name='Verdict' timestamp='1312586254' post='4845270']
[quote name='Tom Sloper' timestamp='1312585040' post='4845263']
[quote name='Verdict' post='4845244']1. Would getting a team to join a game company be a better approach than getting a team to join on an idea.

Explain, please. I do not understand this question.
[/quote]
Nah, what I said is one and the same, scratch that part of what I said.
But what else is it I need to do, when you said you don't think I'm far enough ready to start the games?
[/quote]
Scratch that part of what I said, and please read these too. They are more answers I have written to people who have asked me questions similar to yours. I believe they'll further clarify my position on what you're trying to do.
http://www.igda.org/...ame-august-2010
http://www.igda.org/...-game-june-2010
http://www.igda.org/...me-october-2009
http://www.igda.org/...e-november-2007
[/quote]

I guess you're the right guy and wrong guy for me to get advice from lol. But all that is great information, anything else you can link me too would be great. I think all I need is the legal parts before I'm set to start.
I have everything set for the game, once I have the team, they'll be ready to get the game going.

Funding for the most part, I don't think would be a problem. By the time the game is fully operational and ready to launch, it definitely wouldn't be a problem.

I already have the money making aspect of the games.

I'm very far from being money hungry, so splitting the revenue with me, the team, future game designs, I doubt would be a problem I'll run into, especially if it generates as much as I think they will make.

Am I missing anything else?

Tom Sloper

17,201

August 06, 2011 12:44 AM

I think all I need is the legal parts before I'm set to start.
Am I missing anything else?

One thing at a time. Legal parts first, and meanwhile you can be figuring out where to get people whose expectations are in line with yours.

-- Tom Sloper -- sloperama.com

Verdict

109

Author

August 06, 2011 01:10 AM

[quote name='Verdict' timestamp='1312590405' post='4845285']I think all I need is the legal parts before I'm set to start.
Am I missing anything else?

One thing at a time. Legal parts first, and meanwhile you can be figuring out where to get people whose expectations are in line with yours.
[/quote]
I know you don't like the 'idea guy' but thanks with all the info and help.

One last question, from everything I've said in this thread, would you recommend trying to get a team, like lets say on this site or best to go with a team from one of the schools out here

Tom Sloper

17,201

August 06, 2011 02:28 AM

would you recommend trying to get a team, like lets say ( A ) on this site or best to go with ( B ) a team from one of the schools out here

False dichotomy. Both. And ( C ).

-- Tom Sloper -- sloperama.com

Verdict

109

Author

August 06, 2011 04:08 AM

[quote name='Verdict' timestamp='1312593046' post='4845310']
would you recommend trying to get a team, like lets say ( A ) on this site or best to go with ( B ) a team from one of the schools out here

False dichotomy. Both. And ( C ).
[/quote]

scared to ask, whats (C)?

Tom Sloper

17,201

August 06, 2011 06:08 AM

[quote name='Tom Sloper' timestamp='1312597712' post='4845323']
[quote name='Verdict' timestamp='1312593046' post='4845310']
would you recommend trying to get a team, like lets say ( A ) on this site or best to go with ( B ) a team from one of the schools out here

False dichotomy. Both. And ( C ).
[/quote]
scared to ask, whats (C)?
[/quote]
Nothing to be scared of. Just saying, don't limit your options to only A and B. Come up with C, and D, because this is going to be difficult. But I said before, take care of the legalities first. While you're doing that, you can think about other options besides just A and B.

I know you don't like the 'idea guy'[/quote]
The things I don't like about this are:
- I don't like what'll happen to the poor guys you promise royalties to (they'll never get paid).
- I don't like what'll happen to you -- futility can be very frustrating. Not saying it will definitely come to naught (I can't foretell the future). Just saying the chances of success (given the picture you've painted to now) are abysmally low.
- As a producer, I hate to see projects go bad.
- I hate to see a bunch of people go off in wrong directions when there are better ways to use their energies.

On the bright side, you'll be learning a lot.

-- Tom Sloper -- sloperama.com

Obscure

175

August 10, 2011 03:50 PM

1. I would like to get a team that will work for free to get the game started, then reimbursed when the game is launched.

Why would anyone want to work on your game for free when they can work on their own game for free and keep all the money*

So excluding that part, how much am I looking to be spending on getting the game launched. The game is kinda like a Zynga style game, your own game, but its still interactive with others who are playing it.[/quote]
$1 million+ if you want to compete with Zynga you will need to match or exceed their marketing budget.

2. I live in Worcester, MA. 2 of the top 10 game design schools is located in here. Would it be best to get a team from the schools or better to work with others who have a bit more experience in gaming. Mainly the advantage of working with the team personally rather than online.[/quote]
See my point above. Why would any of these people want to work on your idea. People learn to make games because they have ideas they want to see turned into games. Given a choice between making your idea (for no pay) or making their own idea, why would they choose yours?

*Note: You are assuming that your game will make any money. The reality is that it almost certainly won't. you should research the reality of indie development before proceeding.

Dan Marchant - Business Development Consultant
www.obscure.co.uk

stupid_programmer

2,378

August 10, 2011 04:53 PM

I worked on a fairly popular mid tier Facebook game (it gets a lot of plays but nowhere near Zynga numbers) and it probably cost $200k-$250k to develop (a guess based on my salary at the time). I have no clue what they have spent on advertising but it has to be in the six digits (nowhere near Zynga ad levels).

Ideas are basically worthless, its the implementation that counts. You can have a 500 page design doc for a simple Facebook game but without programmers, artists, and sound guys you don't have a game. You need tech people more then they need you. I have probably a dozen game ideas floating around I could play with if I had the time. Obscure basically said what I was going to say. Why should somebody work for free for you with little chance of profit when they can work on their own idea? There is little incentive to put months of work in to something and then find the project has stopped for because of something out of their control. Take a look at all the "idea guy" help wanted ads in the other forum. They get a couple of posts (if lucky) and then slide off the first page and are never heard of again. That should give you a good guess at how successful "work now, pay later" projects are.

raybarrera

101

August 11, 2011 07:24 PM

For question 1: I'm with the idea guy article.
For question 2: Experience, talent and dedication > convenience. In my current project, I am working with very talented people in Europe because of their dedication and talent. I attend an art school in southern Ca, and even though there is plenty of talent, the dedication is not there.

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