Some good questions, Tom (and I'm here to learn, so please correct me if I'm wrong)...


'Why would you want to broadcast to the world a watered-down weak version of your awesome idea?'

I wouldn't. But basic doesn't necessarily mean watered-down or weak, it can mean limited. Imagine someone showed you just the final fight scene in Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - would that be enough to convince you to watch all three films, just on the back of that one sequence....?

'Why would you want to broadcast your idea to the world instead of investors anyway?'

Because an APP version could not only broadcast the idea to investors, it would also demonstrate its commercial pull (assuming it exerted any commercial pull!)

'Wouldn't it be better to make an awesome demo of the juiciest bits of your awesome idea to show to investors?'

My thinking (naieve or not!) is that by getting a limited APP version 'out there', one could potentially demonstrate its appeal.

But as I say, I'm here to learn so feel free to correct me if you think I'm mistaken.

If you had the money. It's completely up to you. Just study a bit a law, find someone or some company and set up a legal binding that both parties agree and there you go.

'Why would you want to broadcast your idea to the world instead of investors anyway?'

Because an APP version could not only broadcast the idea to investors, it would also demonstrate its commercial pull (assuming it exerted any commercial pull!)

Been there, so I know why you'd be tempted to do this. This is a bad instinct, and here's why:
Most products that do have some commercial interest from the population (and I'm mostly referring to web and mobile apps) will require immediate updates. The fact you're holding back on good stuff is great, because it helps you get ready to expand IF necessary, which means you can pitch a few projects and only pick the one that worked ok and expand on it.
However, if you're building this on a budget and hoping for this product to work first and then get proper funding, you'll find that the velocity of the people you meet up with is not on par with yours, and that when you actually get money out of the deal to continue dev, the "hype" will be dead.

In other words, you'd be trashing your own idea because of industry velocity factors.
You should definitely pitch your idea to investors, but not go live until you are sure you can followup with something else at a moment's notice.
A project I was working on has recently suffered from that... a bad "transmissions in the cogs" so to speak.

[quote name='ToddF' timestamp='1344890164' post='4969186']
'Why would you want to broadcast your idea to the world instead of investors anyway?'

Because an APP version could not only broadcast the idea to investors, it would also demonstrate its commercial pull (assuming it exerted any commercial pull!)

Been there, so I know why you'd be tempted to do this. This is a bad instinct, and here's why:
Most products that do have some commercial interest from the population (and I'm mostly referring to web and mobile apps) will require immediate updates. The fact you're holding back on good stuff is great, because it helps you get ready to expand IF necessary, which means you can pitch a few projects and only pick the one that worked ok and expand on it.
However, if you're building this on a budget and hoping for this product to work first and then get proper funding, you'll find that the velocity of the people you meet up with is not on par with yours, and that when you actually get money out of the deal to continue dev, the "hype" will be dead.

In other words, you'd be trashing your own idea because of industry velocity factors.
You should definitely pitch your idea to investors, but not go live until you are sure you can followup with something else at a moment's notice.
A project I was working on has recently suffered from that... a bad "transmissions in the cogs" so to speak.
[/quote]

This is a good point. While thinking over it I came up with this: Commercial interest is a good way to gain/keep investors, and having investors is a good way to be able to produce material for maintaining commercial interest.

Of course that^ is just and method/plan and not a proven method.

If this was not just a purely hypothetical question, I would say:

Just a quick business side note: Commercial interest means sales. So anybody involved in Business will only get involved if they are convinced whatever they are doing means they will get paid! So if anyone wants to be a business man... don't fuck around <3

So let's take a look at branches of many elements that can be broken down and involved in this given situation:
Investors - Product - Sale - You - Sale - Law

You: This part is simple, you're the business man. You decide what you want out of people!

Investors: You get money. Money and business go together like bread and butter. Only you can decide where that money goes.

Product: How are you getting this? If you are spending money, consider who you give money. Do you plan on overseeing the operation? Personally, I would 'legally' reserve the right to peek under the hood of the project.

Sale: You decide if you're a company, or if you're an idiot and want to get involved with "indie game." Sale means to get the product in reach of consumers. Pay attention to distributors! And remember that's all they are! The reason I say this is because Microsoft is a distributor. I feel like a lot of you need to be smarter with this. Think about the relationship between Family guy and Fox... Seth was smart!

Marketing: Gain commercial interest!

Law: Study law, you sign a lot of stuff and get into deal. Negotiate. Don't go accepting things you aren't happy with. Check out the Uniform Commerce Code in the state you reside.

I'm sorry but I have to go and have no time to spell check and rushed at the end. Peace out!