BilboKnows Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 Guys I have this really amazing vision for a videogame. I mean, it could be one of the best ever... on problem: my publisher is telling me they want it NOW. I am not one to compromise art, or be overly submissive in general, but at the same time I am confused. Here is my question... Faced with this difficult deadline, what would YOU GUYS at Obsidian do? Thanks for the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aegis Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 Hmm, well, in any publisher vs developer scenario, let me put it like this. Publisher: Do you like eating? Developer: Well, yeah, I guess so... Publisher: Would you like to continue eating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BilboKnows Posted March 30, 2005 Author Share Posted March 30, 2005 Hmm, well, in any publisher vs developer scenario, let me put it like this. Publisher: Do you like eating? Developer: Well, yeah, I guess so... Publisher: Would you like to continue eating? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes, you have a good point. So it looks like I have two choices: 1. Food 2. Hunger and a reputation for making the best games (that are complete to boot) Both are mighty tempting. I feel myself leaning towards number two, I don't know why though. Heh, I guess that is just me being idealistic, really, who am I kidding? I mean I need to eat, and I don't want to make my publisher angry. I mean... whoever buys the game will still have fun with it right? Editing man, it is all in the editing. I mean, there may be less content but I bet we can just edit out some of the stuff and it will be even BETTER. I mean, dude, in film they use reel after reel but edit out a HUGE amount... this is like film! Yeah... WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS BEFORE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aegis Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 Actually, you'd have no game at all, as well as a bad reputation among publishers which means you won't be making any other games either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BilboKnows Posted March 30, 2005 Author Share Posted March 30, 2005 Actually, you'd have no game at all, as well with a bad reputation among publishers which means you won't be making any other games either. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Where would the game go? Why would I have a bad reputation if the game not only sold well, but secure sales for a sequel (because of that whole quality thing) You should check out this game called Half-Life 2... it is pretty fun actually, good physics to play with. Sadly, you are probably right in ways... I guess I just don't want to see my game fall so far from its potential like so many these days (Halo 2 and KOTOR 2). Hey and thanks for your response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aegis Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 The game would go to another developer. Either you signed the contract and get a bad reputation for not following it, or you didn't and the game was given to someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowPaladin V1.0 Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 Publishers are very important. Fans, it depends on the expected circulation of the game. To a game with a small circulation fans are more important than to a game with a big name and mass market potential. The mass market dosnt sweat the details at all and as was joked about by some LA game creators , they dont finish games either. You can disapoint the fans and get away with it,it dosnt really matter who buys your game as long as someone does.On the other hand screw your publisher and your sunk, especially these days where there are so few publishers. There are many examples of games with very large fan bases which still made absolutely no difference at the end of the day. I have to agree with Volourn. Bioware is pretty much dead now. Deals like this kills development studios. 478327[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 Are you scared of your publisher? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merry andrew Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 Guys I have this really amazing vision for a videogame. I mean, it could be one of the best ever... on problem: my publisher is telling me they want it NOW.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> 2. Hunger and a reputation for making the best games (that are complete to boot) What? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneaky Smurf Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Guys I have this really amazing vision for a videogame. I mean, it could be one of the best ever... on problem: my publisher is telling me they want it NOW. I am not one to compromise art, or be overly submissive in general, but at the same time I am confused. Here is my question... Faced with this difficult deadline, what would YOU GUYS at Obsidian do? Thanks for the time! - well its nice to see thats everyones such an expert about the video gaming industry. can you make a 3rd party patch for us mr. wise? <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blarghagh Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 I like deadlines. Especially the whooshing sound they make as they go by. My advice, as always, is COMPROMISE. Don't eat for a month and turn out a GREAT but not perfect game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Phantom Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 I'm not in any industry. I just do scripting and other basic skills (for now :ph34r: ), but I do have many other activities that require deadlines... I agree with TrueNeutral... If you can comprimise a deadline, then both ends (hopefully) end up happy. Just buy enough (or barely not enough) time to keep you pushing, and if you find a little extra time when your done with the basic idea you wanted to make, elaborate it with different things and debugging tests. You may be forced to cut out a key portion (ala Kotor II), but as long as the point gets across, things should be fine. But, I'm speaking from limited experience, so feel free to totally ignore me. Geekified Star Wars Geek Heart of the Force, Arm of the Force "Only a Sith deals in absolutes!" -Obi-wan to Anakin (NOT advocating Grey-Jedidom) "The Force doesn't control people, Kreia controls people." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eckertt001 Posted April 3, 2005 Share Posted April 3, 2005 In the industry I work in, deadlines are always a variable. You start with a set deadline, then it continuosly gets pushed up. The end product doesnt need to be bug free, or even working correctly, as long as it does what it is supposed to do. In all the contracts I see there is nothing that says that the final product needs to be considered 'bug free' or even 'stable'. It just needs to be a product that produces exactly what the requirements section says. People still buy software and games, even though they know they will have bugs and problems. So all that means is that individuals are accepting the issues, and thus creates the trend from a publishers standpoint. Then when individuals find out the software has issues, all you need to do there is create a place for people to vent, and call it 'customer service'. And the BBB isnt going to care, especially for games, as long as there is a customer service area, bugs are an expectation, since the public has excepted it. Since games are considered Entertainment, its just like going to the movies. If you watch a bad movie, do you demand your money back? I know some that have tried, but of course you dont get your money back. Games are in the same category. When it really gets bad, is when you see an obvious bug in the software, but the developer argues that a 'only from a certain point of view' is it a bug. That meaning, you the user consider it a bug, however by mechanics and design of the program, it is not a bug. Unfourtunately that is when you need legal representation to assist you in getting them to admit its a bug, which is always a hassle. Anyway just my $.02 from my experiences... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Phantom Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 eckert, you owe us $10.00 for shipping and handling, plus you forgot the standard inflation since the phrase was coined (pun intended). So, that should bring your total to around $15.00 or so (I'm no accountant). Why would somebody hire legal help to get some game dev to admit that it's a bug? Better to save that money and sue the school for giving your children bad grades... (Hey, that's the way the world works, unfortunately.) :ph34r: Geekified Star Wars Geek Heart of the Force, Arm of the Force "Only a Sith deals in absolutes!" -Obi-wan to Anakin (NOT advocating Grey-Jedidom) "The Force doesn't control people, Kreia controls people." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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