Been to my first Game Developers Conference

[Hassat Hunter]

Ever heard of G.O.D. Games...?

 

Let's just keep it at "broke"...

[Fenghuang]

The point of distributing games online(our way) is to eliminate as much of the cost and hassle of distribution as possible. Sure, having a CD and a nice box to put on the shelf is great but if we didnt do that, youd be able to buy games at 60% of the cost and most of that money would go directly to the developer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I wouldn't be able to buy games at all.

[metadigital]

You would, eventually. And don't think that some entrepreneur won't notice a gap in the market, and package new games onto DVDs for those who don't have an internet connection yet.

or what I was actually talking about:

 

 

3) A cooperative of developers band together in a joint effort to start a system for selling and distribtuing their and others games online and charging only as much as it takes to keep the service running. Thus, customers sadly does not get a nice box and a disc but instead they pay much less and most of the money they pay go to the developer of the game they bought.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good.

 

This would bring a lot of much needed structure to the development cycle. A lot of games are written for common engines, like Unreal Tournament, so it can work.

 

What is needed is a set of standards (naming, for a start), version control with Check-In / Check-Out, etc.

[alanschu]

Not to knock off Steam and other Direct Download ideas but when I spend money I like to have something tangible like discs, a manual, and the such.  Call me old fashion but it is one of the things I look for in a game.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You are old fashioned. :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And if your comp crashes, than you're screwed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No, you're not.

 

 

 

I have a question, if burning patches to a CD for transportation is so bloody convenient, why is burning the files acquired from a direct download just inconceivable?

Edited April 18, 2006 by alanschu

[Hassat Hunter]

Could be defense systems forcing you to DL a new copy with a fresh key in order to install it on another PC, because you really cannot use one and the same twice?

[alanschu]

No. It's because people have conveniently ignored it. (i.e. it isn't inconceivable, but the people against downloadable content continue to cite "hardcopies" and getting "screwed over" as reasons).

Edited April 18, 2006 by alanschu

[Jack_Wellington]

I think the idea of dev selling their own game is great and could work!

 

You got a link to a group that is trying to achieve this (an actual project/forum)?

[Fenghuang]

...

[Jack_Wellington]

 

If your ... are referring to the link in the first post it contains no information on the actual project but only some text for the conference...... unless I missed a link......

 

?

Edited April 18, 2006 by Jack_Wellignton

[metadigital]

Just read (UK PC Format 187, pp46-9) about what the Bohemians in the Czech Repubic are doing with their big IDeA ... basically streamlining all the independent developers into a lean, development process (where excess capacity is applied as and when needed to whatever project in the collective) and a unifed and standardized corporate front, as well.

 

Sounds brilliant.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I think the idea of dev selling their own game is great and could work!

 

You got a link to a group that is trying to achieve this (an actual project/forum)?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Im afraid that what is happening, is largely happening off the net or is confined to private forums and channels. What I think you should do is send an email to info@thedebates.org and ask them. If youre lucky you might get a chance to follow the June 6-7th debate via streamed video.

[Jack_Wellington]

This make it much more complicated then it would have to be... and people are lazy.

 

An open project web site should be started to ''personify'' and present this idea... Maybe I have time for this during the summer...

Edited April 18, 2006 by Jack_Wellignton

[Hassat Hunter]

Communism for game-designers.

 

Sounds amazing in concept, flaws when executed...

[alanschu]

Based on what?

[Jack_Wellington]

Yes please explain brother Hassat?

[Hassat Hunter]

See Metadigitals post. Latest one on the previous page.

 

For Mother Russia, comrads alanschu and Jack_Wellington "

[Jack_Wellington]

Yes but Metadigital say it is good! What is the flaw? (also I have no idea how I can get this magazine in Quebec... is there a link to the article?)

[Hassat Hunter]

It sound an awfull lot (like 100% resemblance) to the Russian Sovchoz and Kovchoz (or how you spell it) and we all know how "well" that turned out, eh?

 

And they even do it in a Ex-USSR country... "

 

If Meta thinks it is good he is no doubt a commie and should be shot

Edited April 18, 2006 by Hassat Hunter

[Jack_Wellington]

I think communism can work for some structures... it is not because it didn't work once that it will never work (or the opposite).

[alanschu]

As I said, based on what? You said:

 

Communism for game-designers.

 

Sounds amazing in concept, flaws when executed...

 

What are you basing this comment on? Because the Soviet Union as a Communist state didn't work? You're talking about Communism for game-designers, and how it doesn't work. Based on the Sovchoz and Kovchoz. And you referred me to Metadigitals post, which certainly did not have any indications as to why it is flawed when executed.

[metadigital]

Yes but Metadigital say it is good! What is the flaw? (also I have no idea how I can get this magazine in Quebec... is there a link to the article?)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Um, here is their website (although it still shows last issue, 186).

 

Here is the subscription page.

 

I may transcribe some of the article here, if I get time.

[Diamond]

It sound an awfull lot (like 100% resemblance) to the Russian Sovchoz and Kovchoz (or how you spell it) and we all know how "well" that turned out, eh?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is spelled kolkhoz and sovkhoz and no, there is no 100% resemblance, about 20-30%.

 

 

However you are right on one point, I too can't imagine how the proposed structure would work in practice.

[Kaftan Barlast]

People that are part of that project or a very similar one were at the Conference actually. From what the explained, its simply a question of starting an effective way for smaller indie development teams to cooperate in order to make a much bigger game that what one team could do by themselves.

 

 

it works like this:

 

You have three programmers in D

Edited April 19, 2006 by Kaftan Barlast

[Hassat Hunter]

Was replying on Metadigital's post... NOT your proposition. They seem like 2 very different things to me...

[Kaftan Barlast]

Just read (UK PC Format 187, pp46-9) about what the Bohemians in the Czech Repubic are doing with their big IDeA ... basically streamlining all the independent developers into a lean, development process (where excess capacity is applied as and when needed to whatever project in the collective) and a unifed and standardized corporate front, as well.

 

 

That was what I meant too, although Im not sure if the people I heard were going to put up a unified corporate front. Makes sense, though.

 

And note that its not the goverment taking over all the devs in.. Czhech-land, its a bunch of indie devs grouping together under one flag. Actually thats how the capitalist cornerstone of Corporations were born, from joint ventures like these.