Comments on: Sad State of Affairs http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/ Explorations in the world of independent game development. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:43:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: soniCron http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-448 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 06:51:54 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-448 Chris, I'd agree with you if they weren't <i>already</i> losing money on most of their games. It's the few hits a publisher has that keeps it afloat - most of their titles sink. Dan, I felt that way about halfway through development of Jeweltopia. At this point, I've finally owned up to the need to create something <i>I</i> enjoy, rather than try to appeal to an audience. Of course, I'm not forgetting them, either... ;) Chris, I’d agree with you if they weren’t already losing money on most of their games. It’s the few hits a publisher has that keeps it afloat - most of their titles sink.

Dan, I felt that way about halfway through development of Jeweltopia. At this point, I’ve finally owned up to the need to create something I enjoy, rather than try to appeal to an audience. Of course, I’m not forgetting them, either… ;)

]]> by: Dan MacDonald http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-447 Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:24:43 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-447 Indeed, time is our most valuable resource. Let's spend it where it counts pursuing what we enjoy. There is a point you can reach, where you've worked on so many games that you don’t care about, that you stop caring about game development entirely. I've been there, and it was a long walk back. Now the only time I'm afraid to spend is time working on projects that don't interest me. Indeed, time is our most valuable resource. Let’s spend it where it counts pursuing what we enjoy.

There is a point you can reach, where you’ve worked on so many games that you don’t care about, that you stop caring about game development entirely. I’ve been there, and it was a long walk back. Now the only time I’m afraid to spend is time working on projects that don’t interest me.

]]> by: Chris Evans http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-446 Mon, 28 Aug 2006 04:34:19 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-446 I don't quite understand your initial post. In the first half, you're complaining that there isn't a low risk way to create experimental games, then in the second half of your post you lambaste the industry for doing basically the same thing as you. You've made the judgment that it's less risky to do a derivative in a crowded market rather than an experimental/original game in a niche or unknown sized market. You chose to put your eggs in that basket. Though it's up for debate whether that's the best business decision in the current market. Retail publishers have to appease shareholders and attempt to maximize their ROI. Just like you're afraid to do an experimental game because it might sink your Indie studio, publishers are afraid to sink 3-5 million on games that don't have a clear market because it could reduce their quarterly earnings and reduce their stock. Sure, it won't sink their company but if 2-3 games bomb, a few executives at the top are getting fired and possibly some smaller studios disbanded. You have the exact same attitude as the retail execs, both of you have the resources to experiment but both of you are risk-adversed so you feel you must do derivatives to survive. The only difference is you're concerned about your company and the executives are concerned about their jobs. I don’t quite understand your initial post. In the first half, you’re complaining that there isn’t a low risk way to create experimental games, then in the second half of your post you lambaste the industry for doing basically the same thing as you.

You’ve made the judgment that it’s less risky to do a derivative in a crowded market rather than an experimental/original game in a niche or unknown sized market. You chose to put your eggs in that basket. Though it’s up for debate whether that’s the best business decision in the current market.

Retail publishers have to appease shareholders and attempt to maximize their ROI. Just like you’re afraid to do an experimental game because it might sink your Indie studio, publishers are afraid to sink 3-5 million on games that don’t have a clear market because it could reduce their quarterly earnings and reduce their stock. Sure, it won’t sink their company but if 2-3 games bomb, a few executives at the top are getting fired and possibly some smaller studios disbanded.

You have the exact same attitude as the retail execs, both of you have the resources to experiment but both of you are risk-adversed so you feel you must do derivatives to survive. The only difference is you’re concerned about your company and the executives are concerned about their jobs.

]]> by: bignobody http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-444 Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:28:16 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-444 Well, so far my first title has been a financial failure (hasn't even paid for the press release yet!) even though I put a lot of love and creativity into it. It was done for love, not money, so on every other level it was a success for me. But since it would be nice to recoup some of my losses... say, is that the match-3 bandwagon I see? Room for one more? Well, so far my first title has been a financial failure (hasn’t even paid for the press release yet!) even though I put a lot of love and creativity into it.

It was done for love, not money, so on every other level it was a success for me.

But since it would be nice to recoup some of my losses… say, is that the match-3 bandwagon I see? Room for one more?

]]> by: Gnupot http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-443 Wed, 23 Aug 2006 11:00:38 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-443 Всё будет хорошо! :-] Всё будет хорошо! :-]

]]> by: soniCron http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-442 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 06:29:08 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-442 lakibuk: Don't undervalue your time - it's the most valuable thing you've got. Jack: I'm talking about blowing the financial investment. An individual can only absorb so much financial loss before succumbing. I agree, though, be prepared for plenty of failure! :) lakibuk: Don’t undervalue your time - it’s the most valuable thing you’ve got.

Jack: I’m talking about blowing the financial investment. An individual can only absorb so much financial loss before succumbing. I agree, though, be prepared for plenty of failure! :)

]]> by: computer games http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-441 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 17:00:25 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-441 Sorry but... 1-2 failure and "most determined independent developer" are not compatible term. If you surrender after JUST ONLY 2 failures, is better if you don't even start! Sorry but… 1-2 failure and “most determined independent developer” are not compatible term.
If you surrender after JUST ONLY 2 failures, is better if you don’t even start!

]]> by: lakibuk http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-440 Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:34:39 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-440 The opposite is true. You have all freedom, you can do what you like. The big ones have employees, shareholders, huge marketing expenses and i don't know what. All you invest is your time. The opposite is true. You have all freedom, you can do what you like. The big ones have employees, shareholders, huge marketing expenses and i don’t know what. All you invest is your time.

]]> by: soniCron http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-439 Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:10:51 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-439 Lakibuk, you cannot compare a one-man indie operation with a multi-million dollar publishing house. One or two failures can quickly obliterate even the most determined independent developer. The big publishers, on the other hand, accrue huge losses in the majority of their portfolios. They rely on a handful of top-sellers to balance their failures and keep their books in the black. As you can see, I do not have that luxury - one loss and I'm out. Lakibuk, you cannot compare a one-man indie operation with a multi-million dollar publishing house. One or two failures can quickly obliterate even the most determined independent developer. The big publishers, on the other hand, accrue huge losses in the majority of their portfolios. They rely on a handful of top-sellers to balance their failures and keep their books in the black.

As you can see, I do not have that luxury - one loss and I’m out.

]]> by: Roman Budzowski http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-438 Sun, 20 Aug 2006 19:53:21 +0000 http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2006/08/18/sad-state-of-affairs/#comment-438 From time to time I have those thoughts myself, but then I quickly repeat this words: Stop wasting energy worring. Start using it creatively. I personaly don't mind cloning and cause we are independent I always say: it is my INDEPENDENT choice to clone a game :) ... and not your f...g business (unless you don't like competition). From time to time I have those thoughts myself, but then I quickly repeat this words: Stop wasting energy worring. Start using it creatively.

I personaly don’t mind cloning and cause we are independent I always say: it is my INDEPENDENT choice to clone a game :) … and not your f…g business (unless you don’t like competition).

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