Question about game pricing.

[MrTroy]

I notice alot of people say things about if X were cheaper they'd buy it or whatever. I don't talk about it much but, I am a software programmer(Half way game programmer) and I was curious if I actually made a game that was really good. How much would be a good price to charge. Unfortuantely as with all my programming ventures I have to pay for artist and musicians to make the stuff.

I was thinking. What if I released it, free to download and if you like it, keep it and pay for it. Well that sounds really bad on paper. I really hope that people would wanna pay me for something they like(So I could at least break even) yet asking for donations seems... just plain tacky. 

[Thenasty]

if you sell it, it will get pirated like any other program anyway..

[Lilwolf]

Shareware or freeware+donations... you should assume you will never make a cent and do it for the love.

[MrTroy]

Yeah but you guys would be less likely to steal from me right? 

[Chris]

How about this: If you can write something original and fun, put it in a cabinet and see if you can get it in your local laundromat or something.  Who knows, maybe MAME will emulate you someday....

[tore-]

I would give 10 bucks if a game was really good... really!

[DreamWeb]

Yes, if you wrote something as addictive as Mr. Driller.  I'd pay for it as well.

But, it couldn't me Mr Driller..  I already have that   (DC and Arcade)

d.

[Dire Radiant]

That game was sent by the devil to make baby Jesus cry. I love it!

[rchadd]

distribute it as sharewhere

first x levels are free

register for $5-$10 and get all the levels

[Howard_Casto]

distribute it as sharewhere

first x levels are free

register for $5-$10 and get all the levels

That won't work unless the game is really good.  These small company games are a dime a dozen, and usually when they come out with a demo, I'm bored with the game by the time the demo is over. 

[MrTroy]

distribute it as sharewhere

first x levels are free

register for $5-$10 and get all the levels

That won't work unless the game is really good.  These small company games are a dime a dozen, and usually when they come out with a demo, I'm bored with the game by the time the demo is over. 

Yeah... And my target market are guys like you(us) which'll make it even harder to sell. I really don't like shareware. It dilihoutes the entire game.

[Thenasty]

Yeah but you guys would be less likely to steal from me right?

[drivingcabguy]

make a game and get it on one of those thousand game freeware packs...you'd get a lump sum for you to allow use of your game on their compilation...then you're guaranteed money...

[Chris]

make a game and get it on one of those thousand game freeware packs...you'd get a lump sum for you to allow use of your game on their compilation...then you're guaranteed money...

I'm willing to bet that the lump sum for those is in the low three digits. 

It's also worth noting that there are tens of thousands of completely free downloadable games on the Net.  Competing with free is pretty darn difficult.  Even programs on the level of Visual Pinball are free.

If you already have a killer game concept that you know is worth paying for, go for it.  If, though, you're thinking, "I'd like to make some money, what kind of game can I do," then you're headed down a long, dark, rocky path.

[MrTroy]

How about this: If you can write something original and fun, put it in a cabinet and see if you can get it in your local laundromat or something.  Who knows, maybe MAME will emulate you someday.... Cheesy

For the record. My local arcade guy said as soon as I'm done it he'll put it in his arcade so I'm happy on that front.

I'm not tryign to make thousands of dollars off of it. If I were atempting to do that I wouldn't go after such a small market at all. And it's very hard for me to lose money on my art if I have to pay to continue making my art. 

[Chris]

How about this: If you can write something original and fun, put it in a cabinet and see if you can get it in your local laundromat or something.

[DreamArcades]

If it's fun and has a retro feel we might concider a licencing agreement to include it with our tables. Of course it would have to be in the same price range we pay for Dragon's liar, Centipede, etc, which is only a few $'s.

-Mike

[youki]

I love mr driller and have never seen a clone.

A clone exists, his name is Miss Driller.

http://adas.lolipop.jp/digit/index.php?MissDriller

I think it is an open source project as it as been ported on linux, windows and Dreamcast. It uses SDL.  Unfortunaly most of website are in Japaneese.


Concerning the Shareware , and who pays.  Usually, i pay for all solftware i use regulary even if i have already an illegal fullversion.  I try the sofware with the copy, and if it is really good i buy it.  Even for certain game i bought it after having complete the game on the "pirate"  full version.  (I did that with Duke Nukem 3d). I wanted to thanks developpers for the fun they gave me!

I develop for years,   retro games, utilities, front End... i never really win money with donation.   But since Atomic, i didn't receive lot of money, but lot of old computers, video game cartiridghe, Arcade PCB, and other contribution for my collections.