ZBrushCentral

Funding a project...

Community
#1

I have an idea but I don’t know exactly how well it’ll work, so I would like to bounce it off of the people here and see if it’s a good idea…

I’m in the early stages of funding a project for a video game that I’ve conceptualized from the beginning, and funding something like this seems to be quite difficult. So, I was wondering if anyone knows how willing gamers would be to donate 50$ (IE Paying for the game before it comes out, giving them access to the first Alpha, Beta and copies of the game 48 hours before the rest of the world), save 10$ on the end sale and get a free 20"x20" map of the game printed on actual canvas that is signed.

Posted in the attachment is an incredibly low quality 5"x5" 72 DPI version of the 20"x20" 300 DPI poster… Keep in mind this is just an idea, but the quality of this map is incredibly detailed.

I’ve attached a sample of the full map but low quality, and a sample of it’s quality. I created the entire piece by hand in photoshop and it took me 36 hours total. Any idea’s guys n’ gals?

Thanks!
-Robert

Attachments

PassionLowPixel.jpg

SamplePassion.jpg

#2

No offense but it looks like Risk by MB. Maybe if you posted more details other than pay up front and you will get my 20x20 map printed, and then pay 10 bucks more for the game (as I read it). You might want to think about your marketing strategy a little bit better in the fututre. I know your just bouncing this around here, but I would not take this offer seriously at all. Sorry if you have more info to add about this game I might reconsider.

#3

Hmm… yep… sorry to second that man, but talking about the price of a game without having anything more than a map sounds quite a bad start…
You don’t seem to have any team, any engine, of even a concept…

Fallow the steps!

#4

Team’s up to 23, I don’t think stating what you just did is appropriate but that’s okay.

As far as the game details are concerned, here are a few of it’s key features.

100 Square Mile Playfield Real-Time Strategy,
3 Playable Races all with unique abilities,
Unit and Diplomatic Managers,
74 Buildings,
26 Professions,
Evolving Settlements, Towns, Cities and Empires,
Physics,
Ragdoll,
Etc

The list goes on… At the moment I’m trying to get some funding to host a large bandwidth website, and cover travel expense’s that I’m going to be facing here shortly. Pay 10$ More? No, the overall price for video games at the going rate is 50$, so you would pay 40$.

#5

Man. I’m confused… So lets say I give you 50 dollars, and get the alpha and beta’s… How do I save 10 dollars on the end sale of 40 dollars, when I already gave you 50.00? Are you going to refund 10.00 dollars? Please clarify what, “the end sale” means.

#6

Not to be rude, but do you know what “Discount” means? Also, can you subtract 10 from 50? lol :frowning:

#7

But you original post asks if people would pay $50 upfront. So how do they get the ‘discount’ you’re offering?

Edit: incidentally, the Alpha version of software refers to the version that is tested in-house. The Beta is the version that is released for those outside the development team to test.

#8

Actually, according to the first post the game must cost 60$ while the early investor would only pay 50$ because of the 10$ discount on the Final Sales price.

But… does this include shipping and handling? Worldwide? A print that large, including s&h and the correct packaging material (tube) is already coming close to 50$. Not to think about the fulfillment charges which are necessary because the team cannot possibly sit there, print maps, stuff envelopes and run back and force to the mail office. I think the entire pricing would have to be reconsidered. There could be the intention to provide the print and other material items after game sale has started and buffer cost with the early earnings, but that also would be poor business and taking risk.

I’d go and talk to an accountant before I would proceed so a propper business plan can be laid out. A team of 23 is a serious business and if not started right, the project will run into the ground before it took off.

My 2 cents
Lemo

#9

Yeah, that was the math I did too, but post #4 says

the overall price for video games at the going rate is 50$, so you would pay 40$.
. :confused:

#10

I’ve never posted anything concerning a 60$ price tag for th is video game.

50$ is the going rate for video games on the market today, so a ‘10$’ discount from the ‘50$’ price tag is “40$”. For “40$” you get the 20"x20" map, as well as a reserved copy of th e game itself and your name on the list for people allowed to download and test play the Alpha then Beta build. Yes, an Alpha is an internally released and tested build of a video game, however to cut down on time and cost the people who are on the alpha list get the very first glimpse’s of the game. The beta will be released publically when it’s ready, to further remove problems.

At this point we are not of corporate status, it’s merely a Copyrighted and Notarized concept that I’ve come up with, all of which is in development as we speak and put into motion as a community released “Mod” until further notice or funding. There are still a considerable number of obstacles that I need to overcome, but nothing great is built quickly.

Has this clarified things up a little bit?

#11

I am not a gamer yet…I just bought Dead Rising for my son for xmas to go with his xbox360 he is also getting. That game I am assuming was relatively new on the market? If not then forgive my layman ignorance… (I am a pac man, asteroids, defender and star gate kind of a guy) I paid 39 bux from Best Buy for his game.

Is this a common practice you are speaking of doing with other games and companies?

The premium of the Map sounds good I guess…like getting a holographic trading card when buying a set of cards, or even a free cd with a magazine or something… An added incentive/

The only problem that I could see for you in this venture is that if you all are not a well known group, how would you have the faith of the public at large to dish out money to an unknown? I as a consumer would be overtly cautious to something like that…

Nothing against you, your project or marketing or gaming…etc…but I thought I would give my two cents and ask some questions from a layman’s point of view.

I hope you and yours achieve you goals and dreams in this venture.

Best $$$$$ Wishes
ron
[email protected]

#12

Good Luck!
I might be wrong… but the pattern of the rivers in the current version of your map do not seem to fit to the geography as painted or to the lakes and seas attached to them. You might want to look into that. Water flows from high to low, digs itself in, is divided by ranges, might have a delta but usually flows as stream out of a lake and so on. Look at google maps, check out the satelite overlay and shoot for areas with lakes and rivers. That will give your map massively more realism. If you are after that at all… Might be more of an artistic depiction, or there are other laws of nature in your world there…
Lemo

#13

Robert, I read your first and second postings, and since there seemed to be a discrepancy between the two posts, I asked for you to clarify the pricing…not to be insulted. Good luck with your game.

#14

I’m sorry if I’ve insulted you.

#15

No worries.