Any more commercial games in the midst?

m0ds · Fri 15/08/2003 09:34:08

Hi, i'm selling these fine leather jackets.

And, at the same time - I was wondering if anyone has got any more commercial game plans by using AGS?

I mean, could The Adventures of Fatman be hailed a success? So far as the reviews went, it seemed so. But I don't know whether Mike made his budget back.

Has it prompted anyone to consider making a commercial quality game? I know of one person (who I wont name for fear that I think they told me to keep their project secret

) who is considering creating a commercial AGS adventure game, but he can't get the right team just yet.

I'm just interested to know if anyone else has plans.

m0ds

veryweirdguy · Fri 15/08/2003 09:38:54

Okay, m0ds, you can buy my next game off of me if you really want...

But no, I don't think there are any more yet. I think eVOLVE once considered making 'The Case' commercial (correct me if I'm wrong) but hopefully he decided against it.

m0ds · Fri 15/08/2003 10:15:02

Well, one reason I asked is because I think they're great fun to work on and I'd love to work on more in some way or another

m0ds

Umo the infernal ape · Fri 15/08/2003 11:15:42

Wouldn't it be a good idea to form some sort of publishing company?
I mean, if Socko sells another hundred copies, and if GASPOP eventually gets a title to the shelves, or if ILB releases a commercial game, they'd all have to establish their own, new PR, and start from scratch when it comes to advertising and getting recognition.

Either the publishing company could just be a name, like
AGS Productions (or something more imaginary) which people would lable their products, or it could actually be a company with guys taking care of the CD manufacturing and distribution etc.

Of course, the creators' names - GASPOP or ILB or Socko
would still be there as the developing company.

So, like most commercial games, there'd be one developing company and one publishing company, where the latter would be the same for all ags-games, and quickly gain a really big reputation and a famous name.

Perhaps it's too ambitious? Too complicated?

remixor · Fri 15/08/2003 11:19:19

Well, at the moment I think it would be just too unnecessary. It would be awesome if we had enough commercial AGS games going through to justify a publisher, but I can't see there being enough volume at the moment.

Minimi · Fri 15/08/2003 12:05:48

Well, that game Undeniable is planned to be a commercial game. The only thing is that I work only with 1 other guy, and the demo wich is about 5% of the full game will be released 8october. So If the game is proceeding as we are planning to, it should be done somewhere May 2004.

MachineElf · Fri 15/08/2003 12:48:42

The game I'm planning at the moment might end up commercial if it ends up as I like to... Will take time though. Will probably start with a really crude version with my own quick gfx and then try to get a good artist or two to rework the backgrounds and characters. Don't want to say too much about it though...

loominous · Fri 15/08/2003 13:42:35

I think the publisheridea is interesting for many reasons, although the idea that "it would be the same for all ags games"(Umo) sounds unneccessery n monopolic.

Some reasons:

(i) Developers who dislikes all kind of involvement in businessproceedings, like myself, could hand it over to experienced, skilled and willing people.

(ii) Would most likely reduce the costs/risks for the individual developer.

(iii) Reduced costs/risks would mean that more people would probably consider going commercial. (questionable premise being that this is a good thing).

(iv) A benefitial consequence of (iii) would be that the standard in AGS games would in some aspects probably be raised in general. A less wanted could be cynical commercial thinking.

(v) Marketing would be smoother, hence bigger publicity. A bigger market would generate greater incomes and who knows, maybe some day we d have a professional AGS gamedeveloper among us.

Any thoughts?

TerranRich · Fri 15/08/2003 14:22:24

Hmm, seems I'm confused as to what commercial really means. If you mean selling a game you're making yourself, that would be me. If you mean getting a publisher to create CDs for you, I can't afford that obviously, nor would it be necessary, as I have a CD writer.

m0ds · Fri 15/08/2003 14:37:39

I simply mean selling a game you've made, no matter whether you or someone else publish it

As for a publisher, loominus, did you ever hear about those N-Bongo guys? Not sure of their URL...

jetxl · Fri 15/08/2003 17:07:35

Sadly, Adventure games in general are not selling well.

Czar · Fri 15/08/2003 18:40:03

As one man once said: It doesnt matter if your material is better, it's about convincing people that they need mine that is less good.(or something like that $:-\$ )
So that means it is all about marketing.
m0ds: LOL its Ngongo-B

Hobbes · Fri 15/08/2003 18:44:49

Exqueeze me, JetXL, but I beg to differ.

As I understood it, Runaway: The Road to Adventure is doing quite well. And that's a very new adventure game. Syberia also sold very well, from what I heard. And with the recent development (Jane Jensen, Sam & Max2, etc.) I think adventure games have proven that they do sell.

But more onto the subject: Nope. I don't plan to go commercial with anything I create. Because: a) they're not up to par with commercial stuff and b) I like making free stuff.

LGM · Fri 15/08/2003 20:12:02

I'd love to do an adventure game..

But I need a decent idea and I nice team to do that..

Hey m0ds, tell your secret friend that I'm interested in helping out..

jetxl · Fri 15/08/2003 20:34:00

This is a conversation I had with a friend.

jet;"I have a blister on my hand."
friend;"Because you don't have a girlfriend? Hahaha."
jet;"Haha. No I'm making a game."
friend;"What kind of game?"
jet;"An adventure game."
friend;"?"
jet;"Like Monkey Island, Space Quest, Sam&Max, Leisure suit Larry..."
friend;"? You should make a RPG. You can make a lot of money. Those peaple from blizzard are looking for peaple."
jet;"I know, but I'm not doing it for the money."

edit:hobbes, I will buy runaway, sam&max and neighbours from hell when I get the chance. But they won't change the programmers into milionairs.

Evil · Fri 15/08/2003 21:28:13

I've been working on an AGS pinball game which will most likely have to be ordered by cd. I'm also tring to get (hopefully have got) a HUGE Iso game art deally on pixelation, but havnt been planning anything in ags... $:-\$

jannar85 · Sat 16/08/2003 01:09:28

Quote from: m0ds on Fri 15/08/2003 09:34:08
Hi, i'm selling these fine leather jackets.

You too?? Wow, that's truly amazing...

Quote
And, at the same time - I was wondering if anyone has got any more commercial game plans by using AGS?

Why not?

Quote
I mean, could The Adventures of Fatman be hailed a success? So far as the reviews went, it seemed so. But I don't know whether Mike made his budget back.

Did he get good PR? I have no idea if he did any PR at all. PR is important.

Quote
Has it prompted anyone to consider making a commercial quality game? I know of one person (who I wont name for fear that I think they told me to keep their project secret ) who is considering creating a commercial AGS adventure game, but he can't get the right team just yet.

Hmmm.. Was that person me? :o
If yes, then go ahead! Reveal it all!
It's the Foodbelly!!1

You can find some old info here:
http://www.justadventure.com/Upcoming_Releases/RogerFoodbelly/RogerFoodbelly.shtm

Punch · Sat 16/08/2003 04:37:09

Commercial? Where's the love people? This used to be done for the thrill of keeping the flame burning, and suddenly we're all going commercial? Shame on you, greedy money loving fascists.

But seriously, I don't think it's 'right' for me to sell a game made in AGS. When i get around to commercial prodcts, it's all going to be my work (or a team). At the very least I'd want to licence the engine or something.

- Punch

Captain Mostly · Sat 16/08/2003 09:48:09

I think at the moment that the only commercial games I'd like to make would be for pocket-PC's. Although I've no idea how I would go about making AGS run on a pocket-PC (if it'd be possible at all!!) and if it meant making a lot of effort I probably wouldn't. Although it'd be exciting to make a pocket-PC adventure game. It's a market that's crying out to be tapped.

Also, I'm thinking of making a few limited edition copies of VPXT, and putting them in a little box on a charity shop counter. I figure that if I'm so confident about my game, and I'm always telling other people to feed the poor with their hobby, I ought to put my vegetables where my mouth is!

eVOLVE · Sat 16/08/2003 11:25:22

I was considering a more commercial approach to my game, and I doubt that anyone, if offered a publisher would turn it down, because for one you'll get your game out to even more people. Of course that's unlikely for this genre anyway, but what I had planned was to release a cut down version (no voices) online, because of the massive filesize it's heading towards already, and release a CD version with extras and voices, much like m0ds is planning for Kinky Island if I'm not mistaken...?