Extra Credits: Publishing deal

Jagos · 09-01-2011, 11:49 AM

Extra Credits has started to talk about their fundraising with a complete update on the situation. It's good to hear that they have a chance to help so many people. But I'm wondering if this will allow for more independence in game production? I've noted in another thread how more game makers already are looking for their own autonomy. But will this method of publishing actually work to help out more people? Will the IP issue come back to haunt this fund? What about ways to reward the fund outside of buying the games?

There's a lot of unanswered questions. It's pretty exciting to see something like this occur.

Aerozord · 09-01-2011, 12:57 PM

Jagos we just had an entire thread basically saying how you shouldn't rely on a youtube video to explain what you are talking about. So could you please actually give information on what the update is, how they are helping people, how this aids game development, some examples of what the unanswered questions are, ect.

Jagos · 09-01-2011, 01:11 PM

Rockethubs explanation

Quote:

Games can be better

We as a community can make games better

We do not have to wait on corporate giants to make games better

The first steps will be small...but they will lead to great things

This fundraiser was about allowing someone to continue to do the work they love and ensuring that they were never cut off from their passion. Once Allison is well, we�d like to use any excess money to pay that forward by helping to create jobs that allow others to build their dreams, and, in doing so, maybe change the industry for the better. We would like to create a fund to publish quality games.

We won�t be starting with triple A titles or multimillion dollar projects. We will start with independent games that are small enough to take risks and to deliver experiences that might really have an impact on the medium. Dan, Allison and I will contribute our expertise to help ensure that the money spent has the best possible chance of making a difference; we won�t take any money from the fund and any profits earned off titles published will go back into the fund to help kick start additional games.

It is our hope to expand who gets to be a game developer and our plan to change how games are published.

Here are the core principles that define how we believe a game publisher should operate; principles we will operate under:

1. Transparency and communication.

You, the Extra Credits community, will know everything: when we fail, when we succeed. There will be no PR spin; you�ll be involved in everything we do.

2. IP ownership

We will never ask developers to give up their intellectual property. It�s their world: no one should keep them from building it.

3. Single Game Deals

If a developer works with us more than once it should be because they want to, not because they�re contractually obligated to.

4. Straight 50-50 split of profit

The fund is not about us and them, �publisher� and �developer�, we�re in this together, we�re partners. We�ll split the profits equally on any project we work on.

Extra Credits has shown us what openness about the industry can do, but these weeks have taught us that the time for talk alone is done. With your help we can move the medium forward. And if we can keep a few people employed doing work they love, rather than jobs they hate, and can create a few jobs in this economy then we�ve done the right thing.

Because games matter�

The very same link is on the Youtube. It was posted in another thread not too long ago.

Aerozord · 09-01-2011, 01:20 PM

alright, cool, I do approve, heck might be applying for this in a few months. 50/50 split is better then what you'd get from most investors too plus its a self feeding system. My only concern is it in the early stages, a few bombed games early on could empty the fund.

Also take note, they aren't saying the triple A studios are bad, just that instead of whining that they aren't being innovative we should take matters into our own hands.

Jagos · 09-01-2011, 01:49 PM

If you listen, they won't be planning to fund people for a while. They are taking pains to be as transparent as possible. So they'll go through the successes and failures. I'm not quite sure if some developers would really be up to this new transparency/ democratic process in gaming. That's one of the concerns I have. How would a developer feel when they have all of their business put in the public's eye?

Donomni · 09-01-2011, 01:50 PM

Anyone else find the new episode isn't working? Certainly isn't for me. :/

Jagos · 09-01-2011, 02:34 PM

It worked for me. It's funny, a lot of people are clamoring for Six Days of Fallujah to come out on the link...

rpgdemon · 09-01-2011, 03:30 PM

I think that the problem with their model is that if they fund 10 games, statistically, 9 of them are going to flop/run way overbudget and be unfinished, or whatever.

I can't see it staying afloat as a thing that's letting people get paid to pursue what they like. They're going to have to be as selective as a publisher in this, and really just offer better terms.

Aerozord · 09-01-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpgdemon

I think that the problem with their model is that if they fund 10 games, statistically, 9 of them are going to flop/run way overbudget and be unfinished, or whatever.

I can't see it staying afloat as a thing that's letting people get paid to pursue what they like. They're going to have to be as selective as a publisher in this, and really just offer better terms.

sadly this is the reality. People think the big studios are just uncreative or dont like to fund experimental ideas. Truth is that there is a completely legitimate reason for it. Honestly I suspect this will end up like most publishers like Capcom or EA, that churn out guaranteed money makers so they have the extra cash to take risks.

edit: scratch that, thinking it over abit doing that is antithetical to their stated goals. Crap this might actually be doomed to failure

Jagos · 09-01-2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerozord

sadly this is the reality. People think the big studios are just uncreative or dont like to fund experimental ideas. Truth is that there is a completely legitimate reason for it. Honestly I suspect this will end up like most publishers like Capcom or EA, that churn out guaranteed money makers so they have the extra cash to take risks.

edit: scratch that, thinking it over abit doing that is antithetical to their stated goals. Crap this might actually be doomed to failure

... Are you ignoring this right here?

09-01-2011, 11:49 AM	#1
Jagos FRONT KICK OF DOOM! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Howdy pardner... Posts: 6,399	Extra Credits: Publishing deal Extra Credits has started to talk about their fundraising with a complete update on the situation. It's good to hear that they have a chance to help so many people. But I'm wondering if this will allow for more independence in game production? I've noted in another thread how more game makers already are looking for their own autonomy. But will this method of publishing actually work to help out more people? Will the IP issue come back to haunt this fund? What about ways to reward the fund outside of buying the games? There's a lot of unanswered questions. It's pretty exciting to see something like this occur. __________________ Copyright musings World ramblings Scifi stories

09-01-2011, 12:57 PM	#2
Aerozord So we are clear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Former murder capital of the world Posts: 13,824	Jagos we just had an entire thread basically saying how you shouldn't rely on a youtube video to explain what you are talking about. So could you please actually give information on what the update is, how they are helping people, how this aids game development, some examples of what the unanswered questions are, ect. __________________ "don't hate me for being a heterosexual white guy disparaging slacktivism, hate me for all those murders I've done."

09-01-2011, 01:20 PM	#4
Aerozord So we are clear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Former murder capital of the world Posts: 13,824	alright, cool, I do approve, heck might be applying for this in a few months. 50/50 split is better then what you'd get from most investors too plus its a self feeding system. My only concern is it in the early stages, a few bombed games early on could empty the fund. Also take note, they aren't saying the triple A studios are bad, just that instead of whining that they aren't being innovative we should take matters into our own hands. __________________ "don't hate me for being a heterosexual white guy disparaging slacktivism, hate me for all those murders I've done."

09-01-2011, 01:49 PM	#5
Jagos FRONT KICK OF DOOM! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Howdy pardner... Posts: 6,399	If you listen, they won't be planning to fund people for a while. They are taking pains to be as transparent as possible. So they'll go through the successes and failures. I'm not quite sure if some developers would really be up to this new transparency/ democratic process in gaming. That's one of the concerns I have. How would a developer feel when they have all of their business put in the public's eye? __________________ Copyright musings World ramblings Scifi stories Last edited by Jagos; 09-01-2011 at 01:58 PM.

09-01-2011, 01:50 PM	#6
Donomni Would you deign to supply me food? Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida Posts: 2,004	Anyone else find the new episode isn't working? Certainly isn't for me. :/ __________________ Dance your cares away! Chirrrrrrp. Also, dead blog.

09-01-2011, 02:34 PM	#7
Jagos FRONT KICK OF DOOM! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Howdy pardner... Posts: 6,399	It worked for me. It's funny, a lot of people are clamoring for Six Days of Fallujah to come out on the link... __________________ Copyright musings World ramblings Scifi stories

09-01-2011, 03:30 PM	#8
rpgdemon Not a Taco Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3,313	I think that the problem with their model is that if they fund 10 games, statistically, 9 of them are going to flop/run way overbudget and be unfinished, or whatever. I can't see it staying afloat as a thing that's letting people get paid to pursue what they like. They're going to have to be as selective as a publisher in this, and really just offer better terms. __________________ I did a lot of posting on here as a teenager, and I was pretty awful. Even after I learned, grew up, and came to be on the right side of a lot of important issues, I was still angry, abrasive, and generally increased the amount of hate in the world, in pretty unacceptable ways. On the off chance that someone is taking a trip down memory lane looking through those old threads, I wanted to devote my signature to say directly to you, I'm sorry. Thank you for letting me be better, NPF.