Game Maker to Game Dev

A blog by Gemintronic

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Might have an opporunity.. but, that means 2 projects to fuffill!

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Entry posted by Gemintronic · August 21, 2010

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Right now I've got a collect-the-carts maze game project and a Knightmare clone in the works. One one is a casual promise and the other has deadline. I don't like juggling priorities but I DO like creating and COMPLETING projects. Such is life.

Hung out with a co-worker today and, although mostly enjoyable, the parting was hard to read. We got into work related subjects and I tend to rant when given half a chance. Might have over-did it. Hard to read tired or tired of ME sometimes. Best to double check next time we meet. I value quality of friendship over quantity of friends.

The question of business realities vs. open sharing is something swirling in my mind recently. I told a new acquaintance today that I've been lucky so far sharing source and executables for my games openly and freely. Reaching people across the globe with my "art" and sharing what little my source has to offer is a real high. However, as my experience with Candybar highlights, having a physical game in the hands of an appreciative audience is a kick too. One that comes with frightening concepts like trademarks and copyrights and (potentially) closed source secrecy.

I'm sure everything will sort itself out. I have enough projects and ideas that I can swing either way. The point is to continue to grow, create and accomplish. Oh, yeah, and share the love of Atari. You all are reminding me of that fine point

Carry on my wayward son!

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EricBall 182

Posted August 23, 2010

business realities vs. open sharing

It all depends on what you want to accomplish. I'm sure you realize that programming for an obsolete console isn't going to put food on the table. However, it might still generate some "mad money".

In my case (others may have a different experience) the license for Skeleton+ allows for anyone to download & play the game on an emulator or RAM cart or even make a cartridge for personal use. And yet I've sold well over 100 cartridges. So there definitely is a market for the physical cartridge even if a "free" alternative exists.

Now whether I would have had better sales if the free option were not available is an interesting question. My instincts say the opposite might be true as the free option expands the market.