Madog Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 : eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madog Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 where's my game ???????????????????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>It seems to me that software distributors offer two advantages: money up front, and a distribution network. But in exchange they want control over various aspects of development, and a hefty chunk of the profits. There is a fair amount of danger there. I am so glad that BTS had the resources to develop CM on their own.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> This sums up the core problems pretty well. I would add, however, that the publishers want quite a bit more than just a "hefty chunk" of the profits. A better description would be "lion's share". And don't mess with that lion, because he'll just point his bloody claw toward Section IV, paragraph 5.1, subcorollary b, which states "PUBLISHER retains and exercises all rights to abuse, violate, take advantage of or through, destroy, and including, but not limited to, wanton pillaging of DEVELOPER." You think I'm kidding? Well, ok, maybe a little. The contracts publishers offer are so slanted towards protecting their concerns - and only their concerns - that we'd have been fools to sign anything of that ilk. And trying to get these guys to change the way their contracts are worded is like trying to steer the Titanic away from an iceberg. She don't turn too quick, cap'n! The carrot that publishers dangle out in front of hungry developers is development money, without which most games can't get written. But we didn't need their money. Not that we're rich (we're not) but we had a good game design matched with a sound business strategy that kept costs under control and a plan to fill a niche abandoned by the big publishers. We knew we could self-fund the development of CM, so who needs a traditional publisher? Not us. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>I like the idea of independent development of CM, but in regards to marketing (I believe I have a stake in this as a purchaser of the game and one who hopes to enjoy future versions and derivatives of it), I think you ought to put simple one-page adds in the major computer game magazines and attempt to distribute the game in major national stores such as electronic boutique as well as the internet computer game resellers. I think you would make a lot more money, which would be good for all of us.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Let me first say that we're not ruling anything out. In fact you will see at least one ad on the newsstands in the coming months. But there probably won't be a lot of this due to high cost. Those magazines are expensive. They do reach a large audience, but it's not necessarily a well-targeted audience for CM. So we have to be very careful about throwing large sums of money that way. And as for getting the game onto the shelves in major national stores, please read our thoughts on that matter at http://www.battlefront.com/about/about_festo.html . It would be nice if quality "sold itself" in terms of getting retail shelf space, but sadly that is not the case. I can tell you assuredly that we would lose money by playing "shelf wars". We are all much better off with CM being sold as it currently is. Reaction from the public and from the media has been excellent so far, and we expect to be around to make CM2, CM3, etc., with no meddling publisher to screw it up for us either! Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyamoto Musashi Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by RobC: I think you ought to put simple one-page adds in the major computer game magazines and attempt to distribute the game in major national stores such as electronic boutique as well as the internet computer game resellers <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I don't know much about the software selling industry, or how much you have to pay to have places like EB sell your titles, but one thing I DO know is that magazine industry... and let me tell you, magazine ads are not cheap. Do you have any idea what it would cost to put a full-page ad in a national magazine like CGM? Or even an eighth of a page, for that matter? Magazines like that are run in large part by advertising, and the established mags charge a good penny for ad space... A better (and far less expensive) route is to have your game featured in reviews, which CM will be in future issues of several magazines. ------------------ In fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased. An elevated spirit is weak and a low spirit is weak. Do not let the enemy see your spirit. -- M.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannon Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 I just wanted to add that I think we are going to start seeing more and more of this model in several industries. Ones that come to mind are book publishing and music. These two are good examples since they also take the lions share of the profit and tend to supress good products in a search for "best sellers." I don't know of any examples in the music industry, but Stephen King published his latest novel through the web using ebooks and made a lot more money than he ever would have using a publisher. I believe the web will revolutionize these industries. I can hardly wait until I will be able to buy books from my favorite authors online for less than $1.00, and they never go out of print. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kraut Posted June 17, 2000 Author Share Posted June 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Miyamoto Musashi: MA better (and far less expensive) route is to have your game featured in reviews, which CM will be in future issues of several magazines. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> And since CM's gameplay is timeless (damn, that map-generator will keep us playing forever!), we should keep reminding people over time, that CM it still availiable at www.battlefront.com and that update X has just been released with new features. Of course, we shouldn't go to war and rampage through "other" boards and claim that CM kicks the other games ass and that anyone who plays those "other" games is stoooopid. Right? I think CM could sell consistently over time and not 90% of all copies in the first month or so where the hype-factor is greatest (like diablo and similar games). I assume the more CM1 sells, the better CM2 will be. Unless steve and charles spend all the mula on panther tanks and other assorted ww2 hardware. Heh ... MK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted June 18, 2000 Share Posted June 18, 2000 You hit the nail on the head Kraut! One thing to keep in mind is that the first 3-6 weeks of retail sales determines if the game is going to remain on the shelf or hit the bargin bin in the following weeks. So if a game doesn't hit the ground SPRINTING (not running!) it will likely be discarded like yesterday's newspaper. This means MONTHS and HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dollars spent prior to a game's launch. Not doing so ensures that it will fizzle and die on the shelf without getting more than a tiny number of sales. The major benefit of the Web is that there is NO pressure on us to stop selling our products or 'bargin bin' them after only 3-4 months of sales. We fully expect to sell CM for several years with gradual price reductions as the sequels come out. This is how it USED to work in retail before there was too much competition and money available for space. BTW, on the full page ad front... we would have to sell about 500-600 Combat Missions to break even on *one* ad in *one* magazine for *one* month. Since these magazines are not well targeted for the most part, it is a total waste of money. In other words, if we went on a major advertising campaign we would most likely harm our potential future than help it. As Charles said above, we have a sound business model that will allow us to stay in business for many years to come while not exposing us to such risks. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolColJ Posted June 18, 2000 Share Posted June 18, 2000 Maybe a wargaming mag? ccj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgii2222 Posted June 18, 2000 Share Posted June 18, 2000 "Battlefront.com’s goal is to create and distribute serious, compelling, strategy and military history software in order to serve the needs of the thousands of wargamers who have nearly been abandoned by The Industry. Are you the sort of person who prefers reading Stephen Ambrose to John Grisham? Would you rather see Saving Private Ryan or Cross of Iron twice rather than Titanic even once? Do you find yourself glued to documentary programs on the History Channel while everyone else is watching Ally McBeal?" HEY! I like John Grisham AND Stephen Ambrose! I liked Titanic too! AND... AND... I watch the History channel and Ally McBeal BACK TO BACK, BABY! El Jeffe Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to continue.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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