Just wondering if there’s a policy on this as games have to remain available through ifcomp if entered. I know scarlet sails was an ifcomp entry, but it was changed significantly before becoming a HG. Creatures such as we also was an ifcomp entry as well I think, but I don’t know if it was changed prior to becoming a HG.
I don’t think there’s an official line on this from us. Case by case.
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There was a discussion on the Discord server with @jasonstevanhill regarding this. If I remember said conversation correctly (and please correct me if I don’t), CoG doesn’t mind but the creators of IFComp have issues with HGs being submitted because they aren’t parser games and because they have this thing about “art for the sake of art,” and they frown upon games that get entered into the competition and then go commercial.
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IFComp definitely doesn’t have an issue with non-parser games being submitted. Whatever anti-choice-based sentiment there once was, it’s largely become a non-issue over the last couple of decades.
Definitely check out the requirements of each, though. In particular, IFComp requires you to allow them to make your submitted work available for everyone to play, free of charge, in its totality, forever. HG wants to sell it for a profit; why would they want to spend all the time and money to make the apps and promote and distribute them if you’re giving away the exact same thing for free? So you might have to make some significant changes or additions to the story to get HG to sign on. As Mary says, it’s on a case by case basis.
There used to be rules about the commercial-mindedness of works submitted to IFComp in the past, but those changed years ago. As long as you allow them to distribute what you submit for free, in perpetuity, they don’t care whether you later derive some commercial product from your submissions.
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While I have seen anti non-parser sentiments on the comp forums in the past (not the last couple of years though that I’m aware of) it seems that this is not the belief of everyone and several choicescript and twine games have done well for themselves, so I agree that writing choice based games for the comp shouldn’t be a disadvantage.
That’s why I was asking about for free, not paid. I was wondering if COG wanted a few more freebee games in among the paid ones/exposure for csgames in the comp, or if it’s not really worth their while hosting them if they’ve been available elsewhere first. I’m not sure what the cross over audience is between the app stores and the ifcomp if it would make it worth their while hosting a game that is on there unless altered significantly. Anyway, as Mary answered my question, it sounds like it is a something to ask the COG staff on a game by game basis as there’s not a policy on it either way.
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If they did freebie games, they’d probably rather they were a part of the main COG line, like Choice of Dragons. Or like Choice of Romance, with paid sequels.
They’ve never said that. If anyone wants to do it, I think it’s worth discussing it with them on a case by case basis as they suggested unless otherwise indicated by the staff.
Official games that are free without paid sequels:
Creatures such as we
Broadsides and Sequel
Dragon
Blackmail
With paid sequels:
Affairs of court
Vampire
Deathless, Kung Fu, and FRHH are also free in some places.
And Blackmail is an HG.