I would imagine it would be 75% of the cost of games given away, as this is CoG’s current model, but I don’t speak for CoG. Using Kickstarter, though, adds a lot of hassle for CoG, and since the writer/artist/etc. is making much more money from using Kickstarter, I would suggest that 100% of the cost of games given away is taken from the Kickstarter fund, and this way everybody wins with the writer making additional revenue and CoG making 33% more from the sale of those games as well.
But to reiterate, I don’t speak for anyone and am still fairly new to the community.
Hello guys. What do you think about starting to actively finance already proven authors who have demonstrated their ability to create amazing stories with a real choice, instead of buying a one-line boring scribbling with which the library is already full? I speak first of all about writers like Mike Walter and Jim Dattilo that raised the bar of quality of COG games to such a high level, to which all other authors should strive for.
Coupled with them, special attention deserves the creators of - Choice of Robots, Choice of Kung Fu, Affairs of the Court: Choice of Romance, Mecha Ace, The Great Tournament, Sabres and Guns of Infinity, Somme Trench, Tin Star.
We could order from them stories for publication here, instead of months of waiting for something worthy with random story from some potboiler.
The Patreon for Cataphrak (Sabres and Guns of Infinity, Mecha Ace, Kendrickstone) can be found here. Feel free to contribute - he has lots of lore about the Infiniverse up on there too.
Please read the license provided with ChoiceScript. The standard license is for non-commercial games only. If someone wants to monetize their game in a non-standard way, we’re happy to talk about that, but please email us about it before hand.
@RETowers I’m guessing that the problem would be if the patrons were given access to the game instead of having to buy it through CoG.
I’m further guessing that if people wanted to fund a person to make a game, but still had to buy it through CoG, that this would be okay? Just guessing, as stated, be sure to speak to CoG before doing anything.
The problem here would be something along the lines of “early access beta testing”, or some other thing. Basically, that would break the license, since people are paying the author and getting to play the game without paying CoG.
I’m honored, @quixi_dixie. I’m Mike Walter, btw. Thanks for your kind words.
I will have to give credit to the maker of RenPy at least. The engine itself is free, and if people wish to charge for their game, they are free to do so.
I do think they have to have a page stating what engine their game/visual novel is made with, but I know the creator doesn’t require any fees, etc.
I still plan to launch a CCH2 Kickstarter whenever the game gets closer to publication. I really dig a possible t-shirt design and would like to launch that to coincide with the release date. That way, it either gets funded or it doesn’t, and I’m not stuck sitting on a big inventory. It would be a fairly simple “dipping my toe in the crowdfunding water” type of move.
There are a lot of ways to monetize your IP outside of the “game” itself. Short stories re: side characters, character/play guides, art and maps, conventional novel spin-offs. I do think those approaches work better for more “storyish” HGs. With more “gamish” HGs, a lot of the appeal is the mechanics as opposed to the narrative, and the mechanics are firmly entrenched in the “game” itself, whereas with more “storyish” HGs, the author potentially has more material to write about.
Paul whenever crowdfunding Source will you want to do it that you’re not already doing you got my full support man!!! But I also know right now you have a full plate between finishing out the sequel to your high Fantasy game and of course burden of command. But if you want to do crowdsourcing for it whatever way that makes it easier for you and I’m not even thinking this will make it quicker just easier for you I would be glad provide I whatever help that I can. And I know you’re very vocal fan club of use here would be eager to help as well.
And maybe you should wait until you get done with at least burden of command. Some of the advisors on that game would be stellar for putting their weight and helping you at all if you could even ask. I’m not mistaken they have the creator of Fallen London which I can see being a huge boon if he would be willing to help you.
inXile entertainment raised huge funds for Torment: Tides of Numenera on Kickstarter and after doing so started to sell the game at an unimaginably high price. Nothing stopped people from buying it anyway, since they wished to see a really good story.
Therefore, there is nothing wrong to sell a game ordered by the COG community from a particular author at a standard but also reasonable price. As long as the story is written in a qualitative way, by a verified author and is filled with stated and obvious expectations - moral and plot choice. This is exactly what is missing in many of the latest COG games released.
I think the idea of using it to get the starting funds to make something is excellent. @Eric_Moser’s t-shirt idea is an excellent example. He’s only going to make the product if there’s interest, so if people show interest (with money), then the t-shirt gets made.
For me, when I write a story, I’m going to make it anyway. So asking people to fund me to write a story seems redundant. I’ll get paid through my royalties, so it’s all good.
But, like @Eric_Moser also said (I wish I could like that post twice!), games might be different. I like to write new things, so I don’t go back to old games/stories to add additional content. I’m not a fan of DLC, but this might be a great side-step. I like the idea of using the patron system to allow people to “encourage” me to add new features to an already existing game.
Not sure if using a Kickstarter-funded game is a good comparison, as the only game I’ve seen come from Kickstarter that was universally praised by pretty much everyone was Shovel Knight. Most of the others I’ve seen were either a mixed bag or flat out disasters, if they even made it that far. Besides, with the way you describe it, it might be better to compare to Patreon or something like that.
Still, the idea makes a certain amount of sense, but I’m also unsure as to how this would go over if a system like it was implemented. My biggest question is what qualifies as a “verified author?” All the various writers CoG has had over the years for their official games? The people who managed to get games published through the hosted games label? Steven King?
Like Lucid said, the idea has a certain appeal, but it’s also something that has to be thought over.
Just an update: this is a four year-old thread. The question (at least where I’m involved) has become more or less moot. However, if other people want to discuss crowdfunding, this thread is still here.
