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FPSC Classic Product Chat / Which sells better: games or game media?

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Captain Coder
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Posted: 14th Jul 2011 04:29
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Hello all,

I would like to make some money off of my firey passion for creating video games, and so far I know of two viable options:

(1) Sell video games I make
(2) Sell video game media I (am going to) make
(3) Both (1) and (2)

The thing is, though, that not a lot of people are willing to invest in some newbie's game or models or whatnot.

Also, I can appeal to two types of markets: the first market composed of anybody who is willing to pay a few bucks for a new game, or a market that appeals almost exclusively to game developers.

So which is likely to bring in more income: Selling games, media, or both?

If I sell games, how much would be a reasonable price? What about custom media?

If you have experience, please speak!

Thanks for the help,
Captain Coder
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Kravenwolf
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Location: Silent Hill
Posted: 14th Jul 2011 04:46 Edited at: 14th Jul 2011 04:48
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Quote: "So which is likely to bring in more income: Selling games, media, or both? "


Both would obviously bring in more income for you, considering it would give you product on both the developer and gamer market. Though in my opinion (and experience), it's much easier to start making a profit sooner rather than later by creating media and selling your assets here via TGC/Store rather than trying to market a commercial game. Primarily because TGC already delivers the web traffic to your product, and handles the sales/business end for the most part.

Long term goal or side goal would then be to create a commercial game while you're throwing up a few assets here and there to developers every now and then (my method anyway).


Quote: "If I sell games, how much would be a reasonable price?"


Depends on several factors such as the over quality, length, replay value, and etc of the game; and is most likely something you'll be figuring out after your game is nearing the end of its development stage. Then you can compare your title with other titles out there on the same market you plan on publishing your game to (Steam, etc) and set a competing price.

Quote: "What about custom media?"


Take a look at the prices on the media uploaded to the GC Store to determine a competing price for your own assets in THIS particular market (the TGC community), or the model packs on the GC homepage.

Quote: "If you have experience, please speak!"


Done

Kravenwolf

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Captain Coder
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Posted: 14th Jul 2011 04:54
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Thank you very much Kravenwolf! You don't realize how much this will help me.

Thanks again!
Captain Coder
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King Cobra
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Posted: 14th Jul 2011 05:04
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I agree with Kravenwolf on all accounts.

Since I do not model, I normally buy media from TGC store or through the TGC forums. I have a full time job and creating games ALONE sucks up most of my free time.

I have a W.I.P. that is about 95% done...took me a few months of tweaking, testing, etc. and I'm still not done.

About your game: People will buy your game IF THEY KNOW ABOUT IT. How much you charge is up to you. My game...I'm selling for $15 USD and I already have a list of people waiting for its release. Will they buy it? Not sure but I would never know if I don't try. How did I do it?

1) Market.

2) Market.

3) Market.

Need I say more?

Create demos. Hand them out. Get people interested. Use free sites like Twitter and Facebook. I'm not saying make every other post an ad. That's spamming. But every few posts or so, mention your game. People will buy your game...if they know about it.

Media wise, you can make money selling media. I, for one, buy media from other TGC members. Modeling is not my thing. I don't have the time or patience to do polygonal count, meshing, texturing, rigging, etc. So I buy from others if the media fits my overall game's storyline.

Keep at it. I'm sure I will buy your media...if it's good!

GAME ON!!!

--King Cobra

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Bugsy
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Posted: 14th Jul 2011 08:13
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it all depends who you're selling to. if you sell to the FPSC forums, where everyone knows how to make a game, then selling media is your best bet, but if you decide to sell something in a store, where most people go to buy games, not media, you'll sell more games than 3d models, because most people you find in a gamestop have no need for raw 3d models and textures.

imageflock.com/img/1303928322.png[/img]
skype = isaacpreston. I want to talk to YOU
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The Storyteller 01
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Posted: 14th Jul 2011 23:15 Edited at: 14th Jul 2011 23:21
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It's not about which option "sells better" but which makes a "bigger profit".

So you have to take a look at:
- the time you need to create, design and make your product
- the estimated number of potential customers you'll have (potential still means that you'll have to be able to inform them about your product)
- the price that is reasonable for your typical customer
- the competion on the market (means you'll have to look at the quality/price of your product compared to the quality/price of other available products)

To say it blunt: in the long run you'll defintely make a bigger profit with a perfect FPSC-ready static model which took you 2 hours to make and sells 30 times for 1 $ than with a mediocre game that took you 2000 hours to make but sells only 5 times for 9.90 $

In case you find my grammar and spelling weird ---> native German speaker ^^
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s4real
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Posted: 14th Jul 2011 23:29
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I think good game media would be the way to go, its hard to sale a fpsc game but not impossible.

The key to selling a game is good game play first and then good graphics second but good graphics is not the key selling point, look at minecraft it has good gameplay and the graphics are nothing great but it sales well.

But a good marketing trick is to give ya game away free and sale the media from the game, the trick is you got to sale the dream.

best s4real



Pack ya games with vishnu packer its free.
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Captain Coder
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Posted: 15th Jul 2011 01:01
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Wow, lots of varied advice! Thanks for all the tips guys. I certainly have a lot more to chew on and think about than I first thought...

@s4real:
Quote: "But a good marketing trick is to give ya game away free and sale the media from the game, the trick is you got to sale the dream."


I've heard of this kind of sale's trick before. My only question is, what do you mean by "you got to sale the dream"? (maybe it's just me)

Another question: Would it be more practical to start my own website and sell stuff their, or pay someone else to sell my stuff for me and split the profit?

Thanks for all the help,
Captain Coder
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Captain Coder
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Posted: 16th Jul 2011 20:47
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I'm thinking I'll try to buy/download software for entity and segment production and try selling stuff on the TGC Store. If the let me

Any more comments? I would really love some advice on my previous website question!

Thanks,
Captain Coder
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The Storyteller 01
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Posted: 16th Jul 2011 23:22
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I can give you some additional advice on the choice of entities and segments if you want to sell at the store:

Try to create stuff, that has not been done yet. The less competition you have, the better the sales. And if you are able to learn how to animate models (even simple animations like a container that opens) you'll get a lot of attention because these are still rare.

In case you find my grammar and spelling weird ---> native German speaker ^^
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xplosys
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Posted: 17th Jul 2011 17:59
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As for the website question, it's probably more of a financial question, at least in the beginning. Obviously the best answer would be to sell everywhere you can, including your own site. Especially since there is the free site option.

Selling on an established website for games or media will get you immediate traffic and visibility. You'll give up a portion of the sale but you'll likely sell more. Selling on your own site (assuming it's a new site) will be painfully slow but you'll get to keep more of the sale. There's always cost for processing the transaction.

This is all assuming you're of age to have an account with PayPal, Google, or some other payment processor.

Brian.

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Captain Coder
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Posted: 17th Jul 2011 21:47
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Cool, thanks guys for the help!

Captain Coder, over and out.
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