Splash Screens in solo projects?

[Rhaeami]

A bit of an odd question, but I've begun working on polishing up a game for a commercial release, and I'm wondering what to do about the splash screen at the start.  A freeware script I've implemented lets me use one, and there's no doubt that having *something* show up on-screen before the player sees the title screen makes everything seem much more professional, but this project is, besides a few outsourced scripts and art assets, a solo project, meaning there's no "company" name or logo to throw up there.

So, what are your thoughts on this?  Is it acceptably professional-looking for a solo indie developer to, say, put their name up on a splash screen (Like Hideo Kojima sometimes does)?  Alternatively, is it even legal - let alone recommended - to make up a team name for the one-person development team that you are?  Perhaps something else splash-screen worthy altogether?

This doesn't seem to be a topic that's discussed much, so I'd appreciate any feedback at all, really.  Thanks.

 

[cabfe]

If you're going commercial, you'll need to set up a company for dealing with the revenues.

At least, in most countries I think it's required. So you'll have a company name to show in your splash screen anyway.

 

[Rhaeami]

If you're going commercial, you'll need to set up a company for dealing with the revenues.

At least, in most countries I think it's required. So you'll have a company name to show in your splash screen anyway.

Is this still the case if it's being published by another company, which handles the profits?

 

[cabfe]

As long as you receive money, you have to declare it.

There *may* (not even sure if legal) be a way without creating a company , but it'll be a lot easier with one when you fill your taxes.

 

[Rhaeami]

As long as you receive money, you have to declare it.

There *may* (not even sure if legal) be a way without creating a company , but it'll be a lot easier with one when you fill your taxes.

So how does an individual person go about creating a "company" for themselves?  Or, is that a long and involved subject that I should look up elsewhere?

 

[EternalShadow]

As long as you receive money, you have to declare it.


There *may* (not even sure if legal) be a way without creating a company , but it'll be a lot easier with one when you fill your taxes.

Are we discussing the USA here? Because I'm pretty sure you can do it solo in the UK.

 

[Kes]

In the UK, and in other jurisdictions (but I don't know about the US) there is no need to create a company, you can do it as a sole trader under your own name.  As long as you declare the income it doesn't matter whether you received it as Joe Bloggs or Bloggs Inc.  There are pros and cons about being a company.

However, for the question in the OP, there is nothing to prevent you calling yourself Raemyi Games (just as an example) and get a nice logo made with that.  That then would be your splash screen.  Obviously you should do a google search to make sure that Raemyi Games doesn't already exist, but if not, then use it.  Or make up another name.  I do think that a logo splash screen looks much more professional than going straight to the title screen.

 

[Rhaeami]

In the UK, and in other jurisdictions (but I don't know about the US) there is no need to create a company, you can do it as a sole trader under your own name.  As long as you declare the income it doesn't matter whether you received it as Joe Bloggs or Bloggs Inc.  There are pros and cons about being a company.

However, for the question in the OP, there is nothing to prevent you calling yourself Raemyi Games (just as an example) and get a nice logo made with that.  That then would be your splash screen.  Obviously you should do a google search to make sure that Raemyi Games doesn't already exist, but if not, then use it.  Or make up another name.  I do think that a logo splash screen looks much more professional than going straight to the title screen.

Thanks for the feedback on the original question.  I'll fall back on that if it turns out I don't actually need to register as a company.

For the record, this is for the U.S.  Sorry, I always forget that these websites are multinational. XD

I'll ask my publisher about this too, to get a second (third? fourth?) opinion on the legality of it all.  Any additional feedback is appreciated too, thanks everyone!

 

[Shaz]

It might depend on who your publisher is, and what they are doing for you.


You ALWAYS want your own (company) name as a splash screen. If your publisher has some kind of partnership with you where they've pre-funded part of development or have a say in the game design, they may get a splash screen as well, but you will still have yours.


This is the way people know who made the game. Download one or two game demos from Big Fish Games and start them up. There will always be one or two company splash screens, and there will always be the BFG splash screen. They grab credit where they can, even though they had absolutely nothing to do with the development of the game. And it's very, very sad to see how many people believe BFG actually made those games.


Set up a company, and make a splash screen. Don't make your players confused about who made the game.

 

[Rhaeami]

It might depend on who your publisher is, and what they are doing for you.

You ALWAYS want your own (company) name as a splash screen. If your publisher has some kind of partnership with you where they've pre-funded part of development or have a say in the game design, they may get a splash screen as well, but you will still have yours.

This is the way people know who made the game. Download one or two game demos from Big Fish Games and start them up. There will always be one or two company splash screens, and there will always be the BFG splash screen. They grab credit where they can, even though they had absolutely nothing to do with the development of the game. And it's very, very sad to see how many people believe BFG actually made those games.

Set up a company, and make a splash screen. Don't make your players confused about who made the game.

Good input, Shaz.

Combining this with the suggestion that simply referring to myself by a 'company' name (i.e. Raemyi Games, etc.) would be perfectly fine, it seems that the only question left to answer is a personal one: what to call myself!    Then I can just use the same name if I actually have to make a legal company.

Thanks again for the help, everyone.

 

[Shaz]

And what happens if you choose a name now, and when you're ready to set up the company, that name has been taken by someone else?


Speak to an accountant and they will advise of the best course of action for your country (and in America, it even varies by state - I know people in one state will register the company in another state because of the benefits gained).

 

[Rhaeami]

And what happens if you choose a name now, and when you're ready to set up the company, that name has been taken by someone else?

Speak to an accountant and they will advise of the best course of action for your country (and in America, it even varies by state - I know people in one state will register the company in another state because of the benefits gained).

How involved of a process is "speaking to an accountant?"  Is it like, paying hundreds of dollars for a consultation or something?

 

[Shaz]

You could ask them when you call them. Or look for forums where you can get free accounting advice from a professional, specifically for your state. Asking opinions on a forum like this is not going to give you information you can apply to yourself, because it's unlikely to find anyone here who knows the situation for your area and who keeps up with and knows all the taxation and business laws.

 

[Rhaeami]

You could ask them when you call them. Or look for forums where you can get free accounting advice from a professional, specifically for your state. Asking opinions on a forum like this is not going to give you information you can apply to yourself, because it's unlikely to find anyone here who knows the situation for your area and who keeps up with and knows all the taxation and business laws.

Right, of course.  I just honestly didn't expect the topic to get to that point when I started it.  Sorry if I asked too many questions.

 

[Wavelength]

I'm not sure about the legality of making up a company name (that doesn't include your actual last name) and putting it on things, but I do know you can do this pretty easily by obtaining a DBA (Doing Business As) name.  The DBA name is easy to get (quick, simple, pretty cheap) and will let you use your company name on anything you want, including official business documents, as well as granting you some trademark privileges.  Look up your state's applicable laws and application process.

 

[Missile]

I think people are much more likely to remember you as a person, rather than your "company." Binding of Isaac simply says "made by Ed and Florian" in the splash screen. Braid doesn't even have one - it just throws you into a stage, with an optional credits button.

It feels less personal to obsess over logos and companies when you're making relatively personal-scale art. For a larger studio without anyone to point to, it's definitely important. But at a much smaller scale, you represent your stuff, and that's what's remembered.

 

[Rhaeami]

I think people are much more likely to remember you as a person, rather than your "company." Binding of Isaac simply says "made by Ed and Florian" in the splash screen. Braid doesn't even have one - it just throws you into a stage, with an optional credits button.

It feels less personal to obsess over logos and companies when you're making relatively personal-scale art. For a larger studio without anyone to point to, it's definitely important. But at a much smaller scale, you represent your stuff, and that's what's remembered.

You make a good point.  Thank you.

 

[Clord]

Due my country, I was advised to to sell my commercial game under my own name if I don't have a company. So it depends of your country that which options are legally available.

 

[Wavelength]

On the other hand, I don't see any reason you'd have any trouble putting something on it that says "a Raemyi game" or "a Winged Dolphin game" or what-have-you, and play your own name down (or even leave it out of the game), since you're describing the game and not referring to yourself as the company Raemyi/Winged Dolphin.  You could also brand it with one of the main characters from your game, or do something like the Tales Of games (which often have splash art that says "Tales Studio" or "Namco Tales Studio").

Of course, this would have far weaker copyright protection (somebody else could theoretically also call their game "a Winged Dolphin game") than if you actually went ahead and got something like a DBA name.

I think this looks more professional, in general, and has better marketability than just a person's name.  But if you're confident enough that you're going to be a big thing in indie gaming and that you'll become popular enough to build recognizability up for your own name, putting your actual name on there in lieu of a company brand can give an "auteur" kind of vibe to your future projects that will give them a bit more instant credibility.