Why don't you sell your game? How can I change your mind?

[Shaz]

Down through the ages, mankind has engaged in the ongoing, bloody conflict that came about when someone first sold an RPG Maker game. To sell, or not to sell? That is the question.

This isn't really intended to be a debate thread. I'm curious to know, for those who HAVE completed games (especially if you've completed more than one) and DON'T sell them ... WHY don't you sell them? MAKING the game is the hardest part, and you've already made it past that obstacle.

There are the often and loudly voiced opinions that RPG Maker does not allow you to make games of a quality worthy of selling, and that RPG Maker is a hobbiest's tool and should not be used for anything BUT a hobby. But those are only opinions of individuals (and valid opinions for those who hold them), but the respectable number of RM games that ARE selling successfully shows that doesn't have to be the case. And I know those are not the only reasons.

So this is for everyone else, who isn't a die-hard "thou shalt not do this" believer, to list the things that have made you decide, or hold you back from entering the commercial arena. What are the ifs/buts that are stopping you? And for those who ARE selling your games, were there any ifs/buts that held you back, and how did you overcome them?

 

[Volrath]

More often than not, it's probably the amount of other peoples' material in it. Very few RPG Makers have access to their own composer, so the majority of the projects have copyrighted music from other sources. Obviously we can't go around just selling that stuff unlicensed. There's also a lot of graphics and scripts made by other people who are okay with them in freeware games but would get more picky (and they have a right to be!) when commercial games come into the picture. There are many other reasons that will be named in here, but anytime someone asked me why ArtBane and I didn't sell MotW, that was the default response.

 

[HamPants]

Being able to legally sell one's RPGMaker games still feels so new. Having said that, I am not opposed to selling games in any way. With the abundance of people willing to take commissions, and people with the talent to make their own resources out there, the possibility of making a game that can be sold is no longer limited to the few juggernauts who can do everything at once.

Personally, my philosophy is to set out, and make a game that people want to play. I'm not discounting the possibility of being able to sell it, but I'm not in it for the money, you know? I just want to make a game that people want to play. If I can feed myself while I do it, then it'd be silly not to, right?

 

[Bird Eater]

Isn't the first game you make something to put on your 'resume'?

If you just sell the first game you make (which might also be hindered if you've used resources only to be used in non-commercial games), people don't know whether or not it's good. You might not get much money out of it, anyway. In the end it could come out in your benefit after you've gained fame with a game everyone can play.

Then again, that's what demos are for, I guess.

Lots of people view making games with rpg maker purely as a hobby, and wouldn't want to let other people pay for playing their creation. When more people can play and be happy, you will be happier as well.

 

[TDS]

I've been making script commissions and with those alone I've gained enough enemies for a lifetime. I can only imagine the kind of venom people would spit if I even tried to sell a game.

The only way I would try and sell my game would be through some publisher rather than on my own, like if for some weird fluke the same company that handles the English version of RPG Maker decided to start publishing RPG Maker games.

Why? I'm willing to cope with a fair loss in revenue for not having to deal directly with the kind of people who will find any little excuse to attack you or your work if it involves money. (These people often don't even have any interest in the game, they just hate it you're trying to sell yours.)

So yeah, short version: If there's a simple publisher that I could submit my game for them to review/sell I would.

 

[Todd]

The whole reason I started using RPG maker was to make commercial games. The only people who really look down on commercial RPG maker games are other people who use RPG maker, to some one who doesn't use it it's just another game for sale.

 

[Shaz]

More often than not, it's probably the amount of other peoples' material in it. Very few RPG Makers have access to their own composer, so the majority of the projects have copyrighted music from other sources. Obviously we can't go around just selling that stuff unlicensed. There's also a lot of graphics and scripts made by other people who are okay with them in freeware games but would get more picky (and they have a right to be!) when commercial games come into the picture.

Yep, and if you even consider selling your game when you're starting out, you can avoid that. LOOK for resources that are able to be used commercially. It DOES make it harder - you have to search more or find other ways to obtain resources. Otherwise when you get to the end and decide you'd like to think about selling it, it's a huge effort to go through and decide what can stay, what must go, and what you can do to replace it.

The only way I would try and sell my game would be through some publisher rather than on my own, like if for some weird fluke the same company that handles the English version of RPG Maker decided to start publishing RPG Maker games.

So yeah, short version: If there's a simple publisher that I could submit my game for them to review/sell I would.

There ARE people here who can do that for you. WE (Amaranth Games) will sell your game for you, as long as it meets the requirements listed on our site. Aldorlea will sell your game. I THINK Nathaniel also sells other people's games (not sure on that one - Nate?)

 

[Indinera]

There ARE people here who can do that for you. WE (Amaranth Games) will sell your game for you, as long as it meets the requirements listed on our site. Aldorlea will sell your game. I THINK Nathaniel also sells other people's games (not sure on that one - Nate?)

To add something to this, the communities on these websites are nice, supportive and for the most part, gentle. They also happen to like this type of game. Really unless your game is a 1 in 1 million (in a bad way) you'll get mostly positive and supportive feedback. If you are interested you can PM me (for Aldorlea) and Shaz (for Amaranthia)!

 

[HamPants]

I've been making script commissions and with those alone I've gained enough enemies for a lifetime. I can only imagine the kind of venom people would spit if I even tried to sell a game.

TDS, you provide a service that others can't do themselves, and from what I've seen, you're damn good at it. If they think that you should provide for free, what takes time and effort out of you, then they can go pound sand. You're awesome, and anyone who would rage at you for trying to feed yourself with what you can do might as well just be farting out of their mouth for all their opinion matters.

 

[Touchfuzzy]

RMW is actually going to be selling Commercial RM Games soon. And by soon, I mean I think there might be one being added to our store this week.

 

[Indinera]

RMW is actually going to be selling Commercial RM Games soon. And by soon, I mean I think there might be one being added to our store this week.

Excellent! :lol:

 

[TDS]

TDS, you provide a service that others can't do themselves, and from what I've seen, you're damn good at it. If they think that you should provide for free, what takes time and effort out of you, then they can go pound sand. You're awesome, and anyone who would rage at you for trying to feed yourself with what you can do might as well just be farting out of their mouth for all their opinion matters.

Not food, Dentistry. I'm not insured and I'm trying to cover some stuff.

RMW is actually going to be selling Commercial RM Games soon. And by soon, I mean I think there might be one being added to our store this week.

Is this going to be by private choosing or by public submission? Also how complex is it going to be to submit things in terms of contents? Because I am not a company, just one guy making a game and publishers often ask information like "Company name, Company adress" etc, which I obviously can't provide.

 

[Indinera]

Is there a link to get more information about your game somewhere?

 

[Volrath]

Yep, and if you even consider selling your game when you're starting out, you can avoid that. LOOK for resources that are able to be used commercially. It DOES make it harder - you have to search more or find other ways to obtain resources. Otherwise when you get to the end and decide you'd like to think about selling it, it's a huge effort to go through and decide what can stay, what must go, and what you can do to replace it.

To give some perspective, MotW is a very long game that we started in 2005 and didn't finish until 2011. There was no independent scene that I can recall from 2005. Selling it was just not even a consideration, we just wanted to put our heads together and make the best game we could for fun. It was only later on that we started getting questions about selling it, but it was just too far along to retool like that. The ship has sailed on selling MotW...unless someone wants to pay us to remake it! But yes, your advice is sound for future projects.

 

[Ronove]

I can't sell my game because I don't feel like going through and getting all the permissions (and handing out cash to get those permissions) to use the resources that aren't mine (and the fact I use sound effects from Chrono Trigger, I highly doubt that SE would let me use that and I haven't been able to find any that I liked enough to replace those sounds). It's far more annoying to try to do that now. Honestly though, I really wish I had. A bit too late to deal with regrets now though!

Any game I make now I'm going at it with a commercial game in mind so I can sell my game. I proved to myself I can make a game that people actually play and enjoy, so now I'd like to take one step farther!

The only thing that is holding me back though is that I'm really flakey when getting a project to stick.

 

[HamPants]

Not food, Dentistry. I'm not insured and I'm trying to cover some stuff.

As someone who has had a top-plate denture for 5 years, and is going to need to replace it soon, I feel your pain.

 

[Shaz]

The only thing that is holding me back though is that I'm really flakey when getting a project to stick.

What do you mean, "flakey when getting a project to stick"?

 

[Ronove]

What do you mean, "flakey when getting a project to stick"?

I get bored with projects really easily.

 

[Shaz]

gotcha.

 

[Zeramae]

This thread isn't about me obviously since I have yet to finish a game. (Going to work on my first one from here on out, but I wanted to say that commercial developers should put themselves out there more and help others get off their feet.

The more commercial devs out there who can sell games people would love, the better.

Let's make RPG Maker games a viable interest to buyers.