Commercial Games

Why do people try so hard with commercial RPG Maker games? Unless you've made a game so popular that it makes many of the RPGs on the market today feel empty, then you are an exception, but I see so many people making these games and they aren't even that good. I honestly would never buy any of their games.

I feel people shouldn't want to go commercial, they should be given it through hard work and dedication in doing something they love. Being some greedy bastard is going to end up making you like every corporation in the world, and as an indie developer you should stay away from that.

Let me know how you all feel about this subject.

If you really knew everything that is incorporated into making a commercial game, I don't think you'd be saying that. Especially with deadlines, paying employees etc.. Time is very expensive. Plus most people making commercial games RM today already have a lot of passion. Like 90% of non commercial games are never completed, let alone those that are commercial. IMO you have to have superhuman determination to go through with making one.

Of course, it's a lot cheaper making the game one your own, but I believe that to be nearly impossible to do, most people would burn out trying to undertake all that by themselves.

I'm not saying they don't love it, most probably do, but you can't be expecting to come into this field to just make a living off of it. Besides, those that do it just feels wrong how poorly the games look. It is just my personal opinion. I've been working on games for over 10 years, and I still wouldn't make a commercial game, because it just wouldn't meet my standards to sell.

:huh:

(guess this qualifies as my reaction)

I think that commercial developing is awesome if that's what the author really wants. I feel really happy for anyone who can make a living of something they love, and if that something is RPG games, so be it!

I don't care if their firsts games are not "that good" (as you said), as anything else, it involves learning, and if they learn on the go while making some money, that's great!

People who likes the game will buy it, and people who don't, should just ignore it. Nobody forces a buy on anyone as far as I know, and the games usually have one hour demos or some other ways to know if it will be fun to play them.

Great answer, Lemony. :lol:

Although I agree with you there, I just don't think it is the right way to start off.

Making a cool free game is a good way to start too, it can help building up reputation and a community around your work. Many devs have done it. :)

That's what I mean exactly. You should put the leg work in first, then worry about making money doing what you love second.

There will always be some more ambitious than others

@Helladen

Although most people who do undertake commercial projects have done something in the maker before, of course people need some experience before doing anything so difficult.

(NSFW language within.)I might be biased, having made my first game, Unemployment Quest, commercial, but I really don't think it's fair that people expect indie creators to work for free. I've gotten a lot of flack from my game - even from at least one commercial RPG Maker developer. But you know what? There's nothing wrong with charging money for your work, and I think this is something creative individuals must realize. If you want to make things free, that's great. But free games don't pay the rent or keep the lights on. It's not about being greedy, it's about being able to afford to exist while creating what you create. I don't think anybody is buying mansions and retiring at age 40 off their RPG Maker games (or indie games in general).

If you don't want to buy a game, don't buy it. But don't let its existence bother you.

But what if you're game is terrible, uninteresting, and derivative? So what? It's still fair to make it commercial, although it's probably not fair to expect it to be a big seller. Surely even the worst commercial RPG Maker games are better than things like ET for Atari 2600, Zelda: Wand of Gamelon, or Big Riggs: Over the Road Racing.

I'm not trying to be rude or anything. I just think that commercial efforts should be supported rather than criticized for their mere existence.

@Nemoide

Agreed, plus any sales may generate publicity for us rm makers, which is a good thing right?

Especially if they're good enough to be on steam now that they're changing their policy on how games get into the store. :rolleyes: *Hopelessly dreams*

Oh, don't rule out anything, it can and has happened. :)

I would agree on this. It's an individual but also a collective effort.

Interesting way to look at it. I suppose I was wrong about that, then.

Besides if people wanna sell and people wanna buy then I see no problem

Can there be something more fulfilling than making a living with what you like to do? I don't think so.

Besides trying to go commercial is simply the next logical step after having done something for free imo.

I'm with the people who've been suggesting that people start out getting their feet wet with non-commercial products. Besides freeing you (to an extent) from the nightmare tangle that is copyright and copy protection, it's more or less a fact that the first couple of games you make will not be everything they're capable of being. There are things you learn through the process of making a game that aren't really brought up that much -- things like timing, and flow, and the delicate methods of communicating things to the player using framing, imagery, and atmosphere instead of words.

This is more of an issue for me than it might be for some people, though, because quite frankly I'd be disgusted with myself if I was selling a product that I didn't think was worth the money. I have very, very high standards, and living up to them is tough.

Starting out free is an excellent way to build reputation and goodwill, as well -- if you put something out commercially and a large portion of your audience has played and enjoyed free games of yours in the past, they're more likely to be interested in this new thing.

They're also likely to give you grief for "selling out", but in my experience the people who do that sort of thing are mainly just upset that you got to it before they did.

@Runaway Bro - I understand what you mean about how non-commercial games can be a good way to start off but it's a lot easier to finish a commercial game, before I went commercial I was unable to finish a game. The farthest I ever got was about 15 minutes of gameplay. Now I've finished a game and I'm far on my second.

Interesting point, Todd. :)

Can't relate personally, though, as I never noticed a tangible difference whether I was making a free or a commercial game.