Re: Re: How easy would it be to create a king of sun country game?

From: David Harper <dharper_at_...>
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 16:02:56 -0400


Maxi Rose <teleute_at_...>'s evil twin Skippy wrote:

>This is the rather prolific and unfortunate argument of, "Well, _I'd_ buy
>one!", used when supporting why you should suddenly start a new game or
>open up your software which is not designed to be opened up, to let users
>tinker with it and/or make their own MODs or scenarios for it. In short,
>"I can't code and don't want to pay you the upfront costs you need to be
>able to begin work on this project, leaving you to create something and
>HOPE anyone will want to buy it, but I can promise that if you make it, I
>will buy a copy, even if I can't promise ANYONE ELSE will. But you should
>do it because this OTHER game does it and that OTHER game is REALLY POULAR
>with its players and YOU'D be really popular TOO, if you did it."

[snipped several paragraphs]

I'm sorry you don't agree with me. I'm also sorry that you've had so many unfortunate experiences in the past with posters.

I believe that David and the rest of A# are able to make intelligent decisions without me - I was not trying to force David into something he didn't want to do and, quite frankly, I'm not sure how I could.

While I don't have access to Paradox Inc's financial records (as far as I know, they are not a public company), their business model obviously relies on giving the fan community the ability to change their games. In doing so, they have build a solid and enthusiastic fanbase, which is always a good thing for a software company.

This model does not work for all companies, all programs, or all people. It obviously hasn't worked for anyone in your experience. That's too bad! There are a lot of benefits for people - for fans and for developers.

There are also some downsides. I wasn't trying to hide anything; I gave my opinion and then gave A# a place where they could see the model in action. I wanted to expose A# to what I thought was a new idea for them - not send them tilting windmills on a fool's quest that bankrupts the company. If they lose, we ALL lose.

Large, successful companies spend billions of dollars every year gauging the interest of the public - and especially people who have bought products and services from them before - just to get an idea of what people want. I was doing A# a favor, however small, by telling them. They are free to do whatever they like with that information - discuss it, ignore it, print it out and make it into origami, burn the server it arrived on, etc. In the meantime, your opposition to this is also helpful to them - it lets them know you wouldn't buy such a product.

If you want to understand more of what I'm talking about, I suggest you go to the link I supplied and do some looking around. If you still disagree with me, that's fine - it takes a lot of different people to make the world go around. Or, if you'd like to discuss this over coffee, I also live in Toronto. It's a small world!

Dave, apparently annoying poster

--
Me:    "I've made a few changes to the rules..."
Colin: "Who's surprised?  Put up your hand."
Me:    "Actually, it means we need to make new characters."
Colin: "No hands?  Anybody?"

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