Paying people "per game sold"

[Lei]

We would asume (im 90%ish sure) that the game would be sold online through a distributor. The sight would proably show how many times the game was bought and downloaded?

About this trust thing... I perfectly agree. Why would you pay someone you don't know. If you're talking to a friend and say "I'm hungry" and suddenly a stranger walks up to you both and offers "I'll go get food for you but you have to pay me" think... The distributor (you) wouldn't want to pay untill the task (food obtained) is complete... And the the stranger (I suppose in refference to this would be the scripter) wouldn't want to waste their time and efforts with the possibility that you would take advantage of them and not pay for the work...

Background Checks are a good thing :P

 

[sgeos]

I guess I share everyone else's concerns. How do I know the game will be finished? $1 a game is fine, but what if you only sell 50 copies? 100 hours of work is still 100 hours of work.

I think to the extent you take no financial risk, you have to make it possible for you helpers to make a lot on the deal- $1 for every game sold in the first 3 years. Or you can do the suggested flat rate contract.

-Brendan

 

[kaze950]

If I were to pay someone, I would like to do it that way. However, aside from scripts, I plan to just do all the graphics after the game and use placeholders until then.

Then, It will be easier to convince someone to do graphics for the game because , well, its already done. But, I would agree that if x amount of copies aren't sold within an agreed upon time period, the rest of the payment would be due as a one-time deal.

However, I don't plan on having custom tilesets or anything. The main thing needed for my game is battle and face graphics.

 

[sgeos]

Upon rereading my post, I realized that $1 per game may be a lot to give helpers depending on:

• Number of helpers
• Pricepoint of game
• Number of copies sold

The royalty total essentially increases the final price of the game by that much.

-Brendan

 

[BunnyKinx]

What i think is...

that deal about doubling the worth could work... BUT...
I think you should give people something whilst they are working
also... even if its just half the normal amount. You say you have nothing, If thats true then you should not be making a commercial game. lol you know the saying "You need money to make money".

I know it does not seem fair. I have not been out in 3 weeks cause im paying for little bits of my game and i have only just started.

I think its wrong of you to assume you will sell 1 copy, Never mind 200. I mean "in my opinion" RMXP games dont do well online. and stopping people from copying it will be near impossible lol.

Im sorry and your game does not look to bad but... you really need to get a job and pay!

 

[Kyotomaru]

$1 dollar per game dont you think thats kinda cheap to be paying staff.

I usually pay $5 for staff member.

 

[arev]

Assuming average indie game price is around $20, the companies that do all the paper work with selling such game online usually take 30 to 50%. So you might be left with ten bucks to pay the whole staff :]
Contract proposed by ccoa could be a good solution, but in Wyatt's case, I think it would have to be signed by his parents.

 

[BunnyKinx]

Its coming down to im introducing a points system for members. and them points have local exchange rates (to ensure its fairly split between members) It was VERY hard to get some of them to agree to this. for the main parts of the game im paying out right... and i dont mean cheap.

we are talking

$100 per sprite tempalate and ALOT more on the scripts and other bits.

but i dont think your system is fair. what happens if your game does not make it to completion, I think you should always have a minimum payment (even if the game does not sell) even if you say half what the normal value is on release (or fail)

 

[arev]

That's where the contract comes in. It's a kind of insurance for the artists/scripters for cases such as not completing the game by author. But, as I said before, it's got to be signed between adult persons.

 

[Lei]

But we're not only talking about adults here... what about the next generation with amazing talents still in school?

 

[arev]

Well, sorry there, next generation, according to law you can't sign any paper if you're thirteen or so.

 

[Lackluster]

You don't have to be 18 to sign a contract involving money o_O

 

[arev]

Sure, maybe not eighteen, but you have to be over some age. Probably 16, maybe 15, not sure about your local regulations.

 

[BunnyKinx]

the problem is with people all over the world it would be very hard to enforce any contract you make with people from other places

 

[sirsk8aton]

Yeah, I would definitely pay a dollar. Chump change lol.

 

[TheInquisitor]

One dollar for games sold? Sounds like you're some sort hustling, micky mouse employer, Wyatt. :D With that sort of job, I could make a cool...20, 30 dollars for a minimum of a years work? Sweet!

You'd have to sell around 30,000 copies just for the artists to make minimum wage in America, surely.

I'd never do work on that condition without at least a "On the condition that" clause like Ccoa said. Even then, I probably wouldn't do it. It's way too risky. To be fair though, I think most decent artists are aware of their own worth and probably wouldn't agree to work on an RPG Maker game, unless it's some incredible offer or reliable person in charge.

 

[Ellie]

One problem with that. How can you pay people minimum wage if your game's total profits aren't even minimum wage?

If you are selling your game for $10, $1.75 is tax, $1 goes to the web publisher, ignoring the fact that being online the game needs payment for upkeep of the servers, payment for hosting, domain names, and whatnot, you make $7.50 per game.

$1 of that just for part of the work that makes up the game is quite a large percentage.

Say you have to pay people for: graphics, scripting, music, battle system, storyline, at $7.50 per game what chance do you have?

Ignoring also the fact that you'd then be making no money from your job.




Ignore the fact that this topic is from June...

 

[TheInquisitor]

One problem with that. How can you pay people minimum wage if your game's total profits aren't even minimum wage?

This question is very easy to answer: You can't.

...or take out a loan.

 

[Ellie]

But a loan still doesn't solve it. If you have to take out a loan to pay your staff, you still have to pay back that loan. And if you aren't earning enough to pay your staff then you can't pay the loan exactly the same.

 

[TheInquisitor]

Then you get a job after your project and pay off your loan. That's life. I hear that Aveyond turned a profit, so it's not unfeasable.