Comments on: Wisdom, Deferred http://www.edery.org/2008/10/wisdom-deferred/ For those interested in the business of making good video games. Entrepreneurial spirit a must. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:52:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Jonathan Blow http://www.edery.org/2008/10/wisdom-deferred/comment-page-1/#comment-220712 Jonathan Blow Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:06:04 +0000 http://www.edery.org/?p=659#comment-220712 On the range of development times, two years is a big underestimate. I know that Castle Crashers has been in development at least as long as Braid (they first showed Castle Crashers at Comic-Con 2005) which puts both games at about 3.5 years in development. On the range of development times, two years is a big underestimate. I know that Castle Crashers has been in development at least as long as Braid (they first showed Castle Crashers at Comic-Con 2005) which puts both games at about 3.5 years in development.

]]> By: Pat http://www.edery.org/2008/10/wisdom-deferred/comment-page-1/#comment-217754 Pat Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:57:38 +0000 http://www.edery.org/?p=659#comment-217754 It's really hard to predict mega-hits. Too many factor to take into accounts, some that are not even related to the game itself. Timing is one big modifier (what would have happen if Braid would have been released along side GTA or Halo?). Presence aka: marketing (John did a really great job about marketing his game, ensuring it was known to most). Flavor of the month (sometimes, great title just don't sell as well as expected even though they are praised by all). But I do think the process (having a board instead of one person) is a good way to ensure you have more variable to help you judge a title. Pat It’s really hard to predict mega-hits. Too many factor to take into accounts, some that are not even related to the game itself.

Timing is one big modifier (what would have happen if Braid would have been released along side GTA or Halo?).

Presence aka: marketing (John did a really great job about marketing his game, ensuring it was known to most).

Flavor of the month (sometimes, great title just don’t sell as well as expected even though they are praised by all).

But I do think the process (having a board instead of one person) is a good way to ensure you have more variable to help you judge a title.

Pat

]]> By: David J Edery http://www.edery.org/2008/10/wisdom-deferred/comment-page-1/#comment-217017 David J Edery Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:14:39 +0000 http://www.edery.org/?p=659#comment-217017 Allen -- you've misunderstood. Some games have a two year *development* process. Not approval process. As in, they take two years to *make* after they've been approved. :-) Update: Oh, it just occurred to me that you might think most indie games are generally proposed to XBLA in a finished state. They aren't -- not even close. They're generally text proposals with mock screenshots and/or video, and an early prototype if we're lucky. Allen — you’ve misunderstood. Some games have a two year *development* process. Not approval process. As in, they take two years to *make* after they’ve been approved. :-)

Update: Oh, it just occurred to me that you might think most indie games are generally proposed to XBLA in a finished state. They aren’t — not even close. They’re generally text proposals with mock screenshots and/or video, and an early prototype if we’re lucky.

]]> By: Allen Varney http://www.edery.org/2008/10/wisdom-deferred/comment-page-1/#comment-216998 Allen Varney Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:01:46 +0000 http://www.edery.org/?p=659#comment-216998 You seem interestingly complacent, even blithe, about this tortuous bureaucratic process. A two-year approval process -- doesn't that, in itself, strike you as a danger sign? If not, what about three years? Five years? Say, I forget, how long was the development cycle for Windows Vista? You seem interestingly complacent, even blithe, about this tortuous bureaucratic process. A two-year approval process — doesn’t that, in itself, strike you as a danger sign? If not, what about three years? Five years? Say, I forget, how long was the development cycle for Windows Vista?

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