[games_access] A simpler tack

Tue Nov 6 18:57:35 EST 2007

That's awesome I'm glad you shared with us.  I was aware of all the steps I
thought for a minute and then there was something I didn't know that you're
going to lay down the law on.lol.. it's amazing how something so simple
explained makes a lot of sense.

This is everything I've learned that the industry does it's good to get that
reinforcement the idea about the prototype in a couple of games going out
there and then getting a publisher Company to fund the rest.

I understand what you you mean about the job conflicts of interest in
leaving with no paycheck security.

The way I like to look at it now is if there was something like this kind of
company in place and we already have a focused energized campaign and it
puts us on the right track of actually producing a game.  The way that these
conversations have always gone personally I feel is we will discuss some
games out there, maybe came toward needing to make our own game may be I'm
the only one that has been really pushing for that a lot at least for our
group, but it gives us something to shoot for that is rooted in a solid
target.  Nothing to go wishy-washy with but it's actually in place.  A
structured idea.

I think simple is the best way to go and things can be overly complicated in
this game industry.  Simple games, but like Reid was saying routed with like
a mission statement and games that actually set out on that statement.

Even though something like this might like Reid said might be
not-for-profit, but I know of not-for-profit fundraiser companies to take a
percentage of the funds raised to pay their employers.

If that's what it takes to get state funding federal funding, things like
maybe the veterans Hospital, I think they give out donations, but the only
way to get is the not-for-profit is to do that and then once reaching a game
that successful branching over to for-profit.

OK now I'm just going off on a big wishing trip, but it could happen.
That's the beautiful thing about life you can make your dreams happen before
it's too late and not alive anymore to do it.  OK, that was a weird
statement.lol

But emphasizing simple structured game, not large scales, not feature creep,
designing around the risks and eliminating risks and eliminating possibly
designing around financial frustration paying people, who makes a profit,
things like that so that it becomes a good environment of friends, one goal
and something that really is a great thing.

We should definitely look at that list the things that help people get into
the business.

I think there's no doubt that without a reasonable amount of money to start
a prototype it won't happen.  And I really hate how the industry throws
around money like it's nothing.

$50,000 for a starting company probably looks like pennies and impossibility
but any individual looking at $50,000 in making that much money in one year
is rich.  I think which comes down to project management type of game,
scope, risk analysis and design to beneficial use that money fast and with a
very productive prototype.

My guess would be that money would be used for.
Software, computers, travel, licenses, minimum wage for employees,lol,
minimize overhead so our resources, our people, less employees they can earn
more.  Or have people have part-time job someplace else and work part time
on the game.

For example, after graduation I can either look for a game company to work
for but then a conflict of interest thing happens.  Or I could use my
hopefully, still withstanding opportunity invitation to work for NSA
National Security Agency which a friend of mine invited me to do.  That's
incredible payment and incredible benefits.

Something like that would be doable because I'll need some sort of insurance
to help me out and that's a definite secure federal job probably no conflict
of interest is working on this game part time and NSA part-time.

Honestly though the situation I'm in I can actually spend the next three
years of my life living in my parents house it's pretty sweet.  I raise some
money to fix it up and they don't have many expenses so a job is not very
important.  Probably just for the game design experience mostly.  

This fun to talk about.

Robert
www.RobertFlorio.com   

-----Original Message-----
From: games_access-bounces at igda.org [mailto:games_access-bounces at igda.org]
On Behalf Of Reid Kimball
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 6:27 PM
To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
Subject: Re: [games_access] A simpler tack

If you want to create your own game, I recommend you read many of the
articles here:

http://www.sloperama.com/advice/idea.htm

Tom Sloper has over 60 articles about getting into the game industry
and what it takes to get your own game developed.

Publishers will not buy a game from us. The most we can ever hope for
by creating an accessible game of our own is the following. I'm merely
offering the below to illustrate what it takes to create and get a
game published.

- We start a game development company with a unique mission statement
to make Games for All, everyone, no matter their age, experience or
ability.
- We develop several game concepts that will satisfy our mission statement
- We work for several months forming the company, seeking funding from
VC, maybe government grants, angel investors, because of our unique
mission statement. Maybe we make it a non-profit and can accept
donations from other organizations to help with the funding?
- Once we can hire a large enough team, we begin creating a prototype
demo of the game concept we decided on earlier. Again, this can take
months depending on the complexity and scope of the design.
- After working on a prototype using funds we collected from outside
investors and more likely, our own money, we approach publishers to
show them what we have. IF they like it, they'll agree to fund the
rest of the development. This is not free money. This is money used to
ensure that we can pay our bills and have the resources needed to
finish creating the full version of the game.
- Once the game is done months or even years later, the publisher will
release it, hopefully with lots of advertising/marketing support so
that lots of people are aware of the game and want to buy it. If it's
successful, we can make a profit on the royalities. If not, we need to
have another game already in development so we can get another
publishing deal which funds its development.

That's a simplified version of what it takes for a new startup game
developer.

I think if we all unlimited resources and time, we'd start a
consulting company and offer our services for hire to game development
studios. We'd work with them closely, evaluating the accessibility of
their games and help them implement solutions to make their game more
accessible. I've thought about doing this, but it's a scary thing to
quit your day job without knowing where your next pay check will come
from. Also, if I start a consulting biz while still doing my current
employment, because I already work in the game industry, it could
create "conflicts of interest". If my employer ever found out I was
helping competing companies, I could lose my job. Whoops!

-Reid

On 11/6/07, Robert Florio <arthit73 at cablespeed.com> wrote:
> Okay thanks Reid and it's good to know about how hard it is.  It's going
to
> be hard to get started I guess I was hoping some others would be
interested
> but that's cool.  Talking about a game.
>
> However the talking to Eric from strange attractors they actually had a
cell
> phone company that wanted to buy their game so I think they had more
success
> than you might be suggesting if that's what you mean Reid?  I think they
> turned it down I'm not sure why.
>
> Things like that I guess that means the company would take over the rights
> but if it's notoriously difficult anyway is not a good thing to get a game
> picked up by someone like that?  Is that something worth shooting for to
do
> a game and then shop it around to see which publisher game company wants
to
> buy it and take on with it?
>
> Maybe not if their agenda is not the same.  Okay so now I'm further
> frustrated so what's the secret how do we get how does anyone get a game
> into mainstream media with the biggest influence to influence other
> designers for accessibility??  I think we need to start thinking way out
of
> the box and doing something like a large project.
>
> We could do a few things.
>
> 1.We can do picketing outside conferences.
> 2. create a booth and invite all the games we know to display.
> 3. actually get a federal government representative to introduce a bill
> mandatory to make all games accessible...  That one seems really cool.
You
> know how Hillary Clinton when on the whole rampage of violence in video
> games and the government started mandatory needs for rating.
> 4. or create a game.  But some are saying there are many are games out
there
> but the more the better I think games are on loudest voice.  Sooner or
later
> one of them might reach really big and make that huge wave.
>
> Robert
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: games_access-bounces at igda.org [mailto:games_access-bounces at igda.org]
> On Behalf Of Reid Kimball
> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 3:11 PM
> To: IGDA Games Accessibility SIG Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [games_access] A simpler tack
>
> I have to agree with Barrie's suggestions and we're some of them already.
>
> Robert, I read your ideas about making a game. Good idea at heart, but
> making a commercial game that will be picked up by the publisher is
> extremely difficult. Just ask Eitan or the creators of Strange
> Attractors. As pointed out by others, we do have many examples of
> games that already feature accessibility options.
>
> It doesn't look like we have the finances to get a booth at GDC but
> there's no reason to panic or even be frustrated. Michelle tried and
> it just happens to be really expensive! Then we move on to the next
> thing. Which is the FuturePlay conference and then waiting for the
> final selection of sessions for GDC 2008.
>
> In the meantime, each of us can do our part in educating and helping
> others to make their games more accessible for all. Several of us are
> creating guidelines to give to developers. Others are attending
> conferences to talk about what we do and network. Others are
> conducting interviews with software and hardware developers in the
> game industry. We're all contributing in valuable ways and we need to
> be persistent and patient because change does not happen over night.
>
> I also recommend that when people have ideas for doing something, by
> all means go ahead and try to get it started. Robert, if you can find
> people who want to make an accessible game, go for it. Barrie, can you
> start by creating a top 3 accessibility feature list for each genre of
> game you are interested in?
>
> -Reid
>
> On 11/6/07, Barrie Ellis <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Why don't we try this...?
> >
> > 1. Discuss a few game genres that can easily be made more accessible. I
> > suggest racing games, golf games and pinball. All easy to comprehend.
> > 2. Make a top 3 accessibilty features wish list for each type.
> > 3. Draw up our own Accessibility logos for those features.
> > 4. Contact specific developers. Not Sony - Not Microsoft - but actual
game
> > development PR and management.
> > 5. Offer our support via the IGDA GASIG.
> > 6. Keep a log of our progress.
> >
> > Barrie
> > www.OneSwitch.org.uk
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > games_access at igda.org
> > http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
> >
> >
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