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Game/Level licensing... What's it worth?
#83703
07/29/06 06:19
07/29/06 06:19
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,220 Just down the road from Raven
BlueBeast
OP
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OP
Serious User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,220
Just down the road from Raven
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I firmly believe this post may help me and many others when they encounter the situation I have.... I'm in the beginning steps to negotiating licensing of my River Bend Game, and my 3D minigolf game. The excitement is beyond explaination The company (a software and technologies company) wants to release several games bundled with their gaming product next year. In order to be able to use the games, they need to make some code changes themselves from an already finished product. They are not a game making company, so they do no in-house development, so they're looking for finished products or easy-to-complete/near complete projects for their product. They've got several options which can be explored: a) License a single level, or several levels... b) License the games in their entirty c) Hire me to do development of games for their application. Theyre a publicly traded company and have also suggested stocks as part payment as well as money, and as well as percentage of units sold. They've also suggested they would be interested in only license the games for their particular application, while I could keep the licensing/rights to the games for 'normal' PC use so I may still publish/sell the games myself. Ive done a lot of research, and they are a good and stable company. In fact, research was a breeze because they're all over the internet with dozens of reviews of their yet to be released product. From the reviews, they stand to make a LOT of sales of their product. So what's a completed level worth? What's an entire game worth? What would you do in this situation, or what HAVE you done in this situation? Jason
Gamestudio Pro 6.4 Pentium 4 3.0 GHz 800MHz BUS AtiRadeon 9800 pro 256Mb 21" Monitor 1 Gig DDR RAM 36 Gig RAPTOR SATA+ 120 Gig SATA SB Audigy 2 w/ 450 watt Logitech Z680 5.1 www.nordicepitaph.com
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Re: Game/Level licensing... What's it worth?
[Re: BlueBeast]
#83704
07/29/06 08:16
07/29/06 08:16
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 55 Yes, I speak English.
MJR_Corp
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 55
Yes, I speak English.
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Good on you for getting that far, most people dont. I personally don't know because I have never completed a full game yet, but keep up the good work, and I might even buy your game...
It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbour's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
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Re: Game/Level licensing... What's it worth?
[Re: MJR_Corp]
#83705
07/29/06 15:00
07/29/06 15:00
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 371 New England
Rad_Daddy
Senior Member
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Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 371
New England
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Well... the worth of a level/game is pretty much determined apon its quality. I mean, not all games are created equal. So, to be honest, you are the best one to know how much your game/level is worth. If it is too high for the contract, either cut your losses and leave the table, or step the price down. I have seen prices anywhere from 50$, for the basics of basics, to several hundred dollars, for a mid to high quality level. I dont know how much screenshots will help, but perhaps others could gauge its worth based on its overall quality??? So... that is my advice. Vague? Yes, but without seeing it, I couldnt really point to a number. Even with seeing it, I may not be able to... If you want to know what I would do... I would lisence the whole game over. That would be the most money, and frankly, publishing a game yourself can be VERY hit and miss, and dosent guarantee any profits. So, sinse this sounds more reliable, go ahead and lisence the game over . Anyways, good luck with the contract. Raddadddy
Last edited by Rad_Daddy; 07/29/06 15:03.
"Read not to contradict and confute, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider." Sir Francis Bacon
www.deckscapedesign.com
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Re: Game/Level licensing... What's it worth?
[Re: Rad_Daddy]
#83706
07/30/06 18:29
07/30/06 18:29
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 454 Glasgow, Scotland
Lost
Senior Member
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Senior Member
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Posts: 454
Glasgow, Scotland
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So you would suggest he would only be looking at a couple of hundred were he to licence the whole game or were those monetary values geared more towards a single level?
I'd ask which company you are dealing with but that would be nosey....
Lost Games
WIP - Nysho and the Attack of the Boons
Rise up and flame me like the prepubescent man you outa be son!
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Re: Game/Level licensing... What's it worth?
[Re: Lost]
#83707
07/30/06 20:45
07/30/06 20:45
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 371 New England
Rad_Daddy
Senior Member
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Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 371
New England
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the values I gave, 50-several hundred, reflected single levels Ive seen. Again, it depends on the quality of the game, to decide a fair price.
"Read not to contradict and confute, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider." Sir Francis Bacon
www.deckscapedesign.com
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Re: Game/Level licensing... What's it worth?
[Re: Rad_Daddy]
#83709
07/30/06 21:03
07/30/06 21:03
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,377 USofA
fastlane69
Senior Expert
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Senior Expert
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,377
USofA
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Quote:
What would you do in this situation, or what HAVE you done in this situation?
My predictable answer: hire a lawyer!
This way you will be sure to get fair pricing on you level or game and he/she will be able to suggest the best course of action. Be sure to do a pre-interview with them which should be at no cost (if they charge you for merely scoping them out, walk away). Explain the situation (usually you will have 1/2 hour free so prepare and be concise) and note what they can do for you and at what price. If you have a strong enough product, you may work out a deal with the lawyer so that the the more money he gets for you, the more he makes (forget right now what that's called) and that is a GREAT incentive for him to go to bat for you.
I say this because you are WAY low-balling your efforts. If they want to license your game, you should be thinking in the thousands, not hundreds, and a lawyer will be able to put this thinking into more concrete terms. Furthermore, licensing a single level is not the same as selling a level since they will have much more creative freedom over it, hence there as well I would start in the hundreds and not the tens.
Going at this blind may land you a fair deal, but if this is a publically traded company you KNOW they have lawyers on their side trying to get the most bang for the least buck and so should you. Consult a professional, Blue. We can give you opinions, but ultimetely what you want is money and that is something for you and a professional (ie lawyer) to hash out, not us.
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Re: Game/Level licensing... What's it worth?
[Re: Damocles]
#83711
07/31/06 21:35
07/31/06 21:35
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,220 Just down the road from Raven
BlueBeast
OP
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OP
Serious User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,220
Just down the road from Raven
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Sorry for the late response,
I want to thank you all for the many facets of response.
Noone has implied this, But to be clear, Im not going to attempt to milk out every cent that I can, nor am I trying to get rich off this/these transaction(s). It would be nice indeed, but a person rarely starts out that way.
Weve concluded the signing of a mutual NDA, and now they'll get a closer look at things where they can determine their perceived value. I may have to wait to see just what they want, and if they wish for my services as well as products.
Once I get an initial offer, I'll know better what their thinking, then I can start asking the questions perinent to extent of use, applications etc etc.
Thanks again, and if anyone has any more thoughts, please feel free to keep adding to this post!
Jason
Gamestudio Pro 6.4 Pentium 4 3.0 GHz 800MHz BUS AtiRadeon 9800 pro 256Mb 21" Monitor 1 Gig DDR RAM 36 Gig RAPTOR SATA+ 120 Gig SATA SB Audigy 2 w/ 450 watt Logitech Z680 5.1 www.nordicepitaph.com
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