Quote: ...So, what's my point? My point is this: If two or three guys can create the Project Offset engine in a couple years, *in their spare time*, why the hell can't a full-time company do just as well? o_O
Because what most people don't understand is that building and ENGINE and building a BUSINESS are two radically different things.
If Conitec wanted to create teh PO engine, do you really doubt that they technically couldn't do it? But here is what's going to happen: support for the current version of A7 will drop... development and bug fixes for the old version will halt... people will have nothing to do with Conitec until they come up with their new engine in 2 years (for example)...and when they DO come out with the new engine, they have to start all over again because it will have NOTHING to do with the company that we bought into.
My point is that it is easier to start from scratch when you don't have tens of thousands of people counting on you. If PO fails, no biggie, no harm done. If PO takes 3 more years, so be it, good for them. And furthermore AFAIK they are building an engine not a full Authorware solution.
So two or three people can create an engine, no argument there... but can those same two or three people turn it into a business that will guarantee the engines future development? THAT remains to be seen.
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That they would probably make the engine free or maybe some minor licencing fee or something..." [...] An engine is only priced "in the realm of crazy-talk" because nobody has had the kahonae's to tell a publisher "Naaa. We don't want your $2 million. We're doing this for fun, and want everyone to have access to the joy of making kick-ass looking games."
They did it for the same reason that I won't offer my MMOG code for free. I bet you these "2 million dollar guys" spent a lot of time and sweat equity building their engine. And then after all that, they should just give it away or pass up the offer to bank on what they worked on? Their only mistake is not realizing this earlier or trying to garner support for their engine by playing the "we're one of you!" card when they had no intention of doing do.
I don't agre that it's an "us against them" arguement. I think it's a "I've worked hard and I should get paid for it" and if the publishers are willing to dish out 2 mill for it then great!
Paul, I think your opinion would be a lot more valid when you've been made the offer and pass it up. Until then, you are on the moral high ground simply because you've never been on the ground these others have been!
