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[IonForceStudio]

Hello fellow developers and artists,

We at IonForce Studio are working on a game for mobile platforms. Our humble opinion, the game is compleated in 30% at this time. In a  few days hopefully we will start a topic in DevLogs section. We have just started working on a launch trailer, it will be about 50 sec long. We don't have much experience with audio so We are thinking of giving the oportunity for the community to make a soundtrack for our game trailer.
We would like to know your opinion about Our small audio contest. We will give you Our launch trailer (e.g. beta version of the trailer, so You can discuss with us some elements to combine it better with music). You will have some time (e.g. one or two weeks, enough?) to prepare your proposals and We will choose the winner.

What can We give for the winner ?
We don`t have any funding for this project so We can`t give you a money prise.
But We can give you a place in trailer and game credits. We can also give you a "prise" which will depend on the game download number, so it will depend on the game success.

What do you think about this?
Are You up for the challenge?

We are waiting for your reply.

[Lauchsuppe]

lol

[IonForceStudio]

lol

Could you tell something more?

For example, "I could take part in these contents if I could win 10 000 dollars for win".
This kind on answers would help us little more. We are waiting for your opinions and suggestions.

[Lauchsuppe]

You expect others to participate in a contest where the grand prize would be the opportunity to work on your random (commercial) game project without getting anything in return. Sorry for being this harsh, but that's really off.

If you aim to make money with your game, you should be serious enough about it to compensate others for working on it.
If you're doing this as a hobby project and just *hoping* that maybe it will generate money then be upfront about it and don't try to sell your game to be more of a deal than it is.

I suggest you to take a look at people's portfolios (almost any freelancer of any kind has an online portfolio showcasing their work) and making your decision from there. You have to understand that writing a 50 sec. piece is hard work. What you're doing is to ask all applicants to put in hard work for most likely getting nothing in return. You already have the chance to look at any interested person's previous work; it's disrespectful to demand a custom piece of music that will go into the trash if you happen to pick someone else over them.
I know this procedure is not too uncommon and I even feel it's getting increasingly popular among (smaller) gamedevs, but that doesn't change the fact that it's disrespectful towards all participants.

[IonForceStudio]

Thanks for that reply.

If you aim to make money with your game, you should be serious enough about it to compensate others for working on it.

It's indie project and we are working on it for few weeks and also we doing it for free now, so our work also isn't paid.

You have to understand that writing a 50 sec. piece is hard work.

I am working on launch trailer and I know that every sec from the end result cost a lot of work. I do not know how much it cost. I mean making audio for indie games. I'd like to see your opinion about size of reward.

I know this procedure is not too uncommon and I even feel it's getting increasingly popular among (smaller) gamedevs, but that doesn't change the fact that it's disrespectful towards all participants.

So in your opinion every competition is to disrespectful towards all participants? Rules are clear, you work for winning. I started this post to see your point of view. To see your opinion about size of potentially reward. For me, disrespectful towards all participants would be in situation when I change rules during competition or I try fool somebody.

What you're doing is to ask all applicants to put in hard work for most likely getting nothing in return. You already have the chance to look at any interested person's previous work;

That is good idea. Maybe this competition could looks like this:
1. I will start topic in DevLogs section and I show trailer. It gives audio makers the opportunity to assess whether they can create something like that (soundtrack style).
2. If anyone is interested, can show its previous work.
3. I can talk with everyone who is interested, determine individual terms and make decisions.

[MoritzPGKatz]

Hello,

At least you asked for opinions...

Let me be frank: This competition idea is utter garbage and represents pretty much what is wrong with a lot of "ambitious" game devs.
Yes, it's easy to see you're just looking for an easy way to scope out a good composer who's willing to dance to your piping.
You probably haven't realised that yourself though.

Question is, why should I put work into your project for free?

I know pitches like this from the advertising field, and this practice only works 'cause guess what?
There's either money to be made or new promising business partners to befriend.

Now, your game is obviously an enthusiast project which has neither.
Which is not a bad thing, but not the right position to do a competition with a mystery prize (which has the high probability of being zilch).

You're enthusiasts, so enthuse people if you expect them to collaborate.
Don't do a nasty "up-for-the-challenge" thing like you're the patron saint of the indie scene.

Cheers,
Moritz

[Jasmine]

That is good idea. Maybe this competition could looks like this:
1. I will start topic in DevLogs section and I show trailer. It gives audio makers the opportunity to assess whether they can create something like that (soundtrack style).
2. If anyone is interested, can show its previous work.
3. I can talk with everyone who is interested, determine individual terms and make decisions.

Start here. This looks good.

Practically all of what everyone here is going to say, has been said. Truth be told, we had a thread dedicated to this particular inquiry.

If you want quality -- As in something that is memorable and professional -- it's going to come with a price. If you are asking a composer who is well honed in their craft to work for YOU, you should expect to compensate in return. TIGforums is filled with composers of that quality. Composers with skill, experience, and talent. If you want free music, there are troves of free music resources out there for you to use.

Yes, they are generic.
Yes, they may have lower grade quality.
...it's because they are free.

[ZackParrish]

I'm going to reprise what Lauchsuppe said...


lol



 

[IonForceStudio]

Now, your game is obviously an enthusiast project which has neither.
Which is not a bad thing, but not the right position to do a competition with a mystery prize (which has the high probability of being zilch).

You have absolutely right!
I see this point. Much more people will take part in this project if our game is well known and highly appreciated That's true.
So firstly we should show it to community and then try to find collaborators on forum.


@M4uesviecr
@ZackParrish

Thanks for reply!

[WittyNotes]

Hello fellow developers and artists,

[Would you please work on our game for free?]

I'll actually meet you halfway on this: I understand why so many people here are angry at you for making the offer, but I can see two ways that I think your offer might be fair.

First, you could try to offer payment-in-kind. For example, you could offer to devote your studios resources for a week to build a mini-game or interactive website as a demo for the composer (I'm actually trying to put together an interactive demo right now, for example).

Alternatively, you could be a little more clear in your back-end offer (ie, offer to pay the composer based on the success of the game). Because back-end deals are a risk, and a delayed payment even in the best circumstances, they would be expected to be more generous than a standard payment. If you offered me three cents per unit sold just for scoring the trailer, for example, that might attract more interested people.

[IonForceStudio]

[Would you please work on our game for free?]

We have never been thinking like this.
We would rather share potential profit.

If you offered me three cents per unit sold just for scoring the trailer, for example, that might attract more interested people.

That is the reason why we started this topic. It is not contest topic. It is only topic with question about it. We wanted to know your expectations, also related to finance.