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ALourenco
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« on: July 24, 2012, 04:46:43 PM » |
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Hey
I'm trying to start a Indie Game Dev company named PIXE. At the moment it's only one man team. I need funds to pay all the taxes, rights, buy some tools and to live while I'm working on my project. I already have a campaign on Indie gogo, but I would like to know if there are more websites like this one and how can I get funds to start this company.
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GameDev Master Student. Game Engines and Computer Graphics in free time.  @CodinGree |
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ink.inc
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« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2012, 04:47:50 PM » |
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What previous projects have you worked on? What do you have to show us that would make us think you're worth investing money in?
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Graham-
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« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2012, 04:48:41 PM » |
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You need a demo or something, or a rich uncle, to get people to care.
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ALourenco
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« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2012, 04:49:59 PM » |
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I have nothing finished and only a cople of pixel art. I didn't programme any game yet because I'm still learning, but a guy that I know that develops games is teaching me and I already can do some nice things. I still have a big way in front of me, maybe I should try to do somethings like prototypes to practice and show right?
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GameDev Master Student. Game Engines and Computer Graphics in free time. @CodinGree |
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ink.inc
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« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2012, 04:54:00 PM » |
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Yes.
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Graham-
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« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2012, 05:02:59 PM » |
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Yeah.
Money is very hard to get without a connection (i.e. luck or in-the-industry experience) or a track-record of success.
You can fund a game off of Kickstarter with just a demo. It just has to be a good one. You also need a pitch for the entire game, like an outline for the rest of it.
The other option is to find an independent investor who likes games, most likely a publisher, like Microsoft. They will need proof of success. So you`ll need to have shipped games that have a sales record or a serious registered user-count, or data on how many hours people have played - stuff like that.
The best bet today is to get something to the demo stage and try to Kickstarter it. If that doesn't work just complete it on your own, ship it, then try again. Each time around the track you'll be in a better position to get the interest of a publisher(/kickstarter people).
A good way to gauge interest is to put up demos in forums like this one, post trailers in youtube, etc. They will give good predictions of how much attention investors will give you. A youtube view count for a trailer is enough to get a publisher to at least listen to you. Then they`ll want a design document and business plan.
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« Last Edit: July 25, 2012, 05:37:21 PM by toast_trip »
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ALourenco
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« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2012, 06:01:42 PM » |
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Thank you guys, you have been really helpfull.  |
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GameDev Master Student. Game Engines and Computer Graphics in free time. @CodinGree |
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Graham-
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« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2012, 06:02:35 PM » |
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Muz
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« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2012, 06:23:24 PM » |
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Business plan would be good too. Doesn't have to be fancy, but people want to know what the money is going to be used for, how much you expect to make, what could go wrong, etc.
Yeah, and Kickstarter works much better than it should for fundraising.
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eyeliner
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« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2012, 06:34:16 AM » |
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Hey
I'm trying to start a Indie Game Dev company named PIXE. At the moment it's only one man team. I need funds to pay all the taxes, rights, buy some tools and to live while I'm working on my project. I already have a campaign on Indie gogo, but I would like to know if there are more websites like this one and how can I get funds to start this company.
Get a part-time job flipping burgers and work on your games and complete one, and hope to market it. If you want to start right off the bat living off of games, you'll soon be in the unemployment line. Don't do it like that. Build it first. Manage it. Win later. |
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Evan Balster
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« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2012, 01:41:04 PM » |
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I wouldn't rely on something like Kickstarter to get a game dev career off the ground. Get a job and save up a "runway" in advance, work part-time and eat like a pauper, use your game development skills as an independent contractor, or dig into your own savings if you have any. These days, it doesn't cost a cent to make games. Keep yourself fed, housed and computered (expenses you already appear to have covered) and put in time and hard work. You might find you do your best work when money gets tight and the pressure is on.
Man, a topic on "how to live like a pauper" might be a good one for the TIGS business section. If you do it right you can feed yourself (healthy food) for a week on $25 or so.
EDIT: Some good info. In Iowa, I live on about $400 a month with rent and utilities. In Los Angeles, I lived on about $1150-1200. Consider moving someplace cheap if you don't live in such a place already; it'll do wonders for your flexibility.
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Creativity births expression. Curiosity births exploration.
Our work is as soil to these seeds; our art is what grows from them...Wreath, SoundSelf, Infinite Blank, Cave Story+, <plaid/audio> |
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Graham-
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« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2012, 01:44:04 PM » |
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Someone should pay us for being awesome instead.
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Evan Balster
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« Reply #12 on: July 25, 2012, 01:47:20 PM » |
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Someone should pay us for being awesome instead.
That is called a patron. Was really popular a few centuries back, and the living of a number of intellectuals. I know of only one game developer in the present day who made a living from a benefactor like that, for a few years, and he had earned it with an extensive body of freeware work he'd made before then. |
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Creativity births expression. Curiosity births exploration.
Our work is as soil to these seeds; our art is what grows from them...Wreath, SoundSelf, Infinite Blank, Cave Story+, <plaid/audio> |
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Graham-
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« Reply #13 on: July 25, 2012, 02:51:15 PM » |
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University started in Greece when Socrates just went to a building at a set time each day and just started talking. He was funded out of kindness and listened to because he knew a lot. His job, and status position, was: guy who thinks a lot about stuff so we listen to him when we can.
Selling isn't terribly hard now. We all struggle for the break so I feel it's fair.
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« Last Edit: July 25, 2012, 05:37:57 PM by toast_trip »
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ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)
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« Reply #14 on: July 25, 2012, 02:54:37 PM » |
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i agree about the living for cheap part. too many people spend way too much on stuff they don't really need or stuff they could get for cheap
you can survive on just lentils and rice, and be much healthier than on your current diet, for like 1$ a day. i probably come out at more like 2$ a day for myself since i drink a lot of tea (i probably spend 30$ a month on tea alone)
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hanako
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« Reply #15 on: July 25, 2012, 05:11:25 PM » |
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you can survive on just lentils and rice, and be much healthier than on your current diet
Starving yourself and/or eating a diet with extremely limited nutrients in it isn't actually 'healthy'.  Although yes, most people can cut down food costs a lot if they eat very simple food purchased in the right way, or can trade off large amounts of time instead of money. |
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ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)
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« Reply #16 on: July 25, 2012, 05:18:01 PM » |
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which nutrients does that combination lack, specifically? i'm sure it's missing at least something, but it's a complete protein, and has large amounts of most vitamins (provided you use brown and not white rice)
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Nix
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« Reply #17 on: July 25, 2012, 05:33:54 PM » |
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Why do you think that people will pay for you to start a company (working on your own isn't really a company) and work full-time? That seems pretty narcissistic to me. It appears like you don't even understand how ridiculous what you're asking for is. Companies are started from existing capital, which is either personal savings of the company founders or investment capital (which includes Kickstarter campains, for better or for worse. People invest money with the hope of a playable game in return). And you only get investment capital after a series of succesful projects and from the look of your website you offer none of that. To answer your question: how can I get funds to start this company.
Get a job and spend less than you earn. |
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Evan Balster
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« Reply #18 on: July 25, 2012, 05:37:11 PM » |
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Soup can be amazing. Spend $20-25 on ingredients, sink an hour into chopping, steam vegetables, add water and base, simmer, and have one meal a day covered for the next few weeks. Also pasta, rice, and burritos. There was a really neat article I found a while back that was my dietary bible for a while in Los Angeles. I was dead broke, but eating well.
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Creativity births expression. Curiosity births exploration.
Our work is as soil to these seeds; our art is what grows from them...Wreath, SoundSelf, Infinite Blank, Cave Story+, <plaid/audio> |
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Graham-
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« Reply #19 on: July 25, 2012, 05:38:46 PM » |
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I'm going to miss the rough life when I'm rolling in the green. I might become a pussy. Fuck.
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