Hello Tobias.
This is my first time commenting here, so I might be a bit overwhelming.
1. I am glad to see you ok after your health issues.
2. Regarding GRIS, well few people tend to manage(?) every aspect of their project nowadays. Most people try to find their strongest talents and hone them as best as they can.
2a. Perhaps, your effort of being an one man band is something that burns you out and results in the abandonment of many projects. I don't know.
3. Regarding Rebuild of Mardek (Eva reference), since the story will told be 3 + 3 chapters, you could reduce your workload by using royalty free music, and maybe once the saga is done you can replace the soundtrack with your own with a deluxe edition DLC or something.
4. Continuing on with RoM, I would suggest you use Patreon/SubscribeStar instead of Kickstarter. Kickstarter has 2 main issues imo: i.You need to accurately predict your costs and time schedule.
ii. Getting backers might be harder since a lot of people have been scummed in the past and are more cynical nowadays. If a potential backer performs a background check on you, he might prefer a more reliable "investment".
4a. One way to (re)build the audience and attract backers could be releasing the first part of the saga for free in monthly updates. A favourite developer of mine follows a similar model. She earns ~5k on patreon. Since I don't want to be promoting other people on my very first comment, I will avoid going further on details.
5. Once again, I apologize for this overwhelming post. I didn't mean to patronize you. just to offer some ideas.
1
Tobias 1104~4Y
There were many factors that burned me out on past projects, the main one being the fact that I worked on them for no pay in the hope they might eventually earn some money, which wasn't even really possible with Flash games. Now that I'm developing games I can actually sell, that changes everything. I've already finished Sindrel Song. I'd be even more motivated to finish things if I had some money up-front.
I'm aware though that I don't have the best track record, and explaining things to you here won't exactly convince random passersby. I'd make it clear on whatever funding platform I used that this is the situation, but I don't know how much good that'd do.
Do you have a job? How would you feel if you were asked to work for free for an entire year in the hope that you might make some connections and get hired in the end? Would you do that? Few people would be so insane! I sort of was with Taming Dreams, though; I released the first two episodes for free, with the intention to release future ones for a tiny fee each. It didn't really seem to generate a whole lot of sales when I released the third though.
I don't know which other developer you might be talking about, but the fact you use "she" makes me wonder how much of a factor that plays in people being willing to donate on Patreon. I've read things that suggest males are more likely to donate to females whenever the possibility is there, some just for the weird (sexual) pleasure of giving money to a girl. It's strange. Good for her if she's doing so well on that platform though; gives me some hope.
I've thought many times about going down the Patreon route instead of Kickstarter, but I suppose I've yet to do the research into which one would be best for my specific situation. I'm very open to hearing whatever anyone has to say about that. The things you've mentioned about Kickstarter here were unknown to me, and are useful to hear.
I wonder how you play games though if you'd consider the music replaceable by royalty-free stuff! To me, it sounds like "oh, that image of you and your wife on your wedding day is corrupted? Just find a picture of a woman from Google and paste it over her, that'll fix it". I've said at some time in the past that I make games largely so I have something to compose music for, and there's still some truth in that. The soundtrack is no less important to me than any other aspects of the story or setting, and the game would feel dead to me without composing for it. It'd feel like far less of a loss if I just cut out all the battles.
0
Sotter2~4Y
1. The main reason, I made a suggestion for royalty free music because I incorrectly assumed that the reason of your burnouts was the workload. I wouldn't like it if you followed, but it would be kinda better than the Miura treatment. (Not even Yalort knows when the next episode of Berserk will come out. T_T) Anyway, I really hope you enter into a new creative and productive era. I am not sure if I will back your Kickstarter but I promise you that I will buy your games. (Unfortunately I tend to pirate stuff)
2. Well, speaking of the female developer, I guess you are kinda right. While she only appears as her avatar (Something like an emoji), she writes adult RPG games, so yeah weird sexual pleasure applies. X_X Nonetheless, she is a good story teller. Try The Last Sovereign, if you like. (since the sex scenes are text-only, I ignore them easily)
Anyway, I am very happy for your reply. Once again I am sorry for any offence caused.
This is my first time commenting here, so I might be a bit overwhelming.
1. I am glad to see you ok after your health issues.
2. Regarding GRIS, well few people tend to manage(?) every aspect of their project nowadays. Most people try to find their strongest talents and hone them as best as they can.
2a. Perhaps, your effort of being an one man band is something that burns you out and results in the abandonment of many projects. I don't know.
3. Regarding Rebuild of Mardek (Eva reference), since the story will told be 3 + 3 chapters, you could reduce your workload by using royalty free music, and maybe once the saga is done you can replace the soundtrack with your own with a deluxe edition DLC or something.
4. Continuing on with RoM, I would suggest you use Patreon/SubscribeStar instead of Kickstarter. Kickstarter has 2 main issues imo: i.You need to accurately predict your costs and time schedule.
ii. Getting backers might be harder since a lot of people have been scummed in the past and are more cynical nowadays. If a potential backer performs a background check on you, he might prefer a more reliable "investment".
4a. One way to (re)build the audience and attract backers could be releasing the first part of the saga for free in monthly updates. A favourite developer of mine follows a similar model. She earns ~5k on patreon. Since I don't want to be promoting other people on my very first comment, I will avoid going further on details.
5. Once again, I apologize for this overwhelming post. I didn't mean to patronize you. just to offer some ideas.
I'm aware though that I don't have the best track record, and explaining things to you here won't exactly convince random passersby. I'd make it clear on whatever funding platform I used that this is the situation, but I don't know how much good that'd do.
Do you have a job? How would you feel if you were asked to work for free for an entire year in the hope that you might make some connections and get hired in the end? Would you do that? Few people would be so insane! I sort of was with Taming Dreams, though; I released the first two episodes for free, with the intention to release future ones for a tiny fee each. It didn't really seem to generate a whole lot of sales when I released the third though.
I don't know which other developer you might be talking about, but the fact you use "she" makes me wonder how much of a factor that plays in people being willing to donate on Patreon. I've read things that suggest males are more likely to donate to females whenever the possibility is there, some just for the weird (sexual) pleasure of giving money to a girl. It's strange. Good for her if she's doing so well on that platform though; gives me some hope.
I've thought many times about going down the Patreon route instead of Kickstarter, but I suppose I've yet to do the research into which one would be best for my specific situation. I'm very open to hearing whatever anyone has to say about that. The things you've mentioned about Kickstarter here were unknown to me, and are useful to hear.
I wonder how you play games though if you'd consider the music replaceable by royalty-free stuff! To me, it sounds like "oh, that image of you and your wife on your wedding day is corrupted? Just find a picture of a woman from Google and paste it over her, that'll fix it". I've said at some time in the past that I make games largely so I have something to compose music for, and there's still some truth in that. The soundtrack is no less important to me than any other aspects of the story or setting, and the game would feel dead to me without composing for it. It'd feel like far less of a loss if I just cut out all the battles.
2. Well, speaking of the female developer, I guess you are kinda right. While she only appears as her avatar (Something like an emoji), she writes adult RPG games, so yeah weird sexual pleasure applies. X_X Nonetheless, she is a good story teller. Try The Last Sovereign, if you like. (since the sex scenes are text-only, I ignore them easily)
Anyway, I am very happy for your reply. Once again I am sorry for any offence caused.