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Defning the Process
Author
Counting the actual DEVELOPMENT of titles as one step in the process, what is the usual course of action from team formation to Publication and distribution?
I''ve always been kind of fuzzy on this. Is it expected that a development house publish and distribute it''s own software? Or is it more common that another firm handle that? I would assume that startups tend to publish through other firms, simply for the sheer overhead cost of publishing.
Are there any hidden costs people know about in this process? What it the process itself? What about in a Venture-backed situation?
My experience is from the Indie Perspective, so it''s probably something of a tangeant from the More Traditional Route, but here''s how I see it...
1. Concept Creation and Initial Game Design...this is usually 1-3 people hammering out a concept and creating a good "game outline" from it. Possibly creating some quickie concept artwork to decorate it.
2. Game Pitch Creation...taking the game design and working out a "pitch" for it...answering such questions as why make this game, why do you think it will sell, and so on. You''re going to try to convince someone to give you money to make this, and you''ll need it to convince other people to work with you to help you make it.
3. Pitching the game to the publisher and closing the deal...I''m still learning this step, but the first thing you have to learn is that it takes time. From what I''ve heard/read, and from my own limited experience, expect it to take about 3-6 months, possibly as long as 9 months.
4. Building the team...sometimes you already have a team, for instance from a previous project. If not, you''ll get to start that while still pitching the game since you don''t want to waste valuable contract time finding and integrating new team members. At least try to get commitments from the ones who will be "core" members, like the lead artist, lead 3D programmer, etc.
5. Developing the game and meeting milestones...Ah, the fun part... ...since you get to do this while coordinating such fun tasks as payroll, motion capture sessions, voice-acting recording, hiring and integrating new team members (possibly replacing team members that leave), writing the game documentation and tutorials, paying your taxes...oh, it''s just a joy...really...
6. Finishing the damn thing. Nuff said.
And that is ideally where it all ends...you''ve burned the master CD and sent it off to the publisher and they haven''t sent it back...
There''s probably an aftermath of some sort...bug-fixes and patches and stuff like that. But the publisher generally handles it from there...manufacturing, sales, customer service...and you just hope you have enough socked away to carry you until you close the next deal...
Ok, so I simplified the last stages some...but that''s a pretty fuzzy period. Your mileage may vary, and different deals have different back ends.
DavidRM
Samu Games
1. Concept Creation and Initial Game Design...this is usually 1-3 people hammering out a concept and creating a good "game outline" from it. Possibly creating some quickie concept artwork to decorate it.
2. Game Pitch Creation...taking the game design and working out a "pitch" for it...answering such questions as why make this game, why do you think it will sell, and so on. You''re going to try to convince someone to give you money to make this, and you''ll need it to convince other people to work with you to help you make it.
3. Pitching the game to the publisher and closing the deal...I''m still learning this step, but the first thing you have to learn is that it takes time. From what I''ve heard/read, and from my own limited experience, expect it to take about 3-6 months, possibly as long as 9 months.
4. Building the team...sometimes you already have a team, for instance from a previous project. If not, you''ll get to start that while still pitching the game since you don''t want to waste valuable contract time finding and integrating new team members. At least try to get commitments from the ones who will be "core" members, like the lead artist, lead 3D programmer, etc.
5. Developing the game and meeting milestones...Ah, the fun part... ...since you get to do this while coordinating such fun tasks as payroll, motion capture sessions, voice-acting recording, hiring and integrating new team members (possibly replacing team members that leave), writing the game documentation and tutorials, paying your taxes...oh, it''s just a joy...really...
6. Finishing the damn thing. Nuff said.
And that is ideally where it all ends...you''ve burned the master CD and sent it off to the publisher and they haven''t sent it back...
There''s probably an aftermath of some sort...bug-fixes and patches and stuff like that. But the publisher generally handles it from there...manufacturing, sales, customer service...and you just hope you have enough socked away to carry you until you close the next deal...
Ok, so I simplified the last stages some...but that''s a pretty fuzzy period. Your mileage may vary, and different deals have different back ends.
DavidRM
Samu Games
Author
Does anyone have any insight into dealing with publishers, or what we can expect interaction with publishers to be like after step 6?
Horror stories? Success stories?
Horror stories? Success stories?
After step 6 is where the [fun? ] publishing process begins...The steps for this are listed on the Developers section of our site (www.crystal-interactive.com] but if you are abit too lazy, ive posted them. (Note, this is primarily for games that are submitted to us completed/near complete for the first time)
-
So how does this Retail Publishing Deal of yours work then?
Well, first of all you send in your product in for evaluation. We''ll tell you what needs to be changed (if anything) to make it suitable for retail distribution. If your product is approved we can sign a contract and you send the master CD to our U.S. office for production. After this is done we start with:
Phase 1: We prepare mockup packaging. One of our designers will contact you by E-mail and request artwork, screenshots, a product description, system requirements, any awards or ratings your product has received and finally your logo for on the box. (Timeframe: 1 to 2 weeks)
Phase 2: As soon as we have a design we feel confident about to show to people outside the company we start building physical mockups. This is time consuming work. (Timeframe: 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the number of boxes we have to build. Can go up to 50 or 100 sometimes).
Phase 3: We send the boxes to the sales reps. This is tricky since sales reps are the people who take the mockup boxes to the buyers at the retail chains. In theory we build a mockup, show it to the buyer, and the buyer orders. In reality the first mockup will most likely be rejected by the sales rep and we go back to the drawing board to implement the suggested changes. Once we''ve completed the new mockups the buyers will accept the box designs. This is regarded as our first round of quality checks. (Timeframe: 1 to 4 weeks)
Phase 4: This is when the exciting stuff starts to happen! At least in theory. The reps take the box design they believe is good enough to see the buyers and if we''re lucky they''re approved right away. Now in reality "luck" is a rare commodity and the buyers reject the product for one of the following 3 reasons: 1) Bad box! How dare you waste my time with this!?, 2) Nice box, but I hate the product…, or 3) You bring in 10 products, I only have room to pick up 2. If number 2 is the case then it''s curtains for your product with that particular retail chain but 1 and 3 still show some perspective for the future. So we either take the box back to the drawing board (again) and start on the improvements the buyers suggest or we pitch it again and again in round 2, 3 to 10! (Timeframe: 3 to 18 weeks)
Phase 5: We get an order! Production will commence and the product is shipped at the date specified by the retail chain. Developers get a check for the amount of their royalties. (Timeframe: 1 to 3 weeks)
Feel free to ask anymore questions
-Ibuku
Crystal Interactive Inc.
AlexA@crystal-interactive.com
www.crystal-interactive.com
] publishing process begins...The steps for this are listed on the Developers section of our site (www.crystal-interactive.com] but if you are abit too lazy, ive posted them. (Note, this is primarily for games that are submitted to us completed/near complete for the first time)-
So how does this Retail Publishing Deal of yours work then?
Well, first of all you send in your product in for evaluation. We''ll tell you what needs to be changed (if anything) to make it suitable for retail distribution. If your product is approved we can sign a contract and you send the master CD to our U.S. office for production. After this is done we start with:
Phase 1: We prepare mockup packaging. One of our designers will contact you by E-mail and request artwork, screenshots, a product description, system requirements, any awards or ratings your product has received and finally your logo for on the box. (Timeframe: 1 to 2 weeks)
Phase 2: As soon as we have a design we feel confident about to show to people outside the company we start building physical mockups. This is time consuming work. (Timeframe: 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the number of boxes we have to build. Can go up to 50 or 100 sometimes).
Phase 3: We send the boxes to the sales reps. This is tricky since sales reps are the people who take the mockup boxes to the buyers at the retail chains. In theory we build a mockup, show it to the buyer, and the buyer orders. In reality the first mockup will most likely be rejected by the sales rep and we go back to the drawing board to implement the suggested changes. Once we''ve completed the new mockups the buyers will accept the box designs. This is regarded as our first round of quality checks. (Timeframe: 1 to 4 weeks)
Phase 4: This is when the exciting stuff starts to happen! At least in theory. The reps take the box design they believe is good enough to see the buyers and if we''re lucky they''re approved right away. Now in reality "luck" is a rare commodity and the buyers reject the product for one of the following 3 reasons: 1) Bad box! How dare you waste my time with this!?, 2) Nice box, but I hate the product…, or 3) You bring in 10 products, I only have room to pick up 2. If number 2 is the case then it''s curtains for your product with that particular retail chain but 1 and 3 still show some perspective for the future. So we either take the box back to the drawing board (again) and start on the improvements the buyers suggest or we pitch it again and again in round 2, 3 to 10! (Timeframe: 3 to 18 weeks)
Phase 5: We get an order! Production will commence and the product is shipped at the date specified by the retail chain. Developers get a check for the amount of their royalties. (Timeframe: 1 to 3 weeks)
Feel free to ask anymore questions
-Ibuku
Crystal Interactive Inc.
AlexA@crystal-interactive.com
www.crystal-interactive.com
quote: Original post by Landfish
Does anyone have any insight into dealing with publishers, or what we can expect interaction with publishers to be like after step 6?
Horror stories? Success stories?
Oh no. Not this again. A few moths ago a few posts went ugly ''cause people started publisher-bashing.
"'Nazrix is cool' -- Nazrix" --Darkmage --Godfree
Author
Naz: I''m a blank slate as far a publishers go, i couldn''t complain if I wanted to.
Ibuku: Thanks for the response! Just what I was looking for!
Does anybody know if the process is any different for console systems? It would seem that the system''s producers might lend some support to the developer or publisher, since they make most of their money up in software as well... Any input?
Ibuku: Thanks for the response! Just what I was looking for!
Does anybody know if the process is any different for console systems? It would seem that the system''s producers might lend some support to the developer or publisher, since they make most of their money up in software as well... Any input?
quote: Original post by Landfish
Naz: I''m a blank slate as far a publishers go, i couldn''t complain if I wanted to.
Well I was more concerned about other people starting to bash.
"'Nazrix is cool' -- Nazrix" --Darkmage --Godfree
Console publishing is a nightmare, although I can''t say that I personally have been involved I''ve lost a few friends to 3DO 
First, you have to get a license to develop for the console (I''m not sure if everyone requires this any more, it''s been a while since I''ve talked to anyone doing consoles). THEN you get to fork over for the expensive development kit. THEN you can look forward to getting your title "approved" for the box. Then, if the publisher likes the title, it''s approved by the manufacturer, the planets all align, and the cost of ROMs (if you''re doing a cartridge) don''t go up too far your title ships and hopefully the eight bazillion console owners all run out to purchase your baby.
Note that, at any time during this cycle, you can get shut down by various factors - the manufacturer decides your title isn''t appropriate for their platform, you can''t work up the cash for the development systems, you run out of hardware resources and have to cut your content down so far your game isn''t playable any more, and/or your whole team quits to work on an XBox title.
It''s far less expensive to develop for PCs or the Web, but the potential income is far less as well. I''m spoiled with PC development, no concerns about resources - plenty of memory, mass storage, CPU resources, good audio hardware, inexpensive tools...!
First, you have to get a license to develop for the console (I''m not sure if everyone requires this any more, it''s been a while since I''ve talked to anyone doing consoles). THEN you get to fork over for the expensive development kit. THEN you can look forward to getting your title "approved" for the box. Then, if the publisher likes the title, it''s approved by the manufacturer, the planets all align, and the cost of ROMs (if you''re doing a cartridge) don''t go up too far your title ships and hopefully the eight bazillion console owners all run out to purchase your baby.
Note that, at any time during this cycle, you can get shut down by various factors - the manufacturer decides your title isn''t appropriate for their platform, you can''t work up the cash for the development systems, you run out of hardware resources and have to cut your content down so far your game isn''t playable any more, and/or your whole team quits to work on an XBox title.
It''s far less expensive to develop for PCs or the Web, but the potential income is far less as well. I''m spoiled with PC development, no concerns about resources - plenty of memory, mass storage, CPU resources, good audio hardware, inexpensive tools...!
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