- Nov 2, 2017
- 5,483
- 1,451
why do dev's make good games then stop making the games?
- Thread starter zarqupang
- Start date
There can be all sorts of reasons. No one is under contract. It's just how life is.
- Oct 4, 2017
- 964
- 1,839
Well, I can only assume things here, but maybe it's because they didn't know what they get themselves into and didn't think it would turn out this much work in the end? To keep the players happy you have to release new content, and since most people don't understand what patreon is for, they want it every month else they drop pledges.... which can be quite hardcore, just imagine yourself working 8h at your full time job each day, + another 10 - 12 hours on the game.... do that for some months and you wreck yourself.... Of course that's for those who aren't "big hitters" if you make enough you could hire a team, but delegating most of the stuff isn't so easy either... When you did it alone, all the things looked and worked like you wanted them to, but explaining an artist how the face of a character should look like to be like you imagined it.... well that's something else 
There are thousands of other problems and things to consider, so there's quite the big range of reasons for stuff like this to happen
There are thousands of other problems and things to consider, so there's quite the big range of reasons for stuff like this to happen
- Nov 2, 2017
- 5,483
- 1,451
thnks for the answer just a same to see them go under most of the ones i get some still going good.
Some are now dead but hope they get the fire back to reopen them agian.
Plues i try not to rush game creaters because i know they have it ruff and making games is not easy all the coding and stuff.
so to all dev'e do your best and try not to burn out .
Some are now dead but hope they get the fire back to reopen them agian.
Plues i try not to rush game creaters because i know they have it ruff and making games is not easy all the coding and stuff.
so to all dev'e do your best and try not to burn out .
- Jul 4, 2017
- 4,479
- 7,072
I've seen a few reasons but the main one being burn out.
A lot of them barely make any money. You need to be making a few thousand to have any sort of chance at squeezing a living out of it and that depends on cost of living where the dev happens to be.
For instance if I was to make a game and give up my job to do it full time i'd need to be making 5k a month to keep the lifestyle I have now. A lot of devs make less than 1k or barely above it and some people are under the delusion that they can make a living from that, it would barely cover rent/mortgage never mind bills and food or anything else.
Games also take a lot of time from either drawing the art or rendering to coding to story boarding etc...
That on top of a full time job alone burns a lot of devs out.
I've also seen devs with depression that try to create a game to take their mind of it but get over critical in their work and listen to too much negative feedback which makes that depression worse and they either have to step away and get themselves sorted or risk their health.
Most of it boils down to time and/or money though.
Those that don't get past a few updates were usually looking to make thousands quickly and lose heart when the masses don't jump on their game.
A lot of them barely make any money. You need to be making a few thousand to have any sort of chance at squeezing a living out of it and that depends on cost of living where the dev happens to be.
For instance if I was to make a game and give up my job to do it full time i'd need to be making 5k a month to keep the lifestyle I have now. A lot of devs make less than 1k or barely above it and some people are under the delusion that they can make a living from that, it would barely cover rent/mortgage never mind bills and food or anything else.
Games also take a lot of time from either drawing the art or rendering to coding to story boarding etc...
That on top of a full time job alone burns a lot of devs out.
I've also seen devs with depression that try to create a game to take their mind of it but get over critical in their work and listen to too much negative feedback which makes that depression worse and they either have to step away and get themselves sorted or risk their health.
Most of it boils down to time and/or money though.
Those that don't get past a few updates were usually looking to make thousands quickly and lose heart when the masses don't jump on their game.
- Jul 28, 2017
- 1,491
- 4,423
That's why I only receive pledges per update on my Patreon. I work at my own pace (have a full-time job and a boyfriend). The burnout can be real, and deadlines to put something out when you barely get any compensation for it feels like an internship.
I try to stay in the mindset that it's a hobby, and that I get better at 3dart, writing, and coding. And the people here are nice too, which helps
I try to stay in the mindset that it's a hobby, and that I get better at 3dart, writing, and coding. And the people here are nice too, which helps
- Mar 3, 2018
- 646
- 1,923
This is the best mindset to have, IMO. You need to have passion for your work, or it will show and people WILL know. As a wise man once said: "Pick a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."
I am a couple of months away from (hopefully) starting my own game. I won't set up a patreon or release the game before it feels ready, at which point it will be released free of charge. This removes the artistic limitations from patreon, along with any pressure of time/paying customers demanding this and that, and allows me to do what I want: Make a game which I enjoy making and hope that others will happen to like as well.
Make no mistake though: The game is for me, first and foremost, which is how it should be, at least in my eyes.
- Oct 4, 2017
- 964
- 1,839
That's another way of doing it
I'd still do it with monthly pledges but tell the people up front a release happens when it's ready which might not be every month, so who wants to pledge only for a release can do so in the month of a release and stop the pledge a month later. While those who would want to support ME could still do so the whole time until the game is ready to be shipped.You know, the problem is that it isn't just living expenses one has to struggle with while doing a game like this, it's also the assets and stuff like that (if you'd render instead of drawing) and so on. So some people who want to do it full time can't afford to do it in a "pay per update" manner
Which would be cool if it was possible, but this way you couldn't calculate properly But since everyone is pushing themselves to the limit by trying to dish out an update at least once a month it's even getting to the "big hitters"
- Jun 28, 2017
- 1,939
- 2,991
- Nov 2, 2017
- 5,483
- 1,451
I like this page to tell thw truth i think i made it for dev's.
Becuase it lets people now what they go through and how tuff it can be to make the games.
some people think its easy but it's not.
so hat's off to everone who makes games do your best and take your time true fan's of game know how to wait for a winner.
Becuase it lets people now what they go through and how tuff it can be to make the games.
some people think its easy but it's not.
so hat's off to everone who makes games do your best and take your time true fan's of game know how to wait for a winner.
- Apr 30, 2017
- 4,522
- 19,678
I will also point out many people think its easy money. I finally went in the black last month, after calculating everything I have so far cleared $12... Thats after almost 10 months of development. But I didnt get into this for that but let's be honest having more cash is nice. Id love to earn more to have a dedicated rig for animations and such but I would have to be making ALOT more than now for that.
- Oct 4, 2017
- 964
- 1,839
True that's a reason too, but it's not a real reason either, with a little bit of work they could have removed all the patreon rule breakers out of their game and made it patchable to reimplement it... But yes it's far easier to just drop it or to release it once every now and then....
True, some think it's thousands of $ right away, even if that would be the case, to get good stuff done you need good equipment too... But in the end, once you have that great awesome powerful monster rig, you won't need to upgrade it too soon, and even if you need to do it, it won't be all at once like it's probably at first. So once you get in the black it should rapidly increase, except if you use up all that money to buy new assets for future games and so on (of course reinvesting is necessary but not all at once
)Well anyways it's a complex thing and there are a ton of reasons for a dev to drop his game(s)
- May 30, 2017
- 2,059
- 42,093
you're a very humble man. I don't know where you're spending your money, but your game is pretty lucrative
I can give you many examples of DAZ designers, whose resources you use , but their patreon does not bring so much profit
I make sure everything is above board so I purchase everything. So that adds up. Also have a couple licensed music tracks which cost a $100 bucks a pop.
- Jul 28, 2017
- 1,491
- 4,423
I think it just boils down to the fact that it doesn't pay. A few development teams can presumably live off their generated income, but very few make enough. Even with $1,000 going out to each team member (or one lone developer) that is $12,000 per year (assuming they take monthly payments). If you only work on the game for income, that is below the poverty line here in the USA.
I think the only devs who continue games past a 0.4 or 0.5 are the devoted ones. I highly recommend not putting all your eggs in one basket with game development on Patreon, but get your foot in the door. If this industry does finally ever blow up and becomes profitable, you have an established history and fans.
I think the only devs who continue games past a 0.4 or 0.5 are the devoted ones. I highly recommend not putting all your eggs in one basket with game development on Patreon, but get your foot in the door. If this industry does finally ever blow up and becomes profitable, you have an established history and fans.
- Nov 2, 2017
- 5,483
- 1,451
i always wanted to make a company to help dev's make games you know like use my money to help.
but then i would still have to work to make the fundes to do that but my dream won't happen because the only thing i can do is sing.but stagefright and a place to sing at stoped that lol.but still not a bad dream i think.
p.s i can't sing if i shake like a leaf
but then i would still have to work to make the fundes to do that but my dream won't happen because the only thing i can do is sing.but stagefright and a place to sing at stoped that lol.but still not a bad dream i think.
p.s i can't sing if i shake like a leaf
Yes, it stinks when something you love doesn't get finished. We can only speculate why that is.
These projects are often hobbies and, as Philly pointed out, it is not lucrative despite what the Patreon pledges say. The income you get from pledges per hour of work is extremly low especially when you buy assets and material. So for most devs it will never be more than just a hobby.
Burnout is another serious issue I think many devs will face when expectations become too high. Another probable cause is that the game development started without a game plan. Updates pile on but there is no clear direction to where the story is going. Then it just peter out with time.
What players can do to help devs are to support them monetarily of course, but even more important, in my opinion, through encouragement and understanding.
These projects are often hobbies and, as Philly pointed out, it is not lucrative despite what the Patreon pledges say. The income you get from pledges per hour of work is extremly low especially when you buy assets and material. So for most devs it will never be more than just a hobby.
Burnout is another serious issue I think many devs will face when expectations become too high. Another probable cause is that the game development started without a game plan. Updates pile on but there is no clear direction to where the story is going. Then it just peter out with time.
What players can do to help devs are to support them monetarily of course, but even more important, in my opinion, through encouragement and understanding.
Because Western developers lack something called "scope". They had their brains rotten for being exposed too much to <Jim's voice>TRIPLE AYYY</Jim's voice> games and then they set out to replicate that in their games and fail spectacularly.
On the other hand, Japanese developers have their shit together and despite their games being shorter and less ambitious, they at least get finished.
On the other hand, Japanese developers have their shit together and despite their games being shorter and less ambitious, they at least get finished.