Is pricing bugged?

[WandererNyan]

After joining Beta1, I started a new game. Created the first anti-virus and sold it. Made 2mil profit. No problem. I created the second anti-virus and when I released it, the game told me my software price was too high and suggested to set $22. The default price for my software was $66. So, I checked the price of other anti-virus software in the market, my default price was reasonable. When I set the price to $65, no one bought it. When I set it to $22, only 12K around bought it. What's wrong with it?

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2782647329

[UAL747]

Antivirus does this sometimes, even before Beta 1. I recommend starting out with a 2D editor instead of Antivirus because it can be sold for more and continues being sold for longer, making you a lot more money.

[Personal Responsibility]

Did you maybe by chance use a framework with an older tech level. Possible that the pricing during creating of a software is not matching with the tech level. Then release on an old tech level that is just not worth the price?

[UAL747]

Originally posted by angk500:

Did you maybe by chance use a framework with an older tech level. Possible that the pricing during creating of a software is not matching with the tech level. Then release on an old tech level that is just not worth the price?

Pricing is matched with interest, and tech level affects interest, so no.

[WandererNyan]

Originally posted by angk500:

Did you maybe by chance use a framework with an older tech level. Possible that the pricing during creating of a software is not matching with the tech level. Then release on an old tech level that is just not worth the price?

Yes. I used my first framework. Is it because of that?
To create 2D editior, I need more staffs and can't effort to pay them.
By the way, will difficulty lvl effect software development time? I tried to create an office software with 1 owner, 2 designers, 2 programmers and it's ETA is 4 years. I added features to meet the analyse.

[UAL747]

Originally posted by WandererNyan:

Originally posted by angk500:

Did you maybe by chance use a framework with an older tech level. Possible that the pricing during creating of a software is not matching with the tech level. Then release on an old tech level that is just not worth the price?

Yes. I used my first framework. Is it because of that?
To create 2D editior, I need more staffs and can't effort to pay them.
By the way, will difficulty lvl effect software development time? I tried to create an office software with 1 owner, 2 designers, 2 programmers and it's ETA is 4 years. I added features to meet the analyse.

You don't necessarily need all of the staff in order to make a product, especially in the early game. Difficulty will affect development time because higher difficulties lower the base skill (the bars, not the stars). These affect how quickly something gets done. Usually it will take about 2 years for my first 2D editor. I recommend getting at least $100K from contracts before starting development and using a publisher for both printing and marketing, and operating system exclusivity if their OS has more than 1 million or so users.

[Personal Responsibility]

Originally posted by UAL747:

Pricing is matched with interest, and tech level affects interest, so no.

Should be, but it's still a possible cause. Maybe there's a bug also. Good you answer on OP's behalf without knowing his answer :-)

Originally posted by WandererNyan:

Yes. I used my first framework. Is it because of that?

Could be. Have you tried to update the software after release to the newest tech levels? This way you could prevent the need to decrease the price if the tech level you used was too old.
What tech level did you have anyway upon release and what year did you release in?

[UAL747]

Originally posted by angk500:

Good you answer on OP's behalf without knowing his answer :-)

I just said that that probably wasn't the reason, not that he didn't use a framework. I have had this happen before even if I don't use a framework.

[WandererNyan]

I reloaded the old save and scrapped that anti-virus. I made 2D editor and got only $12K on first month. :( Looks like medium difficulty is not for me. LOL This game is so hard to survive on early stage.

[Personal Responsibility]

Well the thing is especially market recognition. Even if you have a big fan base, going into a product field where you don't have market recognition, you won't have the same amount of sales. You have to build up your reputation before you make the big bucks

[UAL747]

Are you self-marketing or using a publisher? If you're trying to self-market then you simply won't have the resources to make much, but if you're using a publisher you can easily get at least $500K from your first release.

[WandererNyan]

I always self-published my software because I can't finish it by the given time.

[UAL747]

Originally posted by WandererNyan:

I always self-published my software because I can't finish it by the given time.

In the design phase, are you going all the way to 4 iterations or are you using about half of the available time?

[WandererNyan]

I did 4 iterations for that failed anti-virus and 2 iterations for 2D editor. I managed to survive by a new anti-virus that 2 failures. 😅 Now, I build 2 phone assembly lines and accepting deals. It's a money making machine.

[Personal Responsibility]

I totally recommend to use the publishers. They greatly help with these tasks.
I never had issues with releasing on time. I tend to do up til 3 iterations, review and re-iterate at about 80% of the work done. Still enough time to fix a lot of bugs too.

You might want to check if your team is efficient, or where the progress is slowing down to tackle it. I also recommend to always go with higher salaried employees. Low salaried ones are not worth it.

[UAL747]

Originally posted by angk500:

I totally recommend to use the publishers. They greatly help with these tasks.
I never had issues with releasing on time. I tend to do up til 3 iterations, review and re-iterate at about 80% of the work done. Still enough time to fix a lot of bugs too.

You might want to check if your team is efficient, or where the progress is slowing down to tackle it. I also recommend to always go with higher salaried employees. Low salaried ones are not worth it.

I recommend medium salary, because they will stay with the company longer. Low salary is absolutely not worth it, even a team of 5 of them is slower than a single founder on hard.