Where does the money gained from early access actually go ?

[Klaus Schwab]

I understand things like music, other sources BUT.....

When a game gets lots of money more money can be spent going into development etc by hiring new staff, being a four person developer studio like "The Forest" how does funds raised from the game effect the game exactly ?

I feel as though when developers get money from early accsess they keep the majority of cash for them selves (Which is fine, they earned it !) but I don't see how the game getting popular and earning a sizeable amount of cash (Like DayZ) effects the games developement as new staff are not hired and everyone was working on the game for free anyway ?

This is not negative in any way I was just curious on where funds go when everyone working on the game was doing it for free anyway as it's usually a group of friends working on a "project" anyway.

The game "Nether" comes to mind, they've made their cash now they've left the game broken with an update every 2 months, if we're lucky.

[Fork_Q2]

Using the funds to hire more staff on a software project is usually a bad idea:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mythical_Man-Month

I suspect that nearly all of it goes to paying salaries of developers; Braid cost $200K to make, that's mostly just Jonathan Blow paying himself when he was making the game.

[Klaus Schwab]

So if funds from the game go to paying the salaries of the developers (who were initially working for free anyway as most early access games are projects within a friendship group) then money raised from the game usually doesn't effect development all that much ?

[Fork_Q2]

引用自 Umadbrah：

So if funds from the game go to paying the salaries of the developers (who were initially working for free anyway as most early access games are projects within a friendship group)

I don't think that's true, especially for the larger EA projects.

[Klaus Schwab]

引用自 Fork_Q：

引用自 Umadbrah：

So if funds from the game go to paying the salaries of the developers (who were initially working for free anyway as most early access games are projects within a friendship group)

I don't think that's true, especially for the larger EA projects.

Well as far as I am aware, Rust is a very small team and so is The Forest, so these guys probobly would have been working for free or the bare minimum at best so if new developers are not hired I just don't see how getting money from EA projects directly help the game.

The only thing I can think of is that the money raised from Early Access games provide enough income for the devs so they don't need a day time job so they could potentially put in more work hours on the game ? Guess that kinda makes sense lol

[Antonio Neto Kosovo]

hookers and coke.

[Fork_Q2]

Rust is being made by the company that made Garry's Mod, according to wiki they employ 11 people. I suspect it's similar for the guys making The Forest. I don't think you'll be able to find many good developers willing to work for free or minimum wage.

The only thing I can think of is that the money raised from Early Access games provide enough income for the devs so they don't need a day time job so they could potentially put in more work hours on the game ?

It's almost certainly a full time job already.

[Satoru]

引用自 Umadbrah：

So if funds from the game go to paying the salaries of the developers (who were initially working for free anyway as most early access games are projects within a friendship group) then money raised from the game usually doesn't effect development all that much ?

So remember that right off the bat steam takes 30% so whatever funds you think you're sending, only 70% of that goes to the devs.

So rolling in dough right? Not so fast Wesley Snipes! Note that Early Access is still REVENUE and thus subject to things like taxes and the horrors of accounting. So again, even that 70% is reduced dramatically. If you're in the USA you might be able to fuss around with some creative accounting. If you're in Europe well say goodbye to ALOT of that money!

Then there's just the cost of doing business. Buying software. INcorporating a company. Travel to promote your game. Maintenance of your website. Office space rent. Insurance. Utilities.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starcommand/star-command-sci-fi-meets-gamedev-story-for-ios-an/posts/208395

http://www.deadlyfredly.com/2013/11/core-ks-breakdown/

So lets say you hire someone! Hurray right? Well do you have things like health insurance? Other benefits? Equity? Sounds like you need more lawyers! What laws do your goverment require you to provide for your employees?

http://www.reddit.com/r/starbound/comments/237lds/sb_devs_what_can_we_do_to_help/cgy0mbb

Games are not cheap to make. Employees are not cheap to hire and maintain. Stuff costs money. SOME people will work for free if its their project. But most people still need to pay their own rent, food for their famlies etc so working 'for free' isn't really an option.

[Shasow]

引用自 Neto Kosovo：

hookers and coke.

So true.

[Fork_Q2]

引用自 Shasow：

引用自 Neto Kosovo：

hookers and coke.

So true.

I should get on this Early Access malarky. Time to get started on a zombie survival game.

[Satoru]

引用自 FS Archduke：

In addition to all the above, don't forget things like LICENSING which can be ridiculously costly, and you'd be suprised just how many products use RAD tools such as Granny, Miles and Bink at least.

Indeed in the old days, Unreal Engine cost $1 MILLION to license. I suspect Unreal's recent decision to go wtih the % based model is because of Unity really digging into their space with an ultra-low cost solution. We'll see if the % based model sees an uptick in UE games.

[Kargor]

引用自 Umadbrah：

So if funds from the game go to paying the salaries of the developers (who were initially working for free anyway as most early access games are projects within a friendship group) then money raised from the game usually doesn't effect development all that much ?

Unfortunately, "working for free" really only works on small projects that people can do in their spare time: most things in this world don't care whether you are "working for free" or not, they want to see payment.

[Jawaka]

Some developers might use the money to hire new employees to make their games better, some may use they money to pay for necessities such as rent and utilities, and others may use the money to buy hookers and blow. I'm sure that every case is different.

[Ready Whippet]

引用自 Jawaka：

and others may use the money to buy hookers and blow.

Talking from experience, here? :P

[WhiteKnight77]

A simple motion capture system might run $10,000 to start. I priced a 10 camera system using the second tier up from the bottom cameras and it was $16,000. Hiring a sound engineer as well as getting multiple copies of 3DSM or Maya are not cheap either (@ $3000 each).

I know one dev who has used about $100,000 of his own money (a guesstimate based on things he has stated) to build his game so far. In that time, he has had to work full time for other companies (DoD and Tripwire to name a couple) to pay bills and make money for development that he works on after working for them.