What I find fascinating is that the business models for things like Minecraft and ProjectZomboid are almost ad-hoc Kickstarters. You're not paying for a complete game; you're paying to support the developer while he finishes a game you'd like to see made. In some ways, this is a much better model than "spend $100 million up front to make a game and pray that someone wants it so you can recoup". Instead, you release a tech demo with a few key features, promise that early adopters will get the full version when it's done, and base your future work on what money comes in.
Also interesting is that these business models are based largely on trust. At this point, I'd say I've definitely gotten my $15 worth out of Minecraft, even if Notch never updates again, but at some point that payment was made trusting that he wouldn't default on his promise to finish the game, and a big part of that trust is the attitude of the developers towards their fans. When developers come out and connect with fans like Notch does, and like the Zomboid devs do, trust is increased. If instead they come out threatening to spend their money not on making the game better, but on hiring a team of lawyers to sue the pants off everyone who pirated the game, trust is decreased.
So while I think the business model is solid, I hope that more indie developers see and understand what truly makes games like these a success (connect with fans). Throwing up an early proof-of-concept demo and asking for donations won't work if the community hates you.
"Criminal behavior being driven by bad government policies," imagine that.
See: War on Drugs, Prostitution
Government policy in both of those areas is the force that keeps alive the brutal, criminal cartels that we have today. Is it that far-fetched of an idea, really?
There is no reason for this guy to be on the plane. He probably got there because Marcus and Dark Helmet were in line moaning to security about the machines and all that, making a fuss, and making is possible for this guy to get past the frustrated security people.
It's clear that we are going to have to punish all dissenters as terrorist sympathizers. Sometimes fascism is the only way to protect freedom.
Bombings are not hostilities!
Fascism is freedom!
Copyright is knowledge!
It's possible, but I think that at some point, concessions will be made or the citizenry will start exercising its second-amendment option.
I'm starting to think the police are really just paper tigers. They talk and act tough when confronted with people who can't defend themselves, but they wet themselves and get all misty-eyed when a confused homeowner puts a bullet through one of them during a no-knock. Notice how they'll send in a SWAT team to find someone who fraudulently obtained a student loan, but when it comes to a known murderer, mafia boss, and #1 on the FBI's most wanted list, they resort to trickery so as not to invite violence.
They only act tough in the face of an unarmed opponent.
I choose to stay somewhat positive on cases like this (odd coming from me, I know). I think we have to assume that flagrant abuses of police power have not suddenly risen drastically in the last few years. Rather, it's our new-found ability to expose these abuses that has increased exponentially now that everyone has an HD-quality video camera ready to go at the touch of a button.
We're in the transitional phase right now, where police and government everywhere will either adapt their behavior to the understanding that they are always under the watchful eye of the public, or an angry public will toss them out on their asses through any means available.
I don't know much about the game in question, but if it's anything like the previous RE: Mercenaries games, it's more of a single-round, high score-type game. The "progress" in such a case is likely to be things like unlockable characters and items that you get access to as you beat certain levels and scores.
If that's the case, the inability to "start over" will be seen not only as an annoyance to some second-hand buyers, but also as a boon to others, since essentially they will always have those unlockables available to them without having to meet the requisite requirements themselves.
Myself, I would find it an annoyance. There's a reason I don't download savegames off the internet; I find that the struggle to unlock things for myself is half the fun. That doesn't mean that everyone agrees with me. Cheat codes have to exist for someone, after all.
Grab SubSonic for your home computer, and if whatever you want to stream from has a web browser and Flash, or is a device based on iOS, Android, or WP7 (each of which has apps available), you can stream your music and movies straight from your home computer to that device. If you pair it up with JungleDisk (or some other cloud storage service), you can have all your music stored online for a low price.
And to top it off, you can also give user accounts to your friends and family, so they can enjoy your collection too.
On the post: Developer Takes Game Down Due To Piracy, But With A Twist
Re: Re: Re: OT/Meta Comment
On the post: Developer Takes Game Down Due To Piracy, But With A Twist
Re:
Also interesting is that these business models are based largely on trust. At this point, I'd say I've definitely gotten my $15 worth out of Minecraft, even if Notch never updates again, but at some point that payment was made trusting that he wouldn't default on his promise to finish the game, and a big part of that trust is the attitude of the developers towards their fans. When developers come out and connect with fans like Notch does, and like the Zomboid devs do, trust is increased. If instead they come out threatening to spend their money not on making the game better, but on hiring a team of lawyers to sue the pants off everyone who pirated the game, trust is decreased.
So while I think the business model is solid, I hope that more indie developers see and understand what truly makes games like these a success (connect with fans). Throwing up an early proof-of-concept demo and asking for donations won't work if the community hates you.
On the post: Developer Takes Game Down Due To Piracy, But With A Twist
Re:
On the post: If The Gov't Wants To Stop Hactivists, It Should Look At Its Policy Choices First
Re: burn these creeps down
See: War on Drugs, Prostitution
Government policy in both of those areas is the force that keeps alive the brutal, criminal cartels that we have today. Is it that far-fetched of an idea, really?
On the post: New Documents Raise More Questions About Safety Of TSA Scanners
Re: Re:
It's clear that we are going to have to punish all dissenters as terrorist sympathizers. Sometimes fascism is the only way to protect freedom.
Bombings are not hostilities!
Fascism is freedom!
Copyright is knowledge!
On the post: Claim That Righthaven Engaged In Unauthorized Practice Of Law Moves To Nevada
Re:
On the post: California Politician Who Wrote Unconstitutional Anti-Video Game Law Plans To Try Again With New Law
Re:
On the post: Sony CEO: We Were Hacked By Freetards Who Just Want Everything Free
Re:
You should never feed a troll.
On the post: Want To Give Righthaven's Backers A Taste Of Their Own Medicine?
Re:
$5 Backer - You get: A photograph of Righthaven CEO Steven Gibson crying into his briefcase as his sham of a career dissolves around him.
On the post: Want To Give Righthaven's Backers A Taste Of Their Own Medicine?
Only One Word Fits:
On the post: How Turntable.fm Could Be Even More Awesome... And Make Everyone Money
Re:
On the post: Two Reporters Arrested For Daring To Photograph/Videotape Public DC Taxi Commission Meeting
Re: Re: Staying Positive
I'm starting to think the police are really just paper tigers. They talk and act tough when confronted with people who can't defend themselves, but they wet themselves and get all misty-eyed when a confused homeowner puts a bullet through one of them during a no-knock. Notice how they'll send in a SWAT team to find someone who fraudulently obtained a student loan, but when it comes to a known murderer, mafia boss, and #1 on the FBI's most wanted list, they resort to trickery so as not to invite violence.
They only act tough in the face of an unarmed opponent.
On the post: Two Reporters Arrested For Daring To Photograph/Videotape Public DC Taxi Commission Meeting
Staying Positive
We're in the transitional phase right now, where police and government everywhere will either adapt their behavior to the understanding that they are always under the watchful eye of the public, or an angry public will toss them out on their asses through any means available.
On the post: Capcom's Resident Evil DRM Is Evil: You Get To Play The Game Once And That's It
It Depends On How You Get Your Kicks
If that's the case, the inability to "start over" will be seen not only as an annoyance to some second-hand buyers, but also as a boon to others, since essentially they will always have those unlockables available to them without having to meet the requisite requirements themselves.
Myself, I would find it an annoyance. There's a reason I don't download savegames off the internet; I find that the struggle to unlock things for myself is half the fun. That doesn't mean that everyone agrees with me. Cheat codes have to exist for someone, after all.
On the post: Could Apple's MusicMatch Be A Tool To Identify Infringers?
Roll Your Own
And to top it off, you can also give user accounts to your friends and family, so they can enjoy your collection too.
On the post: Is Copyright Needed To Stop Plagiarism?
Good Post
On the post: Righthaven Charged With Racketeering In Somewhat Epic Filing
Turn About is Fair Play
On the post: If Jay Maisel's Photograph Is Original Artwork, Then So Is The Pixelated Cover Of 'Kind Of Bloop'
Re: Re:
On the post: Supreme Court Says Anti-Violent Video Game Law Violates The First Amendment
Good Decision
On the post: If Jay Maisel's Photograph Is Original Artwork, Then So Is The Pixelated Cover Of 'Kind Of Bloop'
Great Post!
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