Comments on: Interesting Pricing Model (“Sell Development Version”) http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/06/18/interesting-pricing-model-sell-development-version/ I bake games. Indie style. Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:09:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Steven Egan http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/06/18/interesting-pricing-model-sell-development-version/comment-page-1/#comment-135204 Steven Egan Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:08:46 +0000 http://www.gameproducer.net/?p=3155#comment-135204 Could always include a pre-release bonus. That and some other general bonuses that could be given to people who support the process. I generally like the idea, but I might put it like $10 for the WIP (work in progress) version and $10 later for the full version, for a normally $25 game. It combines a payment plan with a discount. Then there is leaving the option of having both on the same computer, just in case a person really likes the WIP gameplay. Could always include a pre-release bonus. That and some other general bonuses that could be given to people who support the process.

I generally like the idea, but I might put it like $10 for the WIP (work in progress) version and $10 later for the full version, for a normally $25 game. It combines a payment plan with a discount. Then there is leaving the option of having both on the same computer, just in case a person really likes the WIP gameplay.

]]> By: mirlix http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/06/18/interesting-pricing-model-sell-development-version/comment-page-1/#comment-135203 mirlix Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:12:43 +0000 http://www.gameproducer.net/?p=3155#comment-135203 I would handle it like this. You get a discount for buying the development version, but there is no guaranty that future version will be produced, contain all the features the development version contains. The right time to sell development versions would be when you normally would start beta testing. Its almost feature complete, the biggest bugs are fixed and you need a lot of people for proper beta testing, letting them pay you to test your game is great ;) I would handle it like this.
You get a discount for buying the development version, but there is no guaranty that future version will be produced, contain all the features the development version contains.

The right time to sell development versions would be when you normally would start beta testing. Its almost feature complete, the biggest bugs are fixed and you need a lot of people for proper beta testing, letting them pay you to test your game is great ;)

]]> By: hObbE - Spell of Play http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/06/18/interesting-pricing-model-sell-development-version/comment-page-1/#comment-135202 hObbE - Spell of Play Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:56:27 +0000 http://www.gameproducer.net/?p=3155#comment-135202 This is type of pricing is an integral part of our development model. To put it simply we sell the game from day one (at a cheap price). Basically if you like the current state of the game you can buy in, if not you can wait but the price will raise as the quality of the game gets better and better. We typically release on 2 week iterations (this seem to work for us) with the occasional vacations etc. Yes, the customer takes a risk when buying in at an early stage (hence the cheaper prize). If something happens we might not "finish" the game etc, or introduce feature Y as you describe; though this has not happened yet :) The integral part here is that players interact with and influence the developers. That is our core idea, our core value is to embrace change not fear it. You can read more about this in <a href="http://www.spellofplay.com/about" rel="nofollow">about Spell of Play Studios</a>, and check out the <a href="http://www.spellofplay.com/forums/games/twtpb" rel="nofollow">TWTPB forum</a> for an example of a game going from 8h prototype to full game at $19.95 This is type of pricing is an integral part of our development model. To put it simply we sell the game from day one (at a cheap price). Basically if you like the current state of the game you can buy in, if not you can wait but the price will raise as the quality of the game gets better and better.

We typically release on 2 week iterations (this seem to work for us) with the occasional vacations etc.

Yes, the customer takes a risk when buying in at an early stage (hence the cheaper prize). If something happens we might not “finish” the game etc, or introduce feature Y as you describe; though this has not happened yet :)

The integral part here is that players interact with and influence the developers. That is our core idea, our core value is to embrace change not fear it.

You can read more about this in about Spell of Play Studios, and check out the TWTPB forum for an example of a game going from 8h prototype to full game at $19.95

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