...now a remake of Magic Carpet (all updated accordingly) would be v.cool !

"Despite constant warnings you have never met anyone who's had their arm broken by a swan"

You offer a strong argument there and i also wish you well on any future plans you have for us gamers.

I'd also add that maybe you should just take an older game of P.Molyneux like say..."Magic Carpet", use an existing open source 3D engine and create your own content for it, thus "borrowing" an already proven franchise and creating your own *twist* to it. You could call it "Tragic Marpet 3" After all, isn't this the same thing as what Duke Nukem did to the Doom franchise? Designers always say "do what we do but just add your own twist to it"

Cheers,
<wasp>

Well Creston as a resident of the fair isle myself I'm a little worried that the government would even want to be involved, there is plenty of other things for those buggers to be concerned about without looking at game dev....

However, I'd rather see money that is spent by the UK gov - lets generalise here - on poxy opera houses or boating clubs that have limited (niche) audiences be diverted into the digital area across all the applicable sectors (including games of course!)

For me, as a developer, I'm more interested in seeing what private monies are available and getting investment that way rather than the Big Brother TM model The problem for indies is that investors have been burnt repeatedly by shite products or projects that simply do_not_deliver and that makes it harder for teams with cool original ideas to get to market. Peter M's assesment is right, I just don't think I agree with his solution....

@ Wasp - I personally got my start by releasing a mod on the net for Q1 and in principle the idea of doing a mod and getting it published or getting signed is good - look at CS, Die Hard, Gunman etc - I've employed ppl who work for me on that basis. The problem is to create a professional mod takes a lot of time/resource/money (in terms of potential earnings) etc and these days its much easier for a professional dev to get a paid job rather than do something which is effectively 'free' and exceptionally risky no matter how good the concept.

"Despite constant warnings you have never met anyone who's had their arm broken by a swan"

The British government doesn't even have enough money to help people that are unemployed, physically unable to work, wifes with three kids whose husband just got killed etc. but Peter MolyNEUHGehgeugheug feels that the government should give money to those poor poor game developers that can't get their product on the market.

Talk about having some very peculiar priorities there Petey!

Creston

The game industry is doomed.

"Cash only will help those talented devs out there who have an original concept that some suit at a publisher doesn't understand as they don't play games ;( "

There's nothing wrong with a developer releasing their project for free on the net. Then, if the game/mod is successful enough based on the number of downloads and user feedback, it could be included on the next big-budget triple A title with a percentage of royalties going to the development team. This is kinda like what happened with CTF
back in the early days. If the idea is really successful, they could then be absorbed by microsoft or x (where x=your favourite game developer) I dunno, i just don't like the government getting involved with the arts. Prolly you feel the same way too.

<wasp>

Totally agree with you wasp. The problem is much wider than simply cash, publishers want recognised brands and licenses, they don't want original (supposedly risky) games.

Cash only will help those talented devs out there who have an original concept that some suit at a publisher doesn't understand as they don't play games ;(

Mr M is speaking from a lucky position where he can develop his products without much outside influence. He's one of the select few...

Not that I'm bitter or speak from experience

"Despite constant warnings you have never met anyone who's had their arm broken by a swan"

"...perhaps if the industry didn't have so many over hyped, under perfoming games - like B&W as an example - then financial aid would be more forthcoming."

Yes, but financial aid isn't the answer. I mean, aren't there enough open source/free utilities to create content to get your idea across? Musically speaking, this is a disaster (Avril Lavigne anyone?) in Canada where the stations *have* to play 60% canadian content whether we like it or not. I guess the government thinks if we hear it often enough someday we might *think* that it's good.

Cheers,
<wasp>

Don't think that's the problem. Plenty of over hyped movies around but funding still gets though (althouh the over hyped films don't tend to be from British film makers as British film makers never make more than one notable film about 18 months...).


Cheers,
Quboid

War isn't about who's right, its about who's left.
This comment was edited on Mar 14, 10:11.

...perhaps if the industry didn't have so many over hyped, under perfoming games - like B&W as an example - then financial aid would be more forthcoming.