[Celerian]

ButchDean, on 02 June 2012 - 09:10 AM, said:

DanielLeone, you are certainly not going about it the right way and it seems you will unfortunately learn the hard way.

In life, when we have dreams we will find that the people who can make those dreams happen have a high price - it isn't about 'I have a dream and no words are going to stop me' because they will. The way to make things work is to have the desire and ability to do them independently of support, and to be honest it is clear that you need a lot of reassurance to confirm that you might be doing the right thing.

Here is another scenario for you, what would happen if you were to magically get your first game out the door that you invested so much time and effort in, only for it to be trashed by reviewers? You can't -1 rep them or lash out on a public forum; you take it on the chin and move on.

Out of all the industries out there, games is one of the prime candidates for telling you like it is, and if you can't take it on the chin like now you have got a very long and rough road ahead.

You need to get your head out the sand, get some professional face-to-face contact from industry people, and realize you are nowhere near where you think you are.

And you believe this? That the games industry is about telling it like it is? That's why Infinity Ward has been pushing out the same game for years with a new label and a slightly modified story, and reviewers give it great reviews and everyone buys it up, and then people piss and moan because its the same game that they just bought a few months ago? The people who have their eyes open see the scam and call them out on it, but the majority of consumers are too stupid to care that they're throwing away money on a new label. If the games industry was actually about telling it like it is, the entire community would go, "You know what guys, you already did this 7 months ago, and we want something different. Come back when you can be more inventive." Don't get me wrong, Infinity Ward has created a polished product that gets the FPS genre boiled down to absolute perfection, but they found a formula and they stuck with it.

Some of the things that are coming out of indie developers, often from people who have had a dream and worked out of their own home as a hobbiest developer, are some of the most inventive games released in a long time. Its hit or miss in our viral culture and really, if his ideas and execution are good, he may get noticed by a larger studio. How many times has it happened with Valve buying up IP and the devs who worked on it? I'm not saying its a guarantee, I'm saying its a possibility for him if he sticks with it. I myself had the same dream, but I got caught up in life. Being anti-social was great in high school because it allowed me plenty of time to cultivate and tinker with my own projects. In college I was still working on some of those ideas and starting to make them a reality, but I was also learning how to be a social person, and then I met the woman who would become my wife, and in the process of finding love and having kids and all that other mushy crap, my dream fell to the wayside. I'm not mad, but I am being honest that I gave up following my goal for some other personal goals.

I don't feel that Daniel is asking us for support or a blessing. He was asking for opinions, and unfortunately he found that at this point in his growth, he (and anyone else working with him) is the only one who really has a preference to what he calls himself.

Daniel, I like the name Ravine. Unfortunately your domain name has been camped and there's not much to do about that. You could change your name. You could add something like "Games", "Entertainment", "Studios" to your name. You could get a .net or a .org address. You could go with a .co.au. At this point, I don't think it really matters, since you're just growing, there's no real reason to be in the spotlight. I still say good luck with your dream. Its a tough road, but there is a possibility of success with plenty of hard work.

[ButchDean]

The reason why we churn out similar titles in some instances is because:

1. A lot of the code base is already there from the previous title.
2. It's a formula that works, hence the high sales.
3. Starting a new game from scratch is a huge undertaking in terms of budget and man hours, with the risk of it being a flop and the studio having to close due to losses from the investment in the new idea.

Working in games is a business, not a bunch of hippies sitting around in a studio talking and playing games all day. As you are well aware when you have a family to support, you need to get as much money as you can with minimal risk and effort.

[Celerian]

ButchDean, on 02 June 2012 - 10:07 AM, said:

The reason why we churn out similar titles in some instances is because:

1. A lot of the code base is already there from the previous title.
2. It's a formula that works, hence the high sales.
3. Starting a new game from scratch is a huge undertaking in terms of budget and man hours, with the risk of it being a flop and the studio having to close due to losses from the investment in the new idea.

Working in games is a business, not a bunch of hippies sitting around in a studio talking and playing games all day. As you are well aware when you have a family to support, you need to get as much money as you can with minimal risk and effort.

I understand WHY it is done. I also realize that because of this practice, the industry tends to stagnate. But Business and Innovation are two words that don't normally play nice with each other.

[ButchDean]

That's just it though, we are not stagnating, we are going with currently what sells. There is always something new in the pipeline with game development.

[Celerian]

ButchDean, on 02 June 2012 - 10:27 AM, said:

That's just it though, we are not stagnating, we are going with currently what sells. There is always something new in the pipeline with game development.

I guess that depends on how you look at it. From the business aspect, yes, the gaming industry is not stagnating. Because you guys all pander to the lowest common denominator when it comes to consumers. Unfortunately, the majority are mindless sheep who will buy whatever you tell them is cool.

That's what media/marketing never seems to get. They can do the same thing over and over and over and tell everyone its the best thing ever and people will buy it. They can also promote the cutting edge and say its the best thing every and people will buy it. I don't understand why developers wouldn't push cutting edge and make their marketing team promote the hell out of it. I guess sticking with the tried and true avoids failing on something new, but normally the things that failed were not good.

[ButchDean]

We can't tell people what buy, that isn't how business works. Also, regarding cutting edge hardware and techniques it takes years to develop, then even more years to push it to its limits. It just doesn't work the way you think it does, or should.

[Celerian]

Cutting edge wasn't the best choice of words. I was talking about ideas, not just hardware. Hell, if we look at the PS3, we still have a lot of potential trapped inside of that box that Sony and other game developers have not been able to tap into. My complaint is that new ideas are ignored for formulaic products that fit into a mold. Since we were talking about the FPS games, its easy to go back to that and say that the only reason they sell is because they got things into a sweet spot, and they don't have to do anymore work than new scenarios, they can pump it out faster, for full price, and millions will buy it because the marketing team does a bang-up job of telling the rest of society that this is the NEXT BIG THING. So they don't try anything new in several years, because why take the time and money to try and push your limits? I guess its a matter of don't fix it if it ain't broke, but to me, that is also stagnation. This is also coming from someone who doesn't want the same shit sold to me by musicians. I want them to grow and change. Its ok if I hate an album. But don't package "Album I really Enjoyed 2.0" and sell it to me, because then I'll get bored and move on to someone who IS doing new things. For the most part, this is why I avoid commercial, terrestrial radio. Its not fun nor entertaining to me to hear Nickleback pump out the same damn album that they have since Silver Side Up. Very few artists can get away with it.

And I disagree. I think humans as a species are incredibly susceptible to the message, "This is great, I use it every day, if you don't buy this, you won't be popular/pretty/cool." We eat that right up and do what we're told, and then that just tells marketers that they're doing everything right. They are, for themselves, but for the wrong reason. People don't purchase based on quality. They buy based on what they are conditioned to believe they want/need.

[ButchDean]

To be honest I'm lost on how to get the message across to you as to why things are as they are.

[Celerian]

You can't get a message across because you have stated no message aside from "No, you're wrong." I'm explaining to you, in fair detail, how these big game companies run things and why a rabid gamer feels that the industry has stagnated and continues to turn out crap that I refuse to buy. I agree with you on all points of WHY things are done they way they are done from a business perspective. I just feel that that model has stifled creativity, and what we have now is a video game equivalent of your local pop station. It churns out easily digestible crap for the masses and doesn't get any better. Its my personal opinion, though, and is only backed up through the observations made with Celerian Tinted Glasses.

[ButchDean]

You haven't explained to me how big game companies run things! lol

Seriously, I'm outta here. Pointless convo.

[DanielLeone]

Right...

This is just getting far off topic. But keep the assumptions to yourself. Don't assume to know where I think I'm at. I'm a number of months away from releasing a game on Google Play, it could be 3 months, it could be 20. But don't assume I thinking of releasing the next Angry Birds.

Your signature, Do or do not, there is no try.

Well since your beating my dreams down before they've even started, and trying doesn't seem to be an option, then you're trying to leave me with 'do not'. Not the right attitude in my opinion.

It doesn't matter if you don't reply, I don't expect one, but just so you know where I'm at.

I wasn't aware that I gave the name (must be following BitchDean's idea of secrecy(as if )), but do people actually like it? I'm not upset that people know it now, just wasn't planning of telling everyone.

So, following the previous replies, and the opinions of others. I'll probably just secure www.ravinestudios.com.au, and if they go to just .com, ohh well, but it'll probably just be links everywhere anyway. And as some of you said, the domain is probably not as important as of yet, seen as I've yet to release a game. And after all, I'm just some newb that doesn't know anything about the game industry.

Thanks anyway,
Daniel,

Lets just keep this friendly hey, and put everything behind .

This post has been edited by DanielLeone: 02 June 2012 - 09:17 PM

[GunnerInc]

I don't know if I would go with Raven Studios as it is similar to Raven Soft. That is a big game name in gaming and I wouldn't want a cease and desist from them.

Then there is ravenstudios.com, never know if they might come after you.
You have to do research when picking a domain name.

[DanielLeone]

Ravine not Raven. Don't worry I've checked them out already.

Ravine and Raven are similar I know, but there really nothing the same, if you know what I mean.

You probably just misread that, or I made a typo.

And trust me, I've probably done adequate research for this.
There is a website (random domain) but the title is Ravine Studios. However nothing has happened since 2008.

There is also a place called Sailors Ravine Studio. Some photographing/art place/thing. (Hows that for precise ). But that isn't really the same as Ravine Studios. And they not really big I don't think, they only have blogspot and stuff anyway. And I'm not exactly massive either yet, am I .

Thanks,
Daniel,

This post has been edited by DanielLeone: 02 June 2012 - 10:10 PM

[ButchDean]

DanielLeone, on 03 June 2012 - 05:16 AM, said:

Right...

This is just getting far off topic. But keep the assumptions to yourself. Don't assume to know where I think I'm at. I'm a number of months away from releasing a game on Google Play, it could be 3 months, it could be 20. But don't assume I thinking of releasing the next Angry Birds.

I'm sorry, but I do know where you're at and you will not prove me wrong. Why? It's just your attitude. You honestly think you know more than someone who has now worked in the games industry 7+ years, and dismiss their observations as spiteful and trying to destroy your dreams?! If you knew me in person you would know I'm not like that. Hasn't it also occurred to you why so few industry people mix with people who think they know it all? Because they get into conversations like this where the message just isn't getting through. And seriously, Google Play? Anyone can submit to them. What would really prove your worth is getting a license to release on the major consoles.

Secondly, a number of months away? You can't manage a small project meant for Google Play to be completed with a 17 months margin of error?! Your ship has sunk right there.

Quote

Your signature, Do or do not, there is no try.

Well since your beating my dreams down before they've even started, and trying doesn't seem to be an option, then you're trying to leave me with 'do not'. Not the right attitude in my opinion.

It doesn't matter if you don't reply, I don't expect one, but just so you know where I'm at.

With this statement you have shot yourself in the foot without even realizing it. You've gone from 'I know enough about the industry to release a game' to 'it being my dream'. You can't know about something you've never tried, dude! Wow! Not to blow my own trumpet here, but I have worked with some of the best teams on this earth who have release award winning US, Japanese and European titles, I'm even very aware of how those markets differ - and they do differ drastically. I could go on and on. Even where I'm working now has worked with the biggest publishers in the games industry on the most popular titles, and you say I don't know where you're at? Okay, good luck.

And the quote from Yoda is for those who are are trying hard enough to achieve very realistic goals.

Quote

I wasn't aware that I gave the name (must be following BitchDean's idea of secrecy(as if ))

It actually has zero benefit to me if I choose to reveal myself or not. In fact it might do some harm, simply because I'll get noobz chasing me by every means trying to get the inside scoop on what's next in games; not worth the hassle. Sorry.

Quote

And after all, I'm just some newb that doesn't know anything about the game industry.

And this is the most sensible and accurate thing you have said throughout this thread. If you really want some thorough insight, Google 'Tom Sloper' or his site 'Sloperama'. I listened to him and conversed directly with him when I wanted to join the games industry, and we were fellow moderators over at another forum. He will tell you like it is, and if you think I'm brutal or destroying your dreams you better get ready for a real wake up call.

Let us know how it goes.

[DanielLeone]

Okay, I'm leaving this... I'ts going no where, hasn't for a long time, but we can't shut up can we .

So, on topic. I don't know what to do.

I've defiantly decided on RavineStudios. It's just the domain name screwing everything up

I want to register it with someone like GoDaddy, because they offer free email hosting, web hosting, and a front panel for DNS control. Other places like CrazyDomains, you have to pay a monthly fee for it.

I wanted to know what other people do, who own websites, weather you pay or multiple pages and email?

Now...

ravinestudios.com is taken. The one I want.
ravinestudios.com.au is not taken. GoDaddy don't do .com.au though
ravinestudios.co probably more suits but you would really want .com or something I would think.
ravinestudios.net ? Probability?? I know bungie use that.
ravine-Studios. The hyphen is back?

Alternativly I could backorder www.ravinestudios.com for $20.99. Through GoDaddy. Now they say they'll try and get it, but if they don't I think I loose the money. And there's also this :
http://support.godad...-domains-owner/
http://forums.digita...d.php?t=1707495
http://www.namepros....korder-wtf.html

They sound pretty bad, except maybe for the last one, but I would have to wait a whole year anyway.

Suggestions?
Thanks,
Daniel,