|
February
02
Q: I have a great idea for a game, what do I do?
Can a person "sell" a game idea to a company?
A:
Unfortunately there is very little you can do without
the backing of a publisher, developer, or finance
group. Publishers and developers very rarely pick up
ideas that are not their own. Many larger publishers
even have NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) that say they
will not guarantee that they do not have a similar idea
in the works. Your best bet is to find the financing to
pay for the game. Many smaller developers exist that are
avidly seeking contract deals. If you have the money,
they will be happy to help your dream come to life. The
other option would be to use your spare time to create a
demo of the game. You could use the advances from a
publisher to finish out your team and complete the
game. There is very little chance at all of simply
selling an idea by itself though.
Jay
Q: I read in a recent issue of GIGnews
that some business analysts believe that the music
industry could gain the most in the near-term from
steady growth in the connected console market.
According to the article,
dynamic or user selectable music soundtracks could add
replay value and excitement to gameplay, and publishers
could extend a game's lifespan and gain
cross-promotional partnerships by having musicians
release special singles and remixes for use as game
soundtracks. I'm a game developer, and to be honest, we
haven't focused much on music in getting our demo ready?
How much value do publishers put on the game soundtrack?
Do we need to have the music pretty much set before
approaching publishers? Also, if we want to use a band's
music for our game, who handles the licensing? The
developer or the publisher?
A:
There have
certainly been several advances in the convergence of
these industries in the last few years. Microsoft just
announced a partnership with Linkin Park for the
upcoming tour and more and more games are beginning to
license titles from artists for their soundtracks. The
article you mention hits the nail on the head though and
I certainly agree with the thoughts there. I feel that
licensed music does add to the game, but there will
always be a place for music composed made specifically
for the game to enhance the mood.
As far as your role as a developer, you should leave the
music licensing to the publisher unless you have an
excellent contact source in the music industry. If you
are planning to compose music, there are several game
musicians in the industry and an in-house person will
work as well. I would approach the publisher with ideas
or examples of music you would like to license. The
bigger publishers will have a better chance of getting
these songs for your game though.
Jay
Need more Jay?
<<<Back
to Q&A With Jay home Note:
If
you didn't get a chance to attend GDC2001 or were foolish
enough to miss Jay Powell's lecture, we're giving
you another chance. Jay has graciously
allowed us to publish his GDC white paper:
Negotiating
Contracts That Protect Your Title and Team.
 Who
is Jay?
Jay Powell is an
agent at Octagon
Entertainment, a full service agency catering to the
needs of game developers, specializing in the creation
of domestic and international opportunities for game
financing and publishing and finding opportunities in
other medias. Jay has arranged and negotiated numerous
deals in Europe and North America for Octagon's clients.
He has also proven a key evaluator of projects, having
secured some of Octagon's most successful games. With
gaming experience in excess of fifteen years, Jay's
industry insight has been immensely beneficial to
Octagon's clients and publishing partners. Jay's
experience has allowed Octagon to create and maintain a
property evaluation and acceptance methodology that
exceeds the standards and expectations of the
interactive industry. Now, Jay brings his knowledge and
experience to you.
|
