Pitching a game idea to a software company

[John_Redman]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

Does anyone know how you go about doing this?

I have an idea for a game in a genre that is quite well-established but
whose exact subject matter has never been done (that I know of). I
think it would make a great game and I would be interested in getting
involved in the development, but I'm not a programmer. How does one go
about pitching something like this? Do software designers even consider
such things or what?

Pointers anyone?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

<john_redman@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:1126017535.590749.149510@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Does anyone know how you go about doing this?
>
> I have an idea for a game in a genre that is quite well-established but
> whose exact subject matter has never been done (that I know of). I
> think it would make a great game and I would be interested in getting
> involved in the development, but I'm not a programmer. How does one go
> about pitching something like this? Do software designers even consider
> such things or what?
>
> Pointers anyone?

Stalk as many decision-makers as you can until one of them goes into the
men's room. Now you have a captive audience. At least that's how Hollywood
works (as explained to me by film actor David Keith, anyway).

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

<john_redman@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:1126017535.590749.149510@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Does anyone know how you go about doing this?
>
> I have an idea for a game in a genre that is quite well-established but
> whose exact subject matter has never been done (that I know of). I
> think it would make a great game and I would be interested in getting
> involved in the development, but I'm not a programmer. How does one go
> about pitching something like this? Do software designers even consider
> such things or what?
>
> Pointers anyone?

I guess it depends on what you want.

If you are talking about obtaining gainful employment from a developer as a
project leader in this way, you are going to be disappointed.

If you want control over a project, you need to build your own development
team.

If you want control over a project that you want funded, you need to "pitch"
distributors and then build your own development team.

If you have a cool product in mind that you just want to see implemented
without caring about credit or payment, you should probably start talking
about it openly in the hope that somebody looking for a project will
decide..."Hey, that would be cool to do."

dfs

 

[magnate]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

An american president (I forget which one) once said

"You can achieve anything, as long as you're prepared to let someone
else take the credit."

In this case, credit probably means profit too. If you want to profit
from your idea, you'll need to hire your own programmers, either as an
independent or as a project manager at a big software house (and I have
no idea how you go about getting them to take you on as the project
manager with no track record). You'll also have to find a publisher, or
distribute online, or whatever.

If you want credit but not money, you could probably hawk the idea
around the big software houses and persuade someone to put your name in
the credits as Original Concept By or somesuch. If it's not costing
them anything I can't see why they'd object.

If you just want to see the game get made, write as detailed a proposal
as you can - the setting/context, the "look" of the game, the gameplay,
the UI, modding, options, multiplayer, turn sequence, etc. etc.
Everything you can think of.

Then get feedback on it. Send it to your gaming friends. Post it on
this ng (if it's a strategy game) or wherever. Listen to what people
have to say about it - some feedback will be unhelpful or plain wrong,
but lots of it will be useful. Expand the proposal, filling in details
and clarifying things.

Then send it to game developers. If I had such an idea I'd probably
start with Brad Wardell. I don't know any game developers but he seems
like the kind of guy who might actually reply with some useful tips.

Then send it to some more game developers. You'll quickly get a feel
for whether you have on your hands a MoO or a BC3K. I guess it's a bit
like trying to get a book published or make a record: you keep tarting
yourself around until somebody says yeah, ok, I'll run with this - or
until you give up. John Buchan got over 4000 rejection slips before he
got published.

CC

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

Get a job with a game company that makes similar games, work your way up
to a position of respect, then pitch it. Developers aren't interested
in pitches from people they don't know. Companies always have more ideas
than they have resources to develop them, and aren't generally interested
in hearing ideas from outside.

Alexx


Opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily those of my employers.
alexx@carolingiaSPAMBL@CK.org http://www.panix.com/~alexx
Selections from Gamers Famous Last Words:
281-"After what we took, he won't be able to afford an assassin."

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

>I have an idea for a game in a genre that is quite well-established but
>whose exact subject matter has never been done (that I know of). I
>think it would make a great game and I would be interested in getting
>involved in the development, but I'm not a programmer. How does one go
>about pitching something like this? Do software designers even consider
>such things or what?

There's a lot of reasons various established business wouldn't want
to hear from an outside layman. For one, "idea" isn't as valuable as
one might thing (although it is indeed valuable). Many other things
come into play. Keep in mind that I'm speaking with my businessman
hat on, but I don't have a game company hat. Same rules apply, though,
really.

Out of curiosity, if you present, what's to keep them from mulling
it over for a while, and then building a variation of it on their own?

C//

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

john_redman@my-deja.com wrote in news:1126017535.590749.149510
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

> Do software designers even consider such things or what?

Yep they do. But dont think you can go to the top dogs and get them to fund
your idea ahead of time. Thats a fairytale possibility. Maybe not
impossible but it doesnt happen enough to bother trying for it.

There are different levels of programmers, and graphics artists, and sound,
and publishers. Some are quite approachable, quite interested in dealing
with you, and have different levels of "gamble" to them. Also there are
ways to do it for fast fame, or for big fame, or for fast bucks, or for big
bucks.

I could make some recommendations but Id need to know more. Not the idea
but things like the game genre, the type of game, the level of quality vs
marketability (play over pretty?)

There are newsgroups and magazines and websites on the matter also

Gandalf Parker

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

"magnate" <chrisc@dbass.demon.co.uk> wrote in
news:1126037186.448802.137560@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

> If you want credit but not money, you could probably hawk the idea
> around the big software houses and persuade someone to put your name
> in the credits as Original Concept By or somesuch. If it's not costing
> them anything I can't see why they'd object.
>

Actually in that case Id just recommend setting it up as a project on
SourceForge.net and waiting for some oen source programmers to join in.
At least then it can stay as "his project" and he would be able to talk
about it without chancing someone snagging it. And if its done right it
can still be sold when its done. Or the popularity would smooth the way
to talk to a publisher about version 2.

For real development, one of the smaller publishing companies that were
started by independent games developers for their own use would be a
good start. If its a board game, or a computer strategy game especially
multiplayer, then Id recommend Shrapnel Games. I got to know them when I
followed the Dominions game and the Space Empires game back to the
forums at their publisher. They are majorly big on helping new
developers though usually they work with the programmers, they can make
connections if they are interested enough.

Gandalf Parker

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

>Does anyone know how you go about doing this?

>I have an idea for a game in a genre that is quite well-established but
>whose exact subject matter has never been done (that I know of). I
>think it would make a great game and I would be interested in getting
>involved in the development, but I'm not a programmer. How does one go
>about pitching something like this? Do software designers even consider
>such things or what?

>Pointers anyone?

To summaries (and add my bit)

If you want to pitch your idea to a developer/publisher in the hope
they will give you money to make the game you have no chance of that
happening. Nobody going to listen to, let alone give money, to an
unproven developer.

If you want to pitch your idea in the hope the developer/publisher buys
it and makes your game you have no chance of that happening too. No one
going to listen to someone with no proven background.

Also everyone too paranoid that they will get sued for IP theft if they
happen to be making a similar product too the one you will pitch at
them. They are only going to talk to people who they trust.

Your only real hope is to shelf your big idea for now and get involved
in the homebrew, mod or get a job at a developer. And spend a good few
years working your way up so you get enough respect and backing from
people that they are willing to make your game. You don't have to
make a finished product just enough so a publisher can see what you are
trying to do and more importantly prove you deliver a finished product.

Some unknown had his game picked up my Value at E3 using the method
above. So, it possible but a lot of hard work and patience is needed.

 

[magnate]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

While it may be a fairly novel idea for a PC game, there are certainly
board games on this exact theme (McMulti, Giganten, North Sea Oil to
name but three go to boardgamegeek.com for more). Some sort of IP
survey would be needed to avoid any accidental infringement on
copyrighted or patented mechanics etc.

I like the observation that publishers seem to be recycling old ideas
rather than developing new ones - I'm fairly sure that's not because
there's a dearth of ideas though, so I suspect the original point is
valid. Companies *do* have more ideas than they have resources to
develop them; the reason we see so many derivative games is because
investors and publishers are only prepared to invest in and develop
sure-fire winners. Nobody will take a chance on something which might
not succeed.

CC

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

Well, the Oil business concept *has* been done before, as 10 minutes
with google, underdogs and mobygames shows:

Oil Barons
http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?id=2529

Oil Barons (Epyx)
http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?id=4307

Oil Imperium
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/oil-imperium
http://www.thelegacy.de/Museum/4974/

Oil tycoon
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/oiltycoon/

Oh yeah, if you think RTW relies on the same concepts as Civ3, you have
completely missed the tactical battlefield engine at the core of the TW
series which is its USP.

Re selling your ideas, perhaps you could get some inspiration from
another older game.
;-)

Software Manager
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/software-manager

Best of luck,

- von Schmidt

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

In <1126107664.532450.127720@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> john_redman@my-deja.com writes:

>It's interesting that people think games companies have more ideas than
>resources. My impression from looking at what's in the shops is the
>exact reverse. I haven't bought a PC game in 3 years because they're
>all still going over exactly the same ground as ever: trolls, monsters,
>"You're a starship trooper on planet Blah..." and I've been there
>before. Even stuff like Rome: Total War relies on a lot of the same
>concepts as AoE, the Civs, Caesar 3 and so on...my people are unhappy?
>Oh, right - better build a temple. Game developers seem totally bereft
>of ideas to me.

"Ideas a developer has" are not the same things as "Ideas a publisher will
fund". Without publisher funding, it's very hard to find enough money to
make a game that can compete on the market. Hence my point about lack of
resources.

Alexx


Opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily those of my employers.
alexx@carolingiaSPAMBL@CK.org http://www.panix.com/~alexx
Every program has at least one bug and one unnecessary instruction --
therefore, every program can be reduced to one instruction that doesn't work.
[Seen on a Nancy Button, www.nancybuttons.com]

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic (More info?)

In article <1126107664.532450.127720@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
john_redman@my-deja.com wrote:

> It's interesting that people think games companies have more ideas than
> resources.

Well, if an average game takes 2 years, and employs 20 people, and each
person has 1 idea per year, that's still a ratio of 40 ideas per
published game.

--
David Dunham A Sharp, LLC
http://www.a-sharp.com/
"I say we should listen to the customers and give them what they want."
"What they want is better products for free." --Scott Adams