Update on FULL Source SDK?

USNavyFishUSNavyFish Join Date: 2006-12-01 Member: 58798Members
in NS2 General Discussion
<div class="IPBDescription">Charlie, this one's for you</div>I remember Flayra saying Valve had offered them a great deal for the full source SDK.

GMOD10 (another Source Mod) has recently done the same thing (they just went live on Steam), where Valve offered the full SDK and Steam Distribution for 50% of the profits.

I was wondering if you could divulge any further information? I know things are probably not settled yet, so If you are afraid of getting rumors started, I understand your silence. But I'm intrigued by Valve's business plan, and think that the potential they can offer to the mod-development community is phenomenal.

Thanks for reading
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Comments

  • douchebagatrondouchebagatron Custom member title Join Date: 2003-12-20 Member: 24581Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    50% is a lot of profit for something the size of ns2. i can understand that with gmod10 because thats a much smaller game in that its just taking advantage of all the engine possibilities in some way, while ns2 takes much more planning, artwork, level design and other things of the sort.
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    I think he just meant he got a good price for it.
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  • CxwfCxwf Join Date: 2003-02-05 Member: 13168Members, Constellation
    50% is kind of a lot for just an Engine--hopefully Flayra got a better deal than that.

    But thats probably all confidential anyway, so we may never know. I'm sure Flayra will do the right thing for NS. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/marine.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::marine::" border="0" alt="marine.gif" />
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  • SupernornSupernorn Best. Picture. Ever. Made. Ever. Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7608Members, Constellation
    Keep in mind it's not just the engine. I'm assuming it also counts the digital distribution on the steam platform into the equasion, which has proved to be very popular so far.
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  • aeroripperaeroripper Join Date: 2005-02-25 Member: 42471NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1584118:date=Dec 4 2006, 12:27 PM:name=Supernorn)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Supernorn @ Dec 4 2006, 12:27 PM) [snapback]1584118[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Keep in mind it's not just the engine. I'm assuming it also counts the digital distribution on the steam platform into the equasion, which has proved to be very popular so far.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Not to mention the large amount of free advertising that comes with it. A big banner when its released and maybe a week or two before it release, weekly update news, front page of steam store etc etc...
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  • FlayraFlayra Game Director, Unknown Worlds Entertainment San Francisco Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 3Super Administrators, NS2 Developer, Subnautica Developer
    I'm sorry I can't talk about any of the specifics, but I can tell you that most current/next-gen engine licenses cost are $200-600k upfront plus a small percentage in royalties. Most <b>casual</b> game portals take about 50% to 75% of your profits. They do this because of the high value of putting your game in front of a whole lot of people.
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  • ScytheScythe Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
    A 50% return on the dollar coming out of your customer's pocket is <b>incredible</b> when you look at it from any angle. If you think what you get for sacrificing that 50%: Engine, Distribution, Support, Advertising on steam's front page, ... It's a lot. Normally developers see a teeny weeny portion of the sale price of the game thanks to all the middlemen along the way. I'd hazard a guess at between 5% to 15% of the shelf price actually get to the developer.

    Basically: Steam = Win for indi game studios.

    --Scythe--
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  • USNavyFishUSNavyFish Join Date: 2006-12-01 Member: 58798Members
    I guess that settles it <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

    This just adds to another one of the growing number of reasons why online distribution service such as steam are the wave of the future.

    The more power/money Valve places in the hands of indy devs, the more our community wins!

    Hurray!

    Thanks for the replies
    Fish out
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  • AmbAmb Join Date: 2012-11-09 Member: 168647Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    What a great way to screw up this franchise by not going with the source engine. Funny how a game should have been released in 2006 ended up being released with beta quality at the end of 2012.
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