So I spent $200 on these game documents (you can see them here). Going forward I knew this amount of money, for this amount of work would be completely untenable.
If you're interested in getting a document like this made, I'll tell you this: I got a good deal of value out of this. First of all, I had something more tangible to attach to this 'idea' I had. It felt like the game was in progress, instead of just an idea. And that is invaluable.
However, I know a lot of you are not going to have 200 bucks to spend. But you will have something to spend. And I'll tell you, if you're the type of person that says, I have NOTHING to spend, I think you need to reevaluate your commitment to yourself and your life. And if you're homeless, then maybe you need to prioritize housing stability over getting your game started.
If I had mocked up this document prior to finding an artist... and I mean mocked it up as detailed as I possibly could with what I am capable of, I could have found somebody online, to recreate my sketches in a lot less time. And all you need from this type of document, is GOOD artistry. It makes it feel more viable as an idea. There are a lot of GOOD to GREAT artists that are looking for small freelance jobs like this. And many of them will accept a lot less than $25 an hour.
But what I really got out of this document, was that when I hired my team, I really was able to hit the ground running on the game. I had my new artist redraw and color the storyboard, and that, combined with my words, became my opening cinematic. It was great to have that type of momentum right out of the gate.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's talk about the Ukranian developer.
My dad sent me a link to a Ukranian developer that makes mobile games. He didn't know them, he just came across their linked in page. I looked at their website and they had some decent work (personally, I am very impressed when someone has decent work) and I thought, "Maybe, JUST maybe, they would really like the project and agree to do it on spec."
To be honest, I didn't really believe this. It was a fleeting hope, at best. I knew that companies can't survive on spec projects, and I also knew that Mobli was just one idea out of thousands... and really, there is a lot of truth to that notion. The value in my idea was not going to be in the basics of the mechanics, or the story ideas, it was going to be in my ability to consistently work with a team, and convey my vision with as much detail and nuance as possible for the entire game. Or at least a great verticle slice (which is definitely new lingo I've picked up on the Indie Game Dev Facebook group). That was my real value.
And this is why you must pay people.
If you're like me, and want a game made professionally, you're going to have to have professionals make it. And professionals don't work for free.
Right here, I am really speaking to the people with "no money". Look, no one wants to hear it. No one cares that you don't have money. We're all struggling in our own way. Most of us empathize with money problems, but complaining doesn't get you a game. So just think for a second. When was the last time you spent money on something you could do without?
That could have been spent on your video game.
I don't say this to shame you for buying lattes or iphones or anything. I want to express to you how good it feels to give up something frivolous, for something invaluable. For something that fills your life with meaning. It's not even a sacrifice. It's a total win win.
While I have some means, I still had to give up stuff to justify the expenses, and it felt great. And it really solidified that this was a commitment. If you REALLY want to make a game, you have to deal with reality. As harsh as it may be at times. And paying people to do technical work, is a reality you must face.
When you pay someone, you up the value of your idea to the person working on it. You up the value of the commitment of the person working on it. You up your value to the person working on it. Conversely, when you do not pay, you subtract from the value of your entire project and the respect you command from the people working for you.
There's always going to be an exception to the rule, but you're probably not the exception. But please, prove me wrong.
And when I got the quote from the Ukranian company... it was $18,000. And I was like... that makes sense, and also... I can't afford that. Not a chance. Honestly, I don't think that would have been a very good investment anyway. I knew that this was my first game, and I should really start humbly. Start with something, and someone, my speed. I wanted somebody with a decent level of know-how, and proof that they had actually made games. Decent games. Not amazing games. Just decent.
I felt that if I could find somebody who knew the basics of how to make games, I could use my vision, and ability to communicate every detail of it, to successfully manufacture Mobli.
And obviously, I would have to find somebody who could do all this on a budget.
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