Going to attempt to get funding for a new skate game. not skate 4.

[SeksulChokolate]

There is a daunting problem with marketing a skateboarding game and that is to appeal to a wide variety of consumers. On one hand there are people who buy the game for the big air and massive bails and to have a bunch of laughs with friends. On the other hand there are consumers who are more attracted to the simulation aspect of the game and how close to realism they can achieve whilst playing the game. There needs to be a FLUENT transition between those two experiences.

In personal experiences friends of mine who do not skate pick this game up and migrate to the mega ramp. This is the case for most people who casually pick the game up. Because of this fact the game can offer a few designated areas for the "go big" causal gamers without sacrificing the integrity and realism that can be applied to the actual city. This is where skate 3 failed. They tried to make a city that would appeal to the casual player. Basically, creating a few "sandboxes" so-to-speak will be more than enough to make the big air wanters happy. This way you completely please both parties.

Also, as knex stated before, a big problem with the skate franchise was that they were too caught up with unnecessary details. They targeted immensely popular skaters and artists which cost them a pretty penny. By reaching out to more unknown markets (newer pros, ams, indie/lesser known artists) your game becomes a desired canvas for people to reach out to. These people seek exposure and a highly marketable skateboarding game will prove to be very appealing. As a result, more people become interested with the game due to the lure of exposure at a FRACTION of what it would cost to get big names into your game. This also adds to the down to earth, life like feel of the game.

That is all. /rant

[Fecal Face]

There is a daunting problem with marketing a skateboarding game and that is to appeal to a wide variety of consumers. On one hand there are people who buy the game for the big air and massive bails and to have a bunch of laughs with friends. On the other hand there are consumers who are more attracted to the simulation aspect of the game and how close to realism they can achieve whilst playing the game. There needs to be a FLUENT transition between those two experiences.

In personal experiences friends of mine who do not skate pick this game up and migrate to the mega ramp. This is the case for most people who casually pick the game up. Because of this fact the game can offer a few designated areas for the "go big" causal gamers without sacrificing the integrity and realism that can be applied to the actual city. This is where skate 3 failed. They tried to make a city that would appeal to the casual player. Basically, creating a few "sandboxes" so-to-speak will be more than enough to make the big air wanters happy. This way you completely please both parties.

Also, as knex stated before, a big problem with the skate franchise was that they were too caught up with unnecessary details. They targeted immensely popular skaters and artists which cost them a pretty penny. By reaching out to more unknown markets (newer pros, ams, indie/lesser known artists) your game becomes a desired canvas for people to reach out to. These people seek exposure and a highly marketable skateboarding game will prove to be very appealing. As a result, more people become interested with the game due to the lure of exposure at a FRACTION of what it would cost to get big names into your game. This also adds to the down to earth, life like feel of the game.

That is all. /rant

this is so on point...

[Mark the Sith]

Sigh.

I encourage the enthusiasm, but the approach to this is all wrong. Your best bet would be to get a Kickstarter going, but in order for this to happen someone will have to do a shit-tonne of work to even get a simple budget/business plan going. On average a game takes 5 years from conception to market, and that's if you're building everything from the ground up. If you have an actual working engine up and running cut about 1 year off that plan. If you have assets up and running deduct an additional 6 months to a year. Don't even get me started on modelling and physics, both of which are very time and money consuming.

Let's say you get the $5 million in funding. Who's building the game? Are you infringing on any proprietary rights? Who gets to keep the profits?

Everyone says fuck EA but goddamn, they're a business. Why did the Skate series get killed? Not nearly enough return on investment. Whomever invests the $5 million will want their money back, with profits on top. Where will this revenue be generated?

Not dissing the plan, just totally dissing the plan.

[BladderBoy]

The only thing that will provide satisfaction is a moddable pc game. Flight sim nerds, combat junkies and racing idiots (like me) have it made. Each can rely on a community of gamers that have the tools, skills, and maturity to develop a perfect game amongst themselves. Unfortunately we do not have a base-game to work from, as aforementioned communities do. And I am not confident that the Skate community has the coding chops to pull it off anyway. No hate. Its a good thing. Comes with the territory. Most of us are right-brain creative thinkers, not number crunchers.

So all we need is 1) an open-source skateboarding game engine, 2) about a dozen programming and design geniuses that happen to skate in real life and have time to dedicate a good portion of their life to a project that promises $0.00 dollars in compensation, and 3) a large community gamers willing to share ideas, encouragement, and constructive criticism.

<crickets>

Anything less will be a disappointment. Stop skating. Break your board. Go back inside and lock the door. Everyone thinks you are an antisocial loser anyway. Prove them right. Go learn C++.

Seriously though, I'd lend whatever skills and knowledge I have to a project like this. If some of us older guys with a little cash pooled our resources together, it's not unrealistic to hire a tech student or freelancer for a few thousand dollars to dev a simple engine. Then all of us can go nuts on the code, call in a pro when necessary. Of course all of the donors would end up hating each other, but potentially have something to show for it.

Just riffing. Maybe talkin shit. I know nothing about anything.

[Fecal Face]

Fuck, I'd do the concept art.

...I'd be shit at anything else haha

[yumpancakes1]

BladderBoy it sounds like you've made a skate game before.
But Defiantly I'd do anything to help this project.
Maybe make a video where the proceeds would go to the funding of the game?
Just a thought.

Edit: Like a Kony 2012 type shit

[andreas]

I think this new game needs naked players so I can watch tits jiggle while I do barefoot hardflips.

[i am a snail]

Fuck, I'd do the concept art.

...I'd be shit at anything else haha

i could maybe help with this

[Novel]

The issue at this point isn't even funding. That is still an issue, but the bigger issue is getting responses like "nobody is going to touch a skateboarding game if you hand deliver it to them on a silver platter". That's one response I received from a gentleman who works at a reputable gaming website. I was simply shooting ideas off of people I used to keep in contact with. It's pretty sad at this point. The only enthusiasm I've really received was from people at this board, and about 10% of the hundreds of emails that I've contacted.

The project isn't dead in the water yet, I still want to get this done.
Whoever mentioned kickstarter, I know, man. I know.
I'm working on getting a meeting with more people and hopefully putting a video together. If anyone knows any popular am skaters that would like to hype the project, I can take a plane out and put it on a video or something.
I know I haven't written much lately on this thread, and I hope you all don't think I've given up. It may take until 2015 to get this is the water, but I promise to not give up on it. I still think about this everyday.

I'm sure there's more info I could include about what I've been doing and who I'm talking to, but until I have a more complete idea of what I can deliver, I'll just say that I'm still going on it. I can't quit. I love all of your ideas, and I want to get this made. As a fan, above all else.