zerodoug

agreed.

when Valve distributes your gamer via Steam they are taking on the marketing role normally filled by the publisher in addition to the distributor role. My question really comes down to the four things that challenge the indie developer:

1. Dev costs
2. IP ownership
3. Marketing/Promotion
4. Distribution

I see the Indie Fund as extremely valuable for the first two, but if the dev has to sign away significant profits to get 3 & 4 from Steam or any other digital distributor then the problem isn't actually fixed. The partiial fix is a major step forward and I think these guys are doing a great thing protecting the IP and funding dev.

If the Indie Fund could as a sort of indie dev cooperative get an agreement with Valve that is more favorable to the developer than the standard distribution agreement, they would be making a big step forward across all four challenges. I don't think Valve abuses their position with indie devs like the statements flying around a couple months ago. But...

an Indie Fund page on Steam for all of the games they support and an agreement based on the collective group of games rather than one-by-one contracts might really help the funded devs too. I'm just thinking about how to address the whole problem while applauding the moves they are making for the first two issues. Working with Valve/Steam is a much better solution than starting another distribution portal without all of the things Steam does.

Their open process is a huge help not just to games they fund but also to developers who are new to the funding process. This is good stuff, but with a couple moves on the marketing/distribution side it can be a massive game changer for the small developer.

understood. it helps them with dev costs. i get it.

but if they have to sign the standard distribution deal to get the game published then they still end up handing over more money to the publisher/distributor.

Without this statement from above "Carmel noted that the members of Indie Fund would be happy to share their experience in securing distribution deals with services like Steam." really working then the dev ends up right where they started, signing away their profits to the distributor.

You did read that statement before you replied right? You did read my last question right? Without that answer this isn't as significant as it sounds. NOT THAT I DON"T LOVE THE MOVEMENT. I do, but it doesn't fix the problem unless they can cut deals with Steam that are more favorable to the dev.

*desura

Sounds good for the development stage, but does it change distribution and marketing in any way? if the game dev funds through IF and completes the game to everyone's satisfaction where will they get the exposure and distribution they would get through Steam? Selling the game from indie sites will not equal a Steam page and promotion. To see significant purchases the developer still needs the marketing push and the steady traffic you get from the major distribution portals.

There needs to be an Indie Fund distribution portal (or Desaru?) for the devs so they don't end up selling most of their units through standard digital distributors (thus ending up right where they started). A dozen games sold from a dozen indie sites will not equal the sales they would get through one Indie Fund Steam page with a dozen games.

Can an agreement be made between Indie Fund and the digital distributors for Indie Funded games that gives the IF funded dev a better deal than the standard publisher funded contracts?