[casual_games] Re: DRM solutions

[Wade Tinney]

Hi Jeff-
 
I've changed the thread name, for clarity. 
 
We've used Trymedia, Protexis, Softwrap, Armadillo/RegNow, as well as
custom solutions from Oberon, Shockwave, Real, et cetera. We use
Trymedia on our own site and, at least for the time-being, think that
they have the best combination of security, transaction management, and
reporting tools. Reporting is a critical feature to take into
consideration, by the way. 
 
Looking forward to hearing what other folks think. 
 
Hope that helps, 

Wade
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org
[mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Siegel
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 3:47 PM
To: IGDA Casual Games SIG Mailing List
Subject: RE: [casual_games] RE: Business models


This is a fantastic discussion. If I can put one other question to the
group, perhaps a little off the track: what DRM solutions are developers
using? Has anyone had better or worse experiences with anything in
particular?
 
Thanks,
 
Jeff 
---------------------------
Jeff Siegel
JeffMedia Solutions, L.L.C.
917 842-3791
jeff.siegel at jeffmedia.com 
-----Original Message-----
From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org
[mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org]On Behalf Of George Donovan
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 3:09 PM
To: 'IGDA Casual Games SIG Mailing List'
Subject: RE: [casual_games] RE: Business models


One thing that I have done with the www.Toy-games.com team is to
minimize the development risk by pre-selling or selling during
development certain rights. Wireless, and Retail are the obvious
starting points that usually get me well above our development budget so
that online sales become a profit rather than a recovery.
 
Having channels worldwide also helps. We were in 5 channels last year
and this year we are in 15 channels and I suspect that companies like
Popcap and Gamehouse  have 40-60. Every channel is a multiple and bonus
revenue and gives a your development team or a large high burnrate team
a less riskier forcast to project out.
 
We have also curt down development timelines to 6 weeks (some card games
are 4 and original concepts are 8). Now we also have 22 retail titles
under our belt so Q&A and some GUI was already very well established and
a great asset in this business.
 
George Donovan
VP Business Development
Infiknoweldge ULC
(A www.Traffixinc.com <http://www.traffixinc.com/>  Company)
office: 506.855.2991 x111
cell: 506.866.4585
fax: 506.852.9510
Check out www.Gamefiesta.com <http://www.gamefiesta.com/>  the New Game
destination for all your interactive desires.
 

  _____  

From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org
[mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Margaret Wallace
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 3:58 PM
To: 'IGDA Casual Games SIG Mailing List'
Subject: RE: [casual_games] RE: Business models


One pervasive trend I see in the Casual Games market is that production
budgets are continuously going up and so are production cycles  --  but
the "churn rate" for the majority of casual games on portals is higher
than ever: a week or two at best. 
 
All of this leads me to question: At what point do you see minimizing
returns for these hefty production budgets and development cycles? 
 
Of course, part of the answer lies in continuously churning out hit
games, however, I worry these conditions may impede growth and
innovation. 
 
Thoughts?
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org
[mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Allen Varney
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 9:14 AM
To: casual_games at igda.org
Subject: [casual_games] RE: Business models
 
Brent Lowrie wrote:
 
   (((This is the unknown that most new developers fear and having
access to this sort of information would help more new developers break
out of indie development and into commercial deals.)))
 
   "Break out of indie development"? This makes indie gaming sound like
a second-string, minor-league affair. I argue indie game developers are
in a far better situation, both economically and culturally, than the
increasingly beleaguered developer of retail computer games.
   For a discussion of the benighted state of retail game development,
see Greg Costikyan's article in the current issue of The Escapist
magazine:
 
   http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/8/3
 
   And to see why I think casual-game designers are far better off in
the long run, see my article "Casual Fortunes" in the same issue:
 
  http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/8/14
 
-- Allen Varney
www.allenvarney.com <http://www.allenvarney.com/> 
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