Quitting your day job to make video games. • Hacker News Board

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#11

Post by EvilTrout » Tue, May 05, 2009, 5:39 PM UTC

ido wrote: post #7

I'm also interested in doing that, but with windows/mac/linux & possibly browser games. The problem is that people seem to be somewhat averse to paying for a browser based game (like a Java applet or webstart app), even when they'd have no problem paying for the same game as a standalone program (literally simply using a JPanel instead of a JApplet, or providing an installer to a local version instead of a webstart l…

I run a moderately popular browser game. We have over 175k registered users and get millions of requests a day.

Our conversion rates are low, but we've managed to get enough people playing to sustain itself, one full time employee (me!) and a few contract employees.

It's been a lot of fun. If you are passionate about games I highly recommend it since it can definitely be sustainable. Having said that, I'm not sure it's necessary a lucrative path for most people.

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#12

Post by mtinkerhess » Tue, May 05, 2009, 5:52 PM UTC

mparent61 wrote: post #10

ido wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about Android? Seems to be a less saturated market than the iPhone.

I'd be curious as what people thought about this. From what I've read, Android's market share is still very low. However, I suppose that means there are less games/competition. http://seekingalpha.com/article/132665-mobile-ad-market-shar...

I'm not sure the Android market is any less saturated. The rough numbers I found show fewer apps per device and a higher attach rate for iPod / iTouch:

iPhone + iPod touch sales: 37,000,000

iTunes Apps: 25,000-35,000

Apps downloaded: 1,000,000,000

Device to App ratio 1,480:1 - 1,057:1

Attach rate: 27

G1 sales: 1,000,000

Android Apps: 2,300

Device to App ratio 434:1

Attach rate: 10-15? (hard to find good data)

http://www.leaderpost.com/Technology/store+BlackBerry+Google...

http://www.pcworld.com/article/163671/ipod_touch_iphone_sale...

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/24/most-g1-owners-love-app...

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#13

Post by hboon » Tue, May 05, 2009, 6:31 PM UTC

I left my day job at a major search engine company a few months back. I was wondering if we are colleagues? :) Drop me a mail?

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#14

Post by ido » Tue, May 05, 2009, 6:34 PM UTC

EvilTrout wrote: post #11

ido wrote: post #7

I'm also interested in doing that, but with windows/mac/linux & possibly browser games. The problem is that people seem to be somewhat averse to paying for a browser based game (like a Java applet or webstart app), even when they'd have no problem paying for the same game as a standalone program (literally simply using a JPanel instead of a JApplet, or providing an installer to a local version instead of a webstart l…

I run a moderately popular browser game. We have over 175k registered users and get millions of requests a day. Our conversion rates are low, but we've managed to get enough people playing to sustain itself, one full time employee (me!) and a few contract employees. It's been a lot of fun. If you are passionate about games I highly recommend it since it can definitely be sustainable. Having said that, I'm not sure it…

Cool! Care to provide a link?

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#15

Post by EvilTrout » Tue, May 05, 2009, 6:48 PM UTC

ido wrote: post #14

EvilTrout wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I run a moderately popular browser game. We have over 175k registered users and get millions of requests a day. Our conversion rates are low, but we've managed to get enough people playing to sustain itself, one full time employee (me!) and a few contract employees. It's been a lot of fun. If you are passionate about games I highly recommend it since it can definitely be sustainable. Having said that, I'm not sure it…

Cool! Care to provide a link?

Oh I thought the HN standard way was to provide a link in your profile instead of spamming up comments.

The site is http://www.forumwarz.com

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#16

Post by lacker » Wed, May 06, 2009, 5:41 AM UTC

EvilTrout wrote: post #15

ido wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cool! Care to provide a link?

Oh I thought the HN standard way was to provide a link in your profile instead of spamming up comments. The site is http://www.forumwarz.com

When I saw that Mafia Wars was one of the most popular games on Facebook, I went to check it out, and before long thought "Wow, this is just like forumwarz except with mafia." Apparently html rpgs are now a viable genre.

Have you ever considered making more games that are essentially gameplay clones of forumwarz but with different themes? That seems to be a lot of what Zynga has done with their facebook games - Mafia Wars, Vampire Wars, Zombie Wars, etc. Also have you considered social network integration yourself. I hate to suggest such un-innovative strategies but it might work.

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#17

Post by ido » Wed, May 06, 2009, 8:00 AM UTC

mtinkerhess wrote: post #12

mparent61 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be curious as what people thought about this. From what I've read, Android's market share is still very low. However, I suppose that means there are less games/competition. http://seekingalpha.com/article/132665-mobile-ad-market-shar...

I'm not sure the Android market is any less saturated. The rough numbers I found show fewer apps per device and a higher attach rate for iPod / iTouch: iPhone + iPod touch sales: 37,000,000 iTunes Apps: 25,000-35,000 Apps downloaded: 1,000,000,000 Device to App ratio 1,480:1 - 1,057:1 Attach rate: 27 G1 sales: 1,000,000 Android Apps: 2,300 Device to App ratio 434:1 Attach rate: 10-15? (hard to find good data) http://…

The thing is, Android is a platform that many companies are currently developing hardware for.

In less than a year's time a ton of android handsets are planned to enter circulation. The iPhone is just Apple.

So I'm guessing we have yet to see Androids peak of popularity.

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#18

Post by wlievens » Wed, May 06, 2009, 9:07 AM UTC

EvilTrout wrote: post #11

ido wrote: post #7

I'm also interested in doing that, but with windows/mac/linux & possibly browser games. The problem is that people seem to be somewhat averse to paying for a browser based game (like a Java applet or webstart app), even when they'd have no problem paying for the same game as a standalone program (literally simply using a JPanel instead of a JApplet, or providing an installer to a local version instead of a webstart l…

I run a moderately popular browser game. We have over 175k registered users and get millions of requests a day. Our conversion rates are low, but we've managed to get enough people playing to sustain itself, one full time employee (me!) and a few contract employees. It's been a lot of fun. If you are passionate about games I highly recommend it since it can definitely be sustainable. Having said that, I'm not sure it…

I'll understand if you don't want to answer this question: do you manage to live off your game? i.e. make enough profit to not have to have a day job?

I'm asking because I run a webgame myself, of much smaller scale and niche purpose, and I'm wondering if I should invest the effort it takes to scale it up.

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#19

Post by robotron » Thu, May 07, 2009, 11:56 AM UTC

lacker wrote: post #16

EvilTrout wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh I thought the HN standard way was to provide a link in your profile instead of spamming up comments. The site is http://www.forumwarz.com

When I saw that Mafia Wars was one of the most popular games on Facebook, I went to check it out, and before long thought "Wow, this is just like forumwarz except with mafia." Apparently html rpgs are now a viable genre. Have you ever considered making more games that are essentially gameplay clones of forumwarz but with different themes? That seems to be a lot of what Zynga has done with their facebook games - Mafia…

Zynga has one trick, that they don't always do well. I would suggest NOT emulating them.

Re: Quitting your day job to make video games.

#20

Post by mtinkerhess » Thu, May 07, 2009, 12:26 PM UTC

ido wrote: post #17

mtinkerhess wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure the Android market is any less saturated. The rough numbers I found show fewer apps per device and a higher attach rate for iPod / iTouch: iPhone + iPod touch sales: 37,000,000 iTunes Apps: 25,000-35,000 Apps downloaded: 1,000,000,000 Device to App ratio 1,480:1 - 1,057:1 Attach rate: 27 G1 sales: 1,000,000 Android Apps: 2,300 Device to App ratio 434:1 Attach rate: 10-15? (hard to find good data) http://…

The thing is, Android is a platform that many companies are currently developing hardware for. In less than a year's time a ton of android handsets are planned to enter circulation. The iPhone is just Apple. So I'm guessing we have yet to see Androids peak of popularity.

I hope you're right -- I'd be happy to be developing for a more open system.