[MUD-Dev] Burning House Challenge

[Bloo]

Burning House Challenge?

In the Alice Transcript of the recent GDC panel, Warren Spector is
creditted with the following statement:

  "Wal-Mart drives development decisions now.... When publishers
  minimise risk by kow-towing to the retailers, you have a serious
  problem. When every game has to either be a blockbuster or a
  student film, we got a real problem. For my end of the game
  business all of our efforts are going into reaching a mainstream
  audience who may well even not be interested in what we do! My
  first game cost me 273,000 dollars. My next one is BLAH
  millions. How many of you work on games that make money? 4 out of
  5 games lose money, according to one pundit who may be lying,
  admittedly. Can we do any worse if we just trusted the creative
  folks entirely instead of the publishers?"

Burn the House Down

  http://crystaltips.typepad.com/wonderland/2005/03/burn_the_house_.html

On Terra Nova, Matt Mihaly responds to this:

  "If you want to make a game that costs $273,000, why not go ahead
  and see what can be done on that amount? I think quite a bit can
  be done, particularly if it’s interesting games and not just eye
  and ear candy that is the appeal. Are you going to be on the cover
  of PC Gamer from a $273,000 game today? No. Are you going to make
  millions on a $273,000 game? No. But then, did you make millions
  from your $273k game way back when? I’m guessing not. Are you
  really concerned about games, or are you just pissed off that
  you’re not getting a bigger piece of the pie?

Burn Baby Burn

  http://terranova.blogs.com/terra_nova/2005/03/burn_baby_burn.html

How about a Burning House Challenge?

A bit of friendly competition between game developers with a strict
budget of $273,000.  What kind of game can you create with that in
one year?

If you can scrounge up your own money, great.  But if publishers,
hardware and software manufacturers want to chip in with dollars or
donated software and hardware, even better.

Suggested Conditions:

  - Reasonable pay and hours for staff (unpaid interns not
  permitted),

  - All equipment must be paid for from the budget, although
  anything donated to one development group must be donated to all
  participants,

  - Office expenses except from the budget, and virtual groups are
  OK,

  - You have to actually try to make a game with the money,

  - A board of volunteers to oversee the rules are followed, and

  - There doesn't have to be a winner.

-bloo

P.S. One more requirement: someone has to give me $273,000 so I can
enter the challenge too.
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