3 ms·

They should release the unfinished game and source code/assets to backers as a sort of liquidation.

kjjw 12y ago
I wonder why this isn't their first reaction. The game looked reasonably well fleshed out in their latest videos (they'd even been releasing demos and alphas.) Is it possible Winterkewl are holding on tight to the IP for some reason?
Blaaguuu 12y ago
I'm a little surprised this hasn't become an accepted practice yet... Tons of game developers fail to complete their projects for one reason or another, and the open-source scene for PC games is practically non-existent (actual games, not middle-ware). I wouldn't expect publishers to ever open-source unfinished games, but for indies that don't need to protect their IP, it seems like it would be a pretty great move to open-source your code and assets under a non-commercial license, if you can't complete a relatively mature project. It seems to me that it would be beneficial to everyone involved... but maybe I am missing something.
- brandoncapecci 12y ago
  It's because so often they leave it reluctantly, hoping to finish it sometime in the future. I also think there's the gaming community in general has a culture that puts ideas on a pedestal as this great commodity that's inherently valuable.
georgeecollins 12y ago
I guess, but an unfinished game and source is pretty valueless. People who work on an unfinished think there work adds up to something valuable (an engine, some art) but I have seen people try to sell unfinsihed projects many times and they are almost never valuable. And they are only valuable when they come with a team that is passionate about continuing to work on them.
- TheMakeA 12y ago
  The thing is, backers are getting nothing for their contribution. But the team didn't create nothing, they created a ton of art assets and code. It might have little market value, but to the contributors it's better than nothing. What if the community decided to try to finish the game themselves? Would be interesting.

kjjw 12y ago

I wonder why this isn't their first reaction. The game looked reasonably well fleshed out in their latest videos (they'd even been releasing demos and alphas.) Is it possible Winterkewl are holding on tight to the IP for some reason?

Blaaguuu 12y ago

I'm a little surprised this hasn't become an accepted practice yet... Tons of game developers fail to complete their projects for one reason or another, and the open-source scene for PC games is practically non-existent (actual games, not middle-ware). I wouldn't expect publishers to ever open-source unfinished games, but for indies that don't need to protect their IP, it seems like it would be a pretty great move to open-source your code and assets under a non-commercial license, if you can't complete a relatively mature project. It seems to me that it would be beneficial to everyone involved... but maybe I am missing something.

brandoncapecci 12y ago
It's because so often they leave it reluctantly, hoping to finish it sometime in the future. I also think there's the gaming community in general has a culture that puts ideas on a pedestal as this great commodity that's inherently valuable.

georgeecollins 12y ago

I guess, but an unfinished game and source is pretty valueless. People who work on an unfinished think there work adds up to something valuable (an engine, some art) but I have seen people try to sell unfinsihed projects many times and they are almost never valuable. And they are only valuable when they come with a team that is passionate about continuing to work on them.

TheMakeA 12y ago
The thing is, backers are getting nothing for their contribution. But the team didn't create nothing, they created a ton of art assets and code. It might have little market value, but to the contributors it's better than nothing. What if the community decided to try to finish the game themselves? Would be interesting.