Extra credits excess funds plan.

[cookyy2k]

First off sorry if this is on already, I did search first and found nothing.

The extra credits guys today set out what they plan to do with the fund left over from the recent donations to Alison's care. This is what they've said;

Because Games Matter By James Portnow

Games can be better

We as a community can make games better

We do not have to wait on corporate giants to make games better

The first steps will be small...but they will lead to great things

This fundraiser was about allowing someone to continue to do the work they love and ensuring that they were never cut off from their passion. Once Allison is well, we?d like to use any excess money to pay that forward by helping to create jobs that allow others to build their dreams, and, in doing so, maybe change the industry for the better. We would like to create a fund to publish quality games.

We won?t be starting with triple A titles or multimillion dollar projects. We will start with independent games that are small enough to take risks and to deliver experiences that might really have an impact on the medium. Dan, Allison and I will contribute our expertise to help ensure that the money spent has the best possible chance of making a difference; we won?t take any money from the fund and any profits earned off titles published will go back into the fund to help kick start additional games.

It is our hope to expand who gets to be a game developer and our plan to change how games are published.

Here are the core principles that define how we believe a game publisher should operate; principles we will operate under:

1. Transparency and communication.

You, the Extra Credits community, will know everything: when we fail, when we succeed. There will be no PR spin; you?ll be involved in everything we do.

2. IP ownership

We will never ask developers to give up their intellectual property. It?s their world: no one should keep them from building it.

3. Single Game Deals

If a developer works with us more than once it should be because they want to, not because they?re contractually obligated to.

4. Straight 50-50 split of profit

The fund is not about us and them, ?publisher? and ?developer?, we?re in this together, we?re partners. We?ll split the profits equally on any project we work on.

Extra Credits has shown us what openness about the industry can do, but these weeks have taught us that the time for talk alone is done. With your help we can move the medium forward. And if we can keep a few people employed doing work they love, rather than jobs they hate, and can create a few jobs in this economy then we?ve done the right thing.

Because games matter?

Personally I think this is amazing. Whilst I don't have a creative bone in my body I look forwards to playing games arising from this.

EDIT: source link http://www.rockethub.com/projects/2165-extra-credits/posts/740

 

[bunji]

Woulda been nice if you had posted the link to the original, so we can verify it Other than that, wonderfull idea, which was exactly what i was expecting from the EC guys

 

[Irridium]

Woulda been nice if you had posted the link to the original, so we can verify it Other than that, wonderfull idea, which was exactly what i was expecting from the EC guys

I can do that!

http://www.rockethub.com/projects/2165-extra-credits/posts/740

OT: Really interesting idea. Hopefully this is successful, and we get great and interesting games from it.

 

[King Toasty]

I'm excited to see what happens. These guys really can change the industry with a single game.

 

[kidd25]

man i wish i could create games now, i would work day and night to get a good game.

 

[Tharwen]

I wonder if people would be able to get refunds if they wanted...

This is still a great thing to do. I need to work on starting development!

 

[kannibus]

Fuck, so long as she gets better no real reason for me to worry about where the money goes (so long as it doesn't end up in the hands of THE TERRORISTS).

Still, nice idea, hope it works.

 

[Macgyvercas]

I was halfway expecting the surplus to go to Child's Play, but this is great idea as well. I approve!

 

[ZeZZZZevy]

Pretty cool things could come of this, I approve.

Can't wait to see what game they put out first

 

[FalloutJack]

-Snip-

Any chance they need a writer? I'm good.

 

[cookyy2k]

Well posted on facebook:

The responsibility for these funds is something we feel very greatly. We won't simply be handing them out. To pitch to us groups will have to have a demo ready (to show they have both the wherewithal & the ability to put together a game) & a plan for completion.

We must get the first game right. If that means it takes us a year to find a game, then we'll take a year.

So we're looking at some decent stuff being produces here. I just hope they can find a good dev team for their first release and atleast break even. Would be a shame if this all fell down as the first game could easily take the entire thing with it.

 

[Talydia]

I like the idea, using the extra donation money just rubs me the wrong way though. They're taking the extra money from donations to help the artist and using it for their own potential profit. To my knowledge they didn't establish what any extra would go to. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that. It just feels a bit dishonest to use the donors as unwitting investors in a business. Everyone who donated should be part owner of the business or at least have the option.

That said I wish them the best of luck and hope they can do some good for the industry.

just a note: I didn't donate so I'm not just saying that out of self interest.

 

[Custard_Angel]

It always bothers me when Extra Credits talk like this... Games are fun, sure, but they don't "matter" in the same way that medicine matters.

The talk is just too starry eyed for my tastes.

 

[cookyy2k]

I like the idea, using the extra donation money just rubs me the wrong way though. They're taking the extra money from donations to help the artist and using it for their own potential profit. To my knowledge they didn't establish what any extra would go to. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that. It just feels a bit dishonest to use the donors as unwitting investors in a business. Everyone who donated should be part owner of the business or at least have the option.

That said I wish them the best of luck and hope they can do some good for the industry.

just a note: I didn't donate so I'm not just saying that out of self interest.

Well none of the 50% the publisher makes is going to any of them, it goes right back in the pot. It's more like a self replenishing indie publisher than a business. I get where you're coming from but I don't see an issue since their is no profit for them. If anything they're volunteering valuable time and effort in to not only govern this thing but I would guess they'll provide some assistance to the dev they deem worthy.

It always bothers me when Extra Credits talk like this... Games are fun, sure, but they don't "matter" in the same way that medicine matters.

The talk is just too starry eyed for my tastes.

With the triples A publishers stagnating up the place and most Indie devs having zero funding I see this as a great way to get games out there that will be different though. Plus with these guys governing and lending a helping hand we could see some very well polished indie games that will be fun to play. So from whichever stand point surely this is good?

 

[thedeathscythe]

Amazing idea and it makes me love the Extra Credits guys even more.

I've been working with the Unreal Engine UDK and I'd love to try and contribute if I ever get to the point where I make something that can be described as a game..

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

It always bothers me when Extra Credits talk like this... Games are fun, sure, but they don't "matter" in the same way that medicine matters.

The talk is just too starry eyed for my tastes.

I agree, they have some good points, but they come off as kids who think they can solve all the worlds problems.

However, this is a good chance for them to put their money where their mouth is.

 

[Kopikatsu]

I like the idea, using the extra donation money just rubs me the wrong way though. They're taking the extra money from donations to help the artist and using it for their own potential profit. To my knowledge they didn't establish what any extra would go to. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that. It just feels a bit dishonest to use the donors as unwitting investors in a business. Everyone who donated should be part owner of the business or at least have the option.

That said I wish them the best of luck and hope they can do some good for the industry.

just a note: I didn't donate so I'm not just saying that out of self interest.

They said any profits made would go back into the fund.

Anyway...I just think that it's kind of shitty that Allison did get the money. Not that she shouldn't have gotten the surgery, but the only reason that they did get the money is because she's part of the Extra Credits team. How many people have been in the same situation, but couldn't get the surgery because they couldn't afford it and couldn't get enough donations because they weren't 'famous'?

But that's meh. Personally, I would have used the extra money towards helping other people in the same situation Allison was in. That seems more important than a few video games, no?

 

[Talydia]

I like the idea, using the extra donation money just rubs me the wrong way though. They're taking the extra money from donations to help the artist and using it for their own potential profit. To my knowledge they didn't establish what any extra would go to. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that. It just feels a bit dishonest to use the donors as unwitting investors in a business. Everyone who donated should be part owner of the business or at least have the option.

That said I wish them the best of luck and hope they can do some good for the industry.

just a note: I didn't donate so I'm not just saying that out of self interest.

Well none of the 50% the publisher makes is going to any of them, it goes right back in the pot. It's more like a self replenishing indie publisher than a business. I get where you're coming from but I don't see an issue since their is no profit for them. If anything they're volunteering valuable time and effort in to not only govern this thing but I would guess they'll provide some assistance to the dev they deem worthy.

Missed the profits going back bit. If that's the case then more power to them. The way they got the money to strt it still feels a bit dishonest but people were donating it on their own guess I can't complain too much

 

[Kross]

I like the idea, using the extra donation money just rubs me the wrong way though. They're taking the extra money from donations to help the artist and using it for their own potential profit. To my knowledge they didn't establish what any extra would go to. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that. It just feels a bit dishonest to use the donors as unwitting investors in a business. Everyone who donated should be part owner of the business or at least have the option.

That said I wish them the best of luck and hope they can do some good for the industry.

just a note: I didn't donate so I'm not just saying that out of self interest.

They said any profits made would go back into the fund.

Anyway...I just think that it's kind of shitty that Allison did get the money. Not that she shouldn't have gotten the surgery, but the only reason that they did get the money is because she's part of the Extra Credits team. How many people have been in the same situation, but couldn't get the surgery because they couldn't afford it and couldn't get enough donations because they weren't 'famous'?

But that's meh. Personally, I would have used the extra money towards helping other people in the same situation Allison was in. That seems more important than a few video games, no?

They're donations from a community of people that appreciate her work and want to support what she does and what she's a part of. There doesn't have to be a larger cause then a community helping one of their own, although it is nice when the overflow can be directed towards a worthy cause. The Extra Credits crew are game designers and thinkers, and have an opportunity to use these funds from people who care enough about their views on the gaming industry that they've poured 10's of thousands of dollars into it in the hope that something awesome happens beyond fixing their broken artist.

Yeah it's shooting high, but it seems right up the alley of a gaming community to advance these kinds of indie ideals. It's not normally the type of cause that attracts many investors to sink money into. Luckily some idealists stumbled across a shot at doing something that might be really good for the industry they live in, if we're lucky it'll actually have some effect or at least a decent game.

 

[DMac the Knife]

They said any profits made would go back into the fund.

Anyway...I just think that it's kind of shitty that Allison did get the money. Not that she shouldn't have gotten the surgery, but the only reason that they did get the money is because she's part of the Extra Credits team. How many people have been in the same situation, but couldn't get the surgery because they couldn't afford it and couldn't get enough donations because they weren't 'famous'?

But that's meh. Personally, I would have used the extra money towards helping other people in the same situation Allison was in. That seems more important than a few video games, no?

How terribly callous! Are you saying that Allison shouldn't be able to get the surgery that she needs in order not to be permanently crippled because she is "famous" in this circle?! Where is your sense of community?

What's to stop anyone from raising funds for needed medical procedures? In the community where I live we are constantly asked for donations to help people who can't afford their transplant/chemotherapy/surgery/etc... Many people can spare $1-$5 that they otherwise would have spent at Starbuck's.