commercial version of adom

[M_bowwarrior]

Thoughts on commercial ADOM variant
March 31st, 2008

I would like to get some input: Recently I was addressed by someone who works in the game business for some major companies and was pondering commercial venues for games like ADOM. We discussed various options and among the things he proposed were things like ?high value packaged? ADOM versions (e.g. with cloth maps and layouted and expanded manual) for a yet-to-determine amount of money.

Since that discussion I have been wondering if such an idea would be of any interest to the ADOM community. Or if there are other things that might be valuable enough for you to be willing to pay for them.

To prevent misunderstandings: Such ideas and discussions have no influence on the further development of ADOM or JADE (ok, particularly interesting ideas might speed up further development, although I doubt it) and there are no plans of whatever kind for commercial-only versions, etc.

This guy simply approached me and got me wondering if a games category like roguelike games have any commercial potential. So no flames please, I?m just curious. And no rumor mill starting with this either - it?s not worth it

______________________________________
Any comment ?
some valuable things for which you are ready to pay ?

[Dougy]

I guess something new would have to appear in ADOM that is significant and not released yet. If there was going to be a commercial ADOM it probably should be JADE.

[yisk]

I think that JADE should be free of charge forever. BUT it is possible to sell a personal keys. The key allows player to register a special account here. Only special account holders will can save and load their games while connected to the web (server keeps all svg files) and record scores to the official top list.

[Macros]

If it won't have any negative influence on further Adom and Jade developement, and if TB will have some benefits from this, then why not...

[Kato]

Well...honestly, it's been free for this long. Why change it? Also...I really don't feel that there is a market for roguelikes. They have all been free for how long now and if Adom suddenly went the way of money, there would be even fewer people playing than there is now. I'm sorry, but I just don't see Rougelikes or even Adom as something that would be terribly profitable.

On a side note...some of the few items might be nifty to have. Maybe you can extend a shop for various things. Like coffee mugs with random minstrel sayings on them Or shirts with the same. Nice, cloth colored maps of key areas...or a mousepad with a map of the world on it. Those are the kind of things that you might be able to sell I would think.

That's my opinion at least.

[moppit]

Free is good.. I am poor.. although I have gotten so much amusement out of adom, I feel I would like to support you monetarily in some way... (And I apologize, I haven't clicked the donate button yet.. Tough winter, excuses, excuses... But since you have been back blogging jade and taking time out of real life for us.. I think it is a matter of time..) But.. As for a commercial aspect of adom my 2 cents are as follow

1st cent : As far as getting something Im paying for, I am not a big fan of things.. Do not think I would pay for a box and a manual.. But I think I would pay a subscription fee of like $3 a month or $10 a quarter or something to be have an "official" site that would track all users high scores on a master list, and could log legit YAVP's.. (And show your postcard collection )

2nd cent : The other thing I think would be neat, is if adom shipped w/linux distro.. It sure beats solitaire and I think once certain people click on it and go through the char creation process they will be hooked too.. It is easy to download and install enough, but how many more people would play if it was one of the random clicks in the games menu... Fun!


P.S. (3rd Half Cent) : Defying all reality... If and when I defeat adom, I would love to have a handsigned t-shirt that on the front said "Moppit" And the back had my Victory Post.. Heh... That would be neat... Or make that a cloak.. Yes, I think it would need to be a cloak.

[reich]

the old website used to announce an ADoM Deluxe which would be avaible for a fee and feature additional options, not crucial for gameplay. Those bonus features would be cheats (god mode, starting game at level 50), enhanced character customisation: choosing starsign, eye color etc. and other cool options.

The idea was probably discontinued. It's a shame, because that idea for ADoM-related fundraising seemed appealing to me.

[Zeno]

I think there is no commercial market for Roguelikes. I've played an old commercial roguelike, Mission Thunderbolt, and it is a very good game IMO (even better considering its time), but it was not a commercial success.

For people who are willing to support ADOM development, there is already a Donate button.

Maybe some ADOM merchandise could be sold, like T-shirts, mugs, mousepads, Mad Minstrel CDs, amulets, daggers, scurgari, strange messages, figurines of wondrous power, sis, etc? I would not buy these myself (I prefer donations), but maybe some would. I am not sure, but I think there is an easy way to sell stuff such as T-shirts on Internet, and probably there are some people in the community who would design them.

[reich]

(...) mousepads, Mad Minstrel CDs, amulets, daggers, scurgari, strange messages, figurines of wondrous power, sis (...)

LOOL!!!
I want a Tywatt Pare action figure!!

[Sradac]

a big blue t =)