Client work: $20 per hour or 6% of a game's sales? which to choose??
polycounter lvl 9
Hey. I have some friends who have just started a business, one of who i was going to uni with who I'm going to call John for the purpose of confidentiality. The other guy (who can be called Hank) is still completing a business degree.
Me and my other friend (who can be called Jason) are working for them in a client relationship despite the fact that the game was essentially our major project at UNI and we are continuing with it.
Me and Jason did by far the most work on the major project prototype, and Hank was not involved in it's production.
John is the game designer, project manager and writer for the project.
Hank is a legal consultant, business man and marketing director.
There's me, concept artist, modeller, texturer, rigger and animator,
And Jason who programs and helps a bit with game design.
My full time job employees who are a game company forbid me from making any more than a polished alpha build with my friends so there's about 9 hours of each 19 weeks for me to work on this part time.
John has offered to pay me either $20 an hour or give me 6 percent of the game's revenue. If I picked the former, he'd give me the total $3420 as soon as the 19 weeks were up and I'd finished all the work (which will be tricky with the amount of work).
If I picked the latter option I could be waiting an extra year just for the game to be complete. By that time the game would probably make no more than 100,000 over a period of half a year I'd guess. If it did make that much I'd get a slow $6000. John doesn't seem to be confident that their net earnings will top that 100,000 mark.
Thoughts? advice? tips?
Me and my other friend (who can be called Jason) are working for them in a client relationship despite the fact that the game was essentially our major project at UNI and we are continuing with it.
Me and Jason did by far the most work on the major project prototype, and Hank was not involved in it's production.
John is the game designer, project manager and writer for the project.
Hank is a legal consultant, business man and marketing director.
There's me, concept artist, modeller, texturer, rigger and animator,
And Jason who programs and helps a bit with game design.
My full time job employees who are a game company forbid me from making any more than a polished alpha build with my friends so there's about 9 hours of each 19 weeks for me to work on this part time.
John has offered to pay me either $20 an hour or give me 6 percent of the game's revenue. If I picked the former, he'd give me the total $3420 as soon as the 19 weeks were up and I'd finished all the work (which will be tricky with the amount of work).
If I picked the latter option I could be waiting an extra year just for the game to be complete. By that time the game would probably make no more than 100,000 over a period of half a year I'd guess. If it did make that much I'd get a slow $6000. John doesn't seem to be confident that their net earnings will top that 100,000 mark.
Thoughts? advice? tips?
Replies
Personally I'd also see if I could get paid regularly, rather than in one big chunk at the end of the project. If your friends run out of money which is probably a distinct possibility you might still wind up with an empty pocket for your troubles.
If not, then take the $20/hour. If so, take a chance! Or don't.
6% is coincidentally the same percentage that you'll see any income whatsoever from royalties. :poly142:
I'd go for the 20/hr as well.
If you had 3k, would you choose to invest that 3k in your friend's company right now?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_accounting
It's definitely NOT unique to the film industry. Profit percentages are usually only potentially viable if that percentage is part of a company or IP because you have something you can then turn around and sell, even if it isn't generating revenue on its own.
You can also plan your finances more reliably if you're sure you know what your income is.
But nowadays most games are just carbon copies with little changes, or remakes of older gamnes
20/h is better
Thanks for taking the time to extend your wisdom, I can't tell you how appreciative I am to receive such reinforcing feedback!
I hope I provide the same kind of insight to new comers in times to come