Official Soldat Forums
Soldat Talk => General Discussions => Topic started by: y0da on March 05, 2009, 05:55:42 pm
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Found on Soldat.Eu.Com:
http://blip.tv/file/1598357/
Could it be true, that:
1. Soldat has about 0,5 million players?
2. Soldat gained nearly 92k $?
Didn't translate it, 'cause dunno if it's worth it. :P
But the guy's MM actually, believe me.
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So...where's all that $92000 going to? Hes making EnEsCe do all the work for free? This all seems very confusing and very suspicious. Soldat has 0.5 million players? Maybe 0.5 million registered?
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Well, since 2002, when Soldat came out, 92000 split by 7 = $13143.00. That's nothing per year. Also, if it's $92000 in Poland's
currency, you're looking at just less than $26000US over the past 7 years. That's really nothing. There may be or have been up
to 0.5 million players over the past 7 years. That too is not an outlandish number. I'm sure there were small spikes in numbers,
because of newbies trying it out after seeing an article in a magazine or on TV.
It's interesting to see Michal talk about advertising and merchandising, even before his next games are out. Usually in any form
of entertainment, you save any thought of merchandising until you have gained sufficient popularity. However, I'd still buy a
Link-Dead shirt, or gun (if he could actually sell guns).
Speaking of hearing Michal talk, it's strange how there are some Frisian (which I speak) words in Polish and how a lot of syntax and words are
pronounced the same way. Our peoples must have been close in the past. Cool.
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Snow you're doing it wrong. the polands currency should be weak, if they don't use euro, meaning he earns more.
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He's saying it may not be 92000 USD/euro, which would mean he has less when converted to USD/euro.
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why would you type it with a dollar mark if it's not a dollar?
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This needs a transcript.
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This needs a transcript.
you have no idea how bored I was, couldn't watch more than 3 seconds.
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I'm confused :S...
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So...where's all that $92000 going to? Hes making EnEsCe do all the work for free? This all seems very confusing and very suspicious. Soldat has 0.5 million players? Maybe 0.5 million registered?
He doesn't "Make" EnEsCe do anything, he's a volunteer.
It's none of your business what he does with his money.
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Wait... If MM's only earned like 92000 (whatever currency), how the hell has he been able to live on that? Does he have other assets? Is he one of those starving African children you always see on the T.V?
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He must have other jobs etc as well. For example, if I'm not mistaken, he is part of a band.
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Well I suppose it's like cartoonists. That's not their main job, because it's not enough to support them. So in very much the same way I'd very much doubt Soldat is MM's sole income, especially since it relies on new registrations, rather than say World of Warcraft which has monthly payments.
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He must have other jobs etc as well. For example, if I'm not mistaken, he is part of a band.
Which band is he in? Is it the same band which produced the music for Soldat?
Well I suppose it's like cartoonists. That's not their main job, because it's not enough to support them. So in very much the same way I'd very much doubt Soldat is MM's sole income, especially since it relies on new registrations, rather than say World of Warcraft which has monthly payments.
Matt Groening?
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Which band is he in? Is it the same band which produced the music for Soldat?
Should be that same band.
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Which band is he in? Is it the same band which produced the music for Soldat?
Should be that same band.
No, it's not. A guy came from out of no where to MM and offered to make Soldat music, did, then gave him the files. If you looked at the credits you'd know that. >.>
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No, it's not. A guy came from out of no where to MM and offered to make Soldat music, did, then gave him the files. If you looked at the credits you'd know that. >.>
Oh... my mistake then.
Whatever it is, it is obvious that MM has another source of income, but we don't need to know anything about that.
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That image shows a really fancy Soldat website.
I don't see a really fancy Soldat website.
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That image shows a really fancy Soldat website.
I don't see a really fancy Soldat website.
That's going to be released with 1.5, or a little later or before.
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OK. I volunteer. In square brackets my comment and time to check the photos.
title: "Soldat - Polish multiplayer game with community. Can one
make a living out of that?
MM:" In high school I drank much alcohol"
audience:"HAHAHA"
MM:"But seriously, in high school there was a game called Liero, do
you know it?"
audience:"Yeah, sure"
MM:"There were two players on one computer, and it inspired me.
We played it whole time in highschool. I had a hobby back then - I
was coding and making some little games. I thought then "why limit
the game to two players? Why not make it playable to whole class?
World even?" This idea was a beginning of SOLDAT. This was a
game I created in my spare time, in bedroom that is my office, early"
audience :"haha"
MM:" And the game is about little soldiers walking in 2 dimensional
arenas fighting each other. There is a lot of shooting, explosions and
fun. It was released in 2002. At first there was very few players, but it
grew fast without any marketing..."
audience guy 1:" How it was released?"
MM:"Through the internet"
audience guy 1:" For free? It was downloadable?"
MM:" Yes, I just uploaded it on some web page, forums... and it went.
Download went up, and this year It has 500000 players [times
downloaded I suppose - translator]. My dream came true, it's played
worldwide, it was described in many magazines in Europe and USA
many gaming sites, few television stations in UK and Poland and so. I
didn't expect the growth of community, and these are people not only
playing, but also making mods, addons, tools for murder
statistics..."
audience:"HAHA"
MM:" They make map creating programs, but also things for fun -
like comics"
audience:"haha"
MM:" People make tournaments, LAN parties or just meet and play -
few photos... There's a girl playing my game"
audience:"HAHA" applause
audience guy 2:" The only in half a milion players?"
MM:"The only documented. Two years ago we met in Poznań with
Polish fans and we played and talked. And these are my grouppies
[3:15]"
audience:"HAHA"
MM:" this women also [3:22]"
audience:" ooooo!"
MM:" She's my fan too. Now let's talk about business. You probably
wonder if there's any money out of it. My game is free. No one has to
pay for it, but I still can make a living out of it. Soldat since it's release
made, let's say 92 000 $, and it's a decent result as for it"
audience guy 3:" What were the costs?"
MM:"At the beginning - none"
audience guy 3:" But all in all"
MM:"umm"
audience guy 4:" 91 000 haha"
audience:"haha"
MM:" I made it alone at the beginning there was me, my computer
and internet - and that was all the costs - and to the day we speak I
didn't spent any..."
audience guy 3:" but you didn't earn in that time"
audience talking, hard to understand
MM:" but these aren't any real costs."
audience guy 2:" So how you made money?"
MM:" I'll say later. In comparison to other games, Tribal trouble made
60 000$, and that game is not free - you have to pay, similar Gish
121 000 $ and they had much larger production costs... [MM
mantions other games some have few hundred thousand $ a moth
with milions of downloads]. What's the future of gaming market and
do I want to, is it worth to attend to it. And the question "sellery in time
of crysis" [last word not shown on slide show] too large font"
audience:"haha"
MM:" We had to cut the costs"
audience:"haha"
MM:" In my opinion games are one of few market generating income
in times of recession, and that's because people need fun in these
dark times, when they're losing money on stock-exchange. Statistics
confirm this. The chart cannot be seen, it has been cut... In October
this year [2008] game selling increase3d by 18%, an expansion pack
for world of warcraft has been released, there were enormous
queues in shops and the record for number of copies sold on first
day was highest ever. So what are my planes. I started Soldat alone,
but over time few people gathered around me, form the community
and these are people who wanted not only to play but they had the
talent and ambition so we started cooperation to make other games.
They contact me via email, we started talking and created a group.
We called it the Transhuman Design. It's a group of visionaries ts who
want to dominate the entertainment market."
audience:"haha", applause
MM:" In order to show it, it's not a typical firm/company, we have a
different philosophy. I'll show it in analogy of metal band. Metal band
is a group of let's say five people who meet and want to make some
project. They go to studio, record the album and then go for a
tournee - that's the way they work. And so do we, but instead of
music we create computer games. And we have a few members, and
interesting thing is that I didn't met anyone of them besides one
face to face. [talks about the crew and from where they are]. And the
most important part are the players - we live because of them. Our
philosophy is - we make our games free [8:20]. We want to have as
many players as we can. They play for free and make marketing for
us by telling a friend about our great game and so. And we make
money on loyal fans, who are ready to pay us. That's not a donation
but a pro version. We sell professional version - a upgrade for the
game, addon. In Soldat for instance, if you pay 14$ you'll get in-game
profiles, statistics, MP3 player, minimap, yeah it was a request, they
wanted it so I gave them what they want - they pay me for it."
audience:"HAHA"bla,bla
(...)
MM:" Additionally we want to sell gadgets - currently I sell t-shirts but
we plan some more: CD's good for a present, albums with graphics,
design documents [I have no idea what he has in mind]. And the
advertisements of course - that's the way of income too. I have a
possibility of placing an add in loading screen and on servers menu -
players spend quite a time in this menu. Also adds in forums, web
sites and so. What's next? Well, in time speaking we're making three
games: Link-Dead a realistic post apocalyptic war simulation,
Berserker a realistic hand to hand fighting game"
audience:"haha"
MM:" And Hunter-Killer which is a realistic secret project and I can't
say much about it now. It's first time mentioned in public.
Teacher/dude behind the desk:" Are you planning to make some
games for children?"
audience:"haha"
MM:"They shouldn't play it, but it's good when they play it" [?]
audience:"HAHA"
MM:" also a community website is planned where we will gather all
the players and they will be able to check statistics there, talk, make
tournaments and so. A quesion was asked what problems I ran into
when making that game. There are only problems, so I don't have much to say.
audience:"haha"
MM:" I'll say what I've learned through these actually five years. I learned how to gather and make a team, creating a community around the game, how to organize people around some idea, how to fight evil people - hackers which really want to destroy this game. Also selling and marketing. But most of all I learned to trust my instincts. I didn't really learn anything from books and to be honest I don't know what kind of and where to look. I had to trust my instincts.
So... Do you want to make games? ym, maybe not games but any projects, whatever really on your own. And what do you need for what? [word "need" has not shown, like some time before, on the slide show]"
audience:"HAHA" (...)
MM:" While working on such a project you'll have a constant problem and if you want to make anything valuable in your life, so have to meet the obstacles. And in order to overcome them you have to use all your strength, will, intelligence and heart actually. I think it's very hard to achieve something having only money in mind, because it's not sufficient motivation. In order to make your dream come true, You have to like what you're doing. You have to have a bigger goal in all of this. You really have to like what you're doing, love it even. And not only the top goal, but every day work you have to do to reach it. And that's why I make games. Because I like it. And I want to make the best game ever. My philosophy is that the smiles and energy of players come back to me and ... That's it"
audience: great applause
END.
damn. please be understanding, translating is not the thing I do every day. :)
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MM:" In high school I drank much alcohol"
Quite the icebreaker.
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Matt Groening?
I meant comic cartoonists. You know like in newspapers and stuff. Matt's famous because his are on TV, so of course he makes money that way. It's like the difference between someone who architects bungalows, and someone who designs skyscrapers.
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Oh please don't.
(http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/4161/soldatads.bmp)
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I'd /facepalm if the advertisement were there, unless registered members can have that ad removed and unless the advertisment is smaller.
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THX FOR TRANSLATION :D:D it was good.
If commercial means more money--more people--better game.. then why not.
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i translated it i know crappy english in some places because i had no motivation to reread it and find bugs but better then nothing:
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first how the idea was created
in my high school time i drank much of alcohol. "hahaha"
* In the times of
and now for real, there was such a little game in my high school times Liero
does anyone know it?
-- yeah
* Liero
it was like that: two players were sitting in front of a pc and playing as small, oh there is
the master of liero, hi mistchef ot liero.
And you were playing like that and i was motivated to play it again and again.
We were playing the game the whole high school time.
I also had such a hobby back then to programm and create games. And i though why dont you
create such a game why do you limit yourself to two players why dont you make a game so that
the whole class can play or the whole world coult play.
And this idea became the core of soldat.
And soldat was the game i created in my free time in my sleeping room means my early office.
The game is about small people running on different terrains and fight each other. There is
much aktion and there are explosions there is a lot of fun. This was released in 2002. In the
beginning there was only a small amount of players no marketing. Later it grew up a lot.
* Released in 2002 50 000 players per year
-- Which way was it released?
Simply Through the Internet.
-- Meaning for free?
"hahaha"
Yes. I simply released it on a site somewhere on a forum somewhere. And suddenly there
downloads counter started growing fast.
* 2008 ~0.5 Million players
and this year there where half million players.
* Players from 150 countries from the world
My dream has become true the whole world is playing the game (around 150 countries).
* Printed in the most game related press, portals and cd covers in europe and USA
It has been announced in different magazines in europe and usa on portals and on cd covers
on tv in great britten in poland.
One thing i wasnt expecting was the Community
* Community
And these are people who are not only playing the game but also create stuff for the game they
create addons, create modifications, create programms to generate statistices of kills.
"hahaha"
And they create programms for map modification and they also create stuff for fun like such
comix.
People organize championchips and lan parties. They meet and play.
* Lan Parties & Championchips
I have a few pictures. There is a girl who plays my game.
"ehehehe"*clapping*
-- Are these the half million people who downloaded the game?
"hahaha"
At least Documentated
Two years earlier we met with fans in poland to get to know each other and We played soldat and
we talked.
Where they all 18 years old?
You can add the years up.
Also that woman.
"ohhh.
Also one of my fans.
* Business
I had the honor to get in touch with Business
You will definitally ask yourself if there is money out of this. My game if for free. Nobody
needs to pay for this game but this way i live from the game.
Soldat earned since its beginning 92 000$
* Soldat earned 92 000$
Thats not bad concusion when you think about the costs.
The there were no real costs.
In the beginning i made the game on my own. Only cost was the power, computer and coding.
In this time i didnt spend no real money. These are no real costs
-- but in this time you didnt earned money you werent working, right?
will tell you shortly
In compresisson with other game like Tribal Trouble which isn't free. You have to pay for it.
* Tribal Trouble earned 60 000$
Or same for Gish.
* Gish earned 121 000$
They had bigger productioncosts
* Cliffski earned 150 000$
Cliffski earned 150 000$ with 3 games
* Casual games 2 500 000 sold copies
Casual game this are millions copies thats a bigger market
* Browser games 200 000$ per month
There are browser games there is even bigger money
* Future of the Industry
Future of the maked and if i want to engage myself with the marked or if its worth to do so.
Its surely nice that... oh too big font
* Selling games in the times of regression
Selling games in the times of regression.
The question for me why you can make money with games in these times of regression. I think
thats because people need some sort of distraction after they lost money on the stock market.
* Octobre 2008 +18% sold games
Statistics prove that. you dont see the statistis here.
So there have been 18% more game sold.
There are bigger expansion packs for WOW.
* 13 November 2008 record in selling games in the first day.
This was the record in selling a game in only one day. Unbelievable.
* My plans
I started soldat on my own. But there came a few people together who not only wanted to play
but had the talent and the abinsions to work wotk with me. They talked with me and we created a
group. The name of the group is Transhuman design.
* transhuman design
And this is a group of visionaris who want dominate the game market
" hahaha *clapping*
To show that its not a real firm we have use an analogy of a maetal group.
Metal gourp is a group of 5 people who met and during a year they create an album after that
they go on tour and play thats how it works. And we do the same just for games.
* Transhumen design
* Sigvar gfx design
* MM engine design
* Synsynth sound musik
* FliesLikeABrick administrator
* Pepito selling marketing
The interesting about these people is that i didnt met anyone of them in reallive except one
person.
E.g. Eric is from australia. Ryan administratior ist form chicago. Ruben is form great brittan.
Ruban is for the money stuff.
There are also other people who arent in the team.
Bastian fights with hackers. There is also a girl.
-- the one with the hat.
* Gheft tools
* EnEsCe programming soldat
* Sable Anti-hacker system
* Elephant Hunter Web designer
* Anna tools
Yes the gril with the hat creates tools for the maps which you saw earlier.
* Players /Fans
Most important are the players. Im living from them.
* players ...
Our philosophy is that we release our games for free. So we want to have as many people as
possible.
* Play for free
They play for free and do the marketing. Because the tell their friends that there is such a
nice game and they should play.
* roal fans pay
We make money on roal fans who want to pay for the game.
* Professional version
So we are selling the professional version of the game additions for the game
* the proffessional version
* own profiles
* access to ranks/statistics
* minimap/mp3player
* higher re
* color changing/ skinning
e.g soldat if oyu pay 14$ you get the ranking options You get a minimap higher resolution.
Which was a request people wanted that feature so i gave it to them and they pay me for that.
-- so that was changing of the config or what?
no just display changes.
" hahaha"
I the future i want to add more of them.
* Gadgets
Same like band we want to sell gadgets. Im currently selling t-shirts but i want to sell most
stuff.
* gadgets
* t-shirts
* CD
* graphic album
* design documents
A cd in a package when someone really likes it or wants to make a present for someone. like a
cd version for christmas in a package.
we want to sell graphic albums with the whole design.
* Ads
I have the possibility do place adds in my game. This is a screen from the list of servers
where people spent much time and have the possibility to view a ad of some drink.
* what further
there is also the possiblility to add them on the website in the forum etc.
* Link dead
We are creating 3 new games
Link dead which is a realistic simulation of of a war
Berserker which is a realisic biatykoy
And hunter kill which is a relistic cool project. This information is the first public
released.
* Community Portal
-- so you will create games for kids?
Well they shouldnt play but its good if they play.
This is the community portal where we gathering all people together to one place where they can
organise tournaments view rankings and stats.
* Problems
I have been asked what my problems during the creation of the game were. There are only
problems.
* There are only problems
I would have too much to talk.
So i will tell you what i learned.
* What did i learn
Im actually makeing this game for 5 years now.
And out of all of that i learned to create the game alone at frist and build the whole team.
* What did i learn
* Create the team through the internet
* Communication with 1000's of people
* overcome evil powers
* selling and marketing
* trusting my instincts
I learned to create a community how to organise people and their ideas. I learned how to handle
bad people like hackers who can destroy the game.
the selling and marketing. I had to learn how to take money for people.
And especially i learned how to trust my own istincts. I havend really learned stuff from books
i dont even know where i should search for books where to learn the stuff. I had to rely on me
insticts thats why i think everyone of us i able to create such a thing. All you need it to
trust yourself.
So, so do you want to create games?
* Do you want to create computergames?
Maybe you dont want to create games. maybe only for yourself or whatever. Something own like i
started.
* What do you need
* Demetinartion
* Improvisation
* Continiuous learning
* Dedication/ Love
While makeing this project there are only problems when you really want to create something
that is worth something in your live you have to overwhelm the problems.
To win against them you need to use all your energy and brainpower and do it out of you whole
heart.
And i think its really hard to do that when you only think about money because thats not the
right motivation in my eyes. there are ways to make money but then you want fulfill your dream
you need to do something you really like and you need to have a huge goal.
* Huge Goal
You need to like what you do you need to love it
Not only what is up there your goal you also need to like what you do everyday. Nothing you do
a minute.
So when you want to create a game you need to like programming you need to like creating stuff
and why do i make games?
-- because you like it?
Sometimes yes.
No sometimes i really like to create games and i want to create the best game in the world and
my philosophy is that when you when million people are playing my game there are 10 smileys 10
millions smiling people and that energy comes back to me and that makes stronger.
Thats everything
-------------------------
Have fun :P
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Hey, look... there's a picture of me in there!
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Oh please don't.
(http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/4161/soldatads.bmp)
NO! That is where the favorite/map information is!
Plus, I am registered, so it shouldn't affect me.
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Oh crap, Link-Dead title screen and Hunter-Killer screen shot got leaked.
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Just found his presentation on slideshare.net (http://www.slideshare.net/aulapolska/micha-marcinkowski-soldat-gra-multiplayer-2d-presentation) - and thanks for the transcript. :-*
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Oh please don't.
(http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/4161/soldatads.bmp)
I hate it, but a guy's gotta make a living.
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I am 90% certain that is only there for the purpose of the presentation. That's a very intrusive advertisement.
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What is he advertising for, who is he advertising to, and why?
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What is he advertising for, who is he advertising to, and why?
From the transcripts:
* Ads
I have the possibility do place adds in my game. This is a screen from the list of servers where people spent much time and have the possibility to view a ad of some drink.
* what further
there is also the possiblility to add them on the website in the forum etc.
And the advertisements of course - that's the way of income too. I have a possibility of placing an add in loading screen and on servers menu - players spend quite a time in this menu. Also adds in forums, web sites and so.
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To get the Dolla' Dolla' Bills, yo.
I really hope this doesn't affect those who are registered.
PLUS. This drink would not even be available to 80% of the players... And also most likely unreadable.
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So...where's all that $92000 going to? Hes making EnEsCe do all the work for free? This all seems very confusing and very suspicious. Soldat has 0.5 million players? Maybe 0.5 million registered?
He doesn't "Make" EnEsCe do anything, he's a volunteer.
It's none of your business what he does with his money.
after all he has made the game so he deserves whatever money he earns from it and EnEsCe is a great person :-)