WolfEdge said:
Treblaine said:
Very good point on how this will make it easier to defend games (in America) from being censored using the 1st amendment. But to address you concerns:
1. you aren't given this money without asking for it
2. you need to prove your project is more worthy than everyone else's ideas to get it
3. The project is then made available for free like a public work of art or a free game on XBLA
Seriously, the government might pay for people to make free games. Some people don't want to go the indie commerce route or just don't have the means to live without income for 2-3 years developing a game that may very well make very little to no money (and you weren't interested in profit anyway).
But why extract those funds from someone who doesn't necessarily want to give it? If a person isn't interested in profiting from their own work, then why is it ok to force someone else to foot the bill for their own self-admitting monetarily worthless expenditure of effort? If it's something you don't want to make a living out of doing, then why worry about money at all? Why not just do it, without forcing the compliance of others?
"someone who doesn't necessarily want to give it?"
What, the taxpayers? Tough titty. The taxpayers elected the government that decides what the public needs and that includes public art which can also extend to video games if distributed correctly.
People don't "necessarily want to" pay for the US Navy, but it has done a heck of a lot to serve the United States in its long history at the taxpayers expense.
And yes, artists have expenditures even if they are not in this for profit nor a living. They still have to eat, even a sculptor needs a stone and tools to carve it with.
Think about it, if they make something for the public, as in freely available for all; no ads, no charity bin, no nothing, then they will go bankrupt as while they work on this project - for the public - as they try to pay for gas, electricity, food, rent, etc.
Remember, for the public. Free. They can't make promises to the bank or take out a loan as after all this effort they'd get nothing for this as it'd go in a public space or distributed for free.
Not everyone has a rich benefactor. Actually that's what the government is doing her, being a rich benefactor.
