At first I thought it was ridiculous, but after reading it it makes a little more sense... the government probably don't care if the game is good or not, its just an insentive to develop the industry within the area 
Too Human Developer Given $4 Million Grant
- Thread starter Greg Tito
- Start date
Seconded,SavingPrincess said:
I'd just like to take the time to throw Vancouver out there as the gaming capital of Canada as well. Relic rules and Hothead Games is out there too. Canada actually has a huge Gaming Industry and if you don't believe me, check out the Canada-centric issue of the Escapist (I can't remember the issue #, does anyone know which one it was? Just a little over a year ago?) (EDIT - It's Issue #208, read it now!)
May I ask why?
Surely there are much more commercially successful companies that release games on time, on budget and games are much more successful?
Whoever invested in this company, lets get this clear. The two biggest markets are China or America, games usually have to appeal to one or the other and none of the games from Silicon Knights were commercially successful to either of the main markets.
Maybe their games are successful to a smaller market but that is not what you should be aiming for, you should either be aiming for a mass market or a niche and selling at a higher price. However the video game industry does not work like that, all games have to compete against each other and stick at a similar price
So this means that Silicon Knights are not a commercially successful company and along with this, they are still in a legal battle with Epic and if they lose, all the investment will be worthless.
I think the people investing are making a stupid, insane investment and I don't think they know what sort of market they are getting themselves into
However this is just my own thinking as a business student who has worked in video game retail for 2 years
Surely there are much more commercially successful companies that release games on time, on budget and games are much more successful?
Whoever invested in this company, lets get this clear. The two biggest markets are China or America, games usually have to appeal to one or the other and none of the games from Silicon Knights were commercially successful to either of the main markets.
Maybe their games are successful to a smaller market but that is not what you should be aiming for, you should either be aiming for a mass market or a niche and selling at a higher price. However the video game industry does not work like that, all games have to compete against each other and stick at a similar price
So this means that Silicon Knights are not a commercially successful company and along with this, they are still in a legal battle with Epic and if they lose, all the investment will be worthless.
I think the people investing are making a stupid, insane investment and I don't think they know what sort of market they are getting themselves into
However this is just my own thinking as a business student who has worked in video game retail for 2 years
Proof that politicians don't play videogames. Ubisoft Montreal should have gotten that money. And yeah I did give Too Human a decent chance. Even tried another character, just to make sure I didn't pick the one who specialized in shitty little guns and being a rocket magnet. And I was kinda feeling the neo-Norse pantheon. But the cutscenes were embarrassing, I muted it whenever someone else was in earshot. And the combat was really only fun in a button-mashy way, there was no strategy that would work consistently.
To be honest I'm less than enthusiastic about this news on a lot of levels. I'm all for more game developers, both in and outside of the US, however I do not like the idea of a goverment, ANY goverment, directly bankrolling "private" game development because what this does is opens the door for goverments to have a direct say in how games are made and what content is within them. While a godsend to "small" developers I suppose, I'd rather have no developers at all than one with this kind of direct funding. While nothing bad has happened yet, I do see potential for this to go very, very wrong down the road. I also think that as things are now games are too political, and this is just going to make it worse.
To put things into perspective, this does add some weight to the whole "games as art" thing (which I have mixed opinions of) as many goverments support artists through grants and the like as well, BUT I've increasingly had mixed opinions about such sponsorship in the US, never mind in other countries with less freedoms and safeguards (despite what they might think). Basically you either open the door for some guy to squander millions in goverment money, living large, while they eventually drop a cruicifix into a bucket of urine and call it "performance art", or the goverment has to enforce standards as to what is "art" and "Acceptable art" (which is very common outside of the US) which means that they have their fingers directly in what is created and effectively get to guide what messages people see.
Basically, I'd like to see goverments (any goverments) stay as far outside the game industry as possible.
I'm all for Canadian game development, but I think it should be done by private Canadian companies when they are eventually able (if they are) rather than ones funded by goverment grants. While many Canadians might disagree (though I personally think they shouldn't) I think it's better to have no notable Canadian game industry, than one with goverment sponsorship. I really don't like politicians being the ones able to decide what is going to be developed, and what isn't, and being able to play kingmaker so to speak... while it's not really there yet, I think this is the first step of seeing that happen.
I want Canada to have a game industry (despite being in the US), but a healthy one, born of freedom with independantly financed products.
Just my opinion.
To put things into perspective, this does add some weight to the whole "games as art" thing (which I have mixed opinions of) as many goverments support artists through grants and the like as well, BUT I've increasingly had mixed opinions about such sponsorship in the US, never mind in other countries with less freedoms and safeguards (despite what they might think). Basically you either open the door for some guy to squander millions in goverment money, living large, while they eventually drop a cruicifix into a bucket of urine and call it "performance art", or the goverment has to enforce standards as to what is "art" and "Acceptable art" (which is very common outside of the US) which means that they have their fingers directly in what is created and effectively get to guide what messages people see.
Basically, I'd like to see goverments (any goverments) stay as far outside the game industry as possible.
I'm all for Canadian game development, but I think it should be done by private Canadian companies when they are eventually able (if they are) rather than ones funded by goverment grants. While many Canadians might disagree (though I personally think they shouldn't) I think it's better to have no notable Canadian game industry, than one with goverment sponsorship. I really don't like politicians being the ones able to decide what is going to be developed, and what isn't, and being able to play kingmaker so to speak... while it's not really there yet, I think this is the first step of seeing that happen.
I want Canada to have a game industry (despite being in the US), but a healthy one, born of freedom with independantly financed products.
Just my opinion.
They already do, which is why this is a bullshit porkbarrel maneuver.Therumancer said:
And in answer to the chamber of commerce member's statement, No, you are most certainly not. Try actually playing the games you're subsidizing to see why. Although if they only have 90's era hardware and can only play Legacy of Kain, maybe that's why they're subsidizing them.
Thanks, Matt. I think it's actually a good use of taxpayer money because otherwise art and culture wouldn't exist, or at least it would be much harder.Matt_LRR said:
Many Americans don't realize that a lot of nations support the arts directly through funding like this. In the U.S., you have to jump through hoops or sell out if you want to be an artist, especially in a field like theater or fine arts.
So kudos, Canadia.
If it doesn't involve Eternal Darkness II, I don't care.
Okay, I care a little bit. But EDII would make my day.
Okay, I care a little bit. But EDII would make my day.
