Why the hatred for commercial projects?

[Fancypants 0]

I want to preface this with a statement: I have no intention of making a commercial game. I just started and am nowhere near skilled enough for that, and even if I were, I likely would just share the game with friends. This question is just out of curiosity.

 

Why do people on RPG Maker forums hate commercial projects? On many of forum posts with resources, along with deviantart, people specify that their stuff can be used only in non-commercial games. I've always been of the mind that developers deserve to get paid for their work if they put serious effort and time into it, so it kind of surprises me that people who are likely developers themselves would be against that idea.

 

 

[Mashuzu 10]

I want to preface this with a statement: I have no intention of making a commercial game. I just started and am nowhere near skilled enough for that, and even if I were, I likely would just share the game with friends. This question is just out of curiosity.

 

Why do people on RPG Maker forums hate commercial projects? On many of forum posts with resources, along with deviantart, people specify that their stuff can be used only in non-commercial games. I've always been of the mind that developers deserve to get paid for their work if they put serious effort and time into it, so it kind of surprises me that people who are likely developers themselves would be against that idea.

I don't think they hate commercial projects. It's just that it's unfair for them if someone's just going to use their works for a game that's paid and them not receiving any money I guess. People would of course ask permission first with the creators before using their resources for a commercial project and of course in that discussion, it may or may not include money talks I guess. Basically, creators needs money too. If their resources are used in a commercial project without them getting any credits or part of the income, it would be unfair.

[XPhater 2]

Because everyone on the internet is friendly and helpful

[Tsukihime 1,489]

It just means you can free use their stuff in non-commercial games.

[+ Takeo212 1,079]

As a resource contributor on this site, I am very happy to share any stuff I make if someone wants to use it, but for non-commercial only.

Why?

 

Firstly, I don't want someone to make money from my work.

Secondly, if you are making a commercial game made up of free resources, then your game isn't worth being commercial.

 

The hate isn't towards commercial games. The hate is towards lazy developers wanting a free pass to making commercial games.

Edited July 22, 2016 by Takeo212

[+ JuJu 73]

All of the above is absolutely correct. Also, those resources for non-commercial games aren't easy to make! It takes lots of hours of work and skill to draw tile sets, work with art, music, etc. You can find lots of brilliant free resources for commercial and non commercial games out there, but it doesn't seem very fair to take someone else's hard work and make money off of it without giving anything back, even if you do credit them.

 

Making a commercial game isn't cheap. You have to dish out money for something that may or may not be all that popular--that's why it takes indie games a while to get on their feet.

[Fancypants 0]

This all makes a lot of sense, thanks! I guess I hadn't really taken the creator's viewpoint into consideration, since I've never really had a reason to focus on it in the past.

[Tarq 746]

There's also the community's history to consider. This used to be (and still is, predominantely) an engine for hobbyists so if someone says that they want it for something else, well, that just makes them a little different. There's also a strong history of distasteful devs using the engine for quick bucks; whenever someone does that it brings a new wave of internet hate towards RM and, naturally, the community has grown wary.

 

If you want to make a commercial game in the future then that's fine, neither the market nor the community is entirely against that (I personally take a particular interest in them). But make it a game worth paying for and one that doesn't contribute to the current market RM stigma.

[philteredkhaos 131]

I thought it was that the Resource Makers didn't want to be associated in any way with some of the stinkers that make it through Greenlight and other channels. There are some poorly done games available.

[Tsarmina 2,612]

Moving this to General Discussion

[Rikifive 3,411]

 

 

Why do people on RPG Maker forums hate commercial projects? On many of forum posts with resources, along with deviantart, people specify that their stuff can be used only in non-commercial games

This is absolutely something different than hating commercial projects.

 

Imagine a situation:

You're a great music composer, for example.

Now you're making amazing tracks, that you've put a lot of work into them.

You're sharing your works with the communities and you're allowing them to use your works in their commercial projects.

Random people are using your works and making commercial games with your tracks.

They're making money thanks to your works, while you're getting absolutely nothing (besides being in the credits and stuff).

 

Or simpler (and kinda less accurate) example:

You're making a game

You're giving your finished game to somebody else, who will be selling this

He gets money, you don't

Fair? Nope.

 

 

That's why most of the people don't allow their works to be used in commercial projects. They usually only allow usage for non-commercial ones, because that way, both sides don't earn money, but helping each other - game developer has extra resources to use, where the creator of resources gets a free advertisement of some sort (credit/linking back/becoming recognizable).

 

That absolutely doesn't have anything to do with hate, nor anything like this.

When people are allowing their works to be used in commercial projects, then that's just a huge sign of their generosity.

However, you can always contact the author of the resources and (try to) make a deal with him ~ You'll be getting money for your commercial game? Then he also deserves some money for being a part of your project.

 

I hope that enlightens things! =3

[amerk 1,122]

I don't hate commercial projects. In fact, I usually get fairly excited whenever I see one on Steam, mainly because they tend to be cheaper than everywhere else and sales and whatnot. However, oftentimes it's that the commercial projects aren't any better (and many times worse) than the freeware games.

 

The majority of the commercial games I have played have atrocious spelling and grammar mistakes. This is my biggest turn off. It's bad enough when I play a free game like that, but if I'm paying money, have the decency to spell check your game. And I'm not talking about awkward and stilted dialogue, or the occasional mistakes...

 

I'm talking full sentences being cut off because they hit the edge of the dialogue box and the developer failed to check that their customized font would fit and didn't push something to the next line. I'm talking about poor grammar skills where everything is sloppy and difficult to read. And then there's those games that start off good, but then for whatever reason the developer must have gotten bored of the project because 3/4 of the way through they just stop caring enough to check.

 

In fact, I'd say poor grammar is right up there with a buggy game; both are a turn-off for me. And when you are asking for money, I'm expecting something with a level of quality.

 

That's not to say they are all like that. Sweet Lily Dreams was an excellent game for me, although a bit unpolished. Vagrant Hearts has its share of grammar and spelling mistakes, but the level of detail everywhere else has been a real treat so far, and the mistakes aren't common enough to turn me against the game. Shining Plume was another fantastic commercial RM game, albeit very short and far easier than I would have expected. I did enjoy Aveyond 1 and 2 (as well as the free prequel Ahriman's Prophecy) but the later games became so redundant I lost interest. And I have yet to play Deadly Sin 1 and 2, although I've heard good things about them.

 

It's really just about finding that diamond in the rough. They are out there, you just have to be willing to swim through the crud filled waters to find them.

 

Edit: I kind of missed that second part of the OP's main post. If your gripe is against resource artists who won't relinquish their materials for commercial use, then Rikifive's post above covers it best. Why can't they charge for their own material for use in a commercial game when you expect to sell your game?

 

Also, sometimes those artists use a base to create their own works, and due to copyright infringement they cannot allow you to use their stuff for commercial games, regardless if you offer to pay or not. This is especially true with a lot of the pre VX-Ace materials, where people edited other people's works quite often, or even used parts of the RTP (which you would then need to own the game maker the original RTP came from), or even parts from commercial resources from the NES, SNES, and PS1 era.

 

And then some just want to make something free for the community and wants their materials used in a similar manner, in that they are in a free game.