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[JustLuke]

I know that the commercial license fee is probably decided on a case by case basis, but could you give me some idea about what to expect?

Let's say, for example, that I created a 1024x768 resolution 2d adventure game that I planned on selling online; something of a similar quality to Curse of Monkey Island with about 20 hours of gameplay. I would not expect or require any particular developmental support (because the engine already has all the features that I would require and I can create all of my own media assets) other than the bug-fixes that I am sure you will create anyway as a matter of course. What could I expect to pay to obtain a commercial license for something like this?

I'm sure that you will agree that it is essential that potential developers to know the cost of licensing Wintermute before expending significant developmental time and effort using it, and I'm certain that other users would find this information useful too.

Fantastic engine, by the way. I'm very impressed by your work!

[metamorphium]

the best approach is to email Mnemonic. His license is very user friendly and he will give you details if you're serious about it.

[JustLuke]

Is there a reason why the commercial license fee isn't public knowledge?

[Mnemonic]

I prefer to discuss the licensing personally with people who are seriously interested, that's all. There are no hidden pitfalls if that's what you're hinting at.

[JustLuke]

No, I wasn't hinting at any such thing. I'm too unsubtle to make vague accusations.   

However, now you mention it, the lack of transparancy about this issue is a cause of concern. What's to stop you quoting a reasonable price to some and a hugely inflated price to others? I can only speak for myself here, but I couldn't even begin to consider adopting the wintermute engine until I knew the license fee, or a least a rough estimate.

[kori]

Hi JustLuke

I posted the same question, and so have others in the past. He always gives the same answer, 'email him.'

He just does not seem to understand that few people are going to commit themselves to years of work on a game without some sort of contract laying out the terms of price for the game engine. And that is hard to do when you have not even started work on the project yet.

I would like to add that Dream Fall was just released, and it uses a 3D engine. In the future all professional adventure games will being using the 3D engine, not the 2D 1/2 engine. It is the standard now whether we like it or not. The 2D game engine is only for Indie game developers now. I doubt than any professional game maker is going to use a 2D or 2D 1/2 engine.

I have done a little looking into units sold for the average Indie game, and it comes out to about 300 units if the game is poor and about 1000 units if the game is good. Of course your game could always be a sleeper, but you can't plan your game profits on a lucky sleeper. I do not have figures to back this up. It is mostly from questions on forums and a few email questions.

I am getting a little off topic here. I guess what I am saying is, the 2D or 2D 1/2 WME game engine is being marketed to Indie developers (not professionals) on the base of 1000 units sold. (under normal conditions) I think he would be better off charging a fixed price based on this information, or on whatever he thinks it should be.

How can a Indie game maker know how many units his game will sell before he even starts? What would be the point in emailing him? What am I going to say, "I would like to make a game with your game engine, and I have no idea how many units it will sell because I have not even started yet."

Or let me approach this in another direction. I do not think any professional is going to make a Syberia or The Longest Journey using a 2D ½ engine in the future. If MYST V and Dream Fall give us any indication of market direction, it means professional adventure games are going to made with 3D engines. The only people who are going to use the 2D ½ engine are amateurs game makers, like myself.

Now if you go to a professional game engine site, they WILL ask you to email them for a price, but most of us are not professionals. And I doubt than any professionals will use a 2D ½ game engine. Most, if not all, game makers interested in the WME engine will be amateurs. And most of them will not email for a price because most of us have not made a game and have no idea what we are doing, and have no idea if we will finish our game or know how many units it will sell if we did.

I am guessing that most amateurs, when they see this

[odnorf]

Let me quote meta from the same thread (just a few posts above) who is creating a commercial game and he is targetting a much bigger audience that just 1000 copies.

"the best approach is to email Mnemonic. His license is very user friendly and he will give you details if you're serious about it."

So, have you e-mailed Mnemonic and haven't got an answer or you are just speculating things?

EDIT: I want to apologize in case I sound harsh. That's not my intention. It's just that in the past people have called mnemonic "names" because they were to lazy to send him an e-mail. And it's very annoying and disrespectfull. So, cheers 

[Mnemonic]

Kori, it's fascinating to see you have a problem sending one email, while you don't have a problem wasting a lot of your time on lengthy threads about myself shooting myself in a foot here and at other forums. Unlike you I'm not willing to waste my time so I'll be brief:

1) I don't know where your assumption about WME not having a fixed price came from, but it's wrong. You should really get some information before making wild assumptions and before starting accusing people. WME has several licensing schemes depending on distribution model, and I like to discuss these individually to fine-tune the details with developers who are *seriously* interested.

2)

I am guessing that most amateurs, when they see this

[kori]

I am sorry if I offended you. It is your game engine, and you should market it as you think best.

You have answered all my questions.

I will leave now and promise to never post anything again about your game engine on this forum, or on any other forum. You have my permission to remove me from your forum user list.

Regards
Kori

[Mnemonic]

I'm not offended and I didn't mean to offend you either. But I really do think sending an email query is the least thing anyone can do.