The release of Bomb Jack for MSX raised a discussion on whether or not MSX software should be free. I think this discussion is more suited for the MRC forums, so lets continue it over here.

I personally think it is up to the developers to decide whether or not their software should be free. If software isn't free, it's up to the potential customers to decide whether or not they would like to pay (that amount of) money for it. As a former member of Flying Bytes I can tell from first-hand experience how cool it is to see that your software actually gets sold to a large amount of people. It's a great motivation-boost to keep doing what you're doing and trying to get better all the time. Of course, a similar amount of motivation can be gathered from seeing how often your sofware gets leeched from e.g. the MRC downloads database.

Either way, I think there's nothing wrong with asking money for MSX software. Giving the developers the freedom to make their own choises = real freedom.

Well, I really think nowadays MSX software must be freeware. But as you said, snout, it's up to the developers to decide it and the customers to buy it. I think a game could be a cool one, no matter if it's freeware or not: so for me it's good news when I see a release of any kind of MSX game, the ones I must pay and the ones not.

Here is an option for those who wants to sell their MSX productions: it will be great if you just offer the game free to download on your website, and then sell another version with several add-ons (well, a hi quality cover, instruction manual, stickers, wall-papers or windows themes, rearranged music tracks from the game..) for the people to adquire... just an option .

And if you still want to sell your MSX productions, it's ok !. More MSX games out there, more fun . But I think is greater when they are free because anyone will play your game... and I think that's the best of all imho

It should be up to the developers indeed .. a game worth playing is a game worth paying. Considering the possible profits, game-sales will be just enough to get new msx-hardware .. leading to new games perhaps!

I agree with Snout.

Quote:

Here is an option for those who wants to sell their MSX productions: it will be great if you just offer the game free to download on your website, and then sell another version with several add-ons (well, a hi quality cover, instruction manual, stickers, wall-papers or windows themes, rearranged music tracks from the game..) for the people to adquire... just an option .

I like this suggestion

I think even that all new MSX software should be available on MRC on two different forms :
- freeware and demo version of non-freeware in the Downloads sections
- complete versions of non-freeware in the Webshop section

MRC is indeed the best location to offer new software because it's the most known MSX site. Besides, for non-freeware, you can use PayPal : it's fast and secure !

Alas, the developers of Bomb Jack MSX2 don't visit MRC, so they won't read this, as they have don't read my complaint about no answer to my e-mail concerning the 4 MSX games released by Matra ... yes, that's the same e-mail address to order Bomb Jack MSX2, and if I can't buy the 4 Matra games, I won't be motivated to buy Bomb Jack MSX2 .... You want to play business game, but you have forgotten one thing : it's the buyer that decides to order, not the seller that makes the decision !

There's nothing against selling your game, and nothing against making it freeware either. It's up to the developer to decide. There's no use in trying to make a lot of money with selling MSX software, since you will gain more by just doing a normal job for a day

That being said, I think the price for Bomb Jack is too high, compared with eg. Bombaman or Realms of Adventure (to name something). At this moment I have no idea what I would get for those 15 euro, there's no clear description of the game, no screenshots, no extra info whatsoever. That makes me relunctant to consider buying the game. Besides, it looks like a straightforward port of an existing game, without any extra things, so that also makes it less interesting (to me). But, this is all based on the little info that I have, so I might be wrong!

In short, the discussion shouldn't be about making free games or selling them, imho, but about the prices you can ask! Bombaman could have been more expensive (but we decided not to), and Bomb Jack sounds too expensive to me. So... what do you think is a good price to set for a game you would sell?

Quote:

Quote: Here is an option for those who wants to sell their MSX productions: it will be great if you just offer the game free to download on your website, and then sell another version with several add-ons (well, a hi quality cover, instruction manual, stickers, wall-papers or windows themes, rearranged music tracks from the game..) for the people to adquire... just an option . I like this suggestion I think even that all new MSX software should be available on MRC on two different forms : - freeware and demo version of non-freeware in the Downloads sections - complete versions of non-freeware in the Webshop section MRC is indeed the best location to offer new software because it's the most known MSX site. Besides, for non-freeware, you can use PayPal : it's fast and secure ! Alas, the developers of Bomb Jack MSX2 don't visit MRC, so they won't read this, as they have don't read my complaint about no answer to my e-mail concerning the 4 MSX games released by Matra ... yes, that's the same e-mail address to order Bomb Jack MSX2, and if I can't buy the 4 Matra games, I won't be motivated to buy Bomb Jack MSX2 .... You want to play business game, but you have forgotten one thing : it's the buyer that decides to order, not the seller that makes the decision !

I ordered Bombjack already and everything went fine. I could be mistaked but it seems that Matra has somewhat "splitted" between Kralizec (responsible for Bombjack) and Mark2 (in charge of previous Matra games www.futuremare.com). Could someone confirm this ?

I have contacts with MKII and he can't himself sell the Matra games ...

So, the problem is on the Kralizec side ...

So Kralizec crew come from Matra?... I didn't know that...

I still remember Miss Z-0 from Sex Bumb Bunny ^_^.

If I really wanna have a game, I'd also pay for it. Especially for MSX games, as I also want to support the developers. So paying for it (in general) is no problem, as someone already mentioned, nowadays we've got fast and secure payment methods like PayPal (no wrapped up money sent in envelopes )

But before I decide to buy it, I also want to know what product is offered, and think about whether it's worth enough to me or not.
As Jorito said, for a "plain conversion" (well we don't know that for sure for now) I wouldn't pay 15 Euros, but for a game like Bombaman I'd gladly pay that amount!

Another option would be like viejo_archivero's idea: A download version, and a complete version for buyers, containing manual, cover, extra tools (e.g. level editors) and other goodies. I personally prefer having these extras!

First of all, Matra and Kralizec are different groups, but in this case, the guys from Matra were responsible of the package (and also distribution) of the game.

About the game, it's almost a perfect conversion of the arcade... except than the arcade is endless and the MSX2 version has 80 stages and an original ending.

And what's the problem of doing a conversion of a game non existing for MSX without adding extras??... wouldn't it be interesting a perfect conversion of Gradius III (for example) without adding any original new stuff??... I don't understand it... you like the game or you don't... that simple.

Maybe it's a matter of "hey, I have download MAME and I have the same game for free, why should I pay for the same game on MSX?"... the answer is really clear for me...

EXPLANATION TO THE QUESTION ABOUT KRALIZEC AND MATRA:

KRALIZEC HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MATRA.

KRALIZEC ARE:

-RAMONES (Coder of 'Dream On', 'KPI Ball', 'Battle Tetris', etc.)
-SUTCHAN (GFX of 'Dream On', 'KPI Ball', 'Battle Tetris', some
collaborations on BOMBAMAN, etc.)

THEY ARE NOT MEMBERS OF MATRA
THEY HAS NOT BEEN MEMBERS OF MATRA
THEY WILL NOT BE MEMBERS OF MATRA

HOWEVER,

MATRA HAS DESIGNED THE PACKAGING OF 'BOMB JACK' FOR MSX2 AND THEY ARE GOING
TO DISTRIBUTE THE GAME

'BITWISE' (HTTP://WWW.MSX-UNIVERSE.COM) WILL DISTRIBUTE 'BOMB JACK' IN THE
NETHERLANDS AS SOON AS THEY RECEIVED THE PRODUCT. IF YOU LIVE IN THE
NETHERLANDS, PLEASE MAKE YOUR ORDER TO 'BITWISE' GROUP AND NOT TO MATRA.


MARS2000YOU: MATRA HAS NOT RECEIVED THE ORDER OF THE FOUR MSX GAMES RELEASED
BY MATRA. ANYWAY IT MAY BE DUE TO AN E-MAIL FAILURE, SO WE SUGGEST YOU TO
CONTACT MATRA AGAIN AT Z-0@TINET.ORG. NOTE THAT IT IS 'Z-0' ("ZERO" NUMBER)
AND NOT 'Z-O' ("O" LETTER).

Thanks for the precisions !

I will send a new mail and I hope that Matra will receive it ....

Quote:

Alas, the developers of Bomb Jack MSX2 don't visit MRC

Every day is a good day to start visiting MRC ;P