Expanding Indie Game's Development Team?

[MarathonGuy1337]

So recently I've been working on a game project, I'm sure at some point I'll have a more in-depth thread covering the early development of the game but when speaking to some work colleges and form college friends (ones a programmer and the other did a variety from 3d modeling, sound engineering and 2D texture art).

However the problem is the game is only really just getting into its alpha stage, not to mention I don't really have any money to support a small team of people. The only solutions I have currently is either offering a percentage cut of profits, or perhaps bonus/royalties behind certain sale milestones of course this sounds more like using my friends free labor which I'm not a fan off

The problem being is that they have expressed interested in working on the project.

So I'm kind stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Any advice?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Tyranicon might have something, but I wasn't clear on what exactly you need from the team that you couldn't get from open source/ free shit on the web?

 

[Vic]

Not enough gifs.

 

[ind33d]

sell action, offer a percentage of the profits to investors

 

[MarathonGuy1337]

Not enough gifs.

Yeah I went pretty light on gifs

Tyranicon might have something, but I wasn't clear on what exactly you need from the team that you couldn't get from open source/ free shit on the web?

Well the game isn't big on "bought assets" as for coding I have already like a 50/50 partner that has been doing the coding for the game

 

[MarathonGuy1337]

sell action, offer a percentage of the profits to investors

That was one idea I have of course the more I split the profits the worse chances are for my future en-devours, aka sequels and such, but then again having more developers probably speeds the production of the game so its a 50/50 coin flip of negatives vs positives

 

[Tyranicon]

The only solutions I have currently is either offering a percentage cut of profits, or perhaps bonus/royalties behind certain sale milestones of course this sounds more like using my friends free labor which I'm not a fan off

Other game devs will shit on the very idea of revenue share as a plan, and I'm generally one of them. But if you're fairly certain you can make it work and if these are friends you already know, then it might be worth a try.

The hardest part of having a team is really managing people, egos, relationships and drama. It can fall apart very easily long before money even comes into it. Make sure you have contracts saying what the share is and who's ultimately in charge. That's very important.

 

[S.torch]

My opinion on the matter is that you should be upfront about it. Tell your friends they're break their backs for what is basically a gamble. If they're really close to you sharing the eventual revenue is a just deal. If the game goes well everyone wins, if the game goes bad everyone loses.

Just be sure you and them want to do this because making games is not easy-peasy.

 

[MarathonGuy1337]

The only solutions I have currently is either offering a percentage cut of profits, or perhaps bonus/royalties behind certain sale milestones of course this sounds more like using my friends free labor which I'm not a fan off

Other game devs will shit on the very idea of revenue share as a plan, and I'm generally one of them. But if you're fairly certain you can make it work and if these are friends you already know, then it might be worth a try.

The hardest part of having a team is really managing people, egos, relationships and drama. It can fall apart very easily long before money even comes into it. Make sure you have contracts saying what the share is and who's ultimately in charge. That's very important.

Yeah that probably a good recommendation.

My opinion on the matter is that you should be upfront about it. Tell your friends they're break their backs for what is basically a gamble. If they're really close to you sharing the eventual revenue is a just deal. If the game goes well everyone wins, if the game goes bad everyone loses.

Just be sure you and them want to do this because making games is not easy-peasy.

Yeah its more of a recent thing when the topic of what i've been developing came up and naturally interests sparked, it could just be a passing fancy which dies down but one or two of them may be more serious