Paying developers for homebrew

[Cyan]

I though about video games on old consoles (they couldn't be updated later, so it was sold only after extensive debug, not like actual games on PS3 with available updates before game release).
Though, they sometime had bugs, and people think video games are too expansive.

But I agree about programs never being perfect.
I was more concern about the user's satisfaction about price/features ratio, and user thinking they deserve better for the price they paid it. (how to decide a good price?)

 

[raulpica]

What I'm talking about is open bounties for programs, somebody can put up an offer for $10 to whoever makes a save editor for a specific game, for example. Generally in these cases it's expected that the program will be freely-available to everybody.

Something akin to www.power2people.org, I guess.

I guess we could start a Console-based equivalent. That would rock. ...BrewTemp anyone?

 

[cwstjdenobs]

I think a lot of times people genuinely offering a hand would give people a lot more motivation. And money towards certain charities would convince some people more than money in their personal pocket.

Something akin to www.power2people.org, I guess.

Wow, people really don't want to give up on Amigaish stuff do they.

 

[stinkoman]

It'd improve good homebrew, but it'd exponentially increase the number of awful crap. Just look at the App Store on iOS.

 

[Rydian]

I like Rydian idea, users providing a fund for a specific homebrew creation. (though, how much completion is needed to earn the fund?)Generally the requester sets the requirements, and in general you'll find the "just make a damn conversion tool for this archaic format" ones are worth $5 while the "make a level editor for this game" ones have many more requirements, but are worth more (often from people pooling their money).

What I'm talking about is open bounties for programs, somebody can put up an offer for $10 to whoever makes a save editor for a specific game, for example. Generally in these cases it's expected that the program will be freely-available to everybody.
Something akin to www.power2people.org, I guess.

I guess we could start a Console-based equivalent. That would rock. ...BrewTemp anyone?

Idunno' how that works, when I've seen this at work it's often just publicly-posted bounties on things.

QUOTE(chao1212 @ Jun 27 2011, 10:09 AM)

It'd improve good homebrew, but it'd exponentially increase the number of awful crap. Just look at the App Store on iOS.

Most of the crap there are games by people trying to cash in on stuff people don't really want. In this situation people would be requesting the things they actually want in the first place, and only something that meets the pre-stated requirements would get the money. So it wouldn't encourage wasteful development.

This generally isn't done for games, but for tools (for this situation it'd likely be for both PC and the consoles themselves).

 

[WiiUBricker]

Just to make it clear guys, I don't want to leave the impression that homebrew should generally cost money. It's more for people who are willing to pay (and know the risks) to convince developers to add new features to existend homebrew and make new homebrew.

People are requesting things on google code sites, but were rejected. I'm sure they wouldn't have been if they were willing to pay.

Personally I want the Snes9x GX Emulator cover mod to be updated to latest version and it seems that I'm not alone there. This is a good example of the idea I guess.

 

[SifJar]

I think if a system where setup for this sort of thing, it should work roughly like this:

• People post requests and the amount they are willing to pay for it
• Others can chip in and add funds
• Once a developer accepts the request, it is "locked" for a period of time and the money from the donators is taken (during this time, more donators could add money if they wish)
• After the period of time, the developer must have released the software they agreed to make or else the request is re-opened and the donators refunded
• If the developer has released the software, and it is judged suitable for the purpose it was created for (not sure who should decide...not the donators or they may say it isn't so as to get a refund), the developer recieves the money

And of course the requester could specify if they want access to source when the application is released, the license etc. (Perhaps it could also be possible for developers to contact requesters to negotiate these terms)

Maybe developers could also post on the site of projects they are considering starting, and people could donate and if they get enough they'll do it.

Just my thoughts on the matter. I think it could potentially be a very beneficial system to the community.

EDIT: A quick look suggests my idea is somewhat similar to the way "power2people" posted above works.

 

[Rydian]

As mentioned I've seen other places that do it, since people are fully willing to pay for tools to make their jobs or hobbies easier, and for entertainment.

 

[spinal_cord]

I really don't think that a pay-per-feature during the coding process would work at all. I for one would not like the pressure of 'must add feature X because User2 gave me $3' for a hobby. If, though, I could sell my finished homebrew for a reasonable price without worries of legal action from hardware companies who's systems security needs to be compromised for people to play my homebrew, then I might actually find the motivation to finish something.

 

[Rydian]

I really don't think that a pay-per-feature during the coding process would work at all. I for one would not like the pressure of 'must add feature X because User2 gave me $3' for a hobby.This is why I think that if this is done here it should be a "user makes an offer" kinda' thing, so somebody developing something knows what the requirements are before they begin to start.

QUOTE(spinal_cord @ Jun 27 2011, 11:30 AM) If, though, I could sell my finished homebrew for a reasonable price without worries of legal action from hardware companies who's systems security needs to be compromised for people to play my homebrew, then I might actually find the motivation to finish something.

A bounty like this would most likely be a one-time thing, if you're looking for "legal homebrew" then pretty much your only choice is the phone market. There are markets for consoles (DSiWare, WiiWare, XBL, PSN Minis) but they generally have stricter requirements on developers.

I would like to see what you could make if you were paid, though...

 

[CannonFoddr]

android = java (I don't know java) and i assume windows phone 7 probably requires that I actually have a windows phone.Noo - Don't start developing for other systems. You're doing a fine job for the DS scene

(How the website coming along BTW ???)

QUOTE(Cyan @ Jun 27 2011, 11:27 AM) How is working the paid system for smartphones homebrew?

Ironically - I just read an article in a Computer magazine about Android Apps - Apparently for that it's not to good for those developers

Because the Android development is so 'open', there's a flood of apps doing the same thing - many of which are quite 'unstable' - as in having to 'force close' on certain phone etc (Since most Apps are not regulated/tested/approved first) - & this seem to put people off from actually buying the paid-for ad-free versions of the apps (it seems it's easier to just root the phone & block the ads that way

)

Unlike Apple Apps - being extremely strict on what can be developed & also each App has to get an approval first -
many developers 'seem' to prefer developing for Apple Apps more than Android, perhaps with the idea that 'If it's good enough to appear as an Apple App - it must be good, so I'll get paid'

 

[SifJar]

Another problem with Android apps from a developer point of view is they are extremely easy to pirate. Anyone with a rooted phone can download an app, dump it very easily with adb and then get a refund provided they have done it in under 15 minutes. Then they can easily install it again with adb and it'll work perfectly. And they can release for installation by anyone, without even having to be rooted. (This is why the refund period changed from a day to 15 minutes). This is why many apps are released with ads and have an in app microtransaction to remove the ads and/or add a few features, because you can't pirate the full version (although you can block ads with a rooted phone as you mentioned CannonFoddr)

 

[Jacobeian]

The problem I see with Iphone/Android apps (and especially emulators) is that they are often using code from open-source projects and are making profit of it. There is no real "scene" there, just a bunch of people taking the opportunity to make a few bucks with little work.

The truth is that open-source applications are usually a compilation of various code contributed by many people during years. Does it sound fair for one person to take all the benefits because he was smart enough to put things together with some eye-candies or hyped feature into a popular app ? I don't think so...

I sure would not like to see this happening in console scenes...

And I don't think paid development would ever bring much improvement to existing projects, it only brings more developers releasing the same things with bare minimum to please their "customers"...

 

[C-Kronos]

I don't support paying specifically for home-brew per-say, but I'm completely in favor of donations to developers.

Some devs need money to buy tools to continue their work for certain projects, donations would make it easier on them. A lot of devs probably own debug/test units for PS3s, Wiis, and etc. I've had a couple debug units myself at one point or another, a rebug CFW PS3 is nothing like a real debug PS3.