From: Marc Heiler Date: 2008-03-31T23:10:10+09:00 Subject: Re: Web-based games? > I don't see the point in creating a game that people won't pay money to play. I guess the problem at hand here is not that people want to create a game that is free, or where you have to pay (or pay for extras etc..) ,but rather what focus one sets for a game or creating one. Personally I see several different possible philosophies here: - Creating a game in a language (let's say ruby) helps you (and others who choose to help and may help too) learn more. Learning is always a potential advantage. Problems somewhere may also help the language grow (if it is actively maintained) by exposing certain problems. My favourite example is rails, it for sure has put an influence on the whole of ruby (and to the "outside" world too) - It is advertisement for ruby too and it is one reason I dont really mind rails etc ... even if one chooses to not use rails, it generates awareness of ruby as language. I think almost noone really considered ruby seriously as an alternative to PHP before rails ;) - Building an ecosystem for games. In my personal opinion games are extremely important. I mean games in general, not only high-cost games one buys for PC or pla*stat**n or X*ox and similar. In this regard I think every game in ruby is a good idea. I write ecosystem because I think solutions dedicated specifically to create games of various kinds is very important. Just look at what lengths Micro*oft goes to ensure that their game clientel is somewhat happy, with all the Direc*X stuff, their XNA license and so on. And with ecosystem, I also mean a social aspect. Games help bring different people together. Sure you may find bad examples ;) but just think of meeting people in town who also happen to play that game (browsergames mostly, I actually dont really know of anyone meeting others due to WoW, they seem way too attached to sit for hours .... oh wait, stereotype *grin*) Generating money from games can simply be a different priority. (I challenge the notion that generating money should be the first aspect. The first should be to build a great game. I know several different examples of games that are self-sustaining with donations only for example. Most games these days seem to be free for all but an extra for those that pay a little or donate, while these extras are normally only incentives, not really "game decisive" extras) Anyway, just my opinion and basically one more reason why I think this is a good idea -- Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.