Crowd funding may become a little easier for game developers soon. With the recent boom in Kickstarter, IndieGoGo and other crowd funding services,
Gamesplanet is teaming up with Ulule to change the way games are funded. This new innovation of crowd funding will give developers funds, tools and support for their games but will also give the gamers the chance to part of the developmental process.
Gameplanet Lab is not going to just be a place where games can be funded. Its going to be a commitment between the developers, gamers and
Gameplanet Lab that quality games will be produced and supported. Hopefully this will cut down on all the scams that have been happening on Kickstarter recently.
How does
Gamesplanet Lab differ itself from other crowd funding sources? Taken from their press release
"
Gamesplanet Lab provides project holders with a comprehensive platform to not only fund games, but also to fulfill pre-order rewards for project backers, as well as a distribution platform to reach a global audience."
"Projects are vetted by
Gamesplanet Lab to make sure that they are quality games made by skilled developers, and that reward fulfillment, community communication and more is conducted professionally and honestly."
"Quality outcomes are assured by the project funders themselves. As the game goes through development, backers will be able to check in on the game’s progress and report back to the gaming community."
Gamesplanet Lab also requires project holders to their 10-Point charter of commitments. Here is the charter straight from their
website
1. CLEAR INFORMATION
All project-related information to backers should be clear, precise and up-to-date.
2. PROJECT HOLDER IDENTITY
The identity of a project holder is public, and their contact details always available on their profile page.
3. REAL SELECTION WORK
With Gamesplanet Lab every project is handpicked. This, combined with the contractual link with project holders, allows for the best project quality and chances for success.
4. VIRTUOUS FUNDING SOLUTIONS
If a project does not reach its funding goals, or if a project holder discontinues an ongoing project, all backers will receive an email to inform them the project has been discontinued or has not reached the full pledged amount (with detailed explanations in case of discontinuation). All backers will receive a refund of their contribution and neither the project holder nor Gamesplanet Lab shall receive any money for that specific project.
5. A GUARANTEE FOR THE DELIVERY OF REWARDS
All project holders on Gamesplanet Lab commit by contract to design a game whose feasibility will have previously been assessed by both parties. All rewards must bring backers exclusive advantages over purchasers of the distributed game in its final version (rewards are offered in limited editions, are unique to backers, or the game is offered at a lower price than the final retail price). Finally, backers are involved in the creative process of the game and receive project news regularly, have the possibility of submitting ideas or content, and may vote for any suggestion put forward by the project holder.
6. A CLEAR TIMETABLE
The timetable must mention a delivery date, at least estimated, for the rewards. In the event of a late delivery, the project holder commits to informing backers as soon as possible of the new delivery date.
7. RESPECT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Tamounts paid out may in no circumstances be regarded as transfer of shares, nor as copyright assignment. The project holder retains full intellectual property of his project.
8. SECURE PAYMENTS
Gamesplanet Lab and Ulule.com both use payment systems that conform to applicable banking standards: all transactions are fully secured and Gamesplanet Lab does not keep any banking details which could be hacked.
9. DRM: THE GAMER’S EXPERIENCE BEFORE ALL
Project holders commit to integrating to their final game, on delivery to backers, a DRM (Digital Rights Management) system that prioritizes customer experience (possibility of installing their games on all of their machines) rather than systematic control, and the guarantee that no resident clients will be used for marketing purposes.
10. A QUALITY LABEL DESIGNED WITH GAMERS
The project holder commits to respecting positive values within the games, and backers are invited to validate quality criteria: each completed project is presented to a panel of gamers comprised of project backers who hold the responsibility of grading the project for quality, resulting in the issuance or not of a specific Gamesplanet Lab label. This label, designed to reward project holders with a minimum of 70% backer approval for quality of the game delivered, will be an indicator of gamer satisfaction for consumers and will result in better promotion of the game within the distribution network.
Finally the first two games announced for the
Gamesplanet Lab crowd funders have been announced. "Day One" A dark-comedy adventure from industry veterans Pendulo and "Magrunner" a first person puzzler from 3AM Games. Day One doesn't have an official page yet but you can check out the page for
Magrunner here.
I am very excited about this. I love the idea of crowd funding to help games that may have never seen the light of day before. I also love how you can get some pretty cool things back from your donations. If you want more information about
Gamesplanet Lab you can check out their
official website. and the press release
Partnership with Ulule Targets Indie Game Developers
Kickstarter, IndieGoGo and the rise of crowdfunding has been one of the big stories in game development in 2012. From the historic success of Double Fine's adventure campaign to the pleasant surprise of Banner Saga's big fundraising numbers, independent developers are finding new hope in new models for raising the funding they need to make their games come to life.
Independent digital game distributor
Gamesplanet has teamed up with crowdfunding experts Ulule to launch a new approach to audience-supported game development that will give game designers not only funds, but tools and support. One that will give gamers not only a reward for signing up, but allows them to be part of the development process. One that puts its reputation behind the quality of every project that solicits support.
Gamesplanet Lab comes to the game development world as a fully formed design environment to give developers the support they need to bring their crowdfunded dreams into reality. It's not just a funding platform – it's an agreement between project holders, gamers and Gamesplanet to deliver quality products that gamers can be proud to support.
What makes
Gamesplanet Lab different from other crowdsourcing options?
Gamesplanet Lab provides project holders with a comprehensive platform to not only fund games, but also to fulfill pre-order rewards for project backers, as well as a distribution platform to reach a global audience.
Projects are vetted by
Gamesplanet Lab to make sure that they are quality games made by skilled developers, and that reward fulfillment, community communication and more is conducted professionally and honestly.
Project holders and
Gamesplanet Lab agree to a 10-point charter of commitments that outline project management and pledges to the gaming community.
Quality outcomes are assured by the project funders themselves. As the game goes through development, backers will be able to check in on the game’s progress and report back to the gaming community.
This is not a publishing house. No matter what support
Gamesplanet Lab offers, developers retain full control and copyright over their ideas.
Gamesplanet Lab is also committed to putting the gaming experience first, by demanding not only good results but a gamer friendly approach to the issue of DRM.
Gamesplanet Lab also unveiled the first two projects seeking backers: “Day One”, the dark-comedy adventure from industry veterans Pendulo, and “Magrunner”, an intriguing first-person puzzler from 3AM Games.
Welcome to a new approach to crowdfunding. Be the game changer at
http://lab.gamesplanet.com.
About
Gamesplanet
Gamesplanet was launched in 2006, 4 years after the development in France and Europe of the online subscription gaming site Metaboli, and is now one of the first independent video game downloading platform in Europe and the United States. It has now over 1200 titles available for download and is known for the quality and variety of its catalogue (from Casual to MMO for almost all PC hits), adequacy of prices to a fluctuant market, the flexibility of the platform that conforms to all DRM and stakeholder requirements, close relationship with numerous publishers (Metaboli designs the “official digital stores” for Sega, Focus Interactive, Kalypso, Atari, UbiSoft/Nadeo…) and its wide partner network, distributing games as white labels or through specific collaboration agreements (Best Buy, Fnac, Orange, Micromania, Mediamarkt, SFR, T-online…)
About Ulule
Ulule was launched in October 2006 with the following objective: “Make good things happen”. A year and a half later, the website has helped fund over 800 projects for a total sum exceeding 2 million Euros and is now the European leader in the industry.
Ulule is a community funding service, or crowdfunding service, which enables project holders from any sector to raise funds with their network and internet users. In exchange for their participation, backers receive exclusive rewards (CD of a band they’ve helped finance, private viewings, invitation to events, unique and original items…). Ulule has helped raise funds for sums ranging from a couple of hundreds Euros to over 100,000 € (the record to break is 102,000 € for the renovation of a movie house in Jacksonville, FL, USA).
Innovative and creative projects have been backed by over 50,000 participants, in 103 countries throughout the globe, all united to make good things happen. Over 2 million Euros have been pulled in since the site opened, with a strong progression of the main usage indicators (+25% per month).
