'Game developer' is only offering royalty-based payment
I'm not sure if I can say who it is for privacy reasons, but a group on moddb was looking for a character artist. After some further discussion they're only offering royalty-based payment.
At the moment I'm unemployed and can't afford to work for free. I have no background on the company's reputation or I haven't dug enough. I can disclose it in case anyone's worked with them before.
Is it worth it or should I politely decline while I haven't started work?
At the moment I'm unemployed and can't afford to work for free. I have no background on the company's reputation or I haven't dug enough. I can disclose it in case anyone's worked with them before.
Is it worth it or should I politely decline while I haven't started work?
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Thought I'd update before closing.
I turned it down but said I might still be interested if they needed me in a couple months. At that point I'd see if they were then willing to pay upfront. I treat creating artwork as a profession and most people I spoke with in the past were paying upfront with intellectual property fees (industry standard). Artists shouldn't sacrifice time or value for exposure unless it's something they want to do for themselves or a close friend/relative.
I turned it down but said I might still be interested if they needed me in a couple months. At that point I'd see if they were then willing to pay upfront. I treat creating artwork as a profession and most people I spoke with in the past were paying upfront with intellectual property fees (industry standard). Artists shouldn't sacrifice time or value for exposure unless it's something they want to do for themselves or a close friend/relative.
Royalty-based payment is worth it only if you have good faith that the team will actually
1. Finish their product
2. Successfully market for product
If you don't have an essay's worth of knowledge on what it takes for a team to do that so you're able to judge if it's worth it, I'd personally stay away if you're doing especially for the money, and not for just making a game
Plus, give them a break. Most game developers are startups or indies with no reputation.
1. Finish their product
2. Successfully market for product
If you don't have an essay's worth of knowledge on what it takes for a team to do that so you're able to judge if it's worth it, I'd personally stay away if you're doing especially for the money, and not for just making a game
Plus, give them a break. Most game developers are startups or indies with no reputation.
Ask for compensation for materials and the reasonable cost of your time up front.
If they agree to it, go for it. If not (which I suspect) walk away. There are too many people out there who prey on artists telling them that they will get exposure or some future profit. Artists hear, "well I do it because I love art" so much.
You are not, and never will be a bad artists because you turn down jobs from people who think what you do doesn't deserve pay.
If they agree to it, go for it. If not (which I suspect) walk away. There are too many people out there who prey on artists telling them that they will get exposure or some future profit. Artists hear, "well I do it because I love art" so much.
You are not, and never will be a bad artists because you turn down jobs from people who think what you do doesn't deserve pay.
I told them I needed upfront pay and to come back in a couple months if they haven't found someone else. Maybe then I can negotiate something up front.
I've been meaning to edit with an update but I can't for some reason.
I've been meaning to edit with an update but I can't for some reason.
Sounds like a decent plan. If they still haven't found anyone in that time, you will probably have some bargaining power. Sadly though, they will probably find another artist who will get ripped off.
Probably. Since there's no money involved at least the artist should have enough smarts to leave if the group gets too demanding.
One would hope, but there are too many artists out there who have more artistic skill than business sense. They fall victim to being told that they should be doing it for the love of the art and not worrying about money.
Yeah. It's probably greedy of me but I do treat it as a job.
You already know the answer. Run and run far.
Post is a bit old but I decided in favor of taking pride and value in my work. 
Don't. Your art is only ever worth as much as you sell it for. If you devaluate your art, it could very well prove difficult for you to raise the prices back up again.
< I can't find the flashing THIS icon, but please pretend I put it here >
True. I have commission prices, and even then I'm having a hard time getting those right.
I turned it down this morning. They seemed to understand what I said by prioritizing work I was guaranteed pay for.
I turned it down this morning. They seemed to understand what I said by prioritizing work I was guaranteed pay for.
If you are inexperienced then it's very normal if you ask me, if you are serious about it then it could be your ticket in the company. Even successful companies don't pay you if you are inexperienced. The game industry is dark, or it has been until now, it's hard for companies to survive because creating games takes a long time and lots of resources are needed, time is short and if they start accepting inexperienced people teaching them everything they have to learn, all their time would probably go from game developers to teachers, and that wouldn't be good for the company.
If you are a game developer and have some contacts and perhaps some kind of information about game development and its process, then you would know how hard it is to get a job. After all, you would be taking advantage of them too, you would learn a lot, you would acquire contacts, and you would be able to write in your resume that you worked for a company. The next time you search for a job, you will most likely have better prospects. I know lots of designers who work for free, many of my friends worked for free until they got a better position. Even I work for free, and I was lucky enough to have a contact who recommended me. Believe me there are so many designers out there, if you say no, they won't have a problem, they will find somebody else.
If you can't work for free then game development isn't your solution. You have to find another job. Game development needs time, effort, unpaid hours. I know professionals who started their own game company and don't earn money, because working with games is their passion. First you create the game, then you hope that people like it enough to buy it. That's the deal.
I don't know much about the company so it's hard to tell. Is it big or small? is it just a small inexperienced team who try to create something? is it a successful and professional company?
If you are a game developer and have some contacts and perhaps some kind of information about game development and its process, then you would know how hard it is to get a job. After all, you would be taking advantage of them too, you would learn a lot, you would acquire contacts, and you would be able to write in your resume that you worked for a company. The next time you search for a job, you will most likely have better prospects. I know lots of designers who work for free, many of my friends worked for free until they got a better position. Even I work for free, and I was lucky enough to have a contact who recommended me. Believe me there are so many designers out there, if you say no, they won't have a problem, they will find somebody else.
If you can't work for free then game development isn't your solution. You have to find another job. Game development needs time, effort, unpaid hours. I know professionals who started their own game company and don't earn money, because working with games is their passion. First you create the game, then you hope that people like it enough to buy it. That's the deal.
I don't know much about the company so it's hard to tell. Is it big or small? is it just a small inexperienced team who try to create something? is it a successful and professional company?
They're trying to take advantage of you. Pass.
If they are serious and professional they would know art needs to be paid for up front. And this sort of thing is how you wind up having someone alter your design or art just enough to wiggle around copyright concerns and not pay you anything at all.
You do not need that kind of experience or exposure. This is not a 'company' (for all you know three dudes in a garage, that's a pretty common MO) you want to associiate with, they are going to be a major pain in the ass.
Who cares if you have free time? That doesn't mean you should waste it on crap like this, if you want to do something to further your art career find something you need to improve on, work on your portfolio, do a personal project.
If they are serious and professional they would know art needs to be paid for up front. And this sort of thing is how you wind up having someone alter your design or art just enough to wiggle around copyright concerns and not pay you anything at all.
You do not need that kind of experience or exposure. This is not a 'company' (for all you know three dudes in a garage, that's a pretty common MO) you want to associiate with, they are going to be a major pain in the ass.
Who cares if you have free time? That doesn't mean you should waste it on crap like this, if you want to do something to further your art career find something you need to improve on, work on your portfolio, do a personal project.
From the way it looked on moddb it's a couple people working from home. My main concern if I went through with it would be they'd try to find a way to not pay me. Like you said.
I have quite a bit of personal stuff to work on, but I was hoping I could get this as some future rent money or something.
I wish people would realize we're still people needing to pay bills, too.
I have quite a bit of personal stuff to work on, but I was hoping I could get this as some future rent money or something.
I wish people would realize we're still people needing to pay bills, too.
Yeah, a couple dudes working alone isn't a bad thing, but it does make it more likely they'll act unprofessional. They wouldn't have a issue buying equipment, providing space, for work, food, the people who have to code and do the animation for the game (unless one of them happens to own the business)...but concept art with which the game cannot be made? Nah, that's worthless. If they want someoneto work for nothing they need to find a friend who does art and wanta to help out. It's a labor of love for them...for you it's a paycheck.
And whenevrer you see a 'professional' artist telling you to work for no pay, check their gallery. 99.9% of the time they don't have professonal quality work so can't get properly hired, anyway.
If you want to have your work in a game and are willing to put effort in for little pay see if you can find some people near you who are working on one and get together with them, go hang out, have fun, let it be a labor of love/favor for your friends for you, too.
And whenevrer you see a 'professional' artist telling you to work for no pay, check their gallery. 99.9% of the time they don't have professonal quality work so can't get properly hired, anyway.
If you want to have your work in a game and are willing to put effort in for little pay see if you can find some people near you who are working on one and get together with them, go hang out, have fun, let it be a labor of love/favor for your friends for you, too.
Yeah. I have friends who wanted me to do art and even they were willing to pay for it.
A similar situation happened a couple years ago when someone found my youtube channel. They wanted me to help make art for their RPG maker game. All they promised was 'exposure.' I tore in to them about how some of us in the world have bills to pay for, and there's plenty of online platforms to get the money to pay your staff.
I guess I should have thought back to then.
A similar situation happened a couple years ago when someone found my youtube channel. They wanted me to help make art for their RPG maker game. All they promised was 'exposure.' I tore in to them about how some of us in the world have bills to pay for, and there's plenty of online platforms to get the money to pay your staff.
I guess I should have thought back to then.
You have answered your own question. At the moment I'm unemployed and can't afford to work for free. If you can't afford to pump out designs for a company that isn't paying for them right away, move on to another job. Simple.
xD Sounds like it. I was pretty pumped till they told me about it.
There's always a catch isn't there. 
Mhm. I could try negotiating something about upfront payment. Kinda sneaky. One time someone had the nerve to contact me about art with the 'exposure' line.