Level 4: Monetization

Games need developers to make them. And before they can do that, they need companies to fund said developers. And in order to do that, they need people like you to spend money on their products. So what the hell are you waiting for? Go buy a game, dammit! Making money, however, is a touchy subject, especially in the free-to-play sector.

Free-to-play titles (with microtransactions) are a lot different than console games because you’re trying to please two very different gamers: 1) those who play for free and 2) those who are willing to spend cash. That means, in order to get free players to spend money, you have to entice them with valuable items and/or gameplay changes that will give them a significant advantage over non-paying customers. Of course, this doesn’t always have to be the case, as it’s possible to offer things that don’t affect gameplay (costume packs, special privileges, etc.).

With Ruined, we’re trying our best to make something that is fun for both paying and non-paying players. We currently have a moneization scheme, but we're holding it back for the time being to bolster a big enough community to support it.

That means you should play our game right now. Seriously, come back and read the rest of this crap later. Stop reading this sentence. And this one. Are you playing Ruined yet? Go!

Level 5: Time

Without a watch, you’re screwed if you want to tell time. Without time, developers are screwed if they want to make a good game.

I never quite understood how long it takes to make one when I worked at EGM. Sure, I know it takes a good two or three years for a high-budget production, but I couldn't really process what that meant until I actually saw firsthand what it takes to make a game from the ground up.

With Ruined, we made everything from scratch (with the exception of our engine, Unity). Like I said earlier, this is the first U.S.-developed project at our company, so it meant we were the guinea pigs. It also meant we had to learn how to make everything work perfectly...very, very quickly.

Time is the biggest enemy for any game in development, and now I understand why titles like L.A. Noire take multiple years to complete. Quality takes time. Without it, you’re left with a backlog of amazing ideas that may or may not come to fruition.

For instance, with Ruined, we originally had five to six modes planned, multiple character skins and costumes, and a skill tree for long-lasting play. So what made it into the game? Two modes: deathmatch and team deathmatch. That’s it! Not by choice, mind you.

But luckily for us, we have the ability to add new features periodically thanks to this being an online game. Still, development time is something I never really comprehended as a reviewer. It’s so easy to sit back on our couches and whine and complain about how what we’re playing doesn’t have a lot of content. Hell, I did it for a living! But now I truly understand why this is. And that’s why I don’t wear a watch! Time sucks.

Final boss: Making money

We’re currently gearing up to fight the final boss right now, and hopefully we’ll win (*crosses fingers*). In the meantime, you can help the battle by checking out our game at www.ruined.com. And by help, I mean spend $1-$5,000 when we eventually put content in the store. Preferably the latter figure.

Thanks! Y’all are the best.