NESMaker Game Makers Charging for ROMs

[Ferris Bueller | 495]

In the past week, I have encountered two ROMs for sale on itch.io. And while ROMs being sold there isn't anything new, the hard block to the ROM unless you pay feels like it is.

I'm thinking back to stuff like Alter Ego and Zooming Secretary, really early homebrew games where the ROMs have been free since day one. Even people making games over the last ten years, most of the time they ask for a small payment for the ROM, but you can still DL if you'd like.

Hitting two NESMaker games in one week that will only give you the ROM if you pay $10, both I think have a coupon activated so it's more like $7, is... odd to me.

[Tanooki | 4,934]

Are you talking about the dragon looking one and the "dead" one I'm sure you know what I mean if they are.  I'm honestly not sure what I think of it really.  On one side, they're using a tool even I've been attempted to make a stab at because you can make marvelous stuff and do something without knowing how to code.  It allows some creative dreams to happen, and just because they used that easy out of a tool, doesn't mean that 100s of hours of work didn't go into that, typically by a single person or very very small team.  If you think of it in that respect, maybe they do deserve a few bucks, even as a ROM (either for a limited time or just going forward.)

The dragon one I've been tempted to try out, looks good, but not sure if I'd hate the mechanics of it all.  I'd just rather buy the real deal, but the price given the GBP to USD value+shipping royal mail kind of sucks unfortunately.

[OptOut | 8,889]

I can sign my name on a napkin and sell it on eBay. Anyone can sell anything, as long as they own it. What's the big deal?

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

Are the wholly original creations? If they are then there is nothing wrong with charging for them. Just because others in the past haven't done so, doesn't mean that no one can charge anything after that. 

[Tanooki | 4,934]

4 hours ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

Are the wholly original creations? If they are then there is nothing wrong with charging for them. Just because others in the past haven't done so, doesn't mean that no one can charge anything after that. 

I don't know if what he's pointing out is the same as what I was eluding to, but if it is (they're dmg gameboy games) they're using the design tool but the assets are original.

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

1 hour ago, Tanooki said:

I don't know if what he's pointing out is the same as what I was eluding to, but if it is (they're dmg gameboy games) they're using the design tool but the assets are original.

Well if they're  still making their own games they can charge whatever they want for it. The NES maker guys have stated they dont require/take/have any input to people selling what they create. So charging money for a rom is no different than someone selling a mobile game

[Lincoln | 230]

People have a right to ask whatever they want for their work. The nesmaker aspect doesnt dictate one way or the other, its just a tool people can buy to enhance their abilities. 

We as a community have been very fortunate to have many talented people sharing their work freely for a long time. We have a strong homebrew culture been built on that foundation. I dont see it going away. 

Anyone selling new work at this point is going to have to show up with something impressive. Very few homebrews clear that bar, and I'm betting most nesmaker titles dont either. If anything its likely going to resign those projects to obscurity.

[BouncekDeLemos | 82]

People can charge if they want to. Some do it for free while others do it to fund other projects, eat, or just do it for the sake of having mo' money. It's fine either way.

There are three primary orientations artists/creators could live by, money's one of them. Without getting too much into it, an artist can make something to express themselves, show something amongst their peers to get recognition, and/or create something for commercial use. If they want to. It's all up to them.

[fox | 1,667]

I mean if they are using open license tools and created their own assets, sounds like they have the right to charge a modest amount for their hard work.

[Sumez | 2,965]

It is cool that people make NES games for free, but I don't see why you should expect them to be. What makes them worth "less" than other games?

No matter what I think about Nesmaker, making a complete and functional game takes work. And a lot of it. Even if the engine is already fully created for you. If the game is good enough, people will pay for that. If it's a low-effort cashgrab they probably won't make any money anyway.

[WhyNotZoidberg | 585]

If NES Maker is up and running and people are out there using it to create games they can sell, then surely now they are using it to create their game, Mystic Searches! Can't wait.