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Shelby Lavender

[Indie] Selling Games made in the doom engine?

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I am using the Doom engine to learn how to create & design Levels. Since it would be a good starting point unlike something more filled with distractions like Unreal. The Doom Engine has also had a long time and a dedicated community create the best tools for the job.

 

Later down the line, once I have the skills to do so. I am hoping to create a game from the doom engine or an engine that that is some what like it. 

I am wondering if you can sell a game built in it, and what is required to sell a game that is built in the doom engine or Zdoom?
Also if you know of another engine that would work like (GoldSrc, Build, Build2, QuakeII, etc) please relay any info that you can.

 

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As long as all the assets are your own then yeah why not, just don't bundle the source ports with it. dont expect to make many sales, selling a doom mod to a community that make mods for nothing won't get you far. that shit better be AAA at best to peek any interest here.

 

If I wasn't using textures i found off google for my mod I'm working on now I would sell that shit too. I'm hoping to do it for next project... I ain't doing this for free anymore it's not worth it.

 

 

what is it you have planned exactly? I love total conversions so consider me interested.

 

 

Edited by Ermi

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TBQH I'm not aware of any game using one of id software's (formerly) commercial engines without a license of sorts, at least when the engines were in their heyday, and by the time the engines themselves were open sourced (including Doom and all iterations of the Quake engine), the interest in using them for a commercial game had all but waned.

 

Of course, there's a difference between "using the Doom engine as-is", "making your own modified version of the Doom engine", "using a specific existing source port of the Doom engine" and "using Doom's resources".

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im still thrilled with the idea of selling a book or an album that happens to have a "free" megawad bundled with it

kinda

but then i just give doomworld all my music for free anyway because i have no self-respect as such

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1 minute ago, yakfak said:

im still thrilled with the idea of selling a book or an album that happens to have a "free" megawad bundled with it

kinda

but then i just give doomworld all my music for free anyway because i have no self-respect as such

?

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8 minutes ago, Catpho said:

?

oops, meant to say "self-control" not the other thing!

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I mean yeah, you could, but like Ermi said, that shit better be revolutionary for anybody to wanna buy it, especially in a community where just about all mods and map packs are free. But give it a shot. If you have a good idea, and it peaks my interest, I'd be willing to buy it. :) 

 

I'd say release a couple of free mods to get your name out there so that if you do sell something, people would be more willing to spend money

Edited by PepsiBepsi

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49 minutes ago, PepsiBepsi said:

I mean yeah, you could, but like Ermi said, that shit better be revolutionary for anybody to wanna buy it, especially in a community where just about all mods and map packs are free. But give it a shot. If you have a good idea, and it peaks my interest, I'd be willing to buy it. :) 

 

I'd say release a couple of free mods to get your name out there so that if you do sell something, people would be more willing to spend money

Yeah I understand I'm still very much a noob and don't have anything I feel comfortable with posting online since there kinda crappy  (it's more of a maybe wayyyyy into the future and what is the legal implications)

 

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2 hours ago, Ermi said:

As long as all the assets are your own then yeah why not, just don't bundle the source ports with it. dont expect to make many sales, selling a doom mod to a community that make mods for nothing won't get you far. that shit better be AAA at best to peek any interest here.

 

If I wasn't using textures i found off google for my mod I'm working on now I would sell that shit too. I'm hoping to do it for next project... I ain't doing this for free anymore it's not worth it.

 

 

what is it you have planned exactly? I love total conversions so consider me interested.

 

 

Yea I'm the same in the interest in TCs (and yea it would have to be really good to even consider charging money for it) and the skill for that I do not have atm 

 

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7 minutes ago, SuperCupcakeTactics said:

Well there's the GLOOME and GPL-GZDoom I've heard about. Also yeah a commercial TC kind of deal sounds cool and fun

 I'll look more into gloome and gpl gz doom

 

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1 minute ago, InsanityBringer said:

No need to look into either, plain old GZDoom is now GPL now. Both projects are thus abandoned now.

Does that mean there is no need to acquire a licence

 

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Most Doom source ports are licensed under the GPL which means you are free to use their source code for anything you want, up to and including selling your own product that uses that source code, so long as you make the source code and any changes you make to it public and extend the same rights for everyone else to use your code in the same manner you used the source port's code.

 

The takeaway from this is that yes, you can sell your own Doom engine game, so long as the port you used is GPL-licensed and you aren't otherwise using anyone else's art assets or what have you.

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And yet, AFAIK, nobody has done so in years, at least on the desktop. The last known time a commercial Doom-engine game appeared was in the 1990s, when a regular license from id was still required (this does not include official source ports such as the XBLA version). The only commercial exploitation of the Doom engine appears to be a few (and far between) mobile ports of Doom, but that's not what the OP had in mind.

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1 minute ago, Maes said:

And yet, AFAIK, nobody has done so in years, at least on the desktop. The last known time a commercial Doom-engine game appeared was in the 1990s, when a regular license from id was still required. The only commercial exploitation of the Doom engine appears to be a few (and far between) mobile ports of Doom, but that's not what the OP had in mind.

 

As the lines blur more and more, I would consider Action Doom 2 in this boat. You can get on Steam with $100 and not much else, and that officially makes Valve the Publisher.

With no ESRB Rating.

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I know I don't have much experience with selling indie games but, I would agree with @Linguica's post here, If you want to sell your own Doom engine game, it must be licensed under GPL, and includes your own assets.

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2 hours ago, Shelby Lavender said:

Yeah I understand I'm still very much a noob and don't have anything I feel comfortable with posting online since there kinda crappy  (it's more of a maybe wayyyyy into the future and what is the legal implications)

 

Ahhh ok. Yeah if you're just making sure its legal, well, I guess thats already been answered by linguica, good luck with your endeavors :)

 

 

Edited by PepsiBepsi

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This is kinda-sorta on topic: Jimmy could have sold Adventures of Square if he so chose, right? Yakfak made a cool point I thought, a "free" cd with the mod on it coming when you buy the cool little book*, which would be like the backstory and hint manual or something, preferably with a bit of cool art.

 

*Potentially replace book with music cd or t-shirt or whatever cool little trinket the author decides on

 

I'd happily shell out some clams for such a cool little package assuming the mod was reasonably good. The novelty in and of itself would be enough to sell me.

Edited by Doomkid

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1 hour ago, Doomkid said:

This is kinda-sorta on topic: Jimmy could have sold Adventures of Square if he so chose, right? Yakfak made a cool point I thought, a "free" cd with the mod on it coming when you buy the cool little book*, which would be like the backstory and hint manual or something, preferably with a bit of cool art.

 

*Potentially replace book with music cd or t-shirt or whatever cool little trinket the author decides on

 

I'd happily shell out some clams for such a cool little package assuming the mod was reasonably good. The novelty in and of itself would be enough to sell me.

This is kind of how things like "The Lost Episodes of Doom" and "They Hunger" were sold back in the day.  Slap a free disc in a package with a strategy guide or magazine.  This reminds me I still need to play Jupiter v40

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On 3/26/2018 at 5:31 PM, guitardz said:

"The Lost Episodes of Doom"

The production quality of the book is high, with illustrations and walkthroughs and trivia. The mod itself was quite good for its time.

 

Back when I bought it, I paid US$10 and I was very pleased with my acquisition. It still has a place of pride on my bookshelf.

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44 minutes ago, ReX said:

Back when I bought it, I paid US$10 and I was very pleased with my acquisition.

I believe mine cost $19.99 USD from a store called Hasting's Entertainment, which was known for overpricing a lot of their merchandise, that is probably why they are out of business, now.

 

I had it and back in the day , the book was great, but the free levels disc was the reason I bought it, lol.  I played probably the first 4 levels of it...I still need to finish it, lol.

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Though to be honest, making a bunch of levels isn't the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions "selling games using the Doom engine". I was thinking more about something like Heretic or Strife, with extensive engine modifications.

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Besides some obvious things here and there, there isn't much stopping you. But if it's like Hunt Down The Freeman, using assets from other sources, is glitchy, and just all around sucking, you will be fine. Just don't pull a Hunt Down the Freeman.

 

 

 

Also, the only other example I can think about similar to this besides Ion Maiden is this weird but cool EDuke 32 engine game on steam. Forgot the name but ill put it here if I find it.

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4 hours ago, Percival232 said:

Also, the only other example I can think about similar to this besides Ion Maiden is this weird but cool EDuke 32 engine game on steam. Forgot the name but ill put it here if I find it.

Isn't that cyberpunk / VR themed puzzle game? I played it long ago, don't remember the name too but it was free to download and play.

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