Simple question, do you buy Homebrew games?
Why?
&
Why not?
I use to back in the 90s for my Atari ST. Bought quite a lot actually but that was usually after reading about it in a magazine or later on via NeST / etc... In fact, I came upon one that I think is lost now (Crime Wave for the STE). I posted it recently but this site is definitely the better place to post - I hope one day the author reads this! ;-)
I written a letter but as yet have had no reply... sigh
https://ataricrypt.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/crime-wave-mia.html
One of the best homebrew titles I ever bought must be Utopos. Wow this still blows my (tiny) mind. Amazing game. Homebrew authors are some of the most creative and aren't held back by rules or other reasons. Then there is also Laserball, which was recently released as a boxed game, bought that too lol
Homebrew rules, especially the beer.
I used to buy PD games on the Amiga so yeah a long time ago! I don't now because I don't own the hardware for a lot of home few games I want, there is a few cd32 home brew releases upcoming this and next year so I will support them.
I buy some but with so many constantly being released I have to pick and choose. I think it's very cool getting new games for old systems and the quality is usually great.
The coder for Laserball is a good friend of this place mate
@simoncam I purchased it as well but I am not prolific as some of the members here.
How awesome it would be to find that game, have you search the guys name?
I usually buy most of the homebrews for my favorite consoles. But, for me, the decision to purchase a homebrew is greatly affected by the developer. Since most homebrew developers participate on the related retro gaming forums, it's pretty easy to see who are positive members of a community and who are not. I'm happy to support Jaguar developers like Matthias and Orion, but there are others who I'd never give a penny... even if they released the greatest Jaguar game ever.
Hi! Intersting question.
Let me add my thoughts from the other end - creation of Laserball and ANARCHO Ride.
I personaly dicided to publish Laserball and ANARCHO Ride als a free download. I simply assumed that nobody would pay for a game-download for these old computers. However I made the boxed version of Laserball and it found roughly 40 fans that actualy purchased a copy! I was very happy. I did not expect that much. And it covered my cost of producing the boxes... nothing more.
Making ANARCHO Ride into a boxed version is simply impractical... it would need 3 DD Floppys per Box... hard to get these days.
I still think giving Laserball/ANARCHO Ride for free to the communety, was a good decission. It now has some several hundred downloads and I got some nice feedback. If fans would have to pay for a download I assume it would be considarably less downloads... even if I would ask for â,¬5 (what I would consider a fair price for a game like that) and 100 Fans would pay and download it would only make a total of â,¬500 - that simply would not make sense...
I prefered to go for the fun and not for the money. Stil happy with my decission.
Side info: On the ANARCHO Ride Expansion Pack download page I ask for the old "PD-Logic": get something extra, send some money ;) . I got beathtaking â,¬5 from an ARATI FAN!!! That is the total! :)
I do, as you know. I'm like Tom, I buy for my favorite systems. The cool thing is that many homebrew developers bring games that were not released for the system back in the day (like what
@PacManPlus Plus does for the 7800) or even bring new original games for these older systems.
I'm not sure where I stand on homebrew stuff really. A lot of it is very good technically, pushing the old tech to the limit.
I guess for me there is no nostalgia connected to it though. Thats a big part of the retro scene in my eyes!
Completing unreleased games is cool however.
I buy most everything available for the Atari Jaguar. To support the devs and system but also to play. While I buy extra copies when possible, it's not as an investment or for a return but to help preserve it in some way. To date, I've never sold anything for the Jag and don't intend to.
Although interested in homebrew for other systems, like Shadowrunner said, there's so much that it can be overwhelming. Plus, when you pre-order, you can run into problems like waiting forever for the actual item to be finished. I don't like dates being pushed back endlessly as with a recent Dreamcast (http://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4662.msg90754#msg90754) purchase so it varies by system/dev/finances/tolerance.
Quote from: Saturn on July 03, 2016, 13:17:31 PM
Plus, when you pre-order, you can run into problems like waiting forever for the actual item to be finished. I don't like dates being pushed back endlessly as with a recent Dreamcast (http://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4662.msg90754#msg90754) purchase so it varies by system/dev/finances/tolerance.
I've been waiting longer than that for my Vectrex Warrior cart to arrive... I think it's been over 5 years since my pre-order. >:(
Five years is atrocious. Any amount of time beyond a couple of weeks is bad business.
I hope you get that puppy one day soon.
The last copies are being shipped already for Warrior, so you should have it soon tom.
The latest update on Furyunlimited.com is that the remaining copies of Warrior are shipping in July/August... but he's posted false hope many times before. Didn't you order one too? Did yours arrive yet?
Yes, I did receive mine already. So, it is not false hope this time. Many people have reported getting it and some have even been sold in EBay already!
Quote from: TrekMD on July 08, 2016, 23:32:27 PM
Many people have reported getting it and some have even been sold in EBay already!
Wow, that's gotta be a downer. I hate when people do that get on a list for a new item and before others even have their copy someone's selling. Happens a lot with the Jaguar. Pretty disrespectful but I guess greedy people don't have much self respect to begin with. ¯\_(ãƒ,,)_/¯
The price of recent homebrew games got me thinking of this topic again.
I hate to say it but I think I'm done buying them. I look at the ones I've bought over the last few years, and other than a couple times when I first got them it's been months or years since I've played any of them.
The games that put me over the edge are Jaguar games, and I realize it's a niche console with less fans to sell to and therefore they need to charge more to make a profit, but I just can't justify the expense anymore. Rebooteroids with shipping would cost me about $130 in my currency! Yeah it looks great and it's not the developers fault that the Canadian dollar is so low right now, but I know I'll never play it enough to get that much value out of it.
I still think it's awesome that people are making new games for old consoles, but I'm out.
That sucks to hear but I completely understand. Especially at that price :0
I only actively collect for one system as everything is through the roof in recent years. Just picked the one I enjoy the most and front all the money to it.
I have to agree that the prices are going up. Sometimes the reason the prices are higher is because more people want complete releases, as in cart, box, and manual. All of these add to the price. I can understand your being turned off by it, Shadow as it is indeed getting pricey.
@Saturn will just have to start buying 4 copies of every new Jag game to make up for the copy I won't be buying ;D lol
Ha, I would if I could justify it. :D
You'd be buying them as a gift to Shadow! ;)
In that case or 5 please
@Saturn lol.
In all seriousness, I hear what your saying
@Shadowrunner, I simply can not justify the high cost of all these games and at most will only buy 3/4 Homebrews a year these days, most of these will be computer based games as they are also more often than not cheaper than there cartridge counterparts.
Yes or no - have done, so yes.
Why - because it meant I could get a classic title and support the community at the same time.
Why not - generally, I find homebrews a let down. Great that people go to such time and trouble but disappointing that many titles are not of a high enough standard to warrant the price. One exception that springs to mind is Alice's Mom's Rescue which is available on multiple platforms and is a very, very good price. Shows what could be achieved.