What if there could be Patreon for "community wish" GMS2 features?

gnysek

Member
As we know, there's tons of stuff, that is awaiting in GMS2 to be implemented.

Lot of it is on official roadmap: https://help.yoyogames.com/hc/en-us/articles/360022211472
But there's much more on mantis - 417 (if you reset all filters and switch to "GM Suggestions on top right of page).

Most of them is not implemented, because there's not enough manpower to implement them, they need to much time to implement, have no sense from business point, or are just "cool" things only for developer comfort rather than giving really new possibilities.

But... what if GM Community can sponsor those addons, tossing some money to YYG using some service like Patreon? Among those who will sponsor, there would be voting phase which features should be implemented first, and then additional developer would sit on those "community wishes" part, separate from normal roadmap and core-team tasks.

I am, from my side able to pay 10-20$ every month for whole year without problems, to get features implemented.

I can't say the name, as forum rules forbids it, but one of GMS competitors get about 9000$ monthly this way - that should be enough to get 2-3 persons to work on "community wishes". A some of them are IDE-only, it should be possible to finish as much as 50-100 wishes per year. Even if I'm too optimistic, for sure there would be lot of them.
 

chance

predictably random
Forum Staff
Moderator
[snip]
...that should be enough to get 2-3 persons to work on "community wishes".
We're all eager to see our favorite features added first. But this isn't a practical way to develop integrated and stable software. The choice of features, and the order in which they're added, shouldn't be based on the highest bidder.

This might work with software comprising independent libraries, or extensions built around a standardized framework. But not for features integrated into the core of Studio.
 
Patreon is more for Youtubers with tutorials who offer source code on Patreon as an incentive along with having polls there too. Oh and for pixel artists.
 

FrostyCat

Redemption Seeker
We're all eager to see our favorite features added first. But this isn't a practical way to develop integrated and stable software. The choice of features, and the order in which they're added, shouldn't be based on the highest bidder.

This might work with software comprising independent libraries, or extensions built around a standardized framework. But not for features integrated into the core of Studio.
Except the most pressing needs for GMS 2 right now are "independent libraries" and "extensions built around a standardized framework".

Have you seen the debacle that is the Google Play Services plugin, and more generally its roster of API and monetization integrations? They have not been touched in ages, and they're coming apart at the seams. This is stuff that YoYo can and should outsource.

What about commonly reused code such as vector/matrix math and pathfinding algorithms? They don't touch on the core of GM and can be done in pure GML, but having them ready-made would greatly benefit current and future GMS use cases. This is stuff that YoYo can and should outsource.
 
C

CombatCalamity

Guest
Have always agreed to GM needing to outsource, and I'm here back again throwing another vote. There are simply too many core functionalities that are missing and/or broken, and the fact that I and plenty others here would donate for basically nothing but to see their beloved tool grows well for everyone to enjoy is a no-brainer.

This will really benefit everyone. Both to your company and the end users. I wonder who would reject such offer......:rolleyes:
 

gnysek

Member
Theoretically there is plugin system in GMS2, but they still didn't provided any API and docs for it after 2 years. And API would probably only allow to extend editor, not executables.
 

Kenshiro

Member
I'm not saying you are wrong, but if I were to sponsor development that way, I would choose a FOSS project.
 
C

CombatCalamity

Guest
I'm not saying you are wrong, but if I were to sponsor development that way, I would choose a FOSS project.
If you're heavily invested in GM, it makes sense even financially to donate, even if it's commercially owned by a company. It's better for you, personally, since it provides better support for the tool that you use to make money.

This is why I'd much rather pick commercial engines where I'm obliged to pay at some point like GM/Unreal/Unity, rather than say.. Godot. They just provide better support with a much more solid community. Whereas with a FOSS, when you found a problem, it's more like "well it's free anyway so... take it or leave it" while you're stuck with a deadline and already invested time and money into it.

In the end, anything that suits you, I guess.
 

Kenshiro

Member
If you're heavily invested in GM, it makes sense even financially to donate, even if it's commercially owned by a company. It's better for you, personally, since it provides better support for the tool that you use to make money.

This is why I'd much rather pick commercial engines where I'm obliged to pay at some point like GM/Unreal/Unity, rather than say.. Godot. They just provide better support with a much more solid community. Whereas with a FOSS, when you found a problem, it's more like "well it's free anyway so... take it or leave it" while you're stuck with a deadline and already invested time and money into it.

In the end, anything that suits you, I guess.
Makes sense you want to pick the tool that suits more your needs. Not wanting to get into that side of debate, I just feel that donations, bounties and patreons feel more in place (for me) when you're giving them to a community around a FOSS software project, not a company.
Hopefully I didn't derail the thread.
 

Dog Slobber

Member
Makes sense you want to pick the tool that suits more your needs. Not wanting to get into that side of debate, I just feel that donations, bounties and patreons feel more in place (for me) when you're giving them to a community around a FOSS software project, not a company.
Hopefully I didn't derail the thread.
Agreed.

Crowdfunding is fine for FOSS, startups and independent creators, but has no place in funding projects for established, successful businesses.

What kind of message is sent to potential Playtech stockholders and investors, should one of its subsidiuaryies want to fund a project with crowdfunding?
 
C

CombatCalamity

Guest
Makes sense you want to pick the tool that suits more your needs. Not wanting to get into that side of debate, I just feel that donations, bounties and patreons feel more in place (for me) when you're giving them to a community around a FOSS software project, not a company.
Hopefully I didn't derail the thread.
Agreed.

Crowdfunding is fine for FOSS, startups and independent creators, but has no place in funding projects for established, successful businesses.

What kind of message is sent to potential Playtech stockholders and investors, should one of its subsidiuaryies want to fund a project with crowdfunding?

There are people who'd love to donate and see GM improve. The people giving the money are happy, the company given the money is happy, which then makes the community using the product happy due to better inner support and fixes. Why not? Just out of 'business' edginess?:p

Crowdfunding, patreon, etc. are all of a sudden invalid because a big company is about to use it, but if it was a smaller team or individuals that use it commercially the exact same way just with a smaller scale, you'd be okay with it? :p
 

chance

predictably random
Forum Staff
Moderator
The people giving the money are happy, the company given the money is happy, which then makes the community using the product happy due to better inner support and fixes.
(emphasis added)

Yes, people giving the most money would be happy, because they'd control new features. A minority of wealthy donors might want less emphasis on GML and more "beginner friendly" DnD features. What then?

This donor system is a terrible business model. It gives the appearance of exploiting customers who must buy software, and then pay again for new features and growth. And maybe not even get them, if they are out bid.

And it suggests the company has no long-term vision of their own.

If I were a new customer looking at this system, I'd run in the other direction.
 

Kenshiro

Member
Crowdfunding, patreon, etc. are all of a sudden invalid because a big company is about to use it, but if it was a smaller team or individuals that use it commercially the exact same way just with a smaller scale, you'd be okay with it? :p
Speaking for myself here, but I only donate to FOSS projects (whether they are user commercially or not).
 
C

CombatCalamity

Guest
(emphasis added)

Yes, people giving the most money would be happy, because they'd control new features. A minority of wealthy donors might want less emphasis on GML and more "beginner friendly" DnD features. What then?

This donor system is a terrible business model. It gives the appearance of exploiting customers who must buy software, and then pay again for new features and growth. And maybe not even get them, if they are out bid.

And it suggests the company has no long-term vision of their own.

If I were a new customer looking at this system, I'd run in the other direction.
You seem to have missed my point. I'm not pushing the bidding part.

About whether or not they get an extra vote for donating can be discussed further, but the fact remains that donating accelerates the speed in which Yoyo get stuff done. How do you not want this?

I don't give food to kids in Africa to bid them and control their future. I simply want them to eat. Is it that hard to comprehend?
 
but the fact remains that donating accelerates the speed in which Yoyo get stuff done.
How? Why does everyone assume that throwing money at a company will suddenly make them able to do more things quickly. If that was the case, then more sales of GMS2 should mean that they are able to get things done just as quick as a group of people donating $20-$30 dollars a month.

I agree with chance that the whole idea sounds really bad, and it makes it that those that pay get to make the decisions for all of those others that cannot afford to. At times on the old GMC (back in 8.1 and GMS1.x days) there was a real feeling of elitism between groups of people, and this sounds like it would just cause the same sort of rift in the community between those that can and will pay so they can get the stuff they want, and the people that won't or can't pay.
 
Top