Funding for Game Testing?

[Gone_Away]

Guys,
 
In the last couple of months I've splashed out on two games that have gone nowhere for dMw. It's made me think before I'll be doing that any more.
 
Is it possible that there can be a fund of sorts that can be set aside for things like this?
 
Say for example that Ghost as the lead of Gaming Development can purchase the odd game and then "gift" it through Steam to those of us that are on the development team?
 
NF

[TeaLeaf]

I think that's a difficult road to go down.  At the moment most of our experience is coming from free betas, whether or not we then buy to try a game is down to us as individuals imo.  I've purchased the same games, touched them once and then never done anything else with them, I just accept that as part of the gaming regime, so work, some don't.

Happy to hear other thoughts on this, but that's my starting position.

Transferred into GL section as it is a Council/GL discussion rather than a Game Development Admin discussion.

[GhostMjr]

We kinda had this discussion at the GL meeting at the LAN.

It was decided that we would fund the section through the good will of the members trying out games not by the community.

We have a large pot of cash at the moment so we could dip into it for trialling but to be honest we don't really need to.

Its not for us to tell them to buy games its up to themselves we don't control their money they do.

We can only suggest what is a possible game or ones that we recommend.

So far its been their cash.

Section 8 and Brink both haven't done well.

Luckily I only bought the latter.

At the moment I rely on testing the games myself something other people are more willing to do and others who generally like buying new games.

We have a community who is willing to search for the holy grail.

I just hope this hasn't dampened their spirits.

There are *other ways* we can try out games and this is something many of our members do.

Demo's are rare and from the heated discussion about bf3 i can feel unease as to people wanting to dip their money into their pockets on it just incase.

Currently the pc gamer sub is doing wonders.

Its helping me to find games I don't even know anything about or little and is a regular read all of which you guys get a copy of.

Aswell as whether they are any good.

Game authors are deliberately now releasing games without sending them to review first so you never quite know whether its a dud or not.

Eg brink and section 8 were only in this months mag.

I'll go what ever we decide but I am with what TL said to me in TS earlier this week we don't hold their wallets they do.

[Sn00ks]

The members all go out and buy their own games on a regular basis. If they feel strongly that one game is the next best thing then they are only too eager to share this.
If enough interest is shown then we could look into supporting said game?
 
Going out to specifically predict what the next big game will be inevitably means buying 20 pants games to find one possible candidate.
Why not let the members recommendations guide us and make it an organic process? Maybe occasionally suggesting possibles and inviting feedback?
 
For example Dead Island looks good, but I bet it'll be over-hyped and have the life expectancy of a something very short lived indeed. (insert amusing comparison involving Benny, a tube of KY jelly and some ice-pops)
 
My 7ps worth