EDIT: I've updated the example scenario to better reflect a more straightforward transaction. Hi everyone, LONG time lurker (been reading the boards since 2001) and have finally decided to make an account. After waiting for far too long, I'm getting around to doing something that I've wanted to do for a long time and I'd love the community's opinion (plus some naming help)! First I'd like to summarize the project so you can have some context: The project is an online marketplace where game developers can sell/license out and purchase game assets; think of it as an Etsy/Ebay for the indie game community. Here is a scenario that describes how the marketplace works:

"You're an illustrator and have created some really nifty gargoyle sprites that you'd like to license out. You create an asset listing with details, licensing fees and a few GIF images to show your sprites off. A developer comes along and really likes your stuff and wants to use it in his upcoming gothic adventure game. He purchases a license and the seller is notified of the intent to purchase and the two parties conduct their transaction through the site. The seller gets paid and the buyer gets the asset."

This process works for basically any asset you can think of: audio, GUI, textures, sprites, code, etc. Even non-technical assets can be licensed out, for example an illustrator can "sell" his character design services as a package (e.g. 5 character sketches for $100). Anywho, enough rambling for now. I'd like to know what the GameDev community thinks of this idea, and as a "bonus" request, I'd love some help in naming this marketplace. The only real prerequisite would be that the .com for the name be available, and that it sounds remotely game dev'ish. :) I feel a bit guilty asking for something as my first contribution to the community, but I hope that this marketplace project will return the favor 100-fold once launched. Thanks everyone, and keep up the amazing work you've all been producing over the years! [Edited by - Ravuya on November 19, 2009 11:37:12 AM]

Have you checked out http://www.turbosquid.com? What sets your service apart?

Quote: Original post by bzroom
Have you checked out http://www.turbosquid.com? What sets your service apart?

Just took a look at it and it seems like they focus mainly on 3D models and the like. The service I'm working on is a general game asset marketplace where you can sell/purchase nearly anything to do with game development. The idea is to let developers/designers have a more free-range style of market so it attracts the entire community rather than a smaller subset. That was sort of wordy on my end, but does that make sense?

How does the website make money? Like Ebay, will it make a small percentage of the seller's collections, will it have seller fees, some combination of both, etc.?

Quote: Original post by jackolantern1
How does the website make money? Like Ebay, will it make a small percentage of the seller's collections, will it have seller fees, some combination of both, etc.?

Listing an asset will cost "x" and each sold asset will have a y% sales fee.

If you want to license your asset for a continuing royalty, how will your system account for that ongoing payment processing?

Quote: Original post by Pete Michaud
If you want to license your asset for a continuing royalty, how will your system account for that ongoing payment processing?

It would be the equivalent of making a monthly subscription payment to the seller. Think in terms of SaaS providers who charge monthly to use their applications, the same would go for licensed assets, the seller would have an option to do a variety of payment timelines (e.g. monthly/quarterly/yearly).

Quote: Original post by Adalric Brandl

You're a graphics programmer and have created some really nifty particle generators that you'd like to license out. You create an asset listing with details, fees, a few demo vids to show your code off. Another developer comes along and really likes your stuff and wants to use it in his game. He purchases a license and the seller is notified of the intent to purchase and the two parties conduct their transaction through the site. The seller gets paid and the buyer gets the asset.

That doesn't seem like the best example. I can see this possibly working for models, textures, sound effects and other art assets but a particle generator isn't generally something you can just plug into your game. Perhaps if it's designed as an extension to a popular piece of middleware - the Unreal engine for example - it could be easily used but there's no common standard for particle systems (or most other game systems) on the code side so there just isn't a market for a component based approach to code. How do you envision something like this example working in practice?

Quote: Original post by mattnewport

Quote: Original post by Adalric Brandl

You're a graphics programmer and have created some really nifty particle generators that you'd like to license out. You create an asset listing with details, fees, a few demo vids to show your code off. Another developer comes along and really likes your stuff and wants to use it in his game. He purchases a license and the seller is notified of the intent to purchase and the two parties conduct their transaction through the site. The seller gets paid and the buyer gets the asset.

That doesn't seem like the best example. I can see this possibly working for models, textures, sound effects and other art assets but a particle generator isn't generally something you can just plug into your game. Perhaps if it's designed as an extension to a popular piece of middleware - the Unreal engine for example - it could be easily used but there's no common standard for particle systems (or most other game systems) on the code side so there just isn't a market for a component based approach to code. How do you envision something like this example working in practice?

My example was a bit too simplistic as you saw. :)

It would most definitely be attached to a certain engine/platform rather than a standalone generator, unless of course the person is selling/licensing a standalone product that works with multiple engines.

I'm not a graphics programmer so I should have used an example with a bit more realistic output, like an artist licensing his sprite images. Thanks for pointing that out though; this is why I posted, because I want honest feedback/critiques.

EDIT: I've updated the example scenario to better reflect a more straightforward transaction.

Any other thoughts? So far I've just answered questions and haven't really gotten any "It sucks!" or "I must have this service!" replies... not that I need them to proceed, just wanted to gauge the community is all. :)