Wow DampeS8N, it is like you read my mind. The problem I see with Wii is that it artificially hampers development costs by having a less of a system. While this works in a way to curb it, it still does not address the issue of tools.
Today, artists are above programmers in terms of budget in most game houses. They license the 250K engine most of the time and throw in additional 500K for staff of developers to make it do what they want it to do, the rest of the majority is spent on artists.
What we need is what the Unreal engine and other like that brought to the developers. You can license it for 250K and save yourself re-inventing the same wheel if your game idea follows the same line. Now, of course there will always be someone that sais that they need to write a custom engine from the ground up, but that is not the norm for cookie cutter games.
Same needs to be done for art department. Some cookie cutter program that can be customized to the pulisher's need. Once in a while you will get a developer that will say that their artistic direction requires 20 artists, and that is fine, but that can't be the norm.
If a developer can reduce the costs of 8 out of 10 games down by 50 to 80%, they can then take more risks. But today, 8 out of 10 games cost 5+ million dollars.
Sorry guys, I am very passionate about this. I have always loved video games but I think this 3D Card race and more more more more more attitude of the hardware developers is making the industry very stale. And I don't think it is just the industry to blame, consumers are to blame too.
Today, artists are above programmers in terms of budget in most game houses. They license the 250K engine most of the time and throw in additional 500K for staff of developers to make it do what they want it to do, the rest of the majority is spent on artists.
What we need is what the Unreal engine and other like that brought to the developers. You can license it for 250K and save yourself re-inventing the same wheel if your game idea follows the same line. Now, of course there will always be someone that sais that they need to write a custom engine from the ground up, but that is not the norm for cookie cutter games.
Same needs to be done for art department. Some cookie cutter program that can be customized to the pulisher's need. Once in a while you will get a developer that will say that their artistic direction requires 20 artists, and that is fine, but that can't be the norm.
If a developer can reduce the costs of 8 out of 10 games down by 50 to 80%, they can then take more risks. But today, 8 out of 10 games cost 5+ million dollars.
Sorry guys, I am very passionate about this. I have always loved video games but I think this 3D Card race and more more more more more attitude of the hardware developers is making the industry very stale. And I don't think it is just the industry to blame, consumers are to blame too.