If I had a steady job I would easily contribute to this idea, thinking that I've gotten way more out of Zendar even if I spent $20 on it, than the average 3 pints I get for that price. Unfortunately I'm on the edge of asking for retroactive contributions myself (lol, note, not yet that desperate, nor assuming any deserving). 

I've gotten way more out of Zendar even if I spent $20 on it, than the average 3 pints I get for that price.

This is a good measurement of enjoyment.

I'd absolutely pay 4 pints per 1 new sock map. 

Because of tradition and implications for the future.

If you enjoy mapping and have a desire to create a map, then you can a find of working on it as a hobby in your spare time, even if that means it'll take longer to finish.

If your activity has to be finacially viable, any kind of professional (freelance?) work is more suited to the task. There aren't that many people here, so while $500 (or however much) would make a nice tip, it won't be enough to finance a living for several months. 

I would be inclined to pledge to a standalone ITS game (with an actual proper budget in the ten-thousands) but not for a Quake map. Only if it included randomly hidden loot objects though. ;)

ericw: I don't have dedicated download counters, only what the webserver logs show. zendar1d.zip had about 450 downloads from Quaddicted. Majority surely happened on sock's official download link though. 

I Don't expect everyone to like this idea, it is perfectly fine with me to express your opinions in this thread. I want to know if there are enough people interested to fund the idea? There is no denying that everyone loves things for free, especially if it is something that is good quality.

What do people think about a book being better value than a short story? Is it really a subconscious things that quantity is always better than quality? Is it better to have a book padded out than a perfectly lean short story?

@raptore, being able to include your own secret is something that would be a perk. Someone either thinks of an idea or has a rough outline in a map file and I included it in the relevant location painted in the correct level style.

@nitin, I was thinking about another hub map with multiple route/key objectives and places to explore. Probably go for another horde style ending as trick bosses (e1m7) are not much fun.

@inertia, adding donations to the map process does not change the quality of my maps. I have done professional level design for years and my hobby work is no different.

@doomer, I can certainly create a rtlight file, include some extra shaders for liquids and setup some particles but I have no plans to create full HD assets.

@than, that indeed would be a dream come true, to create my own Q1/Lovecraft inspired game/tc with some Dark Souls inspiration! :)

@negke, The TF2/CSGo Valve community reward mappers with donations (hats/stamps) why can't the Quake community embrace such a change for quality maps? 

Micropayments for maps on steam workshop would be a dream come true for me. I could see like �1 maps and �5 map packs being something I could get into. But that would be my budget and value on the quake modding scene.
I love the idea of micropayments much more than semi-premium.
I have the 360 version of Doom II for instance, there is a new episode bundled with that that IMO is worth �5-10 of anyones money. 

Just to be more precise, Valve community stuff is payment (for items) or donations (for maps) for an already completed product. It's not exactly the same thing as Kickstarter like patronage, which is what you're as suggesting here.

Both are fine in my opinion, but I think the distinction is important.

And yes please just make Dark Quake Souls and take my $60. 

"Because of tradition and implications for the future.

If you enjoy mapping and have a desire to create a map, then you can a find of working on it as a hobby in your spare time, even if that means it'll take longer to finish."

I think I fall in with negke on this. Do it if you want to do it - it's a hobby. Turning it into a job or something the community pays you to do feels wrong.

If you can't justify the time without getting paid, maybe it's not the hobby you're looking for.

(not a reflection on sock or the quality of his work, just speaking generally) 

I mean, how long until we get into people releasing teaser levels with an offer to create a full map/episode if they get enough donations? I don't like the precedent. 

I doubt it would influence others that much (with the small size of the community) but I feel the same about the hobby vs job thing. And that's what I probably did not say clear enough above. I would love to see someone try to fund a full (small) game as their full-time job! I would not be interested in funding someone's just-a-hobby, especially if I am used to getting it for free.

Someone suggested adding flattr or a similar micro-donation thing to Quaddicted, I once thought about Bitcoin (dunnnn). It did not seem worth the hassle and I think the small amount of money you would have to expect might actually be discouraging. Maybe Dogecoin (honestly, I find those fun)? :) 

I would not be interested in funding someone's just-a-hobby, especially if I am used to getting it for free.

I think that sums up the response to this idea, based on what I have heard so far. The Quake community is about free stuff and that is a good valid point. Not much more to be said, thread closed. 

But hey, if you feel the need to capitalize on your hobby, and you can find a bunch of brownnose fuckers to jerk you off in the process, go ahead, no skin of my phallus.

Otherwise it's not your hobby any more, it's your job.

.

. 

I should have rea the last post in the thread before I got my flamethrower out :) 

Paypal 'Donate' button on all of your pages. That would get volountary contributions from those above who like the idea :) 

1. i'd pay
2. why not just make something new from scratch dedicated to stygian theme on something like unity? i'd donate for sure ;) 

would join to help 

ITS standalone, ITS standalone, ITS standalone! Honestly, I love its (heh) concept and gameplay and think it might be a success. Maybe even as a free/floss game at a certain amount of money. Would be hard to make the monsters, but you have such a fucking talent and eye for style/atmosphere that I would have no doubt. Cloning and copying a game's style is legal and fine, so no possible ramifications(?) there.

On the other hand there is the now free and standalone The Dark Mod but I think it is quite different. ITS is more fast and reaction based. 

 

 

 

Speaking for myself at least, is that it's impossible to justify spending so much time on something that will never give a return.

It'd be great to be paid to make more Quake, it'd mean more and better content, with it being more high profile as a result.

This community is small, but the gaming community is massive and their reaction to things like ITS and Trenchbroom makes me think that it would be possible for mappers to produce and earn from it.

On the other hand, a Unity project from scratch for the indie market or a mobile app (too complex to be easily stolen yet still accessible) are other possibilities.

Final thought - many people map for Quake coming from a hobby background, while Sock comes from a professional one.

As elitist as it might sound, that's an important distinction. 

Speaking for myself at least, is that it's impossible to justify spending so much time on something that will never give a return.

I can only do it, in the case of TB, because I have a day job that pays decent, and a very understanding girlfriend. 

If you can get people to pony up the cash, then great ... do that. There's nothing stopping that from happening even if I don't like what that implies for the future.

I just think it sets a bad precedent where anyone with skill won't produce things for free anymore.

Why would they if they can get paid instead?

Well, because it's a fun hobby.

And we're back to square one and the snake eats itself. :) 

 

Speaking for myself at least, is that it's impossible to justify spending so much time on something that will never give a return.

No financial return, but it does give an individual/social one: the feeling of accomplishment, having crafted something, proven or improved a skill set, created unconditional product for people to enjoy and discuss. If that's not enough to justify the effort, well...