GalCiv publishers

from Stardock Forums
Stardock is working hard to make sure GalCiv is a great game. But these days, getting games onto retail shelves is a huge pain.

Stardock is going to have to find a publisher if it wants to get GalCiv onto the shelves. Not finding a publisher won't affect the game's development but it will deifnitely affect it's retail availability.

We are putting together a video of the game along with design documents and other information to send out. Any particular publishers you guys would like to see involved with GalCiv? Not fantasy publishers (i.e. Electrnoic Arts and Activision don't publish indie games), but realistic ones. ;)
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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
I really have no idea of such things...realistic things that is :-)

Infogrames/Blue Byte/Interplay/3DO/Ubisoft
(all distributes good games (IMO) in strategy or sci-fi categories)

But it's a hard balance to select a publisher...I guess. It's got to be big enough to do the best for Stardock but small enough so GalCiv dont get lost in their portfolio.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
This sent me looking for the boxes for the OS/2 versions (1 and 2). If memory serves, you had problems with the
publisher for version 1 (Advanced Idea Machines) and published version 2 on your own. Does my memory mislead me
again?

Oh, and I still have my "ONE SHARE --- Galactic Colonization Incorporated" certificate. How about that?

Cheers,
Jack
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
I have been wondering about that too :), how mutch is that worth? Gahh, trying to choose the right developer is not up my allir..what about take2, or they arn't that nice :)
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Advanced Idea Machines never paid royalties. I.e. I never got a cent from purchases of GalCiv 1. :(

So on GalCiv 2, we self published. In those days, you could still get games into the stores. By the time we did Entrepreneur, it had become very expensive and painful to get games into the stores.

Now it's virtually impossible for an indie to get a game into the stores.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Ouch. I would guess it is also pretty expensive to get a publisher to get a game into
the stores for the same reason (I read the paper you wrote on how aggressive some companies
are about protecting their trademarks from similar named unrelated products).

Cheers,
Jack
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Which store would you most like to be in (local to you)?

Go there. Talk to the manager. Get your game in there. Follow up on its performance weekly. IF it starts to sell well, ask for referrals...if it doesn't, either try a few other stores or fuggitaboudit in that channel.

My wife got her (very local) book in all the big chains local outlets this way.

Your experience suggests to me game publishing is like tv/film distributing: only the distributor ever seems to get any money - you never see more than any advance you negotiate.

Good luck!
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
is Sierra out of the question? I find most of my sims and strategy games come from them. or perhaps Interplay.
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
have you all considered self publishing and then hitting up compusa, electronic boutique, and other chains to sell it? I might have an 'IN' with EB. relative works in management for them. self publishing won't be all that hard. farm out CD replication, box production, and do an electronic manual ( that being the most expensive part ). you should check out the thompson registry online. it's the worlds largest industry database. I use them to find little know manufacturers, find I get good prices from those folks that are not well know. product is just as good.

ya know, I could actually set up a production and distribution chain. be nice to be working again.
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
How about Strategy First? They seem to have done an excellent job with EU and EU2 and also seem to do non fantasy titles as well.

Paul.
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Yea, we put them on the list today.
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
sorry bout not mentioning computer stores outside the US. never seen one as I have never been out of the US..
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
I played the Demo to their newsiest game Disciples II: Dark Prophecy. I thought the graphics where pretty good but the UI was hard to understand. I will give another shot tonight.