Professional License Question

Hello there.

On the Professional License page it states: "The fee of 1490€ has to be paid per game.", however the game I wish to make will be episodic; it's being released in chapters basically.

Would this mean then I'd have to pay over 1490€ for each chapter? This is my first game and I'm funding it entirely by myself, and thus any help on clearing this up would be greatly appreciated.

If these are chapters of a complete game, you may release it with a single license.

The question you should be asking is: which license do you actually need to begin with?

Have you been hired by a third party (publisher / company) to create this game for them? &/or do you intend to release this game as a physical boxed product in retail stores?

If yes to both or either of those then you need a professional license. Professional license allows you to release your game for mobile & digital distribution also. This license is per title (game - episodic is included as one, unless it's a sequel / prequel - example: telltale's The Walking Dead Season 1 was a single title compromised of about 5 episodic chapters, Season 2 was a sequel)

Do you intend to release this game for mobile platforms?

If you haven't been hired by a third party publisher or company & you don't intend to release your game as a physical boxed product & you only want to release your game for mobile platforms (ios/android) then you need to purchase the mobile license. You can also release your games to digital distribution platforms with this license too. This license is per title (game) for mobile distribution.

Do you only want to release your game via digital distribution to online distribution services such as Steam / GOG, etc?

Then you either need to acquire an indie multi-user license or the indie individual user license (which you need depends on whether it's just you who will be working in the editor or multiple people). This license will allow you to release unlimited titles (games) for windows, mac & linux for digital distribution.

Hope this helps clear things up a little bit.

Hi you two and thanks for the replies.

Have you been hired by a third party (publisher / company) to create this game for them? &/or do you intend to release this game as a physical boxed product in retail stores?

No I haven't been hired by anyone else for this will purely be based on my own initiative, preferring to be free of any constraints with regards to licenses and any other extraneous issues that may arise by simply buying the full package.

I've got two others working on the game at the minute; two of which are working on the art, whilst I'm working alone on Visionaire itself. However buying the professional license now will serve to accommodate any other members were they to join the team later along the line.

Do you intend to release this game for mobile platforms?

Yes I do. The game started out as an AGS endeavour though because I wasn't quite happy with the limitations set by that particular engine, decided instead on Visionaire Studios. As good as Chris Jones' engine is (especially what with it being free), I wanted be free of certain things such as the 5 frame background animation limit as well as the 20 character frame animation limit and so on.

Do you only want to release your game via digital distribution to online distribution services such as Steam / GOG, etc?

Yes to both Steam and GOG.

I believe you will only need the mobile license, but you aren't required to purchase either the mobile or professional license until you are ready to release your game.

Seeing as it's only you that is actually working with the VS editor, then an individual indie license @ €49 will be enough for testing purposes as all the paid versions allow you to export for windows, mac, linux, iOS & android. There will be additional export options available in the future as the dev team adds them.

Quick note #1: both the mobile & professional license are per title, however you can develop & release as many games for windows, mac & linux to digital distribution stores as you like. The per title part is relevant to the game you license it for & basically gives you the free will to distribute it any way that you see fit, as well as not having a development budget or any restrictions on how you raise capital for said title, whether it be through crowdfunding, self-funding or money provided by a publisher / third part company or individual who hires you to make said title.

Quick note #2: the only difference between paid version & evaluation version is that the evaluation version has a 10 scene limit & the export feature has been disabled.