Thanks! This is some really useful stuff.
You want tips? I've gone one for you: Stop feeling guilty about rejecting stuff that doesn't fit your standards.
If you're paying a writer for their service then its well within your right to set demands (within reason) and to reject all those don't fit the bill. As unfourtunate as it may, not everyone is born to be a writer and the sooner they face rejection or criticism the sooner they can correct themselves or find another job. Its a harsh reality that both the developer and the those they hire, be they artists or writers, need to face and overcome. If you can't do that yourself then find someone who can.
As the Silver Bard said, I'll initially be looking at voluntary submissions: I've had a number of people ask for a system to send these in in the past. Later on I want to consider paid contributions, but only once I've ironed out the kinks with the submissions system and got a bit more experience with it.
Your basic point is still valid though: the most important thing is maintaining and hopefully improving the game's quality, so I can't let myself accept submissions that aren't good enough just to be nice to the submitter.
I think SlendidOstrich is talking about writing submitted by volunteers from the community, not paid commissions.
I occasionally get community submitted scenes for Night Games. Not as many as I'd like. I don't think a lot of players are inclined to take the initiative to write a full scene to submit. I try to make them work when possible, even if I need to rewrite almost half the scene. Sometimes I get stuff I can't work with at all. In those cases I try to provide feedback politely and express interest in seeing their work after a rewrite. Sometimes I don't hear from the contributor again, which is unfortunate. Sometimes I get sent a better written scene or a completely different one that I can work with. I don't think I've ever received two submissions in a row that I couldn't make work.
I did make a content submission guide for Night Games. It's mostly specific to my game, but maybe you could find it a useful reference.
http://www.silverbardgames.com/content-submission-guide/
Thank you! That'll be good to read.
I'd prefer to avoid putting much writing time into touching up contributions: best to spend it on my own content. I'll probably have a requirement that scenes be complete before they're submitted.
Besides the above, I'd advice you to claim ownership over everything that gets submitted. Make it clear that if somebody submits something for whatever reason, it's now your content to do with as you please. This sounds a bit dictatorial, but having internet slap fights over edits or updates or people who just up and leave and want you to remove all their stuff isn't worth it. Best to make it clear from the start.
Cheers. I was thinking of a statement giving me the irrevocable and permanent right to do whatever I want with their submission, although I'm hoping to stop short of claiming the copyright. I had a quick read over some ToS on Steam and saw that some big game companies do actually claim the copyright of user-created mods, but I'd prefer to leave them the rights to their own work as long as they aren't able to turn around and demand a submission be removed after I've taken the time to edit and add it.
Klaptrap has a point and its one you should heed as it can save you a lot of headache in the future.
In the past year or so there has been an increased amount of internet drama and disputes over shared or submited content whose purpose was to be used in a game, but then something happens and the developer ins't happy with it (and therefore withdraws payment), which leads to people feeling scammed and gives them fuel to ruin your reputation as an employer, or there's some disagreement and one of them decides to leave and take their stuff with them (meaning you have to withdraw anything that they have created from your game) or the writer/artist, etc, disapears off the face of the Earth and you're left hanging with no idea on how to proceed from that moment.
It is imperative you create safeguards against these situations by being straight with people and making sure they understand any and all content submitted becomes yours to do as you wish. They cannot reclaim it or otherwise complain about any alterations, rejection or usage. Its yours. Period. Also keep pictures as proof that they agreed to such, names and dates included... just in case. People may not like it and you may even see scare away a few who were interested in your project but its the best choice in the long-run for your own sake.
Thanks. A good point to be sure to keep evidence. I hope I won't get embroiled in any of these awful online quarrels, but best to be prepared just in case.
I haven't actually decided how to take submissions - I've been assuming for the moment that I'll get the relevant files over PM. In that case I might insist that the message contain a statement giving me the right to do what I like with the content.
If I'm paying for something the the situation would be a bit different - in that case I think I would look to do it on a work-for-hire basis where I get the actual copyright. I don't think I'd take paid contributions from random people online - I'd want to pick writers I like who've either already submitted quality content or have a good body of work on other games or writing sites. Hopefully then the risk would be low enough that I could just pay in advance and accept the loss if things don't go well.
Of course that leads to more questions - such as how to pay someone online while keeping my RL identity anonymous from them. Still, that's a question for another time. No doubt it'll be months before I'm comfortable enough with submissions to start comissioning work.
Yes, making things clear about ownership should be done with everything you're going to use when it comes to these games. It doesn't matter if it's volunteers or paid contractors, everything that's going into the game should belong to the game company or the company owner.
Thanks. I'm hoping it won't be necessary to claim the actual copyright? I'm not a lawyer, but I'm thinking of requiring each submission come with a line like:
"I give the game's developer ("Splendid Ostrich") permanent and irrevocable rights to do whatever they wish with all submitted content, including making any modifications, removals and additions they deem fit."
I'd rather avoid asking them to outright surrender the copyright unless I'm actually paying for the work. They might want to include the writing in their own work or submit a modified version to other games, which they should be able to do without my permission. I'd hope that something like the above would make it clear to writers that they can't change their minds about a submission once it's in the game while still leaving them the freedom to use their work however they want.
