Geeky Money Makers

[jensaltmann]

If I knew anything about programming, I think I would have a goldmine.

You see, I recently acquired a copy of FarCry, the ego-shooter PC game. (Note: for my idea, it wouldn't have to be FarCry, any ego-shooter would do.)

You see, I had a difficult week, and I felt homicidal. So I acquired an ego-shooter and started shooting bad guys to relieve my aggressions. Then it hit me.

The thing is, relieving my aggressions would work better if the characters in the game actually looked like the people I'm angry at. I'd even pay money (if I had any) if someone made the Big Boss at the end, Krieger, look like a certain mangaka.

Expanding that thought, if someone could do this, and do it quickly and easily, it could be a goldmine. Imagine how much money Jesse would pay if someone were to customize an ego-shooter for him by making the villains look like Dan Slott and Brian Bendis. My wife joked that even she could imagine a customization or two of this type that would make her want to play an ego-shooter for a bit.

This is a gold mine, I tell you. A gold mine.

[michaelpaciocco]

I've heard this line before, and it's not a bad one. But from a programming aspect, from what I'm told, customization is a bit tricky. Of course, the graphics level you'd want is a limiting factor as well as speed.

[K-Box]

Mar 1, 2009 8:03:30 GMT -8 michaelpaciocco said:

I've heard this line before, and it's not a bad one. But from a programming aspect, from what I'm told, customization is a bit tricky. Of course, the graphics level you'd want is a limiting factor as well as speed.

All good points, but considering how far something like The Sims has come with its character appearance modifications - I know Doctor Who fans who have made mods, entirely on their own, that make their Sims look EXACTLY like David Tennant and Catherine Tate, as Donna and the Doctor - I'd say this really isn't as prohibitive as you might think.

Jens is absolutely right; if done well enough, this would yield a FORTUNE.

Or at least, it would until some Famous Person found out that people were basically engaging in the ritualized murder of his or her likeness, and if Peter David considers it a genuine death threat when someone tells him to go Die In A Fire, I can't imagine his reaction to having a digital strawman of him executed endlessly by his anti-fans would be any better.

Moreover, since the law seems increasingly incapable of understanding that Famous People are not entitled to protection from having their feelings hurt by the press or the public, both the judge and the jury in such a court case would probably take one look at the video game version of a Famous Person being shot or stabbed or beheaded or whatever, and faster than you could type "NEVAR FORGET COLUMBINE!!!111", the video game producers would be sued out of existence, and the players who made the mod of the aggrieved Famous Person in question would be facing either mandatory psych evals, at BEST, or stiff prison sentences, for some bullshit charge like conspiracy to commit murder.