FreeGameDev

Hi! What about in-game ads in order to increase revenue for developers? With in-game ads and donations they could be able to work full time to SuperTuxKart. Ads could be shown during game loading (before the race) for example. What do you think?

no

SuperTuxKart is a game by the community for the community. Filling it with ads seems counter to this.

No ads.

So it's not just me who hates ads?

racing game good. advertisement bad.

Not exactly ads. Much less, annoying ads before or (ever worse) in the middle of the game, but the game could get companies as sponsors showing their brands in the karts as well exposing outdoors with advertising , but I don't know if the free games' community around the World approves this kind of capitalism.

This is not a suggestion. This is just a possibility to be analysed or rejected. I bet most will reject.

Fun fact: TuxKart's Tux Tollway actually contained "ads". Mainly for FOSS stuff and things like Soureforge though.

FinixFighter {l Wrote}:What about in-game ads [while loading] in order to increase revenue for developers?

hahaha oh wow!

GeekPenguinBR {l Wrote}:Not exactly ads. [...] the game could get companies as sponsors showing their brands in the karts

In a way, the game already does that. Most karts are free advertisements for the software their mascots represent. It's voluntary product placement.

GeekPenguinBR {l Wrote}:as well exposing outdoors with advertising , but I don't know if the free games' community around the World approves this kind of capitalism.

Advertisements don't have to be capitalistic. I can create a track right now with some small billboards along the side promoting a program I made, like FOSS products in Tux's Tollway (as mentioned by QwertyChouskie). However this may be seen as forced or annoying if it's blatant.
I would have mixed feelings over people or companies paying money to advertise in-game, especially if they are advertising non-FLOSS products. I would probably just learn to patch the game so that the advertisements are removed, especially if they are in any way obvious or annoying.
At the same time, if a company would commission an artist to create a custom kart or track (eg. sponsorship) which is legitimately enjoyable and doesn't have big ad signs in your face when you are driving, then that could interesting. It's a legitimate contribution to the community. The main issue for me for advertisements is that traditional advertisements are disruptive to the user experience and don't fit in with the rest of the game. For example, it would make sense for Linux/Tux to sponsor an iceberg or snow themed track and just mention sponsorship in the track description, or maybe have his logo on the startline. Or BSD making a volcanic theme track promoting them. Matrix.org could create a cyber theme track (I would love a SuperTux3000-like track!).
I wonder what the community would think of more tasteful advertisements like that. It's product placement, but it isn't just an ad distracting you from the fun game.

tempAnon093 {l Wrote}:Advertisements don't have to be capitalistic. I can create a track right now with some small billboards along the side promoting a program I made, like FOSS products in Tux's Tollway (as mentioned by QwertyChouskie). However this may be seen as forced or annoying if it's blatant.

We all know the advertisement of fictional brands in the game and It's totally known that I and my brother did this a lot in our track "Las Dunas Stadium", which is plenty of logos and merchandising. The giant inflatable may be the best example. Alias, our track contains more advertisement of the fictitious STK universe than on any other track in that game, but, in order to continue the brainstorm proposed by FinixFighter, I was referring to the capitalist ones, that are capable to generate revenue for the developers, since that's the motivation of this topic.

Well, TBH, I don't see a problem in having outdoors of brands that manufacture hardware or any other product that may be consumed by any of us, but this could drive away people who do not want to play a free game in every way except for the fact that it has highly commercial content, that does not seem to fit the purpose of this project.

The second difficulty pointed by you is the fact not all tracks allow advertsment. "Paradiso Island", "Enterprise", "Candela City", "Northern Resort" are environments where ads can be placed, but where and why to insert ads in "The Old Lighthouse", The Old Mine", "Zen Garden", "Ravenbridge Mansion" or the Nolok's castle? This imbalance may confuse the perception of some people while some fans of the game could assume that STK "sold it soul" to corporations. Then, maybe it's better avoid this way.

Yes, I agree that it might be better to avoid simply because it would make some of the community feel like the game is becoming corporate in a way.
I am not a dev, but it seems that the devs are fine working without revenue, aside from the donations which go all towards group needs.
(That reminds me, I should donate to the project soon)

I'm going with everyone else and saying no ads!

QwertyChouskie {l Wrote}:Fun fact: TuxKart's Tux Tollway actually contained "ads". Mainly for FOSS stuff and things like Soureforge though.

Yes... I have wasted too much time looking at TuxKart's history. :/

Forget studying history, I actually play it (Package pulled from an ancient Debian.)

While I wouldn't mind one or two billboards in game (where it's relevant like the Las Dunas stadium) I don't want ad everywhere in STK especially not in the GUI and not in track where it's irrelevant (lighthouse/hacienda/etc).

However I would actually add only one advertisement:

This game is free and without advertisement.
Consider donating!

QwertyChouskie {l Wrote}:Forget studying history, I actually play it (Package pulled from an ancient Debian.)

Well I do too! A pain to compile though...

samuncle {l Wrote}:While I wouldn't mind one or two billboards in game (where it's relevant like the Las Dunas stadium) I don't want ad everywhere in STK especially not in the GUI and not in track where it's irrelevant (lighthouse/hacienda/etc).

However I would actually add only one advertisement:

This game is free and without advertisement.
Consider donating!

Well, there is a "Donate to help keep SuperTuxKart going!" button in the credits screen now.

i dont want supertuxkart turning into something like mortal kombat