Pixelation

General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Theoden on August 26, 2010, 08:11:17 am

Title: Pixelart Design Pricing
Post by: Theoden on August 26, 2010, 08:11:17 am
Hi,
I wish to ask a question about pricing pixelart for flash games.

I picked up a  flash platform game project and I am going to design the character and background.
But I have no idea how much money I should demand. This is my first professional work and I need some advice from people who
work on platform games and earn money.

I am working on a game similar to this: http://armorgames.com/play/5599/amil

Any advice will be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Title: Re: Pixelart Design Pricing
Post by: Ryumaru on August 27, 2010, 10:57:34 am
The standard is around $ 8-10 an hour. If you're getting paid by the asset, you can just figure out the average time it will take and charge based on that.
Title: Re: Pixelart Design Pricing
Post by: Theoden on August 27, 2010, 11:07:32 am
The standard is around $ 8-10 an hour. If you're getting paid by the asset, you can just figure out the average time it will take and charge based on that.

Thank you for the info.
Title: Re: Pixelart Design Pricing
Post by: Moribund on September 09, 2010, 04:08:02 am
The standard is around $ 8-10 an hour. If you're getting paid by the asset, you can just figure out the average time it will take and charge based on that.

D: That's awful. Even for fairly experienced spriters?
Title: Re: Pixelart Design Pricing
Post by: Mathias on September 09, 2010, 04:38:42 am
United States federal minimum wage is currently $7.25/hour. That's a McDonald's burger-maker.

Surely Ryu is undershooting. Yikes!
Title: Re: Pixelart Design Pricing
Post by: Helm on September 09, 2010, 04:50:56 am
Yes I didn't want to say anything because everyone does what they think is right, but 8-10$ an hour is not a good standard rate for artistic work.
Title: Re: Pixelart Design Pricing
Post by: Theoden on September 09, 2010, 07:43:45 am
Unfortunately clients are very tight about payments.. Just not fair, I might reconsider working with this client.
Title: Re: Pixelart Design Pricing
Post by: Atnas on September 09, 2010, 03:21:00 pm
I was gonna comment on that too but to be honest I don't know what the average is so I didn't want to go around waving false figures.

I've only been freelancing for two months or so, but I've worked at rates ranging from $5-$40/hour. It really depends on who you work for. Working for individuals of course pays less than working for companies, and companies are more responsible and you have more security working for them. I never would have worked for $5/hour of my own accord, that was just me being stupid and not signing a contract because I was so giddy about my first job. I wound up only getting half of the initially discussed payment.

I think something around 15-20 is common though, right? I know flash games get their revenue from being picked up by a portal - so your income might be a % of that purchase price. It actually might be cheaper for them to pay you something like $15 an hour, depending on how much work is going into it. Get a detailed list of all the assets you'll need to create, from that you should be able to determine roughly how many hours.

Not all clients are tight. If you have that gut feeling tearing you up inside that your time isn't being purchased for the right amount, don't take the job. : )
Title: Re: Pixelart Design Pricing
Post by: Theoden on September 09, 2010, 09:23:12 pm
I was gonna comment on that too but to be honest I don't know what the average is so I didn't want to go around waving false figures.

I've only been freelancing for two months or so, but I've worked at rates ranging from $5-$40/hour. It really depends on who you work for. Working for individuals of course pays less than working for companies, and companies are more responsible and you have more security working for them. I never would have worked for $5/hour of my own accord, that was just me being stupid and not signing a contract because I was so giddy about my first job. I wound up only getting half of the initially discussed payment.

I think something around 15-20 is common though, right? I know flash games get their revenue from being picked up by a portal - so your income might be a % of that purchase price. It actually might be cheaper for them to pay you something like $15 an hour, depending on how much work is going into it. Get a detailed list of all the assets you'll need to create, from that you should be able to determine roughly how many hours.

Not all clients are tight. If you have that gut feeling tearing you up inside that your time isn't being purchased for the right amount, don't take the job. : )

Yes I totally agree with you, thanks for the advice