Re: FLASH: Razorplane update

[Wayne Townsend]

Hi Russ,  hope you're well,


>

>Wayne...

>Perhaps the Cobbler's kids are the last to get some shoes?


If it wasn't working, Russ, I'd change it I can assure you.


>I liked the

>preloader to your site but couldn't really sit through the rest.


It's a very large site, but my clients all have high bandwidth, so 

it's not an issue.

Also, they aren't surfing, they go there for a reason.  They sit through it.


>Further,

>your site lacks some of the very basic design principles that the world is

subscribing to right now.


I do my own thing, Russ.  I don't care what "the rest of the world" 

does.  If I did I'd still be writing html, instead of Flash, now 

wouldn't I.  Fortunately, I don't have a boss that dictates what I 

design or how I design.


What can I tell you Russ?  The site sells.  It's hard to argue with that.

None of us is ever going to please all the other designers, but who 

cares, the clients love it, and that's all I care about.


>

>Last point:  No one really needs to be making their entire sites

>Flash--unless that's the purpose.  Flash is awesome!  I love it!  However,

>I'm the first to tell you when you do not NEED it on your site.


The kind of sites we do are all entertainment & WBT sites, and all flash.


I agree with you about B2B, but that's not my area and I'm not 

interested in it, because IMO B2B is clearly on the way down while 

entertainment and WBT is on the way up.  The signs are everywhere.


At any rate, Flash can improve almost any html site you can name, 

simply from the streaming and text & media handling, and printing 

alone.  It's all about how you use it.


>

>Wayne, you may want to invest in a site redesign based upon the services you

>are selling...and it looks as if you are selling them from your site.


Well, the site works regardless of what the naysayers think, Russ, so 

I'm not going to change things, just add to it when I can get some 

time.


>Okay, one last point.  Who are these designers pulling in 7 figures?  That's

>something ABOVE $1,000,000 per year.  Now, either you are full of crap, or

>you're talking about your COMPANY pulling it in.  I know what I make...and I

>do just fine for myself, but as a Director and someone who is considered to

>be Senior Level Management, anyone in the 7 figures is either a CEO or

>similar type position and that really depends upon their options/net worth.

>Sure, I could cash out on stock this year and hit 7 figures, potentially,

but I don't buy that statement.


Well, I see it's not a good idea to talk about money because some 

people resent it, obviously.  I don't want to come off as the braggy 

type, I just want other developers to realize what is possible, and 

give them something to shoot for. Really.  Clearly some people took 

it the wrong way, although not all.  Sorry if I offended.


You seem to be doubting what I said, Russ, so I'll spell it out for you.


First of all, I own the company, and half of another one with major 

gaming connections.


I don't work by the hour, I do projects. We can charge a lot for our 

work these days simply because the history is that our stuff goes #1. 

For example, the Flash BTV site has been #1 over 35 other sites by 

audience vote for months.  Still is.  When you can pull that off, 

clients will pay you what you want because they know you produce 

winning projects that makes a profit for them.  Hourly rates are 

irrelevant.  It's like TV and movies.  There is a lot of money 

involved.


The MegaMania game I have launching for GameBay next week will also 

go #1, if the audience previews are accurate.  AFAIK,  it is the 

first real-time, multi-player flash game of *any* kind.  -Correct me 

if I'm wrong.  Has anyone else done a real-time, multi-player Flash 

game?  If so, plese send me the url if you would.  Thx.


At any rate, I do know that my BingoMagic server engine runs rings 

around *anything* else out there.  There is no way you could pull 

this off with Flash and ASP, btw; I used Flash and Flamethrower for 

the CGI & Apache for the server.  It's served on a G4/500.


Is the license for this game worth 6 figures?


http://betaserver.metgames.com/permtest.html


It is if it is a hit with the audience and makes money for the operator.


It's not what the project costs, it's what it makes, especially for 

the off-shore for-money ones; you're talking millions per year there 

for the operators. We have *12* realtime online projects in 

development right now, all pre-sold and all worth in the 6 figures. 

And it's only June.


Here's something that has paid off for me that maybe other developers 

who don't mind taking risks  can use:


Find companies that you think are going to be successful, but don't 

have a lot of cash or can't afford your rates.  There are more and 

more of these as many burned VCs are pulling out of .com stocks.


Jack your fee way, way up and take straight stock or options instead 

of cash.  If the stock is quality, you may even be able to borrow on 

it at somewhere around 50% and take your cash out now if you need to.


Often, if you do a good job on the site, the stock will rise, because 

Flash sites can be very sexy and that affects stockholder confidence 

in the company.


One company I did this with, the stock went from 3.00 to over 8.00 

within 3 weeks.


It's a gamble, but it can pay off you you very handsomely.  I've also 

been burned doing this, but overall I'm way ahead.


Most importantly, *be your own boss*.  It's pretty hard for a 

developer to reach high financial goals working on a salary, 

unfortunately.


Disclaimer: The above is my opinion only, and should not be 

considered career advice.


______________


Well, thanks for writing Russ,

Back to work.


/w


Wayne Townsend

Founder, CEO, AccessOn

waynetaccesson [dot] net

Alt:

waynetabsolute [dot] net

studio: 760.329.9990 (US)

Toll Free: 800..399.4969

cell: 760.902.5299 (US)

AccessOn.Net

http://www.accesson.net


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