It is not a matter of "app or game". It can happen exactly the same with a "serious" app.
As you said, money is one of the motivations, but not the only one. The difficult part is how to quantify and mix them properly, each one needs to be assigned a value.
Think of it as if you were programming: for each kind of project, execute the following Sub
Inputs:
- New Knowledge: Will this allow me to learn new things while developing? --> assign a value to it
- Portfolio: will this new app/game make my portfolio more appealing and perhaps look interesting to a new customer? --> also, assign a value to it
- Satisfaction: will I enjoy programming that app a lot, more than the other kind of app? Value this engagement, or use it to modify your price per hour for each app.
- Others: whatever it is... does it bring you something else positive or negative? Then assign a value to it
- Time: Which is the realistic estimated effort in hours? --> assign a price per hour, even if you have a day work. As low or as high as you want, but you need to value it.
Output:
- Money_to_earn: what would compensate the effort (different than "what would make me really really really happy?"
)
This is an output because: Money = Time_spent * Time_value- value(new knowledge) - value(new portfolio) -value(satisfaction)- value(other factors you might consider)
Tips:
- If "Money_to_earn" is negative, then what are you waiting for?????
- If it is positive, think how many downloads/active users/... your app should have in order to get it.
(Repeat the sub by changing your working-hour price and/or the other factors until the equation holds
)
