One of the more common factors I see used is approximate game time for the player. If it's a very short game, and they won't likely get much entertainment time out of it, keep the price lower accordingly. If you've got something in your game that really enhances replay value, and gives them the opportunity for significant time to be spent playing, then it's likely to be able to command a higher price. Overall, your customers are looking for value, they're gonna be thinking "So if I spend this, how much fun am I gonna get for my money?" There's no miracle formula for setting your price, but as others have said you can judge by similar games and what it is about them that players value.
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I do feel that games with pretty predictable play times are easier to price. In my case, I'm currently heavily going back and forth on the final price for Airships: Conquer the Skies, which is a ship construction and RTS game. It has no plot or series of missions. So you might spend half an hour on it or 300 hours.
Another great point. Although, not that easy for my puzzle game. I know the levels inside out and have no idea how long it would take for the average player to get through some of the levels. I think I may have made the first half too easy. On the other hand the difficult ones were quite time consuming to hammer out all the loop holes. I'm not even sure I got them all. Tested the heck out of it(more time consumption) but you never know. Sometimes you miss things other people see right away.
Need a beta tester for that?
You've given ample reason to want one already.
If you plan on selling it, I am willing to sign a contract where the only compensation I am obligated to is acknowledgement. (you know, credits.), I just want to help, sure I could use money....but I'll get that with a real job, I just want to assist community members however I can, and the game sounds interesting.
That was the same thing me and a bunch of other people noted.
Something I put in my large post.
But hey, I understand, ain't no body got time to read that article. :P
Anyway, I refer to it as the Currency Value per hour (you can write it as X$/Hr), but, as we've noted down below, it can be sorely inaccurate if the nature of the game leads to differring play times.
You could only be sure with linear games, like jrpgs. 60 hour story-line? alright, $60 is a fine enough price then (well, it was for me and others, but man......people are cheap-@$$ sometimes. XP)
Is 1-2$/Hr fine for some people? It may certainly not be for others, some might wish for 50 cents all the way down to 10 cents.....
At least when your a kid with the one game they might get that year, it makes sense..........but anyone else?
...........my patience runs dry with those people sometimes, which is saying a lot. XP