I'm trying to assess if it would be viable for me to build custom tools for a single developer but in a generic way, so it can be sold to others as well - or at least components of it sold or reused for future projects. I'm looking to build an additional revenue stream which might, 2 years down the road, give me a 4-digit income so i could rely less on contract work. I could, in theory, work on creating tools fulltime from now until at least 2011 without needing to earn a 4-digit income as i get state support for many months.

I've built game tools for many years but i know there's lots of competition with sophisticated free or even open source tools out there, so i want to understand the market better before working on something for months only to find out that i can't beat "free" or the resourcefullness of indie game developers. But i also know that game developers more often than not need specialized solutions and that's where i see an opportunity - from my experience, those specialized solutions can often be generalized enough so they work for others or other purposes just as well.

So, if you could hire me to build the tool(s) you need for free, what kinds of tools (or game engine components) would you like to be built? From that info i should be able to guesstimate if generalization is possible and how much interest such a generalized tool could create.

I'd be happy to hear your input on this! Btw, you can learn more about me on my GamingHorror website.