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Do I stand a chance?
Author
Hello,
I have an idea for a game that I feel will do well in the market. However, before I start a Design Doc, I like to say that I know very little about programming, music/sound, graphics and how to best use them in a program. Also knowing that there is little hope of companies showing any interest. So should I or shouldn''t I continue with the idea? (pep talk!)
Also, I noticed that 3D shooters don''t have alot of enemy/monsters showing up at once, is that due to software design or hardware limitations? What is consider the limit of how much to show at once, if any?
Well you have to start somewere! I found out weeks ago that it''s a very slim chance that I will succeed in the market. Did that make me turn tail and become a mechanic or something? NO! If you don''t try you will never succeed. So my(ignorant) advice to you is, if you truely love gaming and want to be part of the market then you wont give up. Well, you have my 2 cents.
Really that is more a question only you can answer. The real question is:
Is it worth my time to learn to code, to learn graphics programs or hire an artist? is it worth the effort to build the story line and debug it, making sure it runs on multiple platforms? if you don''t think it would sell, then what would be your true reason for developing it? SOme do it jsut for the love of creating games. some do it to learn more about the latest in game programming and technology. While even still some do it just for flat out egotistical reasons ( look what i did mommy ).
The video game indsutry is a harsh industry to get into. Its very competitive ( the reason new technologies pop up so quickly is because one competitior is trying to stay ahead of the other). Almost like hollywood, one day you can be hot, one day you can be the burger flipper at mcdonald''s.
This is not to say don''t try for it. By all means keep going for it. But remember its only the people who are extremely PERSISTANT and PROFICIENT in what they do that get in.
So it comes back down to, what is your reason for wanting to make a game - money, egotism, or just the sheer love of games? I do it because I love making games.. I have no idea if they will EVER get big, and i doubt it. but its sure a lot of fun!
Brush up on your skills, polish them off, and stay on top of the latest technology, and we wil probably be playing one of your games one day
Good luck!
to Code, or Not To Code
Is it worth my time to learn to code, to learn graphics programs or hire an artist? is it worth the effort to build the story line and debug it, making sure it runs on multiple platforms? if you don''t think it would sell, then what would be your true reason for developing it? SOme do it jsut for the love of creating games. some do it to learn more about the latest in game programming and technology. While even still some do it just for flat out egotistical reasons ( look what i did mommy ).
The video game indsutry is a harsh industry to get into. Its very competitive ( the reason new technologies pop up so quickly is because one competitior is trying to stay ahead of the other). Almost like hollywood, one day you can be hot, one day you can be the burger flipper at mcdonald''s.
This is not to say don''t try for it. By all means keep going for it. But remember its only the people who are extremely PERSISTANT and PROFICIENT in what they do that get in.
So it comes back down to, what is your reason for wanting to make a game - money, egotism, or just the sheer love of games? I do it because I love making games.. I have no idea if they will EVER get big, and i doubt it. but its sure a lot of fun!
Brush up on your skills, polish them off, and stay on top of the latest technology, and we wil probably be playing one of your games one day Good luck!
to Code, or Not To Code
Continue. Always continue. That''d be my best advice.
Even if nothing comes of your design and it ends up in the sock drawer you''ll have gained something. Design docs can be difficult, complicated, and sometimes downright annoying to finish, but I think you learn something every time you do. If nothing else, you learn resolve and appreciation for the processs.
Where you take this will depend on who you are and what you want to do. Do you want to work in the industry? Do you want to rally together some friends? Do you want to try to save up enough money to get a prototype done? You''ve got options.
I''d strongly encourage you to look at your lack of knowledge as a challenge. Maybe instead of being bummed out about how much you don''t know, realize that you''re smart enough to know what you don''t know and that that''s an opportunity to learn.
Re: monster limits. I think in almost every case this is all about the polys. More than anything else, every engine has a maximum polygon (and texture) budget. This is why you get popping and fog effects (can''t render out to the horizon) in some engines, and why you get artificial level limits like fences you can''t climb, and why no one so far has been able to do a scene of busy downtown New York during rush hour.
--------------------
Just waiting for the mothership...
Even if nothing comes of your design and it ends up in the sock drawer you''ll have gained something. Design docs can be difficult, complicated, and sometimes downright annoying to finish, but I think you learn something every time you do. If nothing else, you learn resolve and appreciation for the processs.
Where you take this will depend on who you are and what you want to do. Do you want to work in the industry? Do you want to rally together some friends? Do you want to try to save up enough money to get a prototype done? You''ve got options.
I''d strongly encourage you to look at your lack of knowledge as a challenge. Maybe instead of being bummed out about how much you don''t know, realize that you''re smart enough to know what you don''t know
and that that''s an opportunity to learn.Re: monster limits. I think in almost every case this is all about the polys. More than anything else, every engine has a maximum polygon (and texture) budget. This is why you get popping and fog effects (can''t render out to the horizon) in some engines, and why you get artificial level limits like fences you can''t climb, and why no one so far has been able to do a scene of busy downtown New York during rush hour.
--------------------
Just waiting for the mothership...
if you have very little experience in programming or art or music or whatever, you might consider recruiting some people who have the experience to help you out. i am sure there are lots of people out there willing to help (and get experience); you just have to ask. and the other posters are right; keep working, if you quit you''ll never make it.
as far as the lack of enemies is concerned, i think it is due to a couple of things...if you swamp a player with dozens of enemies at once, they probably dont have an ice cube''s chance in hell of living. also from a programming aspect, one monster uses a lot a resources; ai, graphics, sounds, etc, which must all be updated every frame. if you have too many on the screen at once the game would slow to a slide show most likely.
hope that helps...
<(o)>
as far as the lack of enemies is concerned, i think it is due to a couple of things...if you swamp a player with dozens of enemies at once, they probably dont have an ice cube''s chance in hell of living. also from a programming aspect, one monster uses a lot a resources; ai, graphics, sounds, etc, which must all be updated every frame. if you have too many on the screen at once the game would slow to a slide show most likely.
hope that helps...
<(o)>
First of all ignore any advice from people who mention the need to be able to program. Game designers come from a multitude of backgrounds programing being just one of them.
e.g Jon Hare of Sensible fame is a senior games designer at Codemasters and he was an artist. What is Hideo Kojima if not a games designer/director?
If your idea(s) for a game are good and you have no means to develop them yourself,(i mean not many people just go off and set up million dollar companies developing PS2 and X-Box tiles do they) then have them copywrited and send them to prospective developers and publishers and cross your fingers.
Lets face it it''s all you can do but it''s worth a shot.
I probably wouldn''t bother putting a desing document together, not trying to sound pesemistic but If you haven''t working in the industry you probably wont know what is required. There is an awful lot of design work that goes into games that the public have very little idea of.
If you REALLY WANT to have a GOOD CHANCE of designing games then you have to get into the industry, even if it''s just to test games, you have to start somewhere.
If you do that you can pick up a limited amount of knowledge, become a lead tester and then with a bit of luck a junior designer and from there who knows.
The important thing is you will pick up laymans knowlege of Rendering, A.I, Modelling, Animation, Texturing etc that will allow you to work with programmers and artists alike in order to come up with concepts and designs that are;
1 What you want out of a game
2 Practical and technically realistic/achievable, borne out from your experience.
The next thing you know you''ll be arguing about the use of Keyframe animation to avoid pad input delay and so improve gameplay, why you should or shouldn''t use Dreamweaver to mock up your front end and the problems associated with concatenated commentary in your latest FPS.
As soon as you read this apply for games tester positions, make the first move!
TIP..... if you can, get a position where the test department is situated in the same building as development. That way you may have the chance to learn about design more quickly by talking to the right people, there will be more opportunities for promotion into a design position.
TIP....READ all the literature you can that relates to game design, try to pick up
The industry needs people who care about design.
Designer... is a job in its own right and is just as important as programming or 3D Artistry.
Go for it, I wish you all the luck in the World.
Remember without the right ideas+implementation of ideas the most technically brilliant games are crap games, technically brilliant yes, but crap all the same.
e.g Jon Hare of Sensible fame is a senior games designer at Codemasters and he was an artist. What is Hideo Kojima if not a games designer/director?
If your idea(s) for a game are good and you have no means to develop them yourself,(i mean not many people just go off and set up million dollar companies developing PS2 and X-Box tiles do they) then have them copywrited and send them to prospective developers and publishers and cross your fingers.
Lets face it it''s all you can do but it''s worth a shot.
I probably wouldn''t bother putting a desing document together, not trying to sound pesemistic but If you haven''t working in the industry you probably wont know what is required. There is an awful lot of design work that goes into games that the public have very little idea of.
If you REALLY WANT to have a GOOD CHANCE of designing games then you have to get into the industry, even if it''s just to test games, you have to start somewhere.
If you do that you can pick up a limited amount of knowledge, become a lead tester and then with a bit of luck a junior designer and from there who knows.
The important thing is you will pick up laymans knowlege of Rendering, A.I, Modelling, Animation, Texturing etc that will allow you to work with programmers and artists alike in order to come up with concepts and designs that are;
1 What you want out of a game
2 Practical and technically realistic/achievable, borne out from your experience.
The next thing you know you''ll be arguing about the use of Keyframe animation to avoid pad input delay and so improve gameplay, why you should or shouldn''t use Dreamweaver to mock up your front end and the problems associated with concatenated commentary in your latest FPS.
As soon as you read this apply for games tester positions, make the first move!
TIP..... if you can, get a position where the test department is situated in the same building as development. That way you may have the chance to learn about design more quickly by talking to the right people, there will be more opportunities for promotion into a design position.
TIP....READ all the literature you can that relates to game design, try to pick up
The industry needs people who care about design.
Designer... is a job in its own right and is just as important as programming or 3D Artistry.
Go for it, I wish you all the luck in the World.
Remember without the right ideas+implementation of ideas the most technically brilliant games are crap games, technically brilliant yes, but crap all the same.
Author
quote: Original post by Luxury
Let me take a wild shot in the dark....are you trying to do a 3d shooter?
-Luxury
Well, only if 3D can handle as many objects that are found in a
200 population Age of Empires game.
Author
Well thanks for everyone who responded to my message. I will continue to work on my idea and perhaps try, TRY, to make a simple game just to see whats it like from a programmers point of view.
You say you know little about programming but are now going to try and create a small game to see what it is like from a programmers view?
What does that mean? If you can''t program, you can''t program and therefore cannot see a game from a programmers point of view.
Besides programmers generally write the TDD Technical Design Document for a game and a designer or designers write the Concept and Design Documents. Coding is a different discipline to designing, if you want to be a coder then take courses in assembly, C++ or Jarva or all! If you want to be a designer get into the industry via a testing position.
That was the general jist of my mailing, if you don''t get into the industry in some way or another so that that you may aquire the knowledge required you will almost certainly end up with nothing for your trouble.
Believe me I got into the industry as a tester, became a lead tester moved onto designer, then Associate Producer and am now a Producer about to head up a studio.
What does that mean? If you can''t program, you can''t program and therefore cannot see a game from a programmers point of view.
Besides programmers generally write the TDD Technical Design Document for a game and a designer or designers write the Concept and Design Documents. Coding is a different discipline to designing, if you want to be a coder then take courses in assembly, C++ or Jarva or all! If you want to be a designer get into the industry via a testing position.
That was the general jist of my mailing, if you don''t get into the industry in some way or another so that that you may aquire the knowledge required you will almost certainly end up with nothing for your trouble.
Believe me I got into the industry as a tester, became a lead tester moved onto designer, then Associate Producer and am now a Producer about to head up a studio.
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