Regarding game design ...

[Raithah]

I've had this little idea kicking around in my head for a while now.

After about a year of constant procrastination punctuated by short periods of productivity, I have assembled volumes of information. Basicaly, if I were to hire a crack team of professionals right now, I could have a marketable product in a few months.

The problem, though; is that I am definitely not a crack team of professionals. I have very little artistic talent to speak of and an inclination to get distracted when learning things. What I'm wondering is, to any successful developers out there, what helped you ? What things should I avoid doing, or jump straight into ?

[derekiv]

Sorry can't help you on game programming.
But if you want a website create for your game I'll help you out there!
( I know HTML, CSS and some Javascript)

[th15]

Even if you do have the means to get people to make a game for you right here right now, that's not what you should do. Go make a small prototype and find out if the game is really worth it first. A good prototype shouldn't take more than a week to make and should demonstrate the core game mechanics.

[Kaelis]

Im no expert, but i know a thing or two about commercial design, so ill try to give you some insight. Ill try to be short.

First off, everyone can invent a game and make a design doc. So heres your first problem - your not exactly the only guy who has ideas.

Next, if you're just a random guy who thinks about making a game, forget about getting into the industry just like that. Yes, it is possible, like everything - and like everything, needs time (experience, what do you have to show, who knows you, etc). Which means years. But before that, it needs skills (lets be honest, nobody is gonna hire you just because you have ideas), which means another years. And even if you do get into some good game studio, which is nigh impossible without good background, youll have to prepare for very hard work (crunchmode - sleeping in the studio to make it on time...) and dissapointment (since very few people get to decide on game design, 95% of the work is getting done by programmers, artists and all these hard working people). So basically, you would need to forget about your brilliant little idea and slug through the chain of game industry.

However, there is a hope for you, and its name is independet game development. For that, you need no studio nor background, and you can start right off the bat. The problem is, its a fat chance youll get many (if any!) people to help you, so it all boils down to doing everything by yourself. Which, again, means time, skill, and shitloads of dedication. Not to mention you don't get paid for it.

And then there is publishing and marketing, which im not gonna even touch...

Thus my suggestion is to forget about converting your ideas into a commercial game. If you really want to make games, id say either start doing it by yourself, as a hobby, or start learning/working towards getting into the industry.

[Raithah]

Oookay, I'm going out on a limb here and saying no one caught what I meant :). What I was attempting to say, but failed miserably at, is that I have a very detailed document as to what I want to make - I just don't know where to go from here.

Should I try to get a group behind me, go it alone, pick up Gamemaker ? I don't know.

[Kaelis]

What I was attempting to say, but failed miserably at, is that I have a very detailed document as to what I want to make - I just don't know where to go from here.

Thats what i assumed, my post is still relevant.

[Raithah]

Yep, I read your post. Basicaly, you're saying I should make a game independently. Holy crap, you a genios !

I already know that no game company in their right minds would hire me simply because I have a kickass idea (and kickass it is).

Responding to th15, assuming I'm making a fairly simplistic 2D side scrolling platformer, would you think Game Maker is suitible ? No freaky effects; but I'd need to rotate sprites a lot.

[Milgwyn]

As to the gamemaker part, it really depends on what you want to do. Some games make more sense to build using flash & actionscript, some make sense for gamemaker, others would work best in blender... Basically, you have to balance what you want to do with how much time you're willing to invest in learning the method.

[Kaelis]

Yep, I read your post. Basicaly, you're saying I should make a game independently. Holy crap, you a genios !

I already know that no game company in their right minds would hire me simply because I have a kickass idea (and kickass it is).

Hmm, okay, ill try answering your last questions then.

Should I try to get a group behind me

Unless you plan on reaping all the profits alone, of course you should. I don't see any real reason why anyone wouldnt want people helping him in making a game... But like i said, its a fat chance, unless your idea is as awesome as you think. BTW, if thats the case, share the basics, maybe youll even find someone to help you here, like me for for example

assuming I'm making a fairly simplistic 2D side scrolling platformer, would you think Game Maker is suitible ? No freaky effects; but I'd need to rotate sprites a lot.

GM is okay for 2d games, although, afaik, its performance is lacking in some aspects (just look at BSF) and it can be limited due to being a high level tool/language. If you want something more powerful (lower level), id recommend HGE: http://hge.relishgames.com/

If you have more specific questions, id be happy to answer them.

[Milgwyn]

Yep, I read your post. Basicaly, you're saying I should make a game independently. Holy crap, you a genios !

I already know that no game company in their right minds would hire me simply because I have a kickass idea (and kickass it is).

Hmm, okay, ill try answering your last questions then.

Should I try to get a group behind me

Unless you plan on reaping all the profits alone, of course you should. I don't see any real reason why anyone wouldnt want people helping him in making a game... But like i said, its a fat chance, unless your idea is as awesome as you think. BTW, if thats the case, share the basics, maybe youll even find someone to help you here, like me for for example

assuming I'm making a fairly simplistic 2D side scrolling platformer, would you think Game Maker is suitible ? No freaky effects; but I'd need to rotate sprites a lot.

GM is okay for 2d games, although, afaik, its performance is lacking in some aspects (just look at BSF) and it can be limited due to being a high level tool/language. If you want something more powerful (lower level), id recommend HGE: http://hge.relishgames.com/

If you have more specific questions, id be happy to answer them.

What do you think of HGE or Gamemaker vs. Flash/Actionscript?
I only ask because I've never used HGE or Gamemaker. Flash is alright (I know limited amounts of actionscript and help a friend of mine test for bugs), but it tends to really suck graphically - you can't get enough complexity without killing you computer's processor.

[Kaelis]

What do you think of HGE or Gamemaker vs. Flash/Actionscript?
I only ask because I've never used HGE or Gamemaker. Flash is alright (I know limited amounts of actionscript and help a friend of mine test for bugs), but it tends to really suck graphically - you can't get enough complexity without killing you computer's processor.

Uh... You should really do more research for methods of 3d gamemaking. Flash is vector graphics, while both GM and HGE are sprite-based. Those are two completely different animals.

Also, you know that both GM and HGE are C++ based, right?

[Milgwyn]

Uh... You should really do more research for methods of 3d gamemaking. Flash is vector graphics, while both GM and HGE are sprite-based. Those are two completely different animals.

Also, you know that both GM and HGE are C++ based, right?

Um. First of all - don't be harsh and don't make assumptions. I know that Flash is vector and GM is sprite based (I've never heard of HGE). Second, none of the ones I listed but Blender are 3d; I think you meant 2d? And last, no I did not know that GM and HGE are C++ based.

[Kaelis]

Sorry if that sounded harsh, not intended.

If you know that GM is sprites based and Flash is vector, then why are you asking me to do a comparioson? You can't really compare vector to sprite based.

And yeah, i meant 2d gamemaking, typo.

[Milgwyn]

You can compare the functionality of actionscript vs C++ and the effort required to learn them. Or any number of things. I've never, personally dealt with C++ or GM, so I have no idea how flexible or powerful they are. That's all.

[Kaelis]

Ahhh, so you meant languages, while i was thinking about comparing engines/libraries.

Unfortunately, i don't know action script, nor do i have any idea about coding for flash. The only thing i can tell you that c++ using GM and especially HGM libraries is on a much lower level of abstraction than action script.