So a smaller Project...

Detritus

Ok guys, you won:

I have decided to put forth the idea of creating a smaller game as the first project, that is - after the DVD production.

So I guess i'm asking for any, if not ALL expirience derived views on "wetting our feet" as a start up games developement company.

All views appreciated

Detritus

origonally by MoP:

Design a really cool single-player game. Good single player experiences are thin on the ground these days.
A proof-of-concept FPS single player game with a good engine, 2 or 3 different maps/levels, a few different enemies and some innovative ideas will be much easier and faster to produce than an MMO, and if you get an effective working "demo", you can show it off to publishers and maybe get some interest and funding, if it's good enough.

It's gonna be tough whatever you do, though, if you're determined to get something "real" produced and start a business. Free mods for existing games are easier to do and just as fun to work on, they give a similar experience to the people working on the game, too.

It'll be an uphill battle if you want to publish your game, whatever it may be.

Good luck.

now me:

ok cool,

so walking with the FPS pathway for a moment, which would you prefer, having inovation in terms of physical things such as Physics and dynamic creations or having a very immersive stoyline, (thinking metal ear solid)?

not that i'm saying both at the same time aren't possible

m3rl1n

Storyline, and execution of storyline above all - you may not have mass-market appeal without the gimmicks, but mods/shareware generally don’t have mass-market appeal anyway, and games that have great stories and immerse the player are sure to get cult followings; from there anything can happen. Plus you can tap the “old-timer” market that way

Innovation (i.e. gimmicks) are best left to companies that can afford to spend a lot of time on them and have a lot of them in their game, plus have big budge marketing teams to push them

I still play some of the old school games and they were hardly innovative: “You see a red key in the corner…” “You hear the sound of footsteps behind you…” - Think of it as an interactive novel where you’re the main character.

There are a lot of solid shareware (or cheap/affordable) engines, textures, models, etc out there so if you want to release it for free instead of as a mod that’s a path you can probably take as well. For that matter I'm pretty sure I heard the Quake 3 Engine is supposed to become shareware by the end of the year.

/Edit - plus, from where I'm sitting it seems games that focus more on story would be easier to pull off, especially if you're just starting out.

pogonip

Build something along the lines of a Mario , Sonic , Crash Bandicoot game only for the next gen consols . If you had a good concept and maybe a playable level that was amazing you might be able to get a big publisher to give you some development money who knows...

sonic

Check out Irrilicht or something like that, it's a pretty schweet engine with Per-Pixel Lighting (AND ITS FREEEEE!!!) Also, check out Ogre3d for the engine.

I always thought a fast well done multiplayer third person shooters or just third person game would kick ass. Something with some kind of melee fighting? Sort of like UC2 I suppose.

ironbearxl

If you went to West Wood College you would be on your 5th game by now!

sonic

[ QUOTE ]
If you went to West Wood College you would be on your 5th game by now!

[/ QUOTE ]

hahahahahaha

and not only that, but he'd be beta testing on a ps1 (in case you noobs didnt know, the ps1 is the NEXT NEXT gen of consoles released only to the 1337s)!

KDR_11k

How about a third person shooter/fighter, a bit along the lines of Oni, of course with your own twist? With arcade scoring (and chains for extra points, etc) that is used to unlock better weapons and stuff?

I've got some other "design documents" lying around here, I'd just need to translate them.

Detritus

Ok cool ideas,

I'm thinking A roman timescale, with a politically driven and twisted plot. 3'rd person, with "real world" items.

think solid snake of that time period, only a bit shorter and less haunted. More emphesis on action than espionage.

el.

KDR_11k

There was a roman stealth game. It sucked and I forgot its name...

Paul Jaquays

I would suggest that you start with some simple tech demos. Field test the abilities of your contributors and prove out your ability to create content and get it into a game setting. When the Guildhall students start working with a new engine, they create a very simple group project where they solve all the technical issues of making the game. Come up with something simple and fun to do. If your team can accomplish that on a deadline, then scope out something more complex.

Detritus

cheers, yep that's what we are going to do.

Mojo2k

awww i was hoping you would do sidescroller, love sidescrollers, and theres not enough of them