Hey Zac I read some of your wall of text (you lost me when it hit the actual game play and got me back at the planning stages) and have a few comments/concerns.
1. Since you are working off of the IP of someone else you should definitely try to run this by them for permission. Especially since money may be involved. Which leads me to...
2. Since you will be asking for donations your team should consult with a lawyer to see what kind of ramifications this will have. Who makes the profit?, who decides who gets what? etc...
3. A epic project + group of friends can easily lead to a group of bitter enemies for life. Sadly I've seen this occur first hand, it's not pretty... Especially with money involved, I think it raises the chance for this to occur.
One thing that may help is to decide on a leader, someone who will make the final decisions on everything. Consensus just doesn't seem to work for these kinds of projects once things start to get hairy. I bet others here with some mod experience might have better ideas on how to keep the group working in harmony.
4. I think you should try to get as much lighting done as you possibly can in the 3D layout stage rather than wait until near the end of production.
5. Content for 90 minutes of actual game play is a very VERY high goal to reach for. Not to say don't go for it, because if you don't set high goals then you never reach them. Just saying take a good hard look at how much work is actually involved.
I think that's all the main things that jumped out at me. Good luck
I suggest you read up on project management first, not just the leaders should have knowledge in it but everyone in the team. Also make sure you have a leader with balls and a metal hand.
It is also important to have a devils advocate character aswell. So that way you have a guy whos says i told you so .
Should of had a disclaimer saying I typed most of that at 5 in the morning XD
1. I'll have to do that once I get more of a plan together, and some concept art. I'll probably try to undersell it a bit. But I'd like to figure legal issues first.
2. Removed that bit, for now at least
3. Well most of my friends are going to school and working more and aren't going to be sending as much time on this so my plan was to lead it and use them in help with individual props and what not, see how it works from there.
4. So do some mood lighting in the pre-vis?
5. Probably stretched the actual time
@Shiraz
I looked and worked off a few cg short films that were made by just a few people
You'll do it NOW. You want to take somebody elses IP and work with it? Good luck buddy. But even worse is you want to get the groundwork down first...? You don't. You want to get asking the people whose work you are messing with. THATS your first, and only, step. Otherwise this project will be wasted.
Do step 1, and wait until you hear more. Sod the rest.
he's being a little stern, but Odium is 100% right. I'd hate to see you waste your time.
also, I hate to be a bastard, but I doubt very, very seriously that you'll get the license. here's a better idea -- develop a new brand, and BLATANTLY RIP OFF EVERYTHING iconic about ender's game. i mean rip off the fuckin' book cover, the text, the objects in the world, and even give it a similar name.. like "Zac's Game" or what ever.
Yea some cool mods I used to play got cease and desist orders because they broached copyright. Also, I believe there is already an ender's game, game in the making, so that's double the reason not to step on any toes. Come up with your own IP. It's more fun.
by the way-- if you want to get started making games, i seriously suggest that you make something very small first. VERY small. small to the point where it's like "oh fuck that's too small, we don't need to go THAT small" -- yes you do. all sorts of things rear their head when you start moving forward. when you're done you know what it's like to get a team together, get a GDD, develop an art style, and see a project through to it's completion. I was ready by the time i started my first small game, but fuck it teaches you things you didn't expect.
I might be making a mistake assuming that you haven't made a indie game before? sounds like it a bit..?
I've made a combo based fighting engine in flash before, and some pretty complicated stuff in the Starcraft level editor story and triggers wise, a few short films (3D and 2D). I'm working on contacting the author, not sure what to exactly say,
something like this?
"I taught myself game design for the last 5 years and now I'm trying to build a portfolio of personal work in hopes that in can get me a job. I wish to make a making a free- short- non-profit independent game based off the fantasy game described in Enders Game."
eh sounds like there's a (xbox live arcade) game produced about the battle room (completely different aspect of the book). That really shot down my hopes, I guess I still can try sending an email.
Eh, I sent him an email asking to do an environment piece based off the text, maybe if I'm lucky he'll love it and want me to do more with it. If not I still got an awesome environment piece, right?
Do you have a Business Plan ZacD?
The estimated cost, tools to be used, brief discription of the product(which you already stated)
core start-up strategy, start-up cost, start-up targetted market.
Thats just a suggustion. I did that before starting my DemoProject to see how things work out and if they can be done by just one person.
Replies
1. Since you are working off of the IP of someone else you should definitely try to run this by them for permission. Especially since money may be involved. Which leads me to...
2. Since you will be asking for donations your team should consult with a lawyer to see what kind of ramifications this will have. Who makes the profit?, who decides who gets what? etc...
3. A epic project + group of friends can easily lead to a group of bitter enemies for life. Sadly I've seen this occur first hand, it's not pretty... Especially with money involved, I think it raises the chance for this to occur.
One thing that may help is to decide on a leader, someone who will make the final decisions on everything. Consensus just doesn't seem to work for these kinds of projects once things start to get hairy. I bet others here with some mod experience might have better ideas on how to keep the group working in harmony.
4. I think you should try to get as much lighting done as you possibly can in the 3D layout stage rather than wait until near the end of production.
5. Content for 90 minutes of actual game play is a very VERY high goal to reach for. Not to say don't go for it, because if you don't set high goals then you never reach them. Just saying take a good hard look at how much work is actually involved.
I think that's all the main things that jumped out at me. Good luck
It is also important to have a devils advocate character aswell. So that way you have a guy whos says i told you so
1. I'll have to do that once I get more of a plan together, and some concept art. I'll probably try to undersell it a bit. But I'd like to figure legal issues first.
2. Removed that bit, for now at least
3. Well most of my friends are going to school and working more and aren't going to be sending as much time on this so my plan was to lead it and use them in help with individual props and what not, see how it works from there.
4. So do some mood lighting in the pre-vis?
5. Probably stretched the actual time
@Shiraz
I looked and worked off a few cg short films that were made by just a few people
No.
No, you wont.
You'll do it NOW. You want to take somebody elses IP and work with it? Good luck buddy. But even worse is you want to get the groundwork down first...? You don't. You want to get asking the people whose work you are messing with. THATS your first, and only, step. Otherwise this project will be wasted.
Do step 1, and wait until you hear more. Sod the rest.
also, I hate to be a bastard, but I doubt very, very seriously that you'll get the license. here's a better idea -- develop a new brand, and BLATANTLY RIP OFF EVERYTHING iconic about ender's game. i mean rip off the fuckin' book cover, the text, the objects in the world, and even give it a similar name.. like "Zac's Game" or what ever.
I might be making a mistake assuming that you haven't made a indie game before? sounds like it a bit..?
something like this?
"I taught myself game design for the last 5 years and now I'm trying to build a portfolio of personal work in hopes that in can get me a job. I wish to make a making a free- short- non-profit independent game based off the fantasy game described in Enders Game."
did two ender inspired paints 2 years ago of what i tought he would look like
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/5574/enderlz5.png
http://leslievdb.dommel.be/0g_final.png
i`m keeping an eye on this one
The estimated cost, tools to be used, brief discription of the product(which you already stated)
core start-up strategy, start-up cost, start-up targetted market.
Thats just a suggustion. I did that before starting my DemoProject to see how things work out and if they can be done by just one person.
Good luck on your project ZacD.