Community game project?

[dagcrack]

A 2d roleplaying game would be fun...

RPGs are time eaters, its a very famous game genre but it takes a long time of development, and lets not talk about MMORPG please!. For a team an RPG would take less time to develop (not necesary, but should). than a single person. Still, I don't think its a good idea, at least not for a first project to "prove" the community efficience, talent, etc.


Don't get me wrong, but once theres a game engine (say a high level engine), you can make an FPS in no time (most of the time you'll be spending will be on GFX and SFX, as this types of games requires this). As well as many other game types. But for RPGs you'll need a dedicated engine, for all the features this kind of game requires.

Remember, the storyline is very important.
Remember, the gameplay is very important (and it goes from the hand of graphics as well).

If you show to a group of people a finished game, still untextured and unskinned, but with sounds. People will like the game, still, when you show them the same exact game but skinned and textured models and objects, the gameplay for them is 10 out of 10 when it was 6 out of 10 before (with the unskinned version). This proves that not only the story is important now adays (well, games has always been eye-candy, or aimed for) if not graphics, gameplay (functionality and interaction), etc.

I have been working on game dev (indie) for quite a few years already, still havent released any game, and this is because im perfectionist and I always want more and more, but for the best of the project. Again, don't get me wrong. One thing is working on a private project, which has no deadlines nor advertising, and aimed to teach yourself everyday with new things, which will help you the time you get on a serious commercial title. And another thing is having to work knowing theres a deadline, that the game has been advertised, it got good reviews, previews, and its being voted. What would make you lazy in this kind of situation? the adrenaline is pretty high, and you just need to focus on your task for the given time. thats all, you woudlnt fail if you know what you're doing. So theres nothing to lose, in fact, theres a lot to earn.


Okey going back to the subject (community project) I recommend a simple game, say a 3D Puzzle (still, it can be cleverly done, dont associate it with any other bad puzzle you've played before). Or a fighting game, 2 players, side by side, weapons to get from the arena's floor, bizarre action (get a pig from the tail and throw it like a rock for example ? ), I don't know, its up to you guys. If it comes to organize it, have a site, dedicated forum (with private section for development discussions) etc, dont hesitate to call me. Although been a little busy at work. If it comes to game dev, thats my job, not just a dream.

So, theres a big difference between a kid that is all happy because he just finished an RPG game and wants to make his own (on 99% they dont last a month before dropping the idea/project). Notice, im not saying you are. Im comparing here to let you guys know that I have many years on this, still nothing to prove (nothing commercial, thats it). I could post a screenie of my old FPS game if someone wants something to feed his eyes. Thats if you dont trust me .

I'd say: give it a try to the community game idea, if it works, this proves a lot about the community (which is one of the bests i've seen). If not, you've got a nice experience of what game development feels like, And working on a team for just one goal. Publish the *****r!. (Which tells me that; if things goes well, a serious team could come from all this and you'll be cleaning your nose with 100 bucks, in some time ).

[PB]

> 2D games are forgiven, now adays

I think you mean "forsaken".

And I think 2D games are often more fun than 3D games, simply because
they are usually more original. Think of Doom 3 -- sure it's technically
brilliant, but it's so boring... it's all been done before. :roll:

[dagcrack]

Thx for the correction.

Well, lets not put everything in the same bag. I mean, yes doom3 is pretty boring, what about halflife2 ? and why we are talking about this AAA titles ?!!?


Its not very fun to work on a 2D game project, you have no freedom at all.
If you manage to have dx shaders then it would be funnier, because you'll be able to have eye candy effects. if not, I would preffer to play it and not work on it.

[Edit] Suggestion: 2 projects, one 2D the other 3D, let me lead the 3D one and show you how boring your 2d project will be [/Edit]

[blueznl]

well, a space rts would have my interest as well

i was considering the following approach:

- think up the core game logic

- use AS MANY GRAPHIC ENGINES as you like, ie. independent game logic as opposed to graphic engine

this would effectively seperate the thing into a few parts...

- storyline
- design
- mechanics
- artwork
- graphic engines
- sound effects

some nice to haves

- multiplayer
- scripting (for singleplay)
- ai (for singleplay)
- rulesets (allowing different styles of play by applying a different ruleset)

with this approach, the game engine could run in a separate thread, or even a separate program (i've been thinking about using localhost or a message mechanism to communicate between client (graphics) engine and the acutal game engine, this would also simply multiplayer implementations)

rts's offer a lot of options to fool around with, it doesn't have to be too serious though (the game itself), i'd go for sheep throwing battle cows as long as the play is fun

[dagcrack]

Your clients idea is not very nice! you'll be using more cpu than you need for the actual game, seriously. I would find a nice graphics engine (say Gizmo3D or the latest OGRE if you feel like having sex - a work- with it).

And wheres the storyline and the concepts of the game idea? Lets see if it diserves a try and how good it is.

edit: By the way, RTS' are always fun, still they are as hard as RPGs to programm (if not harder, but depends on the game concept as well, if it has complex gameplay or the PR -programmed response, or call it AI but that term is WRONG- Although its still being used... a shame, but I wont get into explaning the why of this now! )

For the artwork, they are sweet to work with, the models would be very low poly, and have mid sized skins.

About textures, not many, as most of the things are models, and so, they diserve skins instead. (say a building, its better to skin it than applying different textures to different parts of the mesh, although: theres a thecnic I managed to use a while ago, you can texturize a house for example, with different textures and later have another house -same mesh but another model- skinned with the baked ligthing, later you place both models and blend the shadow one, this works flawlessly good although Duplicates the polycount, so I preffer to bake all into 1 color map if the engine is rudimentary, if not: you could use 2 uv map channels, but again, the engine should support it, this way you shoudlnt need to add another mesh and blend it).

Hope it made sense
it does for me.

[PB]

> what about halflife2 ?

All first-person shooters are just old and boring these days.

I really long for a new, interesting, original, game. They don't exist anymore.
Can anyone name something new that hasn't already been done in the past?

[dagcrack]

I know what you mean with "They don't exist anymore"
I'd say... Blame Lucas for keeping it up with STARWARS ...

He made a promise and he broke it!
2 years ago he was like "Ok.. Or I finish starwars or I start other projects and forget starwars, ok then, i'll finish starwars and work on other stuff later".. Yeah right, eons in the future he will still be working on starwars!!, George Lucas please, put starwars in second place and start new ideas for adventure games, let them be 2d or 3d but we want them!.

All first-person shooters are just old and boring these days. Twisted Evil

OLD?, because many people forgets about the story, which is very important, you need a solid storyline and good gameplay, if you add high quality graphics and nice sound effects, among with nice music, you've done it.

[dagcrack]

Can anyone name something new that hasn't already been done in the past?

Actually yes, but Im sorry thats my commercial project the one I work on in spare time.

But just for ideas... think about something you might like to do but you cant (because of X reasons) then add more and more ideas, you got a game idea.

I dont like to give out ideas, because sooner or later you see them selling a lot and that pulls you down when you find out!.

[PB]

> OLD?

Yep. Moving around and shooting things from a first-person view is old. It
doesn't matter if the story is original -- the gameplay is always the same.
In my opinion, anyway. I hate repetition and prefer fresh new game styles.

[GedB]

How about a classic game remake. Something that was original, the likes of which hasn't been seen since.

There have been some great remakes of Mike Singleton's Lords of Midnight.

The xcom people went back and redid Laser Squad.

What about all those great Amiga classics, game styles that aren't done anymore. Stuff like Lemmings or Tower of Babel.

[dagcrack]

Remakes don't sell
Something new, something original... that shoudlnt be a remake

[thefool]

half life 2! great gameplay, music, graphics, ai etc.

dont say all 3d games are boring. i would rather say, that nearly all 2d games are boring! Of course some are brilliant! Also old ones [especially old ones].

of course 3d role playing are nice! [with ability to move down like a 1st person shooteR? or just the full 3d zoom in/out & rotate?],

but a cool nice 3d game would be cool!

[dagcrack]

Now, we are getting a little offtopic. Yes some 2D games are boring, somes are very fun to play, same thing goes for 3D games.

[GedB]

If you're thinking of selling, then forget a community project. How would you distribute profits?

A community game as a showcase for PB would be an interesting project.

[dagcrack]

Read above, about the forum, with closed team sections.
That means a team would be joined out of THIS community, programmers, a musician, thats about all. Include me and you got the graphics.

It should not necessary be a commercial project, but it can be. and thats something else to discuss, but not coming here saying "how would you do this, how would you do the other". If you dont give a solution, then you're part of the problem Thats what we say at work, dont get me wrong.