I think you already guess, to make a game it's not easy for amateurs like me and maybe you. I will try to make you avoid the mistakes i made.
First Steps
The first thing to do is write the game idea in a document, don't matters if it's an FPS, RPG, RTS or MMORPG you will need to write down and organize your ideas in a document, for two reasons the first one is because you will need to pass your ideas to other guys (yes you will need a team, you must be very surprised right now), the second reason is if you are like me you will forget something that could be important.
Team Building for Beginners
Before start posting in forums asking for someone to do your dirty job :) you will need to show what you did so far, yes no one will help you for free if you don't show that you are willing to work in your own dream. For the guys or girls that just thought "What a pain in the ass!", please stop reading and go back to your PS3, XBox or Spectrum (for the guys\girls that already grow beard) :p
If you aren't in the category above you can keep reading my
In case you are an artist you will need to do character and environment concepts or 3d models to show to your future team members through forums or even sending them by e-mail, if you are a coder the best way is to do a website where you can post your progress, your team members(if you have some) and some of your game ideas not all of them because you don't want that some wise guy steal them.
After all this you can start recruiting and prepare yourself to upgrade your patience to another level :)
In my opinion it's a bad choice to recruit all the team at the same time you must respect an order:
- Writer(s)
- Concept Artist(s), Programmer(s)
- 3D Modeler(s), Sound Artist(s)
- Texture Artist(s), Rigger(s), Animation Artist(s), 2D Artist(s) for GUI
If you hire all the team at the same time you will end having all your team members waiting for each other, as you must figure by now it's not very good for you team's motivation.
There are some forums where you can hire your team members, here is a list:
- CGSociety (3D Modelers and Concept Artists)
- conceptart.org (Concept Artists)
- 3dmd.net (3D Modelers)
- writingforums.org (Writers)
- writingforums.com (Writers)
- gameaudioforum.com (Sound Artists)
- freesound.org (Sound Artists)
- ogre3d.org (Programmers)
- gamedev.net (Programmers)
The magic of Posting
By the way here is an example of a post:
Post Example
Team name:Project name:
Brief description:
<brief description about your project>
Compensation:
<payed/non payed>
Technology:
<game engine, programming language, programs used by the artists>
Engine Features:
Talent needed:
<programmer,writer,3d modeler, whatever...>
Team structure:
<Team members names and jobs (members already hired if any)>
Website:
Contacts:
Previous Work by Team:
Additional Info:
I'm doing all the work for you, do you want that i wipe your *ss? Just kidding :p
The next step is to post this info 100 times or more because maybe 10 of this 100 will want to join your team.
I tried several approaches, the easy one is to do only one post for forum in the recruiting section and wait for replies, but that has a disadvantage do you know what it is?? No???? You don't know the skills of the guys that are replying, you will have to speak with them and see their works and choose if you want them in your team, if you don't want them you will have to break their hearts ah ah ah, I'm kidding that's not funny it's my dark humor. I prefer to go for example to cgtalk, search the works i think that are the best suited for my project and pm the guy that made them, that way you will make a filter and only choose talented guys and you don't break anyone's heart, but they can break yours when they say that can't join your team ah ah ah (funny again) anyway, choose the method you think that works best for you.
Choosing your game genre
You were sleeping and you had a vision of a perfect game... or not and you want to create it, you dreamed about an MMORPG(that's my case), the first thing you must know is that you couldn't dream about a worst genre than that to enter in the video game industry(that's my experience). Did i give up right away??? Yes! I'm kidding, of course not, i choose to make something more simple like a FPS\RPG :) it's not the best choice either but i couldn't do other thing period!! I will advise you to start with a little puzzle game to learn, because it's easier to make, faster to finish and you will have something to show when you try to get your MMORPG team and you will gain experience. Do what i say don't do what i did :D
Why MMORPG it's the worst genre to start? MMORPG need's an above average database, security and network knowledge, not speaking the money you will have to invest in the servers. It's impossible to accomplish?? Of course not, but you will have to gain experience with a easier game genre that's it :)
Choosing your game technology
Since I'm a coder i couldn't skip this section, was a pain in the *ss to choose the best engine, i tried a lot of engines, some have great features but bad documentation, others have good docs but lack of features, others cost a lot of money bad have good features and docs, other cost a lot of money and have bad features and bad docs... I think you got it, What did I do (are you asking yourself... or not) ?? I choose the best of the free game engines that has great documentation and great features, but has a disadvantage, it's only a graphical engine and not a full game engine. For the guys that don't know the difference, a graphical engine like the name says only deals with the graphics you will have to get the physics, input, artificial intelligence, GUI, sound and network libraries to add to your graphical engine. Ogre3D team want that you have all of that and they have in their website several links to the libraries i wrote above, some of them free others payed, you will only have to choose. Ogre3D has the best documentation and this is one of the most important things when you choose an engine, it will save you or your programmer a lot of time.
Here is the link:
Ogre3D
Here are the libraries and other cool stuff you can add to Ogre3D:
Assembling a Toolset
Searching for info - how to behaaaave in forums
I know 99% of the readers of this blog will skip this section saying "This guy is nuts, its obvious how to behave in forums!!", yes I'm nuts but i see several guys repeating the same mistake all over again. If you think that in the most forums you will read words of kindness and encouragement, you are WRONG, most of the time some guys will put you down and will say to give up from that huge dream, what will you do?
- Call names
- Show them that they are wrong and you are capable to make your dream come true
No need, I will answer for you.
Answer:
Real Answer: Show them that they are wrong and you are capable to make your dream come true
Even if you aren't capable to fulfill your dream, you will learn a lot in the process and i think it's not a bad thing. Other advice i have for you is to know a little of all the skills you need in your project, that way you can manage your team a lot better.
Note: For the only guy that read this section:
I know you only read it because of the sexy guy above ;)
Documentation - a tool of management and time savior
This could be the boring part, and it will take some time, no, it's not an A4 sheet with a title :P, i spent a lot of time when i figured out that docs were essential, writing everything down to save time later, believe me, in the beginning i didn't have docs and i had to speak with each one of the guys that applied for the job, some times until later in the night because they were from several countries and continents, I didn't have time to code only to manage the team and I was the only programmer like I am now until i achieve some coding objectives.
Because
Genre: FPS/RPG
<project name> work flow
1. <Project Leader> gives the tasks to the team.
2. After a team member finish a first draft of the work, send it to <Project Leader> by e-mail to be analysed and maybe discussed with the other team members.
3. After approved the artist finishes de work.
4. After the work finished the artist put the <project name> watermark in the work (concept artists only), no work goes to website without the watermark.
5. The work goes to the website if is a drawing or a render, in case of a sound its uploaded only part of it.
6. <Project Leader> will try to update the website every Friday with the works of the week.
<project name> work flow
1. <Project Leader> gives the tasks to the team.
2. After a team member finish a first draft of the work, send it to <Project Leader> by e-mail to be analysed and maybe discussed with the other team members.
3. After approved the artist finishes de work.
4. After the work finished the artist put the <project name> watermark in the work (concept artists only), no work goes to website without the watermark.
5. The work goes to the website if is a drawing or a render, in case of a sound its uploaded only part of it.
6. <Project Leader> will try to update the website every Friday with the works of the week.
History of <project name>
Missions
Crazy People Island
Mission 1 – Gathering equipment 1/2: a weapon, crafting and work tools, food.
Location of basic weapon: weapons store.
Location of crafting and work tools: hardware store.
Location of food: market place.
Rewards: basic weapon, crafting tools and food;
...
Side mission 1.1 – get some materials for weapons vendor, he needs them to make some weapons of level 1.
Reward: energy weapon blueprints
...
Skills
ATTACK
Fire Weapons- needed to use fire weapons, high skill deal more damage
Sniper Weapons- to control long range weapons
...
Missions
Crazy People Island
Mission 1 – Gathering equipment 1/2: a weapon, crafting and work tools, food.
Location of basic weapon: weapons store.
Location of crafting and work tools: hardware store.
Location of food: market place.
Rewards: basic weapon, crafting tools and food;
...
Side mission 1.1 – get some materials for weapons vendor, he needs them to make some weapons of level 1.
Reward: energy weapon blueprints
...
Skills
ATTACK
Fire Weapons- needed to use fire weapons, high skill deal more damage
Sniper Weapons- to control long range weapons
...
WORK
Healing- to heal other players, to use medicine made by pharmacist, to heal some illnesses, in the future to get professional cards, players have to pay, and only then they can heal some dangerous illnesses.
When a player pass trough a decayed body has a probability of earn a decease, that can be cured by a player with necessary medicine skill.
Looting- rob banks with some objects made by hi tech researchers
...
STATUS
Strength – strength of the player.
Stamina – stamina of the player to run.
...
Materials to make objects
Gun Powder:
Potassium nitrate
Sulphur
Charcoal
Sodium nitrate
List of Alloys
An alloy is a combination of several basic or composed materials and the player only can mine the basic materials and from these can make alloys.
Alloys of aluminium
Al-Li (lithium)
Alnico (aluminum, nickel, cobalt): used for permanent magnets
Duralumin (copper)
Nambe (aluminium plus seven other undisclosed metals)
Silumin (silicon)
AA-8000: used for building wire in the U.S. per the National Electrical Code
Magnalium (5% magnesium)/used in airplane bodies, ladders,etc.
Aluminium also forms complex metallic alloys, like β-Al-Mg, ξ'-Al-Pd-Mn, T-Al3Mn
Primary Objects:
Pickaxe – to get materials from rocks to make weapons and objects.
Alarm – to use them in apartments or houses, if burglars try to hack the electronic lock exists a probability of being caught because of the alarm, better alarms raise the probability of caught the burglars.
Objects made by players:
Healing- to heal other players, to use medicine made by pharmacist, to heal some illnesses, in the future to get professional cards, players have to pay, and only then they can heal some dangerous illnesses.
When a player pass trough a decayed body has a probability of earn a decease, that can be cured by a player with necessary medicine skill.
Looting- rob banks with some objects made by hi tech researchers
...
STATUS
Strength – strength of the player.
Stamina – stamina of the player to run.
...
Materials to make objects
Gun Powder:
Potassium nitrate
Sulphur
Charcoal
Sodium nitrate
List of Alloys
An alloy is a combination of several basic or composed materials and the player only can mine the basic materials and from these can make alloys.
Alloys of aluminium
Al-Li (lithium)
Alnico (aluminum, nickel, cobalt): used for permanent magnets
Duralumin (copper)
Nambe (aluminium plus seven other undisclosed metals)
Silumin (silicon)
AA-8000: used for building wire in the U.S. per the National Electrical Code
Magnalium (5% magnesium)/used in airplane bodies, ladders,etc.
Aluminium also forms complex metallic alloys, like β-Al-Mg, ξ'-Al-Pd-Mn, T-Al3Mn
Primary Objects:
Pickaxe – to get materials from rocks to make weapons and objects.
Alarm – to use them in apartments or houses, if burglars try to hack the electronic lock exists a probability of being caught because of the alarm, better alarms raise the probability of caught the burglars.
Objects made by players:
GPS radarq Alarm
Microwave
Ammo
Wood arrow
Used in:
Materials needed:
Skill needed:
Iron arrow
Used in:
Materials needed:
Skill needed:
Plans \Blueprints - Level 1
Steam Crossbow: range weapon
Skill needed:
Refrigeration Device: to use in several weapons and objects.
Skill needed:
...
Food Receipts – Level 1
Toast
Materials needed:
Skill needed:
Effects:
...
Ammo
Wood arrow
Used in:
Materials needed:
Skill needed:
Iron arrow
Used in:
Materials needed:
Skill needed:
Plans \Blueprints - Level 1
Steam Crossbow: range weapon
Skill needed:
Refrigeration Device: to use in several weapons and objects.
Skill needed:
...
Food Receipts – Level 1
Toast
Materials needed:
Skill needed:
Effects:
...
Sound Artists:
Footsteps:
- In iron floor
- Wooden floor
- Terrain
- Rock
Hurt sounds:
Player:
- Hurt1
- Hurt2
- Hurt3
Game Characters
Note: Main characters need several armors and cloths.
Main character:
Man – though guy with muscles, big coat, black shirt with a skull , armours, weapons, maybe a scar across his face and a pony tail (?) with futuristic look.
Woman – beautiful girl, good body, armors, weapons, long hair, small shorts, top, bracelet and boots with spikes and a futuristic look.
Mutant – deformed guy (the rest I will leave for artist’s imagination) with futuristic look.
Enemies:
Human - bad guy with muscles, fat bad guy and skinny bad guy, could have scars and eye patch, scarfs, dark armour and cigarettes in their mouth. The characters could be a mix of this description.
Human Mutants
– Humanoids with deformed faces and bodies.
Secondary Characters
Without interaction - Normal men, women, old man, old women, children, punk guys, hip hop guys, Rasta guys with futuristic cloths and look.
With interaction – Shop keepers, Professors, Scientists, Doctors, Mission characters, Hookers (a good looking young girl with less cloth than normal).
Some are rude others sympathetic, Drug Dealer (skinny bad guy with tattoos).
Mark the Professor – kind school teacher that take care of children
Animals:
- Pork
- Cow
- Chicken
- Several kinds of birds
Islands
Note: All the islands need a space where a player can build his own structures, normal vegetation, mutant vegetation, old buildings and futuristic buildings.
Island of Asghard - the main character home island. It is a small island with a beach around it. The beach is filled with the last remains (ruins) of what were in the past part of the city of Asghard, some palm trees grow in there forming a mix of destruction and beauty and barb wire and mines. In the center of the island is located Asghard’s city, the middle of the city has some tall futuristic buildings but as we walk and let the center of the city behind we start to see some old houses near the beach. Our hero lives in a middle class futuristic building that has a garage where he worked with his father and where he made some scientific experiments, it’s a mix between a garage and a laboratory. The windows are armored and a weapon comes out off the wall when someone approaches the door it’s located between the top of the door and roof (a little door opens and a weapon comes out or something like that). In the right side of the door is a camera to detect intruders. Near the beach is a mine. In the forest you can find the mutants caves. Mutant’s Cave – a dungeon filled of blood and corpses but with a futuristic architecture located in the forest.
Primary buildings: are buildings that a player can interact.
Secondary buildings: are buildings that only make part of scenario
Primary Buildings:
- Cow
- Chicken
- Several kinds of birds
Islands
Note: All the islands need a space where a player can build his own structures, normal vegetation, mutant vegetation, old buildings and futuristic buildings.
Island of Asghard - the main character home island. It is a small island with a beach around it. The beach is filled with the last remains (ruins) of what were in the past part of the city of Asghard, some palm trees grow in there forming a mix of destruction and beauty and barb wire and mines. In the center of the island is located Asghard’s city, the middle of the city has some tall futuristic buildings but as we walk and let the center of the city behind we start to see some old houses near the beach. Our hero lives in a middle class futuristic building that has a garage where he worked with his father and where he made some scientific experiments, it’s a mix between a garage and a laboratory. The windows are armored and a weapon comes out off the wall when someone approaches the door it’s located between the top of the door and roof (a little door opens and a weapon comes out or something like that). In the right side of the door is a camera to detect intruders. Near the beach is a mine. In the forest you can find the mutants caves. Mutant’s Cave – a dungeon filled of blood and corpses but with a futuristic architecture located in the forest.
Primary buildings: are buildings that a player can interact.
Secondary buildings: are buildings that only make part of scenario
Primary Buildings:
Hospital – where a player respawn after being killed or badly hurt.
...
Weapons
Weapons from a simple pipe to a futuristic weapon, because it’s very hard to describe some weapon I will let that to artists imagination.
Steam Crossbow – has to have a chamber to put some wood and a refrigeration device to cool the weapon because the user can’t be burn.
Modellers\Animation
Videos
The beginning movie
The player catching a boat.
...
Player characters:
Animation: run, walk, kneel, strafe, jump, talk, idle, construct, fight martial arts, work and shot.
Non-Player Characters:
Wandering npc’s:
Animation: walk, run, idle and talk
Enemies:
The player catching a boat.
...
Player characters:
Animation: run, walk, kneel, strafe, jump, talk, idle, construct, fight martial arts, work and shot.
Non-Player Characters:
Wandering npc’s:
Animation: walk, run, idle and talk
Enemies:
Animation: run, walk, shot and talk.
Shop Sellers:
Animation: talk and idle
...
Shop Sellers:
Animation: talk and idle
...
Medicines
Some of the ingredients of these medicines can be found in different islands.
Health Pack: raises 30hp.
Recipe: Cola Acuminata + Sterculia Urens
As you can see you will take some time with this task, if you thought that making games was a walk in the park you were mistaken. I advise you only to give this doc when the guy applying for the job accept it. You will not want your ideas spreaded in the internet right? NO? What a strange guy you are :)
Website - another tool to save you time
I will advise you to make your website with the following features:
Authentication - That way your team members can register and you can get their info without loosing any time.
Chat(optional) - that way you can communicate with your team.
Image Gallery - after you team members upload their works the visitors can see them.
News: i don't need to explain this :)
Info about the game: i don't need to explain this either.
I think this is the basic you can add other features later.
Here is an old example:
Dark Future old website
This website was made only with html and it lack most of the features i talked above, but helped me to start and to show the team's work but i loose a lot of time uploading images by hand, since it wasn't dynamic. The new one I'm making uses PHP and Mysql(database) .
How do I make money with the game??
With everything but the game :) confused? It's easy, you put your game free of charge but you sell the content (models, concepts...) and you can put some publicity in your website. that way you will be known and you earn some bucks :)
Dark Future's Team
- Alex Stead
- Anders
- Andre Fonseca
- April Martin
- Christian
- Fernando Ferreiro
- G man (g.galvanauskas)
- Gary
- John Gavin
- João Andias
- Manish Joshi
- Miguel Cardoso
The End
