So I've been a lurker here and on other similar sites for a while now. I've played through CoC and TiTS (well I haven't quite kept up with TiTS but only because Fenoxo's updating the darn thing faster than I've been able play through it lately) and plenty of other games that happened to catch my eye. I have an idea for a game of my own but I don't quite know how to go about making it happen. I'm an editor by trade and while I'm not quite as confident in my writing as my editing I'm fairly certain I could do well enough in that area to live up to my own expectations. Unfortunately that's where my artistic talent ends. I couldn't draw anything beyond a stick figure to save my life and while I've fiddled around with RPG maker a bit I'm no programmer and wouldn't be able to do anything with it beyond the absolute basics. I certainly don't have the funds to be commissioning art or hiring a programmer, either. So I guess I'm just asking for any ideas or tips of how to get something from an idea to an actual game (or at least a demo) for someone in my situation and I couldn't think of a better place to ask.
Help/advice with how to go about starting a project.
- Thread starter Skraz
- Start date
You can't make omelette without eggs and, based on what you've just wrote, it seems you lack more than half of the skills required (among other necessities) to make a working game. If I had a penny for everything I've wanted in my life I'd be a rich woman indeed... unfortunately merely "wanting" to do something ins't going to cut it. You have to hone your skills, both the ones you're comfortable with and the ones you lack, and the best way I think of on how to do that is to either join other people's projects for some "tutoring", or, if you don't want to risk disappointing anyone, doing your own research and starting some " **sketches " yourself that aren't meant for public use. Semi-public is ok if you want opinions and suggestions about what needs to be improved.
Since you seem relatively comfortable with your writing and editing then why don't you try something simple that is confined to text only, like a CYOA (Choose Your Own Adventure) game? It doesn't require complicated programming, it doesn't require art and its not the most expensive hobby to start with. Keep in mind that, if you decide to go through with this, its something that requires weeks and months of dedication to get any semblance of results - its not meant to be a "fling" of the moment. Also, keep your goals simple and realistic - don't go around shooting for the stars with grandiose plans because that's one sure ticket to getting yourself overwhelmed and dropping things faster than you can bat an eye at.
All that said... keep your chin up and good luck. Remember that challenges are there to test our resolve.
** = By sketches I mean WIP versions of a game (get familiar with an engine, programming, etc), not necessarily art.
Since you seem relatively comfortable with your writing and editing then why don't you try something simple that is confined to text only, like a CYOA (Choose Your Own Adventure) game? It doesn't require complicated programming, it doesn't require art and its not the most expensive hobby to start with. Keep in mind that, if you decide to go through with this, its something that requires weeks and months of dedication to get any semblance of results - its not meant to be a "fling" of the moment. Also, keep your goals simple and realistic - don't go around shooting for the stars with grandiose plans because that's one sure ticket to getting yourself overwhelmed and dropping things faster than you can bat an eye at.
All that said... keep your chin up and good luck. Remember that challenges are there to test our resolve.
** = By sketches I mean WIP versions of a game (get familiar with an engine, programming, etc), not necessarily art.
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Twine might be a decent place to start that will get you more comfortable with programming. It's good for making text only games and a lot can be done in Twine. Just look at how crazy complicated Free Cities is starting to get.
Oh I wasn't expecting anything to happen any time soon, and I've never been one to shoot for the stars, so to speak. I just was having trouble figuring out where exactly a good place to start on my own would be. The hardest part of any sort of project for me is just finding a starting point. A text-based game in Twine like Tinman suggested may be the best place for me to start, but I really do like the idea of joining someone else's project as a way to get a little better idea of what to do.
Know anyone in need of an editor? xD
Technical skills aren't everything. Development teams benefit greatly from coordination and project management. Some of this falls under the umbrella of "people skills" and "management experience", but some of it is unique to software projects.
If you want to lead a team effectively, then you'll need to know when to offer guidance, when to back off and let someone do their job, how to provide useful feedback, when and how to apply pressure, and (unfortunately) when to fire a disruptive or unproductive team member.
Don't try to do any of that stuff right away. You won't know how to lead a software team, and if you try to learn on-the-job then you'll probably just antagonize your teammates and waste everyone's time. Take a trench-level role instead. You should be able to find a game development project which is actively seeking an editor (and/or writer). Help someone else to bring their game idea into reality. You probably won't be paid for your time, so take advantage of the experience by asking lots of questions. Learn whether you actually enjoy the work and the team experience. If yes, then branch out a bit - chat with the programmers and artists to learn a bit about how they operate. Try to figure out where the team has run into conflicts or delays, and think about how you might resolve such problems. Spend some time with the tools used by the team (illustration software, coding and debugging tools, filesharing and code repositories, game engines, chat and coordination services, etc). You don't need to master these tools, but it's useful to familiarize yourself with them. Try to expand your skills by volunteering for additional roles (e.g. testing, translation, publicity) if you have enough free time.
Meanwhile: flesh out your game idea(s). Decide which themes you want to explore, and plan out how you'll weave erotic elements (and gameplay challenges) into the overall experience. Resist the temptation to focus entirely your own area of expertise -- don't just write a novel. Try to plan out some gameplay sequences, or establish some musical motifs, or sketch out a world map (or a character design). If your teammates seem interested, then you can ask them for feedback and criticism (note: don't join a team and then immediately start asking everyone to join your own project -- that's a dick move). Once you have a few projects under your belt, you can contact some of your previous teammates and invite them to get involved with your new game. Or you can start a public thread and try to recruit more broadly.
Remember that game development is a collaborative process. Even if it's your idea, you'll need to let the artist put his own spin on the character designs. Perhaps you ask for "high fantasy" and he gives you "steampunk" instead. The programmer might decide to include a bunch of hidden shortcuts in the Act II labyrinth. The composer might work entirely in dubstep. Deal with it
Recognize your own limits. Don't try to micromanage everything. Be prepared for the fact that your first project will probably fail, and that this failure will largely be due to your own inexperience as a manager. Try not to lash out at your teammates. Take responsibility for the failure, learn from it, and maintain a cordial working relationship with your team. Don't engage in vindictive finger-pointing; salvage whatever you can and move on. If you feel burned out on leadership, then you can switch back to a writer/editor role for a while - or attempt a solo project with a more limited scope (e.g. CYOA text game).