An RPG in a week time? Impossible?

[a_bertrand]

I found this article:

http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_ ... dget-r2259

It's interesting and I would strongly suggest any game developer out there to read it. Why? Because even if I will not develop the games like he does (I don't like much Python) or if I'm in the web games more than standalone game, or if I do invest more than 40 hours for my game, anyhow the things remain mostly the same. Concept, prototype, bring something up to live, and expand it.

[Xaos]

That was a great read, thanks for sharing. Makes me wonder the productivity of people if they worked like they were facing a deadline every hour instead of right at the end

[a_bertrand]

You can't really work like that in the long run, as your would be too tired and the quality would be anyhow not all that great.

[Sharlenwar]

People always forget a major component. It ultimately relies on our human will to see a project to the end. Means that one needs drive, determination, focus, and a strong ambition to get it done.

Simple right?

[Callan S.]

Code: Select all

10 level=0;
20 level+=1;
30 print "This is an RPG. Your level is: ".level;
40 goto 20;

Done!

The thing with this is you are merely courting various audience (there are many!) idea of what an 'RPG' might be.

You're always going to have someone say 'That's not a real RPG!'. So really it's just a matter of deciding how many people you are comfortable with who wont acknowledge your game like that and figure the number of hours needed to achieve that level.

[Jackolantern]

Very good read! I actually think I read this a few years ago and forgot all about it.

I can vouch for the speed at which you can get things done in Python. It is quite impressive. If I was working on installed PC games, I would probably be using it. But a lot of the things that people compliment Python on are the same in JS as well (like powerful arrays/associative arrays, rapid prototyping, etc.), and JS works on the web

As far as me personally, probably my biggest robber of productivity is the Internet itself. You really do need it when developing (before the Internet, devs just had piles of manuals, reference and recipe books by their desk, so same thing, just slower), so that is a problem. But I will be working, and then think "Oh, I want to find a graphic for that!", will switch over to the browser to find a nice PNG, and then somehow two hours later I am reading the history of the Czech Republic thinking "How the hell did this happen?!"

[Callan S.]

I am reading the history of the Czech Republic thinking "How the hell did this happen?!"

Well, the origins of the Czech republic are complicated and intertwined in a great many historical events...

[Jackolantern]

I am reading the history of the Czech Republic thinking "How the hell did this happen?!"

Well, the origins of the Czech republic are complicated and intertwined in a great many historical events...

Apparently they are intertwined into really nice grass texture PNGs as well

[hallsofvallhalla]

i have to agree that a "game" can be made quickly. I am sure "I spy", Table Tennis, a game of catch, and others were made very quickly. That is not the point. I can slap 4 wheels on a piece of plywood, does not mean I have a car.
The title RPG has been slapped on anything where you have options in dialog. Good read and a great victory but I think we all have made a game in a week. That is the problem not the solution. Dedicating to a game longer than a week

[Lord Rahl]

I think you could easily produce the player side of a text based RPG (yes I know this wasn't text based) in a working week. You could also produce something more complex depending on the person themselves, and their familiarity with the language they are using. Python was a good choice here, and it is quicker then other options, if the person had no prior knowledge of it the choice would have made no sense at all.

I would say it's an interesting challenge but would never work if you're serious about making the project commercial. It just wouldn't be enough time to get everything ready to be open to the public.