Been away

[hallsofvallhalla]

Sorry for my absence for the past couple days...if anyone noticed. Was working on a commercial project and worked on a project to help someone out and ended up getting a really kewl prize..long story. I also been doing some game soul searching. I think it is time for me to get serious about creating a game and I took some time to really search my inner thoughts for what I expect from a game and my end goal.

I will try to get to answering any posts and PMs I have missed. Amazing how many PMs I get when I am away

[Jackolantern]

Welcome back! I have been kind of away-ish as well, as I am out of town at the in-laws for about 2 weeks. Glad to hear you have had a productive time away!

[Last Known Hero]

Welcome back Halls!
I'd like to hear more about what conclusion you came to about game creation.

[Callan S.]

Welcome back

Yeah, I think it's important to detemine what you expect from a completed game and what marks it as completed/goal met. It's like a feedback loop - once you know where the goal is, you can tell how far you've gotten towards it today, and congratulate yourself on getting that far and also know there's that much less far to go, which spurs you on. But if you don't know where the end goal is, you can't. Without an end goal, it's like running a treadmill.

[Shihonoryu]

get back to awnsering mah questions!

Nice to have ya back,

[hallsofvallhalla]

I have been in a constant loop way to long. Creating a game, getting it somewhat playable, dropping it, creating a new game, rinse, cycle, repeat.

I truly am sick of it. Though you guys get to benefit from me releasing them My main conclusion is I need to consolidate my ideas and wants from a game into 1 project and shoot for that project and that project alone. Dispose of the features I cannot do or that would fit in another game. I also need to end this battle of 2d or 3d, client or Web based and stick with that decision. Basically I need to complete and wholly release a game. Even if it is a failure or a crapshoot. I just need to finish it. I think that would help cure this hall's disease that i am so afflicted with. I do truly love working with all these mediums and building all these new projects but the time has come to get one out there. I have quite a few options and much weight them carefully.


3d MMO Big World
3d MMO Torque 3d
2d MMO using a open source engine client based
2d MMO using a open source engine Web based

I want to create them all but can only pick one. I have the means and the engines to do anyone of them so that is not a issue. BigWorld is suppose to have a web client available in 2.0 and that is a dream for me. I also have gotten a 2d MMORPG engine written in C# working through a browser and that is where I may end up going. It runs great but I am having a little trouble with the engine.

[Last Known Hero]

Here's the thing,
You have to watch yourself with choosing 3d as your decision, its a lot more resource heavy, BUT i think that a successful 3d gets more publicity than a successful 2d game. 3D helps immerse your players into the world, but 2d can achieve some great features that just don't seem possible in 3d. Each has their ups and downs. I think that you don't choose the game you want to make, it chooses you. Once I finish my freelance I want to work on a 3d MMO of my own, but I didn't choose it, it chose me. It's all I can think about, and that's why I know its the right one to make.

[Callan S.]

Halls, I'd suggest setting a future date for yourself some months ahead, and when you reach it, you release whatever you have. Even if that's nothing. Or only one quater working, or whatever.

I've seen alot of game making competitions work this way - the deadline means people stop trying to make 'the perfect game' and instead try and get one done within the deadline of the competition.

In a way you've got to face the possibility of hitting the deadline and not having much or anything. Because trying for the perfect game - well, pefection never sounds like the wrong move, until years latter you realise you've started and dropped dozens of projects in the name of perfection.

Anyway, that's a method/tool for approaching it all that I suggest.

[hallsofvallhalla]

excellent advice from you both, Thanks!

[Jackolantern]

Honestly, I think you should go forward with web games. 3D and even 2D are just too #$%#ing resource-dependent. These days I personally don't want to even start a project if I could not do it 100% by myself, or with a small amount of money worth of contracted help (such as a snappy web template to replace my cruddy one on a website). A 3D MMORPG just requires too much, hence why I lost interest in them a long time ago. I still think that choosing 3D will end with you getting the game somewhat playable and then losing steam. It happens to all of us, because a 3D MMO can be 5 - 10 years of hard work for an indie team.