G1 Game Development - Let's Make a Team

Photics · #1 11-25-2008, 08:50 PM

If you haven't been following my blog, an interesting development happened recently. Photics is now a registered with the Android Market. The next logical step is to make a program that can sell for a lot of money!

I know that there are some pretty skilled programmers and artists out there in the Photics community. Maybe we should team up and make a game... and maybe even make some money.

If we could conquer Cavalon, this should be cake

This is nothing official right now. Instead, here's an opportunity to discuss...

Who wants to join the team?
How will the members get paid?
What kind of game should we make?

It could be for fun and profit!

Moo · #2 11-25-2008, 10:33 PM

I have limited knowledge of c programming, I could break my books out and help. I'll join in my spare time, I like fun and profit.

I propose strategy, I like real-time military strategy games.

Photics · #3 11-25-2008, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moo

I could break my books out and help.

You could check out the site...
http://code.google.com/android/

The software was easy for me to get. you could try out the tutorials and then see if you're still interested. Basically, I'm looking to form a team of serious people. Each member would have a specific role... coding, music, art, writing. I think this should be an all-consuming project, but I think it's better with a small and dedicated team.

From what I've seen of the coders that frequent this website, they prefer to work alone. I don't think that a large team is going to work. Do you agree?

For me, I see my role as project management. I know a little about everything involved. I'm thinking of a single-player RPG. I could write a story for such a game. You, know... like Dragon Warrior, Final Fantasy, Zelda.

I remember Herzog Zwei - great game! It was an awesome mix of strategy and twitch. A strategy game could work... but wouldn't it need a good system? I think it would be important to think about what makes the G1 different. If I was developing the game for the Wii... it would be a bad idea to simply port a PS3 or XBOX 360 game. I would think about how the controller could make the experience more enjoyable. it's the same with the G1. It has a touch screen... a GPS... and lots of Google stuff... heh, what if Google Maps could be modified to have a massively-multiplayer online strategy game?

Also, if accepted, joining the team would disqualify you for the Plush Gwen contest. Are you sure that you would want to do that?

Moo · #4 11-26-2008, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photics

Also, if accepted, joining the team would disqualify you for the Plush Gwen contest. Are you sure that you would want to do that?

Hmmm, I'd have to think about that one a bit, I'm not sure which one would be cooler. I want to work side-by-side with near-professionals, in order to make an awesome game that people will play for the longest time, except I don't like pocket-gadgets much, and I don't like touch screens much. Plus I just realized that I'm beginning to become more of an outdoors-man than sitting in front of screens all day, so I probably wouldn't have the dedication required for such a project.

I like to toy with the idea but now that I think about it, maybe I'd better leave this one to the experts.

Photics · #5 11-26-2008, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moo

Plus I just realized that I'm beginning to become more of an outdoors-man than sitting in front of screens all day, so I probably wouldn't have the dedication required for such a project.

It is a phone that works outside... and it even has a compass.

One of the games on there is called "Zombie Run" ...and from what I'm reading, it's very much an outdoors game. Perhaps your new outlook in life might inspire you to think of a really cool application.

The point is not about being professional, the point is being dedicated. Also, maybe this shouldn't be about money. Maybe the first game should be released for free, so that we all learn and improve our skills.

Maybe profit is not important as fame. Maybe we could make an application that helps the world... get people to exercise more... hey... maybe we could make game like Wii Fit for the G1. Of course, there's the obvious problem of, how do you see the screen when you're holding it and moving it around.

Moo · #6 11-30-2008, 05:04 PM

Thats an interesting take... I hadn't thought of that point of view... I'm not the most into the whole miniaturization of technology thing, but this actually sounds interesting. A compass you say? That's definitely something I wouldn't expect on a cell-phone/labtop interbreed.

And you know, doom (the game that made first person shooters into what they are today) was created by a small team like your talking about. I'm no expert programmer, but I know that a small game, that could renew a genre, would be interesting.

If you think about it, all the adventure/roleplaying games are really a perpetuation of the same thing over and over again, all the final fantasies are just better copies of the one before it with a new storyline, the only real change was the newest one with its realtime combat. Phantasy Star is the same, copies of the one before it. And all the other newer ones are copies of those two.

Is it time to refresh the genre like Guild Wars refreshed mmo's? Do you think we could do it? Should we do it?

Photics · #7 11-30-2008, 06:14 PM

There's something special about being first. While Phantasy Star II isn't a revolutionary game, it was the first of its kind on the Sega Genesis. For the time, the graphics were amazing. Imagine an MMORPG, with graphics like Phantasy Star II, would you be impressed? ...now what if it was on a phone? I think I'd enjoy such a game because I'm not used to playing such games from my phone.

Right now, I'm thinking there should be a tiered system. The first level will be for beginners. The games developed in tier 1 should be free. It's volunteer work. Tier 2 should be reserved for the money making games. Developers and programs could be promoted to Tier 2.

Heh, but right now... I'm feeling tired. I'm going to recharge by playing Guild Wars. Have you tried the development kit? Do you think that you'd feel comfortable making Android programs?

Nemisari · #8 12-03-2008, 10:11 PM

This idea is coming at a great time .. the days are getting shorter and colder which means more time spent inside, plus I just purchased my first house (which I'm moving into over this weekend) which means I'm getting a steady internet connection!

Having the first game/application free is a great idea. It takes the pressure off of the developers to make a perfect product and helps focus on the fun aspect of collaborative development.

I'm very interested in making apps and games for the G1 / Android phones.. I can't wait till they are available in Canada.. maybe by that time I'll have a game I helped build to play on it

Photics · #9 12-04-2008, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemisari

I'm very interested in making apps and games for the G1 / Android phones.

What would you like to make? If the first program is going to be free, should it be a fansite / Guild Wars game? Having access to all that content would make the project easier. I'm thinking no. There's already Guild Wars Conquest... which can be played from the G1 phone. I'm thinking the first project should be something free, but with the option to be commercial in the future.

So... the first obvious question is... Application or Game?

My first solo Android project is to port Photics: Revisions to the G1. It seems like a straightforward project, so it shouldn't take too long. I'm just moving slowly, trying to figure this stuff out. I do intend to sell the final project, which is why I'm going solo.

Nemi, have you downloaded the SDK? I imagine that you'd do very well with this stuff. I'm glad that you're interested in this project. It's almost looking like a team in here. Wow, I'm wondering what we're going to make!

Oh hey, congratulations on the house!

Photics · #10 12-14-2008, 07:55 PM

OK, I have three ideas for a project...

GPS Alarm - A program that tries to wake you up when you get close to your destination. It's good for people that want to sleep on the bus or an above-ground train. I thought about this program while riding the N-Train.
Good & Evil Tracker - One of the coolest things about Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is that your choices are logged, which determines your characters alignment - Dark Side or Light Side. What about real life? Is that not what we face every day? What if there was a little application where you could record your good and bad deeds? It's too easy to forget the good things in life. This little application could remind you. There could be an avatar that glows Blue or Red, based on your activity log. Which of the seven deadly sins are you most prone? I think it would be cool if there were charts and stats.
Guild Wars RPG - Make a Phantasy Star / Final Fantasy like single player game, based on the original Guild Wars.

All three of these projects could start out as free projects, but then be converted to pay projects. The Guild Wars RPG could be converted to a generic RPG or perhaps sold to ArenaNet / NCsoft. I think project #2 would be the easiest, as it doesn't require any advanced features. Guild Wars RPG would be very time consuming... but it could be very profitable. If NCsoft wasted money on Tabula Rasa, what's a few hundred-thousand for a nice G1 application? If not NCsoft, the game could be customized for lots of other projects.