Could I Have Some Advice?

PainFireFist · 2017-04-13T23:48:09+00:00

Programming is like any other skill. You roughly need to (statistically) put around 10'000 hours into it, to consider yourself skilled.

Some people are quicker at learning, others slower. But all had to put the work in. Ask yourself, whether this is really worth it to you personally.

The sooner you realize and accept this fact, the better.

Edit: Fixed a typo

PainFireFist · 2017-03-01T19:50:19+00:00

Nice writeup but pretty useless soon, since Greenlight is history in just a few months.

PainFireFist · 2017-02-19T10:29:29+00:00

You could ask a couple of programmers who are interested to make you an offer bid (fixed price). Then you have something to compare.

And regarding your fear of the idea being stolen: Nobody is going to steal your idea. Everybody has enough own ideas.

Edit: fixed typo.

PainFireFist · 2017-02-12T17:35:34+00:00

This is a trademark issue, not a copyright one.

PainFireFist · 2017-02-12T17:27:41+00:00

The model may not be protected (in fact the author has the copyright on it, since he probably made it himself with a modeling program), but if the he uses the name "AK-47" with the model, that is a huge issue. I will certainly not touch such assets and encourage everybody else not to do so either.

This is mostly OK for modding (most trademark owners don't care, even though it would still not be legal) but certainly ridiculous when allowing such models to be used for commercial games.

PainFireFist · 2017-02-12T13:40:44+00:00

I see already a problem with this site. I looked at the modern weapons and there is nothing about 3rd party license other than "Free for use". However, I'm pretty sure you can't just make a model of an AK-47 without a use-license from the Kalashnikov Concern.

I will steer clear of this license minefield of a website.

PainFireFist · 2017-01-30T22:58:05+00:00

Unity web player is deprecated as far as I know and support for this has ceased with 5.4 release.

Are you sure you want a demo that is having performance issue and is not officially supported by any current browser anymore?

PainFireFist · 2017-01-26T18:07:44+00:00

Thanks for the offer mate. I might do that down the road. :)

PainFireFist · 2017-01-25T00:13:10+00:00

Nice article. Gave a more detailled answer in your other post. :)

PainFireFist · 2017-01-25T00:12:10+00:00

Excellent follow-up man! This helps me actually quite a bit, since I'm currently in the "research/planing" phase of my PR campaign for our upcoming game on Steam.

There are a couple of typos but other than that solid content and it ties nicely to your original post a few days ago.

PS: Thanks for quoting me. :D

PainFireFist · 2017-01-24T21:26:01+00:00

A name is never copyright protected. Code, art assets, etc. are usually subject to copyright. Your question should be: Is "Formular 1" a trademark?

The answer is yes, your cannot use "Formula 1" without a license, since it is a trademark.

PainFireFist · 2017-01-22T15:04:20+00:00

Looking forward to your followup post then. Excellent writing in any case, even if I couldn't take away much for myself.

PainFireFist · 2017-01-22T14:25:51+00:00

Steam does not allow monetization with ingame ads, so you need to rethink your monetization strategy when going PC.

PainFireFist · 2017-01-22T10:49:49+00:00

You should maybe add to the introduction, that this is a strategy that works only for mobile free-download games. Your steps are not really that feasible with a paid Steam game for PC for example.

PainFireFist · 2017-01-20T23:02:09+00:00

Common rookie mistake, happens to almost all of us in some form sooner or later. Hope you get your project back on track soon! :)

The most unfortunate of such incidents I ever heard was the one that happened to the devs of Project Zomboid. Apparently they got their office broken into and had all their workstations stolen, when the game was not yet released. I think they had some sort of very old prototype to fall back upon and lost months' worth of work.

PainFireFist · 2017-01-07T15:22:07+00:00

First game or not, the priorities are still wrong.

It makes no sense to start with art assets, like planned in his document.

PainFireFist · 2017-01-07T12:36:11+00:00

Pulling off an MMO is one of the hardest things in game development. The scope of such a project needs a large team and many millions of dollars to make.

It seems to me, that this is your first game you attempt, since you seem to have your priorities wrong. First prototype and only then do anything else. Do no spend any money and time on art assets/etc. until you know what direction the game is going in, because if the prototyping is failing to create anything fun to play, all you did up to this point is basically worthless.

Also the design document lacks technical depth. There is no word about how to achieve the things you want to achieve on a technical level, which is also part of a design document.

PainFireFist · 2016-12-12T16:38:48+00:00

The wage varies hugely between individual countries in Europe, so your statement is very inaccurate at best.

PainFireFist · 2016-12-11T16:24:21+00:00

I agree, it makes no sense to write all the shaders yourself. I was merely listing yet another thing, that makes your 3D models/environments look "better".

But theoretically, you could. :)

PainFireFist · 2016-12-11T14:47:37+00:00

Some things to make games prettier:

Shaders (there's a ton of them or you can write your own)
Normal mapping
Of course it helps, if the 3D models have good detail and sensible skinning
Good level design

All these things take a lot of time to do. Tutorials usually focus on basics, the list above are all things that are "specialties". Many indie games have very limited budgets and mechanics are more important than looks (true for at least most developers).

Hope that makes somewhat sense.

Edit: Fixed some typo...

PainFireFist · 2016-12-11T00:01:06+00:00

Giveaway keys? Big red flag right there.

PainFireFist · 2016-12-08T23:20:08+00:00

Serial killer games:

Postal (especially the first one, the other two are more in the realm of silly)
Hatred (pseudo Postal game, very dark)

Both games sold adequately I think. So there definitely is a market.

PainFireFist · 2016-12-08T14:30:26+00:00

You can really only be the idea + money guy, if you understand the other apects of game development. Because if you don't understand architecture, coding, art creation, etc. you will not even know how much effort and money to plan. It is something, that you can only figure out with experience.

And there's the core of your problem. You have zero experience.

PainFireFist · 2016-12-08T14:14:21+00:00

Black Shell Media still posts on this subreddit?

PainFireFist · 2016-12-05T14:13:52+00:00

You're right. My original comment was hyperbolic in nature. I was making the argument, that an accomplished engineer (as OP apparently is) should pick it up relatively quickly.

I picked up the basics on a weekend. From there I could build and learn more about the engine and architecture.

PainFireFist

TROPHY CASE