Category: General Game Development

Xbox Live = YouTube?

Note: Before reading this article please read Microsoft’s XNA Press Release URL http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/aug06/08-13XNAGameStudioPR.mspx entitled “Microsoft Invites the World to Create Its Own Xbox 360 Console Games for the First Time.”

Eventually this will be the world of games. Of course the major players, EA, Activision, etc. can and will survive in this changing environment, but this is the future. A time when players can alter pre-made games using their PC and then uploading it onto Xbox Live. Users rate the quality of the game so obviously you don’t want to make just a clone. Alter the physics settings, add in new 3D models, etc. BAM! You’ve got a working FPS, Racing, or sports game!

Now the foundamental gameplay wouldn’t change using the template. The template would just be the key to unlocking the door of how to 100% make your own games. Every now and then when a new gamelay mechanic comes along, Microsoft would buy the rights from the developer/hobbyist and add it to the Xbox Live developer’s template program collection.

If you can imagine this, then you can imagine what will become a reality very shortly. Whomever is able to break down this wall between players and content providers, will be rolling in the money.

Nintendo has stated that they are supporting indie developers with the Wii. Nintendo will release its online service called WiiConnect24. Sony is putting their money also on a system like Xbox Live. I’d bet that at least one of these companies has something to challenge what could become an industry dominated by Microsoft.

I was an Xbox basher all the way through its lifetime, but the 360 is another story. I’d definitely love to try out XNA. I saw the GDC 06 interface design and lets say that I won’t touch the program until they give it a game designer’s touch, instead of a programmers. Hopefully the final product will be very easy to use…

Never choose your first game idea…

…unless it’s just that damn good. When it comes time to think up of a new game ideas you need to get into the zone. It does take a while to do this because you have to think about what could be fun. Make sure to bounce ideas off one another and write each one of them down! If you’re having problems coming up with ideas think about things you like to do. From there sort out what could be game from the rest of the ideas and choose the best gameplay.

Now if your best game idea isn’t that great, you need some inspiration! Go out and to well anything. View life like a kid does and see what comes to your imagination. If you don’t have an imagination, you shouldn’t be a designer…

The Divine – 2D, 3D, Sound Effect Artists WANTED

We’re currently looking for more volunteers to join this project. If you’re interested please read below –  

Company (Registered):
Packom Interactive

Project name:
The Divine

Brief description:
The Divine is an indie-space shooter game, much to the likes of Wing Commander. The project was started by James Sharam in April 2005.

Target aim:
Shareware – TBD 2007
We’re planning on selling a Boxed version and a download version, which would be sold at various portals.

Compensation:
These are all volunteer based positions. All positions will receive a free copy of the game along with being credited for their appropriate role on the team.

The 2D and 3D artists will receive a monthly royalty-based payment, if the game sells.

Since we aren’t asking for many sound effects the Sound Effect Artist position will not receive royalties.

The first month is a trial month to see if you do contribute to the project, as well as get along with the rest of the team members. Once you’re approved for that first month, you’ll need to sign a contract stating the agreed upon terms.

Technology:
The Divine uses our own proprietary engine, which is compatible with Windows 2000, XP, and soon to be released Vista.

Talent needed:
Highly motivated and talented, self-reliant members only!

3D Artists (Modeler, Texture Artist [Bump & Normal Mapping], Animator/Renderer*)
There will be roughly 10-15 ships modeled in game. Each will need its appropriate textures with bump mapping and normal mapping.

*If we find an Animator, we’ll have you create 3D pre-rendered cutscenes, using the in-game models, rather than doing the 2D storyboards.

2D Artists (Conceptual, Color, Orthographic & Perspective)
The 2D artists have to deal with designing the ships and characters (Humans). Ideally they can also create texture maps and sky maps. When the time is ready they will also contribute to storyboards, which act as the cut-scenes, and any marketing artwork that’s needed.

Sound Effects Artist
Roughly 8 sound effects will be needed, some loopable. All of the sounds will be space-age, everything from ship noises to firing missiles.

Team structure:
David Rodriguez – Producer, Game Designer, Marketing Director, Webmaster
I joined this project in June 2005. I’ve worked with James to ensure that The Divine is a game that we’d both want to play.

James Sharam – Lead Programmer, Game Designer
James began this project back in April 2005. Without him The Divine wouldn’t exist.

Chris Hackett – Game Designer, Mission Designer
Chris joined the project in July 2005. He has dealt with fleshing out the story/universe of The Divine.

Jason Ross – 2D Artist
Jason joined in January 2006. He has been able to draw in a style that’s nearly identical to the previous concept artists.

Justin R. Durban – Composer, WebDesigner
Justin join the project in January 2006. He has really been able to bring out the theme of the game in music form.

Previous Members:
Brian Hall – 3D Artist
Brian had to leave to team due to Sony’s policy of working the Q/A department to death. He helped the team from January-August 2006.

Website:
www.TheDivineGame.com
www.PackomInteractive.com – WIP

Contacts:
Please send your resume and/or questions to:
davidprodriguez@att.net

Additional Info:
We officially announced The Divine to the public on June 1, 2006 and we have received tons of coverage on various websites.

We use email, forum, and MSN Messenger to communicate with each other daily.

Feedback:
Any feedback is welcomed

Copycat

Remember those people in school who always used to copy anything you did? Well I sure don’t but someone here must! Anyways…

It’s ok to copy someone else’s game idea/gameplay as long as you change it just slightly enough to offer something new. If you make a game that has already been made before, you’ve just hung yourself. No distributor wants to sell a game that they just played a year ago. That’s how portals are run to the ground. Portals have to offer their visitors the good and unique stuff.

A genre that is really hot is serving tables - Diner Dash, Mystic Inn, Snowy: Lunch Rush, etc  all use the same type of gameplay but they coat it with a completely different style of graphics. Each one of these games has sold very well because they all change the formula just enough that players feel at ease with the game.

This is just how the industry works. Like it or not, it’s better to make money then waste money.

Free your clutter

Going off of the last post – because I thought about how to bring the reviews/articles over to the blog, I also thought how can I improve the Our Picks page on the website. Previously this page contained tons of subpages going from – Our Picks – Liked/DisLiked Reviews – Game Reviews – Video Game Consoles – Reviews, geez!

Page after page after page! Well I cut out all of those pages and put all the reviews on the Our Picks page. At first glance it looks slopy. But then when you start to use it, it’s very fast, easy, and overall efficient. Instead of annoying the reader by forcing them to visit this page then that page it’s very simple.

I’d say mission accomplished.

Games need to be simple, especially indie games. If you don’t have tens of millions of dollars why are you wasting years on developing one game that will only sell x amount, when you could be developing smaller games that take less time to create and each sell x amount. 

Which do you think is more efficient 2 years for x amount or 6 months for x amount? Indie developers sometime spend years creating games that only sell hundreds of copies! Don’t bother creating these titles unless you really want to waste time.

You have no way of competing with commercial games so why do you bother to play on their league? Until you’re ready stay small and grow fast.