Plan for Melv May
by Melv May · 10/08/2003 (11:50 am) · 4 comments
Wow!
I realised a few days ago that I've not posted a plan for quite a while so here goes...
Our team is pretty busy at the moment working on Strategem. It's simply amazing how much work and dedication is involved in creating a game that you can be proud of! As soon as we started doing serious design on it, we realised what we'd committed ourselves to and we soon started down the long road of indie development.
So far it's been a difficult nine months. Not so much in terms of technical challenges but rather time, energy and patience. There's been many a weekend when I simply thought, "to hell with it" and wanted to sit down and do some fancy FX thingies and post a resource ... short-term achievable goal. Luckily, during those down-phases, my wife Sarah has pushed me into getting back on the PC and has reminded me of the love I have for my mistress ... writing code!
During the up times, our team has managed to produce some really wonderful code, art and models. During the down times, we've managed to stay out of each others way and accept the lack of work. All in all, we've done really well considering that we all work (sometimes exhaustively) and also try to have social lives.
The biggest challenge we set for ourselves has been that we're attempting break the myth that turn-based gameplay is boring and slow. We're taking different approaches to counter this in Strategem, not just in adding great audio/visual FX but an emphasis on player interaction whilst they're waiting for their turn.
I cannot recommend enough that a team working remotely do some simple things:
1) Keep sending emails to each other AT LEAST twice a week.
2) CC everyone on the team EVERY email.
3) Take regular holidays from your project e.g. 1 weekend in three!
4) Set simple milestones AT LEAST once a month.
5) Make sure you design the core game logic BEFORE you start coding.
6) Make sure that YOU want to play the game that you're making.
7) Don't work until 4am as you'll proportionally do less the next evening!
8) Don't believe the excuses your brain gives you on why you won't finish the game!
9) Play other similar games to give you motivation or inspiration.
10) Don't drink beer whilst coding.
11) Give each team member a role and even a professional title if it makes them feel better.
12) Spend time reading other peoples' plans. Maybe their failures/lack of work will motivate you in to working!
13) Until you've got exposure, don't waste all your time putting a kick-ass website together.
14) ... Okay, I'm bored now...
We've got our next (and most crucial) milestone coming up which sums up to a playable demo of the game with AI, all GUI artwork complete and core gameplay working. Next milestone will be special-audio/visual fx, voice acting, new character volume(s), improved lobby, ranking, customisation and finally a release candidate.
I'm not going to give dates but I will say that it will be soon after Christmas before the snow clears!
All the best everyone,
- Melv.
Indie SkunkWorks
I realised a few days ago that I've not posted a plan for quite a while so here goes...
Our team is pretty busy at the moment working on Strategem. It's simply amazing how much work and dedication is involved in creating a game that you can be proud of! As soon as we started doing serious design on it, we realised what we'd committed ourselves to and we soon started down the long road of indie development.
So far it's been a difficult nine months. Not so much in terms of technical challenges but rather time, energy and patience. There's been many a weekend when I simply thought, "to hell with it" and wanted to sit down and do some fancy FX thingies and post a resource ... short-term achievable goal. Luckily, during those down-phases, my wife Sarah has pushed me into getting back on the PC and has reminded me of the love I have for my mistress ... writing code!
During the up times, our team has managed to produce some really wonderful code, art and models. During the down times, we've managed to stay out of each others way and accept the lack of work. All in all, we've done really well considering that we all work (sometimes exhaustively) and also try to have social lives.
The biggest challenge we set for ourselves has been that we're attempting break the myth that turn-based gameplay is boring and slow. We're taking different approaches to counter this in Strategem, not just in adding great audio/visual FX but an emphasis on player interaction whilst they're waiting for their turn.
I cannot recommend enough that a team working remotely do some simple things:
1) Keep sending emails to each other AT LEAST twice a week.
2) CC everyone on the team EVERY email.
3) Take regular holidays from your project e.g. 1 weekend in three!
4) Set simple milestones AT LEAST once a month.
5) Make sure you design the core game logic BEFORE you start coding.
6) Make sure that YOU want to play the game that you're making.
7) Don't work until 4am as you'll proportionally do less the next evening!
8) Don't believe the excuses your brain gives you on why you won't finish the game!
9) Play other similar games to give you motivation or inspiration.
10) Don't drink beer whilst coding.
11) Give each team member a role and even a professional title if it makes them feel better.
12) Spend time reading other peoples' plans. Maybe their failures/lack of work will motivate you in to working!
13) Until you've got exposure, don't waste all your time putting a kick-ass website together.
14) ... Okay, I'm bored now...
We've got our next (and most crucial) milestone coming up which sums up to a playable demo of the game with AI, all GUI artwork complete and core gameplay working. Next milestone will be special-audio/visual fx, voice acting, new character volume(s), improved lobby, ranking, customisation and finally a release candidate.
I'm not going to give dates but I will say that it will be soon after Christmas before the snow clears!
All the best everyone,
- Melv.
Indie SkunkWorks
About the author
#2
Let's hope the snow clears quicker this year, I'll make you go by your words :P
Good luck!
10/08/2003 (12:42 pm)
Great to hear from you Melv! I must agree on those recommendations you list... they are very very true! Specially number 14 ;)Let's hope the snow clears quicker this year, I'll make you go by your words :P
Good luck!
#3
Point 10 - glad you said beer and not homebrew wine.
Oh, and nice one for not saying where the snow needs to clear from. I hear Alaska is good for snow based deadlines.
10/08/2003 (11:43 pm)
MelvPoint 10 - glad you said beer and not homebrew wine.
Oh, and nice one for not saying where the snow needs to clear from. I hear Alaska is good for snow based deadlines.
Torque Owner Dan MacDonald