Plan for Phil Carlisle
by Phil Carlisle · 11/18/2005 (9:10 am) · 7 comments
As the temperature plummets in the UK and It starts to feel like "The day after tommorow" might actually be today. I took some time this week to reflect on my current efforts.
Air Ace has had a brief hiatus as Kristen has had to move back to the states. But will be back up and running faster than ever when he gets back, as he should be on this fulltime to the finish.
I'll be REALLY happy getting the alpha/beta/finish of Air Ace completed. Its going to be a hard title to sell, Ive got no uncertainty about that. But hell, even if it bombs, its a game I really want to play!
If youve ever played FPS games and just want something quick and easy to play, thats not an FPS, but has the intensity, believe me, this kind of focussed air combat can do the job. Air Attack (the game Air Ace has as its design heart) is still a great game, let down by old technology. So I know this game is a good 'un!
The shipping of Air Ace will be a great release for me. Right now I'm not wasting the down-time as I'm in pre-production for prototypes of my own game, based on core mechanics I can basically do completely alone (production wise). I've got at least 2 prototypes that I can take forward. Hopefully one will be something I'd wanted to do for a couple of years, hopefully will get some help from another UK dev on that one.
So what is fundamentally new here, is that I'm kind of going down the road that Joe M and Mark F were talking about in the design breakout session at IGC (in the tent). Remember Joe saying "I just want to play with what happens when I push something with a finger" or words to that effect.
Well, I'm kind of doing that. Lots of "what if I made this push when I hit this trigger" kind of thing. Nothing with a huge theme. Nothning with hideously complex mechanics. Just.. "ok, Ive got a box.. what can I do with it" kinda stuff.
I'll definitely try and remember to take screenshots as I go along, so I can show a progression. But I dont want to really show any progress or anything right now, because this isnt about self-publicity, or about external instruction. I'm just litterally investigating what makes up some fun gameplay for random elements in TGE.
Every year, IGC has lots of interest from players when theyre playing any of the multiplayer games. Basically we all seem to enjoy multiplayer games at the core of our gamer being. Of course, most of the time its basically challenge based. Individuals smacking down others, or being the best of a team.
But do we ever actually see co-operative multiplayer games? Also, what of multiplayer games? Is there a channel to market for "boutique" style multiplayer games. I'm not talking the big FPS style games, but perhaps smaller scale non fps style games. For instance, multiplayer soccer games? Is there a market for multiplayer ONLY soccer games?
I also had a thought the other day. That one market that Ive not considered before, is the management sim market. Specifically, I saw a baseball management sim and it hit me that it must be pretty lucrative to be the top in a niche where you can get companies like Sports interactive selling thier brand for 30 or so million.
On another note.. The AI pack has gotten a new subversion repo, we're integrating it into 1.4 and will try and release asap after the 1.4 goes "gold" or erm.. pewter? whatever.
Anyway, deep in thought right now.. pity these plans never really get to that :) Sorry, next time I want to incorporate my new blogging style.. this is just a random ramble.. :) Lets just put it down to Its too bloody cold for my brain to work
Air Ace has had a brief hiatus as Kristen has had to move back to the states. But will be back up and running faster than ever when he gets back, as he should be on this fulltime to the finish.
I'll be REALLY happy getting the alpha/beta/finish of Air Ace completed. Its going to be a hard title to sell, Ive got no uncertainty about that. But hell, even if it bombs, its a game I really want to play!
If youve ever played FPS games and just want something quick and easy to play, thats not an FPS, but has the intensity, believe me, this kind of focussed air combat can do the job. Air Attack (the game Air Ace has as its design heart) is still a great game, let down by old technology. So I know this game is a good 'un!
The shipping of Air Ace will be a great release for me. Right now I'm not wasting the down-time as I'm in pre-production for prototypes of my own game, based on core mechanics I can basically do completely alone (production wise). I've got at least 2 prototypes that I can take forward. Hopefully one will be something I'd wanted to do for a couple of years, hopefully will get some help from another UK dev on that one.
So what is fundamentally new here, is that I'm kind of going down the road that Joe M and Mark F were talking about in the design breakout session at IGC (in the tent). Remember Joe saying "I just want to play with what happens when I push something with a finger" or words to that effect.
Well, I'm kind of doing that. Lots of "what if I made this push when I hit this trigger" kind of thing. Nothing with a huge theme. Nothning with hideously complex mechanics. Just.. "ok, Ive got a box.. what can I do with it" kinda stuff.
I'll definitely try and remember to take screenshots as I go along, so I can show a progression. But I dont want to really show any progress or anything right now, because this isnt about self-publicity, or about external instruction. I'm just litterally investigating what makes up some fun gameplay for random elements in TGE.
Every year, IGC has lots of interest from players when theyre playing any of the multiplayer games. Basically we all seem to enjoy multiplayer games at the core of our gamer being. Of course, most of the time its basically challenge based. Individuals smacking down others, or being the best of a team.
But do we ever actually see co-operative multiplayer games? Also, what of multiplayer games? Is there a channel to market for "boutique" style multiplayer games. I'm not talking the big FPS style games, but perhaps smaller scale non fps style games. For instance, multiplayer soccer games? Is there a market for multiplayer ONLY soccer games?
I also had a thought the other day. That one market that Ive not considered before, is the management sim market. Specifically, I saw a baseball management sim and it hit me that it must be pretty lucrative to be the top in a niche where you can get companies like Sports interactive selling thier brand for 30 or so million.
On another note.. The AI pack has gotten a new subversion repo, we're integrating it into 1.4 and will try and release asap after the 1.4 goes "gold" or erm.. pewter? whatever.
Anyway, deep in thought right now.. pity these plans never really get to that :) Sorry, next time I want to incorporate my new blogging style.. this is just a random ramble.. :) Lets just put it down to Its too bloody cold for my brain to work
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#2
Also, I'm sure there's room for a lot of multiplayer only games. For example the other day Mario Kart DS came out using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. So far I've skipped the single player save for 10 seconds checking out the new mission mode. The first thing I did with it and the only thing I've spent any amount of time with is the muliplayer ... and it's a kart racing game.
11/18/2005 (9:56 am)
LOL, I'm having the same problem. It went from 80 here 2 days ago to 50 ... and now I don't know what. My house is freezing because we're trying to save money!Also, I'm sure there's room for a lot of multiplayer only games. For example the other day Mario Kart DS came out using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. So far I've skipped the single player save for 10 seconds checking out the new mission mode. The first thing I did with it and the only thing I've spent any amount of time with is the muliplayer ... and it's a kart racing game.
#3
11/18/2005 (9:57 am)
I hate cold weather... and I'm moving to the Chicago area! What the hell am I thinking?!?!?! 
#4
I suppose the great thing about it being cold outside is that there's less motivation to go out and do something like interact with other humans; means I can stay in and write code. ;)
Phil, not wanting to sound nieve but does it really need to sell buckets? If it's a game you wanted to make and you actually *make* it then that's a major achievement and something we can all admire but you already know that right? Downside I guess is that it won't pay for the heating bill. ;)
- Melv.
11/18/2005 (10:50 am)
yeah, so very, *shudder*, very cold here in the UK even though there's lots of sun. It was really strange; this morning the grass in the backyard was frosty-white but as the sun caught it, outside the shadows the frost melted. As soon as the sun went away from that patch, it froze. Several degrees between sun and shade I guess. Even the damn cat doesn't want to go outside!I suppose the great thing about it being cold outside is that there's less motivation to go out and do something like interact with other humans; means I can stay in and write code. ;)
Phil, not wanting to sound nieve but does it really need to sell buckets? If it's a game you wanted to make and you actually *make* it then that's a major achievement and something we can all admire but you already know that right? Downside I guess is that it won't pay for the heating bill. ;)
- Melv.
#6
11/18/2005 (12:29 pm)
Hey Phil, what is your subversion setup? Do you host it yourself? Do you have a dedicated machine for it?
#7
Plus, in order to build a viable long-term business, which is still my wish, I would have preferred to have that nailed. Having said all this, sod it, I'll deal with it. I'm not into this just to be a bean counter, but you DO have to make profits if youre going to move ahead with more games. Its really just a matter of knowing where to go with the software to market it. I've got some sites who will run a series of articles about the project when I feel the time is right, so hopefully it will generate a small niche market for itself which serves its players well and keeps the game alive long-term.
Andy: I went with www.wush.net for subversion hosting. Its cheap enough and you get a second account (second repo) for 5 dollars if you already have thier 25 dollar pro account. So I got one repo for the AI repo and another repo for my student team games.
The reason I went with wush, is that they allow for simple setup of user accounts, so that for instance I could add my student workers quickly. Also its backed up and comes with TRAC wiki setups for each account. Pretty painless SVN hosting I'd say. I actually looked at the server company wush use for thier hosting and they are pretty cheap too. But I *hate* wasting time setting up software, so this saved me that misery and is ultra-cheap if youre from the UK anyway :)
11/18/2005 (1:28 pm)
Melv: No, it doesnt need to sell buckets, but with various people working on it, it helps to have SOME profits to at least make it worth thier time. I dont expect to make any money from it myself, but I'm not happy losing on it much either.Plus, in order to build a viable long-term business, which is still my wish, I would have preferred to have that nailed. Having said all this, sod it, I'll deal with it. I'm not into this just to be a bean counter, but you DO have to make profits if youre going to move ahead with more games. Its really just a matter of knowing where to go with the software to market it. I've got some sites who will run a series of articles about the project when I feel the time is right, so hopefully it will generate a small niche market for itself which serves its players well and keeps the game alive long-term.
Andy: I went with www.wush.net for subversion hosting. Its cheap enough and you get a second account (second repo) for 5 dollars if you already have thier 25 dollar pro account. So I got one repo for the AI repo and another repo for my student team games.
The reason I went with wush, is that they allow for simple setup of user accounts, so that for instance I could add my student workers quickly. Also its backed up and comes with TRAC wiki setups for each account. Pretty painless SVN hosting I'd say. I actually looked at the server company wush use for thier hosting and they are pretty cheap too. But I *hate* wasting time setting up software, so this saved me that misery and is ultra-cheap if youre from the UK anyway :)
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