Why you should join the dream games competition

Jonathan Blair — 2007-04-08T16:00:42+00:00

Ok so I cheated a little in the title. This is really my reasons for joining the Dream Games competition. Hopefully, when I am done you will also have some reasons of your own.

As most of you know Dream Games is hosting a $10,000 1 year game competition. If you don't know here is the link: www.mydreamrpg.com/community/forumdisplay.php?f=101 and get off the drugs they are affecting your short term memory!

Part of the competition is writing blogs about our journey. Most have started with descriptions and discussions of their games (which will be in my next blog) but I wanted to do something different. I wanted to discuss why I joined and why I think you should too. Now I would lose all credibility if I said that I wasn't interested in the prize but I am honest enough to admit that as a one man show and with heavy hitters like the folks from CN:MI involved I have about as much chance of winning as Paris Hilton has of winning a spelling bee.

So why did I enter if I don't think I have a realistic shot of winning? Simple, just like everyone else here I want to make a game. Its the reason I bought TGE/TGEA. Its the reason I've spent a couple of thousand dollars on content packs and other software. Its the reason I've spent countless hours in front of my computer looking at tutorials and code instead of sitting at a bar trying to take that ugly waitress home.

And you know what, I still don't have a publishable game finished. Sure my time hasn't been a waste but my dream when I started was to make a game. This is where I think the folks at Dream Games got it just right. You don't win by having the best game (though I am sure that will be a major factor) you win by completing the tasks necessary to write your game. How many of us have stopped working because we didn't know where to go next or weren't aware of everything involved when we started and forgot something crucial along the way? How many of us have stopped simply because its freakin hard work to make a game and we got discouraged.

So here comes this contest where I get points for completing the steps towards making my game. And motivation? That's where the $10,000 comes in to play. But in reality anyone who completes the contest is a winner. Why? Because they not only can say they have done what they set out to do (complete a game) but they have a road map for completing more. Think about it. A game a year. Will it make you Electronic Arts? Nope. But it will make you a game developer and if your ideas are as good as you think they are you will make that $10,000 even if you don't win the contest.

Imagine what would happen if dozens of us showed up next march at GDC or some other conference with prototypes of our games. All because we took part in a contest. In fact I think it would be cool if this was part of the contest itself.

So why exactly are you still reading this? Don't you have a contest to go and enter?

Choosing a Path

Jonathan Blair — 2006-11-08T17:52:58+00:00

After a week or so of going back and forth I have finally decided on a project (you'll have to wait until the end to find out what it is). Below are the items that I considered when choosing which game idea I was going to work towards creating. Hopefully these steps will help you when you consider what project to work on.

1. Would you want to play this game?
Now I realize that in the corporate world you don't always have that luxury but this to me is one of the great things about being an indie. It's also one of the most important things to consider for two reasons: 1. if you aren't excited to play your game why will anyone else be? Remember you will have to sell this idea to others 2. If you're not really into the project you won't see it through the tough times (and there will be tough times).

2. Is there an audience beyond you for this game?
I realize there are times that this doesn't apply (I have made games before that were just for me and I didn't share them) but most often I think people are creating games so that others will play them as well.
If that is true in your case make sure you ask yourself this question. Nothing sucks more than putting your heart and soul into something and thinking its great and then selling like 3 copies because people just aren't interested.

3. Do you have the resources available to make this game?
GG does a great job of providing resources for us. That being said they don't provide everything. I am very adept at programming and I can do a fair job of modeling from artist sketches. I have absolutely no skill whatsoever when it comes to creating sketches or music. My guess is most everyone else is in the same boat (strong in some things and weak in others). How are you going to get the resources to fill in the gaps? Are you going to put a team together? If not, do you have the funds to hire others to fill in the areas you are weak? If not, what are the likely chances that you will be able to successfully fill in these gaps yourself? No one likes to admit that can't do something but I have learned the hard way you will not be satisfied with the results if you try and do these things yourself; it simply won't be up to the level of your other work.

4. Do you have the time?
I read with interest the 90 MMO challenge by mydreamrpg. My first thought was "They want a working MMO in 90 days?!?" Then I read that it didn't have to be fully functional and it made more sense. The point is that while it probably is possible to make a working MMO in 90 days will it end up being what you really want? Be realistic in your time assessments. Understand and plan ahead of time what you really want in your game and how long it will take to implement all of it. Then decide if you really have the time to complete it. For me I have roughly one year to complete my project (I won't start another research project at school until next fall semester). Can I get my game done or mostly done in that time period?

5. Make some selling point materials for you ideas and share them with others.
Step 4 assumes you are sketching out something similar to a game design doc to say what is really involved in your game. I am normally not a big fan of sharing these with others before I have started the creation process. I prefer to create a list of things that make my game interesting/unique/fun etc. Then I share them with people I know who's opinions I respect when it comes to both playing and making games. If they agree with me on my assessments of the above then I feel more comfortable about my decision.

So now the decision. After the first 4 steps I had 2 game ideas left.

The first was a space racing game. Think of Need for Speed in space where people race through black holes, asteroid fields, cities etc. I like to think of these kinds of games as throw away games because you throw away your time. You can sit down and play for 20-30 minutes and not really accomplish anything other than passing the time. You can also get up and leave at any moment and not feel bad about it.

The second (and my ultimate choice) was an episodic super hero game. I believe that super hero games are perfect for episodic gaming as the characters themselves derive from an episodic format.

Here are my listed selling points that I provided to others:

Create your character:
Fully customizable look and feel to your character allows you to truly project the image you want

Choose your weapons:
-Over 30 distinct powers allow you to create a truly unique character
-Use the skills you want from the beginning. No starting with basic skills and level grinding to get the powers you want.
-Chosen skills become better over time. As you use your skills they become more honed allowing them to be even more useful.
-Unlock even more skill slots as you complete the storyline allowing you to add to your arsenal.

Hero or Villian, you choose:
Choose to be a power for good or evil, the choice is completely up to you.

Mission Based Game Play:
Game play is based on missions with multiple ways to complete each. No leveling is required to complete the storyline portion of the game.

Free Roam Play:
-Take to the streets.
-Find multiple hide outs or lairs.
-Recruit Henchman or SideKicks.
-Come to the aid of those in need or terrorizing them enhancing your aura as a hero or villain. Helping others will gain favors from them that you can use to gain information or assets. Taking what you need will increase your wanted status making you a target for the police and heroes.

True PVP:
Compete against your friends in either Death Match tournaments or complete unique story line missions against each other to see if the heroes or villains will prevail.

Record your deeds:
use the built in system for capturing your story or create your own using the specialized cel shaded screen capture to record your deeds in true comic book fashion.

Episodic Game Play:
Game Play follows comic book style of small confined stories where players can compete as villains against their friends heroes or vice versa. Each episode will carry on from the next allowing you to use your previously created characters as well as to add to their existing reputation.

Well what do you think? Quite ambitious I know but I have a good deal of the code for the above already from the projects I require in class. Did I miss something in my decision process? Any comments are appreciated and hopefully someone who is trying to decide what to do will find my thoughts helpful in their endeavor.

Jonathan

Blog for Jonathan Blair at GarageGames.com

Why you should join the dream games competition

Choosing a Path