Really, Really Making a Game... Looking at the Big Picture

[MisterGravity]

Okay, so you've learned the mapping software fairly well and you have an idea of what you want to make. Unfortunately, Leadwerks only comes with an autopistol weapon, a single enemy called a "Crawler", and a few textures and models.

 

I have a wonderful engine in front of me, a blank slate to add whatever. Now the whole idea of what you're going to have to obtain, create or have created for you starts to sink in. So I start to ask myself questions like this, and hope that some of the veterans around here can give me good answers as a starting point.

 

I need models: tables, chairs, lamps, and so on. Are there free sources that you know of? If I used said free sources, would it be obvious to a player, "He got that lamp from so-and-so website, what a loser."? Do I need to start learning Blender? And let's say I did. How come Blender doesn't have the ability to open .mdl files? Apparently there's not even a way to import them. Or do I need to convert them first?

 

What about building the world? It was suggested in this thread that I look into World Machine. Does it make .raw files? Is that all I need?

 

It seems to me that I need to be a Jack of all Trades to a certain degree to make a game. Designing new weapons, making world maps, level design and set decoration. I realize big companies have teams for all these jobs, but what about a single guy learning all this on his own? Are there resources for, "Hey, here's a standard set of weapons for your game, use them," that include a pistol, smg, sniper rifle, whatever? And if so, what if they're not in the format that Leadwerks uses? What do I do about that?

 

Truth is, the more I learn about the engine, the more lost I get because it's starting to sink in that I can't be great at everything. It's a huge time investment for a person in my life position at this stage to learn, really try to learn Leadwerks. But then to go, "Gah, I have to learn Blender and World Machine too? I'm dead, why don't I fall down?"

 

Thoughts? Give me some guidance and inspirational words.

[cassius]

I am working on my own and I am 90 years old. I buy a few models but mostly make my own using ac3d a cheap nodelling app. I use ultimate unwrap for file conversion. Hope you find this inspiring.

[Rick]

If you're a programmer only, then you need to either team up with an artist or buy your models. The promotional forum here has some nice places to buy cheap models/sounds/textures. http://www.dexsoft-games.com/ is a good place also. http://www.turbosquid.com/ as well. Yes, your game might look the same as someone else's. Yes, some players might know these models already, but if you make a good enough game they won't care. You can also pay a freelance artist to make you art, but it'll cost more.

 

.mdl is Leadwerks version and since Leadwerk isn't Quake or HL it's not a popular model format so modeling tools most likely won't have plugins to support it. I use Ultimate Unwrap 3D to convert model formats that aren't .fbx (since Leadwerks only converts from .fbx to .mdl).

 

Don't worry all that much about the art. Use free fillers for now and get the programming done. You'll find that most of the time your idea isn't actually that good (not a slam on you but it's reality) and you'll lose interest while making it. Make prototypes/demos of the core gameplay first and don't worry about polishing things. Basic UI is fine because UI doesn't define if your game is fun or not most of the time. Have fun with it!

[ChrisV]

Yep, sadly enough, we game developers all come/came to a point where we think: 'Oh dear, what am i getting my self into?', or 'Geez, i will never be able to make a game!', or something along those lines.

The truth is, that game development isn't easy, especially if you only know a certain aspect of game development, be it programming, art creation, sound design, or other skills related to game design.

 

Some of us are into art creation, others are great at coding, there are guys that are super at concept art, level design, sound creation, you name it. There are a few that know a combination of these skills too.

I'm not an expert on coding, but i do have a fair amount of experience/skill in the artistic branche of game development. I already have made a couple of entire games (one was an Arkanoid clone, the other a space shooter), but they were small compared to some of the games created by teams of course.

 

For those who don't have enough expertise/skill in all branches of game design, you could either team up with someone, or learn these other skills. For some it will be hard to learn, for others it might go easier than expected to learn new things, it all depends on the person.

 

You could also hire someone, or buy models (or find some free ones), but usually they don't fit with your game idea, or the art doesn't match a certain style.

 

I'd suggest, get your game idea written down (story, artwork needed for both 2D and 3D, sound, concept, etc...), and ask around here on the forum for team members, or learn some of the missing parts that you don't have the skills yet, or do a combination (team up, and learn a few things).

 

Best advice, is to not give up! ;-)

[MisterGravity]

I gotta admit, that's some very uplifting words. The ocean I'm adrift in doesn't seem quite so big now, so thank you. You've all given me some ideas of which direction to go for the assets I'll need and the things I'll learn.

 

The key is not to give up, and I WILL NOT.

[gamecreator]

Also important to mention that a lot of beginners fail because they start with games that are too big. It's a common sight to see begininers want to make the next MMO and not realize what you're starting to realize: the huge amount of time and resources required. If you've never made a game before you're strongly encouraged to make a few very small ones first as learning experiences.

[MisterGravity]

Also important to mention that a lot of beginners fail because they start with games that are too big. It's a common sight to see begininers want to make the next MMO and not realize what you're starting to realize: the huge amount of time and resources required. If you've never made a game before you're strongly encouraged to make a few very small ones first as learning experiences.

 

Absolutely. I have no grand design plans for my first game, I wanted to do something totally cliché like escaping from a warehouse full of zombies or something. Nothing special. I just have a long way to go before I can realize something even that small.

 

But I think I'm starting to realize that the trick is to NOT look at the big picture. It's like looking down while you're climbing a ladder twenty stories up. One rung at a time, one skill at a time.

[gamecreator]

That works for smaller games and to keep pushing forward, definitely. For larger ones you need to plan ahead, hence why the pros use design docs.