Hello All, Im Christopher Vibes (Gameworld Name) i started up a webpage the other day for a gaming company one day i could see on games in stores. I have a long way to go in the gaming field, but being a Game Developer/Producer is something i want to do. Im pretty good at making weapons in maya and making levels (i still have a way to go). But to get to the point ive been thinking of making a Free-To-Play Online PC FPS, just to see how it would do on the gaming market as far as "Downloads" since its a Free Game. Other than gathering a team, do you guys have any advice for me? any feedback is better than none.
Thinking about making a Free-To-Play FPS any Advice (new here)
Other than gathering a team, do you guys have any advice for me?
That question is vague in the extreme. Since you posted this in the Game Design forum, one can only assume that you're seeking advice about your game design. Without a more focused question, my design advice would be to write a GDD before you start programming. If you want to ask questions about producing your game, you can ask those in the Production forum, and if you have business questions about marketing or monetizing your game, you can use the Business forum.
my design advice would be to write a GDD before you start programming
i'll second that
There are enough FPS games, including rather old classics, to survey them and learn both the important problems you need to deal with (some specific to FPS games, like environment affecting weapon effectiveness, and some common to most online games, like matchmaking or dealing with network disconnections) and the state-of-the-art solutions.
This will ensure that your design document is comprehensive and grounded in reality, with some confidence that your game has a chance to be good compared to existing ones.
Making an online game is hard for a single person unless you are especially skilled. A team with a few programmers could probably handle it though.
3. DONT start a team if you're new to Game Development. Join a active online team working on a project close or similar to the type of game you would like to develop. Collaborating online can be extremely frustrating, quarky, and confusing at times. Learn the DOs and DONT of communication within a online team. Gain thorough undersanding of the tools: Chat Apps, Version Control, Project Management, and other networked Applications.
1. DONT re-invent the wheel! Adopt an affordable and proven cross-platform technology that has the Engine, Tools, and Documentation for developing FPS games such as UDK.I tried to develop a FPS engine with C++ and I failed to complete it after 3 years of development. I hadn't even started on the game:( Using UDK-out-of-box, I have a working multiplayer demo of my F2P Action Survival Terror FPS within only 3 weeks develop time. Its FUN to develop when you see immediate results.
4. DONT be dependent on a third party to produce your content or logic for your game. Learn to model and Animate Characters, Architecture, etc; and Programming Concepts (C, C++, Java) for Logic and Networking. These are in the highest demand and practice makes perfect! I would encourage you to aim at being a Jack-of-all-trades. Building a Team is extremely difficult. The role of Game Producer/Director will task you with knowing a little something about every aspect of the game development process.
2. DONT forget the crucial importance of networking and web integration in online gaming. You simply cannot make any type of Online game without Networking. Networking is also valuable in Single Player gaming. So I highly encourage you to have some rudimentary understanding of the networking involved, even if your not a programmer. If you dont have a turn-key solution for online Administration, Transactions, etc, you're going to need them custom made.
0. DONT develop a cookie-cutter F2P FPS. Take a chance and dare to be different. Thats the advantage of being an Independent game developer. I have absolutely no idea on how well received a F2P FPS with Tornado Destruction, Storm Chasing, Survival Horror, Hordes of Monsters, and Sci-Fi Weapons will be, but, I do know that it will be different.
Economics dude, you need to have a good economical plan, even if you are just doing to try it out, as soon as you bring in more people from the outside you need to have your economics straight. Producing a game is so fucking expensive you don't even know, atleast if you want it to look like a AAA or a AA game. If you are doing it completely solo on your free time then just go for it, follow what all the other awesome dudes here has said.
I wish you the best of luck.
Cheers!
My advice in this thread was mediocre at best, as my early advice was weak. So let me add:
Forming a team is difficult. First, you should always have something made ahead of time, to show your team. Preferably you will have levels done, but you might be able to get away with some models and concept art. Then you have the experience of managing a team and getting things done. Generally if one doesn't have as much experience as their team mates, they aren't ready to guide a team.
Forming a team is difficult. First, you should always have something made ahead of time, to show your team. Preferably you will have levels done, but you might be able to get away with some models and concept art. Then you have the experience of managing a team and getting things done. Generally if one doesn't have as much experience as their team mates, they aren't ready to guide a team.
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