I have never heard of a publisher that would publish your game without some of it being finished. If I were you I would work on it in my free time and then show it to a publisher when it''s about 50% done. If your fellow developers won''t work on it for free, they probably won''t help you much when they are getting paid and they will be fired then your project will be cancelled. I suggest you try to get hired at a company before you try to sell them a game idea.

Essentially, it sounds to me that you are wandering around Hollywood with a script and a tin cup.

Game development budgets are generally not entrusted to people with no track records. My suggestion is to get a job at either an established development house or publisher so that you can get your name on a few projects and learn the ropes. After a few years in the industry you''ll stand a much better chance of being able to line up financial support for your own company.

$0.02

Reality bites!
"it''ll hurt like hell to have to give it up"... it''s true, and it''s worse after spending years making the game and having it finished.