30 replies to this topic

[SimonForsman]

From my hobbyist job posting I already have a modeler and animator interested in my project as a spare time kind of thing. I guess an engine may be the hard part alteast if I want decent graphics. I really need a programmer. I have some minor programming experience but I specialize in project management. So i can manage a team really well but I need one first =/.

CryEngine3 has no initial fee and can handle high quality graphics, (costs 20% of total revenue)
UDK has a $99 initial fee and can handle high quality graphics (also costs 25% of any revenue above $50k) or $2500 per seat.
Unity Pro costs $1500 per seat and can handle high quality graphics (The free version has quite many key renderer features disabled so some graphics styles are virtually impossible to do well with it but it might work for you if the artstyle you're going for works within the limitations).

Depending on the games complexity you could also use lower level frameworks without losing too much productivity.

I'd recommend finding a programmer first though as the programmer should be better suited for making these choices.

Edit: it should be CryEngine 3, not UnrealEngine3 (UE3 is insanely expensive)

Edited by SimonForsman, 17 July 2012 - 01:37 AM.

[j-locke]

I definitely agree with the idea that you should work on smaller games first. Those completed games will be something that will help people feel encouraged to donate to your Kickstarter. Also, that'll give you an opportunity to work with some potential teammates without investing such a long time span or large amount of money into the unknown people. Then as a team, you and the people you've found that you work well with could make a video to launch your fundraising campaign.

There are a couple of other dev teams working on Diablo-esque games (that I know of). You can take a look at what they have/had to show and say before and now during their funding campaigns.
Path of Exile
Grim Dawn

[Falcon68]

From my hobbyist job posting I already have a modeler and animator interested in my project as a spare time kind of thing. I guess an engine may be the hard part alteast if I want decent graphics. I really need a programmer. I have some minor programming experience but I specialize in project management. So i can manage a team really well but I need one first =/.

UnrealEngine3 has no initial fee and can handle high quality graphics, (costs 20% of total revenue)
UDK has a $99 initial fee and can handle high quality graphics (also costs 25% of any revenue above $50k) or $2500 per seat.
Unity Pro costs $1500 per seat and can handle high quality graphics (The free version has quite many key renderer features disabled so some graphics styles are virtually impossible to do well with it but it might work for you if the artstyle you're going for works within the limitations).

Depending on the games complexity you could also use lower level frameworks without losing too much productivity.

I'd recommend finding a programmer first though as the programmer should be better suited for making these choices.

Just from that list Unreal Engine 3 sounds the best but ya it largely depends on what programmers have interest in the project since this has since became more of a hobbyist project. If it gets far enough in development then I hit a road block I know I can try putting it up on kickstarter at that time. Thanks for the help!

[SimonForsman]

From my hobbyist job posting I already have a modeler and animator interested in my project as a spare time kind of thing. I guess an engine may be the hard part alteast if I want decent graphics. I really need a programmer. I have some minor programming experience but I specialize in project management. So i can manage a team really well but I need one first =/.

UnrealEngine3 has no initial fee and can handle high quality graphics, (costs 20% of total revenue)
UDK has a $99 initial fee and can handle high quality graphics (also costs 25% of any revenue above $50k) or $2500 per seat.
Unity Pro costs $1500 per seat and can handle high quality graphics (The free version has quite many key renderer features disabled so some graphics styles are virtually impossible to do well with it but it might work for you if the artstyle you're going for works within the limitations).

Depending on the games complexity you could also use lower level frameworks without losing too much productivity.

I'd recommend finding a programmer first though as the programmer should be better suited for making these choices.

Just from that list Unreal Engine 3 sounds the best but ya it largely depends on what programmers have interest in the project since this has since became more of a hobbyist project. If it gets far enough in development then I hit a road block I know I can try putting it up on kickstarter at that time. Thanks for the help!

my bad, it should be CryEngine3 not UE3. (i edited my post now). UE3 is very expensive. (UDK is basically the indie version of UE3)

Edited by SimonForsman, 17 July 2012 - 08:05 AM.

[Falcon68]

hmmm even better cryengine is pretty nice

[mdwh]

From my hobbyist job posting I already have a modeler and animator interested in my project as a spare time kind of thing. I guess an engine may be the hard part alteast if I want decent graphics. I really need a programmer. I have some minor programming experience but I specialize in project management. So i can manage a team really well but I need one first =/.

What skills would you be contributing?

The problem is that this sounds an awful lot like "I want a team to make my idea for me", which no one wants to do, either for free, or promises of a reward. The other way to do this is to pay a team to do it, but you don't have the money either.

(Project management is certainly useful, but personally I'd expect such a person to have skills/experience in at least one of the areas he is wanting to manage, especially if you want to attract people to work for you.)

[Falcon68]

From my hobbyist job posting I already have a modeler and animator interested in my project as a spare time kind of thing. I guess an engine may be the hard part alteast if I want decent graphics. I really need a programmer. I have some minor programming experience but I specialize in project management. So i can manage a team really well but I need one first =/.

What skills would you be contributing?

The problem is that this sounds an awful lot like "I want a team to make my idea for me", which no one wants to do, either for free, or promises of a reward. The other way to do this is to pay a team to do it, but you don't have the money either.

(Project management is certainly useful, but personally I'd expect such a person to have skills/experience in at least one of the areas he is wanting to manage, especially if you want to attract people to work for you.)

I am contributing several things.

1. I have a idea and a concept and can design a number of the levels using my ideas not to mention many mechanics. I have several feature ideas.
2. I have some programming experience
3. I have project management experience to help manage the team.
4. I'm a professional writer with 8+ years of experience reviewing and writing video game reviews. I know what makes games good and what to avoid in games.



But I will say so far so good. I have a programmer, modeler, and animator all working on the project now. As purely a hobbyist project this will probably take several years to complete as I don't expect any of them to dedicate large amounts of time on the project for no pay. The best part is the programmer made his own engine so we are going to look into using his engine for the project.

Edited by Falcon68, 17 July 2012 - 09:59 AM.

[Orymus3]

But I will say so far so good. I have a programmer, modeler, and animator all working on the project now

By 'having' them, do you mean work has begun, or they've shown signs of interest?

[Falcon68]

But I will say so far so good. I have a programmer, modeler, and animator all working on the project now

By 'having' them, do you mean work has begun, or they've shown signs of interest?

Work has begun. Unfortunately the animator had to bow out of the project due to family matters. I have a concept artist now though and going to have him work on a few things I have in mind. I may need to take a step back and get lots of concept art and more written out and concise documentation because as of right now things are too generalized for them.

[Orymus3]

This might come as shocking, but here's what I'd recommend in that regard.
Just define your art guidelines, but don't produce art yet.
Have the basic concepts nailed in terms of documentation, so that its clear for everybody. Keep is feature light and send that technical info to your programmer.
Do a prototype.

You'll probably end up scratching 99% of your ideas and be confident about it, and be very happy that you haven't spent art in a direction that may no longer fit.

A prototype is really what you need at this stage, and everything else comes later. Pre-production generally helps to figure out your actual needs so its best not to over-plan ahead of time.
Once you have a prototype, that tells you the product you're shooting for, then it will be a good moment to take a pause and re-evaluate your needs.

Just my 2 cents. And good luck.

[mdwh]

If you have a team, then I'd say go ahead and start making a game - having a prototype will make it easier to attract interest.