I think I will replace the current content of the site ConceptWorld.org with a more simple site and take a lean startup approach to see if it can go viral without much effort.
The idea is that I can concentrate on developing the platform while a developing community creates the appeal of the world ... not doing my work for me, but working on their own commercial projects.
I will write more about the philosophy in the "Thoughts And Convictions" category. As a first project I think an anthology or a serial (published as an ebook ... and if the demand justifies it as a print version using the service CreateSpace) might be a great, first project.
Would have loved to program the server side with Node.js ... but I can't set that up (the redirect to port 8888).
The 2nd idea is working on a multiplayer sports game with a web portal behind it. That would mean people could play tournaments and keep track of their accomplishments.
The players would be controlled in a way that is comparable with Starcraft II micro. I would probably start with a soccer implementation but keep it abstract and generic enough to allow for other implementations.
The plan is documenting the whole development process and releasing the documentation as tutorials ... and releasing the code as open source on github. The focus would not be on the pogramming languages or the game mechanics, but on the big picture knowledge and the required skills like project management, programming concepts, software architecture, build process options / continuous integration and things like that (mentioning several other ways to do the same thing and showing links to further information).
People should be able to follow along while programming a very different kind of game.
I have 4.5 years of programming experience as a Java programmer, but I want to get into C++ again and learn some new things while working on the project. I am hoping to get feedback when I am stuck or when tutorials are wrong or incomplete ... so that this turns into a living community project.
Currently the plan is using
- C++ and OpenGL for a game client
- GWT, with Gin (for IOC) for a web portal
- GWT, with Guice (for IOC) or Node.js for a game server
- SCRUM for project management (yes, I like using that approach even as a lone wolf)
- Maybe Jenkins for Continuous integration
- Ant for the web server and portal build process, maybe Maven for dependencies
- JUnit for web server and portal unit tests (maybe TDD - Test Driven Development)
- Not sure which technology for the build process of the game client (should be portable Win, Lin, Mac ... mobile only if there is a smart way to support a gamepad - it might not work without the precision of a mouse)
- GIT as the version control system
- Is is allowed to release articles on Gamedev.net and another website?
The goals:
- A 3D sports game (easy to learn, hard to master)
- A portal website that stores results and maybe profiles with achievements
- Maybe a coaching mode where players and teams can get better
- A simple, generic game client engine
- Tutorials that show the big picture of how you can think like a programmer
- Maybe a simple local game server that allows for a single player mode.
If possible there could be a NeHe like site that shows implementations of the same thing with different technologies and different approaches that solve the same problems.
I might host a game server and add a supporter subscription feature to try to make some money at some point ... or sell the tutorials as an ebook or as video tutorials.
