Selling your idea

[Useful 122]

You guys probably hear this alot, but... I have what I think is a very good idea for a game. This is the first idea that ive had where I went, wow, that would be an awesome game. My only problem is that I don''t know where to start. Do I pitch the idea to someone? Do I make a small game as a base to sell my idea/get funding? Should I just wait until I graduate and get a job in the games industry?

[Zorak 304]

An idea wont cut it. You would have to write a complete design note of it. Which practically means write down a complete story, characters, enviroment maps and so on.

Then start with the technical part; how the GUI should work, what controls to use and so on.

When you got a 100+ page design note with diagrams, pictures etc, you find some programmers/artists to make you a demo. When the demo is good enough you neatly pack it with your design and send it to a game company that decides if its a good enough project to continue. If so, they will fund you.

But an idea is never enough. You cant base a descision on an idea, you have to have something to decide upon.

[Useful 122]

Thanks for the reply,

I''ve made design documents for school(flow charts, uml, use cases, gui, etc) and I hadn''t considered that someone would want something extremely detailed like a movie script.It makes sense that I would want a 100 page script if I was going to shell out the money for a game to be made. Guess I know what I''ll be doodling in class this semister.

[Guest Anonymous Poster]

To be brutally honest, no one wants a detailed design either. This is a good site for advice:

http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html

[superpig 1825]

Quite simply: An idea is worthless.

Anyone can have them, and there''s lots of good ones to be had. You can''t convince anyone as to the brilliance of your idea (compared to all the other, free ones) without telling them the idea, and by that time, you''re screwed.

The best option is, as already mentioned, to make - at least part - of the game yourself. You''ll need a good design document if you want to ensnare any other hobbyist developers (because no doubt you''ll need help with your game); you''d need a demo if you wanted to go pro. For example, the first chapter of a three-chapter game, a bit like the original shareware model (only rather than the public buying your game, it''d be a publisher).

If you get a publisher, you can get money to employ seasoned pros - or, sign a contract to hand the development over to their in-house teams. I''d stay away from the second choice though.

Superpig
- saving pigs from untimely fates, and when he''s not doing that, runs The Binary Refinery.

[Hase 313]

most has been said - a the moment it´s very hard to secure a contract without a playable demo, you´ll also have trouble attracting a team if you have little or nothing to show.

[edited by - Hase on December 24, 2002 7:30:18 PM]

[owl 376]

oh god!

[mentalstatement 122]

hey, its like they say "if u build it, they will come"

sense i have no clue of what the hell i am talking about, the following should not be taken to seriously...


like that other guy said, write up a good script for the game (20-100 pages Summarizing the story-line and all aspects of gameplay), if u want u can also submit it in english class as one of ur creative writing projects... also, i would recommend getting some money, for a professional artist, or finding a friend that can "really" draw.. cause nothing will catch people''s eye like some awesome artwork... then what u should consider doing is copyrighting ur work... and submitting it (in the mail) to gaming companies that u think would be interested... i think thats how they do it in the movie industry... might work for games... who knowsss

[Zorak 304]

Oh, and never use friends because they are friends. Select your partners because of their skills. A good artist that is a pain in the neck is better than a friend that do half a job.

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What does God want?
Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness?
Is a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some way better than a man who has the good imposed upon him?

[Hikeeba 122]

quote:

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Original post by Zorak
Oh, and never use friends because they are friends.

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Very true. It may sound like fun working with your friends, but it makes everything harder when it comes down to actually handling the team and managing the project.

Write a design doc and try to make part of the game. I don''t think it''d have to be good enough to be called a "demo", but at least some kind of prototype. From there you should be able to pull together a team and go further if you so desire.

And of course, money would help too if you have it.