I''m just bewildered at the number of "people" that appear saying "we''re writing an MMPOG". Yet when you look at their site, you see zero indication that these people are anything but 11 year olds who have more than 0% chance of completing their game. I laughed because they''re asking questions like "should we use Torque" and they''re already specifying how much the game will cost.
So constructive criticism/advice:
1) Start small. Learn to program using C/C++/VB/Dark Basic/Blitz Basic. Whatever turns your crank.
2) Start smaller. Program a small arcade game, or something like Tetris.
3) Pick an existing engine/SDK/language, such as Dark Basic, Blitz Basic, Truevision 3D, Revolution 3D, Torque, Auran Jet, Power Render, Crystal Space to fit your requirements and abilities.
4) Slowly grow. Make sure you understand the technology you are going to be using enough to know how to develop what you want, and to know how to develop it. See 1).
5) Create a design document that fully describes the game.
6) Prototype the core tech concepts in your game one at a time. For example, prototype a core renderer.
7) Throw the prototypes away and produce some more.
8) Start plugging things together to see that they interact.
9) Keep throwing the prototypes away until you''re happy with them.
10) Slowly pull the game together piece by piece.
11) Testing, testing and more testing. Prove the technology works as you described in your design document.
12) Recruit people to create artwork.
13) Recruit people to create sound effects and music.
14) Create a website and show off some screenshots and technical descriptions.
15) Testing, testing and more testing. Prove the technology works as you described in your design document. Fix outstanding bugs.
16) Create an alpha demo, and recruit an inner circle of trusted people to test it.
17) Go back and implement any bug fixes or feature requests generated through testing.
18) Go back to step 15, many times. Proceed if you''re confident the software is relatively bug free.
19) Release a beta version and recruit more people into testing.
20) Go back to step 17. Proceed when you''re happy.
21) etc. etc.
22) Release game, while dropping kids off at school. Remember to buy groceries!
Disclaimer - I wrote that in 30 seconds, so I make no guarantees as to it''s validity or usability. I wrote it to give those people with no formal S/W Engineering experience a heads up as to what lies ahead. I''m sure it''s full of mistakes, but it''s just a general indication.
