hi! i live in israel,as you may know the game development in my country not so good. so i want to change it! im stil young (18yo) but after army (here its is a must)i wanna make my own game development company. yea i know sounds funny.but i have started learning for this 3d studio max,poser 6,photoshop now also macromedia flash. i know its not alot but its a start.i wanted to ask: what things i will need to make my own company? (programmers etc') how many people? starting budget? and stuff like this. btw i mean making games as HL2 and doom 3,so im going on the heavy stuff. thx for the help!

Quote:what things i will need to make my own company? (programmers etc')

If you don't know this I advise keeping away from setting up your own company for the time being. Atleast until you've gained a little more experience.

Here's an extremely short and cut list though:
- Management team such as CEOs
- Marketing directors
- Producers
- Associate producers
- Project managers
- Lead game tester
- Game testers
- Lead game designer
- Game designers
- Level designers
- Fiction/story writers
- Lead programmer
- Programmers
- Graphics programmers
- Engine programmers
- Possibly audio programmers
- Network programmers
- Artificial intelligence programmers
- Art directors
- Art technicians
- Concept artists
- 3D modellers
- 3D cinematic/cutscene modellers
- 3D character modellers
- 3D character animators
- Texture artists
- Level builders
- Composers
- Sound engineers
- Musicians
- Web designers

Quote:how many people? starting budget? and stuff like this.

As you can see, you'll need alot of people if you want to be big. Smaller companies can start out with 4/5 and start right from the bottom builder smaller and less advanced applications and then progressing upwards.

Quote:btw i mean making games as HL2 and doom 3,so im going on the heavy stuff.

This won't be happening anytime soon without prior experience. The people working at VALVe for example (developers of HL2, CS, DOD etc.) have several degrees in their specialised areas and have more than likely worked in previous development studios for many many years.

If you want to run the company (as apart from actually being a developer yourself), you need business accumen and a backer with deep pockets and an understanding of the games industry.

1st,thank you for the quick replay.

now i know i will need alot of things and time.
so i will start from small company and then progress to big one.

but this is my dream,and im ready for making come true.
after army,i wanna move to USA,maybe Canda,and start working on my dream.

only will need a lot of staff and money he he...

good luck!

Clue #1: Quit pirating software. k thx.

Hi,

First, create something you can demonstrate. Find others in your area, college or university. Show them what you have done and tell them about your vision. Then teach them and found your group company, that way you make them compromise with the project. Create simple games and go on. You need 4 people. Engine Programmer, Game Programmer, 3D Modeler and a Game Editor.

Just keep one thing in mind. Work on this as a part time job so noone gets any financial problem. Many lead developers (John Carmack comes in mind) started working on his own company as a part time job.

Luck!
Guimo

All you need to start a company is to fill out the relevant forms with whatever the competant governing agency is and pay whatever fees they assess. They give you a little certificate that says you're a company and you hang it on the wall. Tada - you're a company. Now if someone sues your company and you lose the lawsuit, they can't take away your house too. Details of which probably vary between the US and Israel - I wouldn't know.

To make any software company go, you (and I mean the boss, not some generic "you") need two of the following three:

1) Lots of money
2) Lots of talent and skill with programming
3) Lots of energy and discipline.

Number 3 is actually a requirement. So you can pick one (or both) from 1 and 2

I am of the opinion that the boss of a small software company has to be a programmer. Because if you can't tell when your programming staff is trying to snow you (and they will!) you can't properly excersize authority over them. If the boss is not a programmer, then the boss needs a trusted manager who is. And that's where the money comes in - if you aren't providing expertise, then you need to be providing money. If you are providing neither then your employees will start wondering why they should pay any attention to you at all.

At a small company, every body else is there to support the singular vision of the founder/leader. Running a business is not Our Gang putting on a show in the barn.