The majority of hobbyist games are of a smaller scale than you're thinking of. Some of them are of spectacular quality but generally take longer. Occasionally someone (experienced) will pump out something of the quality you're thinking of in that amount of time.
My suggestion would be to simply try out what you want to do; as you've said, you're working for yourself rather than doing it as a job, so all you're really risking is that you may have to commit more of your time than originally planned.
If you're already a reasonably experienced coder, you've got some existing basecode and you're going to be smart about using existing solutions I think it's definitely possible for you to get it working in terms of writing the code - your problem is going to be producing the artwork, which takes skill and practice.
Question to hobbyists game developers...
From a programmer point of view, the main problem in developing games all by yourself is the art side. That takes a LOT of time. Making animations, models, texturing them, designing and building a level, audio design, all the stuff that is basically not programming. That takes a lot of time (probably a lot more than just the code part), especially if you are not very good at those things (like me).
I'd look at the Torque Game engine to cut out a lot of the work.
I'd look at the Torque Game engine to cut out a lot of the work.
I reckon you should give it a go spacemonkey. Even though it is very ambitious, to the quality of crashbandicoot. You might see if you can resouce the art/animations from somewhere. Professional games have at least half a dozen programmers, and artists at least. Take a year to make, and thats fulltime. Thats also with an engine, probably from a previous game. Also with experienced programmers etc.
Given your a programmer though, making just 1 level requires 'nearly' all the programming to have been done anyway.
Given your a programmer though, making just 1 level requires 'nearly' all the programming to have been done anyway.
Author
Cool, yeah I see what you guys are saying about artwork.
I haven't done art since before GCSE's but I actually used to be a pretty good student. I also know someone who'd be willing (and very good at) doing some of the artwork (characters, textures, buildings) on paper or Paintshop Pro or something. Not too sure about his skills in using 3DS Max or those kind of packages but I'm willing to learn.
But overall it's quite a relief to hear that it's an art challenge as opposed to a programming challenge. It's the latter that scares me a bit, that's why at the moment I'm keeping away from games with advanced physics/AI.
I haven't done art since before GCSE's but I actually used to be a pretty good student. I also know someone who'd be willing (and very good at) doing some of the artwork (characters, textures, buildings) on paper or Paintshop Pro or something. Not too sure about his skills in using 3DS Max or those kind of packages but I'm willing to learn.
But overall it's quite a relief to hear that it's an art challenge as opposed to a programming challenge. It's the latter that scares me a bit, that's why at the moment I'm keeping away from games with advanced physics/AI.
It's from a personnal perspective. For me, a Crash Bandicoot (3D platformer) wouldn't be technically hard, I would have all the basics pretty much worked out, even networking (I'm not too savvy on advanced rendering and animation, but that's something relatively easy to learn or delegate to third party engines). If you asked me about designing a RTS, I would have a lot more problems comming up with a workable design on some technical aspects (mainly database, A.I., things like that), there are things I don't know, or I would have to research pretty thoroughly. Or stuff like a proper car/flight simulator (very advanced physics), or a chess game, a mmorpg (the whole server side and user management is scary).
It all depends on what you know you can do and can't do, but 3D platformers aren't that hard technically. If you know you got the main parts covered, then why not. Spec it out, give yourself a schedule and timeframe, and see where there would be risks. I suspect it would be more towards the art production and the assets. If there are sticky technical points, we're here :) And if you want more advanced physics than just basic platformer physics or advanced rendering, you can use a 3rd party engines.
It all depends on what you know you can do and can't do, but 3D platformers aren't that hard technically. If you know you got the main parts covered, then why not. Spec it out, give yourself a schedule and timeframe, and see where there would be risks. I suspect it would be more towards the art production and the assets. If there are sticky technical points, we're here :) And if you want more advanced physics than just basic platformer physics or advanced rendering, you can use a 3rd party engines.
Quote:Original post by spaceJockey123
Cool, yeah I see what you guys are saying about artwork.
I haven't done art since before GCSE's but I actually used to be a pretty good student. I also know someone who'd be willing (and very good at) doing some of the artwork (characters, textures, buildings) on paper or Paintshop Pro or something. Not too sure about his skills in using 3DS Max or those kind of packages but I'm willing to learn.
But overall it's quite a relief to hear that it's an art challenge as opposed to a programming challenge. It's the latter that scares me a bit, that's why at the moment I'm keeping away from games with advanced physics/AI.
If you start off working on 2D graphics, even if you're pretty lame to begin with, you will get much better with practice. What is important is looking at what's already been done. Play games, take screenshots and look at them in immense detail, zoomed right in. How does everything come together?
Then copy or emulate. And practice. As far as 2D goes, I really think anybody can make some decent looking stuff after a while. 3D is a big step up from that, but don't get discouraged just because you're not great at it at the mo.
But yeh, getting someone else to do it is also an option XD
Author
Thanks for all your advice. These boards are going to be my primary source for help once I start making it (which will be sometime in May after my exams).
Quote:Original post by CenturyThen copy or emulate. And practice. As far as 2D goes, I really think anybody can make some decent looking stuff after a while. 3D is a big step up from that, but don't get discouraged just because you're not great at it at the mo.
I disagree. First of all, people who only learn through copying and emulating without developing their own skills from scratch never become really good artists. Of course if you're not looking to become a professional, that's not as important.
Second, you say 3D is a big step up, I don't think so. It might take a lot of time to set up a 3D model, but there are loads of things you don't need to worry about in comparison to 2D art, stuff like perspective, shading and highlights, camera angles, or drawing different character poses or animation frames (which in 3D is all taken care of by merely adjusting the skeleton).
In fact, *because* 2D is a lot more labor-intensive, and each frame is hand-drawn, IMO good 2D always looks a lot more alive than any 3D ever could. But that's a different discussion.
Why are people so quick here to predict failure for people?
Your project sounds resonable if...
You use premade models for your characters (this will cutdown on your learning to model time, and you can plug in your own models later as you learn to make them. You can find tons of free models all over the web, and you can buy some too.)
You use a 3d engine. Like maybe Irrlicht or Panda3D. This will cut down all your 3d engine work, and you can focus on content foremost.
Use DeleD or Cartography Shop to build your levels quickly. It's not hard to get a nice level from Deled -> Irrlict
Then you just have to focus on how everything works together.
Your project sounds resonable if...
You use premade models for your characters (this will cutdown on your learning to model time, and you can plug in your own models later as you learn to make them. You can find tons of free models all over the web, and you can buy some too.)
You use a 3d engine. Like maybe Irrlicht or Panda3D. This will cut down all your 3d engine work, and you can focus on content foremost.
Use DeleD or Cartography Shop to build your levels quickly. It's not hard to get a nice level from Deled -> Irrlict
Then you just have to focus on how everything works together.
Quote:Original post by spaceJockey123
Do you think it's realistic to make something as good as Crash Bandicoot or better? Even if it's just 1 level.
The only reason i was warning SpaceJockey, was because crash bandicoot had a team of experienced artists and animators, and had an engine already. As i said before, 1 level requires most of the programming to be in place.
I guess, if you farmed in a 3d engine, you'd mainly need to work on your
*game loop with input/controller etc
*player control
*physics of player, and anyother rigid bodies
*player collision with world and enemies
*enemies collision with world
*enemy AI
*boss AI
*audio
*level editor
*level streaming
Not to be daunting but this is a brief list.
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