Indie game development and RTS game
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I wanted to create an RTS game as an indie developer, with main reason in mind that you don't have to build so much of content, compared to FPS games. When I started with artwork I had feeling that I'm building a FPS game!I didn't expect that I'll need to make my work so detailed - if you have ever played World in Conflict or Company of heroes, you know what I'm talking about. When you look at it from far distance, you're very conviced that you're able to do it, but when you start doing it, it is whole different story.
And the second problem?Well I was sure enough that someone would buy my game(if mirracle happened and it would be finished) after reading this(http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=468537) topic, my thinking changed.
Here I am, stucked and frustrated. Looks like I'll have to abandon this FPS,RTS and other 3d oriented craziness and go after new version of tetris with more eye candies, maybe new strip-poker or some other boring-to-death game.
So, where should I continue with game developmet?
[Edited by - hardcoded1337 on September 12, 2008 7:19:06 AM]
Quote:Original post by hardcoded1337
I wanted to create an RTS game as an indie developer, with main reason in mind that you don't have to build so much of content, compared to FPS games. When I started with artwork I had feeling that I'm building a FPS game!I didn't expect that I'll need to make my work so detailed - if you have ever played World in Conflict or Company of heroes, you know what I'm talking about. When you look at it from far distance, you're very conviced that you're able to do it, but when you start doing it, it is whole different story.
Years ago I wanted to build a RTS game as well. However, because I had built levels for several games for multiple years, I already knew that any game that heavily relies on content will take a lot of work, depending on the amount of content, the quality and the style you're after.
However, besides underestimating that, it seems that your problem lies here: I didn't expect that I'll need to make my work so detailed. You don't need that detail. You can't afford it. So that's a problem you must solve somehow. Perhaps by going for less detail, or by picking a visual style that's easier to create.
Keep in mind that you're a single developer. Those games you look up to were created by large teams. Perhaps it's time to look at indie games for inspiration instead of triple-A games.
Quote:Here I am, stucked and frustrated. Looks like I'll have to abandon this FPS,RTS and other 3d oriented craziness and go after new version of tetris with more eye candies, maybe new strip-poker or some other boring-to-death game.
So, where should I continue with game developmet?
That's up to you. What are your goals? What do you really want to create and why?
You could build Flash games - it's relatively easy and such games are more easily distributed. You could build some small 2D games. You could go a totally different route. I can't decide that for you.
Quote:Original post by hardcoded1337
Here I am, stucked and frustrated. Looks like I'll have to abandon this FPS,RTS and other 3d oriented craziness...
Why does your RTS need to be in 3D? Cutting out a dimension is one way to start toning down the complexity of the project in every way possible.
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Quote:Original post by GaiidenQuote:Original post by hardcoded1337
Here I am, stucked and frustrated. Looks like I'll have to abandon this FPS,RTS and other 3d oriented craziness...
Why does your RTS need to be in 3D? Cutting out a dimension is one way to start toning down the complexity of the project in every way possible.
You're talking about isometric projection using 2D?This demands even more work than doing stuff in 3d, so the answer is "no, thanks".
Well then why does your RTS have to be isometric?
You could do it using simple 2D scrolling tile engine with sprites. This could be done using a 2D engine or by rendering 2D tiles using a 3D engine.
Once you got everything working you could swap out the sprites for 3D models but still keep the 2D background.
Have a look at the "Strategy game programming with DirectX 9" book for examples.
There is also a series of RTS programming tutorials that somebody posted in one of the GameDev forums I can't remember which one.
You could do it using simple 2D scrolling tile engine with sprites. This could be done using a 2D engine or by rendering 2D tiles using a 3D engine.
Once you got everything working you could swap out the sprites for 3D models but still keep the 2D background.
Have a look at the "Strategy game programming with DirectX 9" book for examples.
There is also a series of RTS programming tutorials that somebody posted in one of the GameDev forums I can't remember which one.
Sorry, I did indeed mean simple top-down 2D. No 2.5D or or hexagonal or anything like that. Just simple 2D sprites on a 2D tile-map like Buster described. Simple, simple, simple. That way the only challenging thing is the gameplay, but that's also the most fun to implement.
No offense, but you sound like you are already in the mode where you are seeing only problems and not solutions. Like you are asking for answers just so you can explain why they won't work.
I agree with Captain P, you need to assess why you wanted to do this project in the first place.
I'm no programmer but I'm not sure why isometric would be more difficult than 3d, Starcraft used Isometric 2D. But many games have successfully used top-down as well. I too was a little overwhelmed by the RTS titles and how I could possibly compete, but then I remembered on thing...
For me, the game doesn't need to be advanced, or have state-of-the-art graphics, or revolutionary AI even. It doesn't even need to be long, the most important goal for me is that people have fun playing it. And I think I can design a game that is fun, with help. I actually care more about clean nice looking graphics than advanced ones.
Beautiful old skool graphics to me are better than bland looking 3d models. So I've decided to go this route, and as for content...I'm going to make a shareware version first so the game can actually get released sooner and possibly garner more support along the way.
I'm an artist so I'm seeking a way to make 2d graphics that look nice, you could do something like this:
I agree with Captain P, you need to assess why you wanted to do this project in the first place.
I'm no programmer but I'm not sure why isometric would be more difficult than 3d, Starcraft used Isometric 2D. But many games have successfully used top-down as well. I too was a little overwhelmed by the RTS titles and how I could possibly compete, but then I remembered on thing...
For me, the game doesn't need to be advanced, or have state-of-the-art graphics, or revolutionary AI even. It doesn't even need to be long, the most important goal for me is that people have fun playing it. And I think I can design a game that is fun, with help. I actually care more about clean nice looking graphics than advanced ones.
Beautiful old skool graphics to me are better than bland looking 3d models. So I've decided to go this route, and as for content...I'm going to make a shareware version first so the game can actually get released sooner and possibly garner more support along the way.
I'm an artist so I'm seeking a way to make 2d graphics that look nice, you could do something like this:
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