Game Design

[Pennycook]

I'm sure I'm not the only person in this forum to have dreams of working in the video game industry one day, perhaps some of you already do, so here goes...

My current predicament is that I have a game I want made. I don't have the skills to do this myself (yet, though I'd be interested in developing them, certainly), don't particularly want to get involved with a group of people I don't know and thus don't trust, but obviously cannot write to any games companies because they are legally not allowed to use any game ideas I send them. Sound familiar? I wouldn't be surprised; I'd certainly be surprised if I was the only person to ever be frustrated by such a situation.

Even aiming to work for a company in the long run doesn't solve things, as unless you're working as part of their game idea development staff, your ideas don't mean **** to anybody anyway; an artist or programmer, for example, isn't going to have a lot of say in the selection of new game ideas, I'd imagine, as it's not part of their job description.

Are you, like me, frustrated because there are ideas you cannot use, yet cannot let other people use either? Are the alternatives, like independent video game design, actually viable solutions; is it actually possible for a group of amateurs to get together and release a game that has some success commercially and isn't accused of being a rip-off of a game of similar genre?

Do you feel that writing your ideas down on paper is a waste of time, because part of you knows they're never going to be seen by anybody else, or is it worthwhile practice?

As well as discussing the topic at hand, if anybody has any input on what I should do if I'm actually seriously considering games programming, it'd be much appreciated.

[Spitfire01]

Hi Penny, I am in a similar situation as you but as things stand I am undecided on the specific area I want to specialize in. My suggestion to you would be to get in contact with some games studios. And ask them what would be required of you to be hired for a Games Design position in the company. it can be done, I have even had an interview at Lionhead Studios. Since it seems that you wish to do more of the designing and idea creation for a game, considering you don't appear to have any experience with tools for other sides of game creation.

As things stand I am doing a Computer Games Design Course at University and would be happy to continue to talk to you about this away from these forums if you wish.

[Pennycook]

Hi Penny, I am in a similar situation as you but as things stand I am undecided on the specific area I want to specialize in. My suggestion to you would be to get in contact with some games studios. And ask them what would be required of you to be hired for a Games Design position in the company. it can be done, I have even had an interview at Lionhead Studios. Since it seems that you wish to do more of the designing and idea creation for a game, considering you don't appear to have any experience with tools for other sides of game creation.

As things stand I am doing a Computer Games Design Course at University and would be happy to continue to talk to you about this away from these forums if you wish.

I'm currently doing Computer Science, myself.

The truth is I'm actually a lot more interested in the programming side of things -- I don't think that I have what it takes to actually design the games, really; my creative writing is not particularly brilliant and I don't think I'd be able to come up with different game ideas that didn't end up drawing on either past ideas I'd had, or unwittingly drawing on things I'd seen or read. >.<

It's just this ONE idea and it kills me I can't do anything about it.

What exactly does your Computer Games Design course involve, if you don't mind me asking?

[Dooms]

What alot of people seem to do is start low at the modding community. Its free and alot easier since you have something to base it on but you are still going to have to involve some other people to actually do the creation

[Spitfire01]

Games design isn't solely left to just one person, it is always a team effort. And you would be expected to draw ideas from things you read. no one has a truly unique idea. It is always drawn from similarities from experiences. As for creative writing, that isn't so much a requirement.

As for my course. It involves 3D modelling and animation, Techniques for writing design documents (this is putting game ideas into a structured piece with details etc..), that is it really. the modelling and animation is split up into a few sub sections. So intro to 3d mdoelling with 3ds max, then building up to facial, character, and other various aspects.

[Pennycook]

Games design isn't solely left to just one person, it is always a team effort. And you would be expected to draw ideas from things you read. no one has a truly unique idea. It is always drawn from similarities from experiences. As for creative writing, that isn't so much a requirement.

As for my course. It involves 3D modelling and animation, Techniques for writing design documents (this is putting game ideas into a structured piece with details etc..), that is it really. the modelling and animation is split up into a few sub sections. So intro to 3d mdoelling with 3ds max, then building up to facial, character, and other various aspects.

Mm, I understand that it's always part of a team effort; I'd be naive -- and rather egotistical -- if I thought I could sit down and create a game worthy of publishing by myself. XD

Your course sounds pretty interesting!

Dooms: I guess I could start there. I wouldn't be able to make the game I want to make, as I'm pretty sure I couldn't find any pre-written game engine that would support some of the things I wanted to do with it, but maybe I'd get something out of it.

[kalniel]

In my experience perhaps 1%, if that, of a game is actually 'game designer' stuff (cool ideas). 99% is hard graft and project management.

The best route into professional game development is through modding existing games. If you start on your own and are good enough you'll be able to join some of the bigger teams. These teams then get called on by the game developers themselves to provide assets etc. Impress and you have a head start when it comes to applying for jobs with other guys. Once you have experience in the professional market for some time *then* can you split off and think about becoming independant, once you've got a good enough reputation that a publisher will invest in.

At least, that's how the industry seems to be working at the moment. There are a very few indie successes, made possible by the likes of Steam, but you have to find a new angle on something - there's no way you can compete on the same grounds as anyone else, so you have to come up with something so new that lack of manpower/technology doesn't hinder it in anyway. The only example I can think of is Darwinia which not only has a neat gameplay idea, but cleverly uses retro graphics in a cool way - bypassing the arms race that occurs in the mainstream market.

As for your cool idea.. sit on it. At least until you're in a position to release it in a way that it will have good impact. Practise on lesser ideas first and prove that you're valuable for your technical abilities. Then when you've got the audience listening bring out the big idea with skills/tools to do it justice.

[Dooms]

Getting yourself known in the modding community can help you in a big way. Desert Combat for BF1942 was so popular when they were making BF2 they contacted the team and got them involved... couldn't of asked for a better thing from a mod you did in your spare time

[Spitfire01]

I think a better example than Desert Combat for BF1942 would be Counterstrike for Half-Life. CS on it's own kept Half-life 1 sales rocketing years after release. Valve realised the potential of CS and spoke to the creators, some of which they hire and they payed the rest off then took the game and made it bigger and better.
Mods are a good way and I suggest the Source engine for a place to head.

[Dooms]

Oh yes completely forgot about CS being un-offical once upon a time

Games that have alot of support in the modding community (from my experiance, there are prob alot more) are HL1 / HL2 for your FPS stuff, Homeworld 2 for space RTS, DoW for general RTS

[kalniel]

Neverwinter Nights/The Elder Scrolls/Dungeon Siege for RPGs. (The former being how I got into things)

[Dooms]

Oooo yes, Neverwinter Nights has a HUGE community

[limpduck]

dont forget the unreal series, they are easy to mod and get into, and they hold quite a few modding comps. You can pick up 2004 few about &#163;5 or less on ebay. Also check out http://www.3dbuzz.com they have some great ideas for games scripts etc. It may also be a good place to offer up some of your skills.

[IBM]

I'd imagine that getting a game idea actually made would be little different (and probably a whole sight easier) than getting a film made from a script, or a book published.

If you've got a cracking idea, you should right a very concise description, plot, character development, graphical concept outline etc, get someone to witness it, JOP, GP, solictor, and then submit it to as many games development companies as possible.

If any get back in touch saying they'd like to publish the game, you could always ask them for a position as junior developer as one of the conditions of licensing them your idea. Technically, if the concept behind the game is innovative enough, you should be able to patent it and be covered by intellectual property lawas, but you'd have to talk to someone more knowledgable than I.

The gaming industry is hugely competitive, with new games grossing as much as blockbusters, with similar development costs. If you've got an idea, people are going to be jumping all over you for a chance to publish it.