When it comes down to it, it's the money. That's it. And I don't necessarily mean it's about the big companies wanting to turn over a $billion on their latest iteration of some regurgitated franchise with non-inventive gameplay or anything like that. But even us Indie devs... we WANT to make innovative, new, fantastic games that push the very boundaries of what one perceives as a "video game", but we're bogged down by the one thing - money.
We have the technical skill, many have the experiential drive and knowledge and oft put together teams to satisfy every criteria except one - money. Someone has to pay for it, and unless you're an ace at marketing or speaking "bank manager-ish" you don't stand a chance. Government funding, grants and even venture capital is drying up. No-one wants to take a risk. And if they're not risking their money, then (many) video games developers aren't risking their companies, teams and time to develop these games.
Back in January of this year, a cool little game closed it's doors at http://www.playthenewsgame.com/ The idea was pretty simple - they present you with breaking news, or specific news stories that could have heavy bias etc, and then you guess what you think the outcome would be.
It was a cool idea, and I believe was done as a demo for the whole news-as-a-game idea, but it was really fun!
All those corporate types who think that Piracy is the "bane of society" or similar unsupported claims need to only look at these people, and how by changing the way they release their products they've done incredibly well (some even better than when they were with the large organisations):
Trent Reznor/NIN - he releases all his albums for free with a "pay what you think it's worth" mentality.
Radiohead - they released an album under the same idea as NIN, and they profited wildly from it
Cory Doctorow - releases all his books for free, and seems to sell more because he reaches a greater audience.
Sins of a Solar Empire - they released their game completely DRM free, which definately made it easier to pirate... but at the same time reached a greater number of gamers and probably increased their sales accordingly.
I know the list keeps going, but the thing is that those who recognise the Internet as a valid medium and adapt their sales tactics to suit it achieve more. As opposed to those who want to change the Internet to suit their old and outdated business models.
For normal releases, or episodes etc, I prefer digital distribution...
But when there's a "life-changing" title that's just come out, I want the special all-singing-all-dancing metal box, bobble head edition on my shelf!
Would we see the end of these versions too?:-(
I used the keychain in Mac OS X to create a code-signing certificate. That lets me finish and compile to the ASM version (rather than the x86 version for the simulator).
From the instructions that I followed (can't find the link right now, sorry:( ) you can get the certificate authorised on the device and then get the apps on the iPhone through XCode.
All that said though, I don't have an iPhone and simply mail the.app builds to my tester who has a device - jailbroken, I think.
All this because I've not been contacted yet about my actual development program application!
I guess I must be the only one who likes the more "mainstream" of these kinds of games in:
Sam and Max: Hit the Road
Full Throttle
Day of the Tentacle (Maniac Mansion 2)
and I only mean "mainstream" as TellTale games has done the latest Sam and Max's, and Lucas _were_ doing a Full Throttle sequel but canned it years ago:(
You're absolutely right, it does have (almost) all that we need! I've got so many apps to choose from - you'd think that I could find these things from the right sort of Google search and use of keywords...
Their site didn't load for me - but Wiki shed some light on the project! Looks good, and has all the collaborative items in one client/server setup. Definately going to investigate this one further, thanks!
This looks incredibly useful! The "upload other images to use in dabbleboard" part is exactly what we need! Looks like we may start using GoogleDocs for text and this for Images! Thanks!
I have thought about using a Wiki, but it seems overkill for our purposes... well, it seems that way at the moment! Could get a few more months down the line and wished I'd set one up early - 20/20 hindsight and all that.
I hadn't even thought about using VNC for "multicast" purposes. Heck, I didn't even know it could be done! This one will definately help regarding some of the more obscure or cpu-hungry apps and editors that we have to use. Thanks!
Thanks for all of those!
Our biggest problem is definately images, and Coccinella looks like it'll fit the bill.
I had used Marratech before, and it's whiteboard feature allowed you to load images which can then be "edited" or painted over, which Coccinella looks like it'll do. Thanks!
Hi.
Thanks for this - GoogleDocs will definately help with all text elements (storylines, screenplay/scripts and even code), so I think we'll start implementing this.
Our biggest problem is still concept images, model renders, screenshots etc.
But thanks!
Jawdy
Like most others, I agree with starting out with something like Perl, Python or even PHP. If you got him on with HTML, CSS, PHP and SQL, then he could develop web sites quick and easily - what with the web being the most used thing now.
The first language I started with was (dare I say it) Visual Basic, as you can make some "traditional" looking MS/Win32 apps very quickly, the syntax isn't tricky at all and the overall feel is very Micrsoft-y.
Saying all of that though, I've been playing with C and Assembler for the ARM achitecture (using GamePark Holdings GP2X console) and trying to get involved with the Demo Scene.
I've also been looking at 3D engines and low-level libraries as knowing how things work from the ground-up is what interests me the most.
I think it took about 7 years of coding in general before I finally found the thing that interests me the most - so see if you can find out _what_ he would like to achieve from his code, and then try to direct him that way.
Precisely - its ludicrous to even do such a thing. And at what point does it become "too difficult" to install content blockers (so to speak). Some people should take a little more responsibility for their actions, rather than try and blame lifes simple pleasures
I wish this was how it were done in the UK - if i could have chosen my subjects, i wouldnt have felt so dejected upon graduation!
Although there are actual VG courses (Computer Animation and Special Effects, CASFX, and Interactive Systems and Video Game Design, ISVGD, are just two that i know of that are/were on at my old Uni), the content was either outdated, poorly constructed or badly taught - or a combination of the three, with other unsightly monstrosoties thrown in.
VG courses are the next big thing, and here in the UK are already over subscribed (a first at my old Uni) - so as long as they get the content right (choosing would be beneficial, to some extent) and maybe have links with major development teams and houses. One of my friends works for a game development team now in London, so that just shows that jobs are available for graduates in these courses.
Ive read a great deal of everyones posts here, and those of you slating and putting down VR seem to know nothing of what you're talking about, and those of you backing it up, dont 'appear' to have enough insight into this technology to form a solid argument.
Im just finishing a BSc (hons) Degree in Cybernetics and Virtual Worlds, with many modules on 3D world constuction, immersion, sound etc - including the use of some of the latest VR headsets.
I can tell you some of the major downsides right now - the fact that the majority of these headsets work with VRML... and aweful, outdated and pretty much useless language! And those that work with other languages (or even games) only support res's of around 800x600, some of the headsets dont have stereo-scopic vision (both screens show the same image, rather than slightly different like your eyex), some of them _are_ cumbersome, and heavy, but the vast majority (especially the ones ive played with) weigh so little, that you get used to them.
As for trackers, they are one of the other major aspects that let the whole technology down. Short of spending another £1000 on a decent tracker (in my lab we have 3 headsets, and 2 trackers, one of the headsets is over £1000 and one of the trackers is over £1000 in cost, so ive gotten to use the best and the worst!) they might as well not even be there! The decent tracking sytems, however, work with a good range, and accuracy, so your movements, in full 3D with 6 DOF (Degrees of Freedom) are relayed with a 1mm accuracy to the PC, so the image is returned to the headset with the correct yaw/pitch/roll and X,Y,Z co-ordinates needed.
I agree with some earlier posts about the cables, and if you are paying money to use this equipment, thats the last thing you want to ruin your gaming experience. Ive been lucky enough to play on 4 or 5 different types of VR systems (the one in the pod's, where you stamp your feet, the big "sit-down" unit where you drive a tank or race car, and several *ahem* home style units). So i dont think VR's dead, i just think that its moved on. Lets see:
It IS used in military, for battle field simulation.
It IS used in the Motor industry, for assisting engineers with locations and construction of certain parts in the vehicles.
It IS used in biomedical sciences, to view protein strands and DNA
So VR in its rawest form is still used, but not very useful... so i'll ramble on about its nearest cousing AR or Augmented Reality.
This uses the same technology as VR but contains a semi-transparent view on the headsets, so you see real life items, with digital items over-layed. Check out AR-Quake by some students at a Uni in Australia, or see if you can find the UK militaries interest in it, when they tested a large GPS assisted unit at DERA (Defence Evaluation Research Agency).
I dont think ive missed anything, and im fully prepared to be flamed for the things that ive said;)
Slashdot Mirror
When it comes down to it, it's the money. That's it.
And I don't necessarily mean it's about the big companies wanting to turn over a $billion on their latest iteration of some regurgitated franchise with non-inventive gameplay or anything like that.
But even us Indie devs... we WANT to make innovative, new, fantastic games that push the very boundaries of what one perceives as a "video game", but we're bogged down by the one thing - money.
We have the technical skill, many have the experiential drive and knowledge and oft put together teams to satisfy every criteria except one - money. Someone has to pay for it, and unless you're an ace at marketing or speaking "bank manager-ish" you don't stand a chance. Government funding, grants and even venture capital is drying up. No-one wants to take a risk.
And if they're not risking their money, then (many) video games developers aren't risking their companies, teams and time to develop these games.
Shame, really.
Back in January of this year, a cool little game closed it's doors at http://www.playthenewsgame.com/ The idea was pretty simple - they present you with breaking news, or specific news stories that could have heavy bias etc, and then you guess what you think the outcome would be.
It was a cool idea, and I believe was done as a demo for the whole news-as-a-game idea, but it was really fun!
All those corporate types who think that Piracy is the "bane of society" or similar unsupported claims need to only look at these people, and how by changing the way they release their products they've done incredibly well (some even better than when they were with the large organisations):
Trent Reznor/NIN - he releases all his albums for free with a "pay what you think it's worth" mentality.
Radiohead - they released an album under the same idea as NIN, and they profited wildly from it
Cory Doctorow - releases all his books for free, and seems to sell more because he reaches a greater audience.
Sins of a Solar Empire - they released their game completely DRM free, which definately made it easier to pirate... but at the same time reached a greater number of gamers and probably increased their sales accordingly.
I know the list keeps going, but the thing is that those who recognise the Internet as a valid medium and adapt their sales tactics to suit it achieve more. As opposed to those who want to change the Internet to suit their old and outdated business models.
For normal releases, or episodes etc, I prefer digital distribution... :-(
But when there's a "life-changing" title that's just come out, I want the special all-singing-all-dancing metal box, bobble head edition on my shelf!
Would we see the end of these versions too?
I used the keychain in Mac OS X to create a code-signing certificate. That lets me finish and compile to the ASM version (rather than the x86 version for the simulator). :( ) you can get the certificate authorised on the device and then get the apps on the iPhone through XCode.
.app builds to my tester who has a device - jailbroken, I think.
From the instructions that I followed (can't find the link right now, sorry
All that said though, I don't have an iPhone and simply mail the
All this because I've not been contacted yet about my actual development program application!
How had I missed Brutal Legend!? Awesome :)
and getting Psychonauts now - good find, thanks man!
I guess I must be the only one who likes the more "mainstream" of these kinds of games in: :(
Sam and Max: Hit the Road
Full Throttle
Day of the Tentacle (Maniac Mansion 2)
and I only mean "mainstream" as TellTale games has done the latest Sam and Max's, and Lucas _were_ doing a Full Throttle sequel but canned it years ago
You're absolutely right, it does have (almost) all that we need! I've got so many apps to choose from - you'd think that I could find these things from the right sort of Google search and use of keywords...
Their site didn't load for me - but Wiki shed some light on the project! Looks good, and has all the collaborative items in one client/server setup. Definately going to investigate this one further, thanks!
This looks incredibly useful! The "upload other images to use in dabbleboard" part is exactly what we need! Looks like we may start using GoogleDocs for text and this for Images! Thanks!
I have thought about using a Wiki, but it seems overkill for our purposes... well, it seems that way at the moment! Could get a few more months down the line and wished I'd set one up early - 20/20 hindsight and all that.
I hadn't even thought about using VNC for "multicast" purposes. Heck, I didn't even know it could be done! This one will definately help regarding some of the more obscure or cpu-hungry apps and editors that we have to use. Thanks!
Thanks for all of those! Our biggest problem is definately images, and Coccinella looks like it'll fit the bill. I had used Marratech before, and it's whiteboard feature allowed you to load images which can then be "edited" or painted over, which Coccinella looks like it'll do. Thanks!
Hi. Thanks for this - GoogleDocs will definately help with all text elements (storylines, screenplay/scripts and even code), so I think we'll start implementing this. Our biggest problem is still concept images, model renders, screenshots etc. But thanks! Jawdy
Like most others, I agree with starting out with something like Perl, Python or even PHP. If you got him on with HTML, CSS, PHP and SQL, then he could develop web sites quick and easily - what with the web being the most used thing now. The first language I started with was (dare I say it) Visual Basic, as you can make some "traditional" looking MS/Win32 apps very quickly, the syntax isn't tricky at all and the overall feel is very Micrsoft-y. Saying all of that though, I've been playing with C and Assembler for the ARM achitecture (using GamePark Holdings GP2X console) and trying to get involved with the Demo Scene. I've also been looking at 3D engines and low-level libraries as knowing how things work from the ground-up is what interests me the most. I think it took about 7 years of coding in general before I finally found the thing that interests me the most - so see if you can find out _what_ he would like to achieve from his code, and then try to direct him that way.
Precisely - its ludicrous to even do such a thing. And at what point does it become "too difficult" to install content blockers (so to speak). Some people should take a little more responsibility for their actions, rather than try and blame lifes simple pleasures
I wish this was how it were done in the UK - if i could have chosen my subjects, i wouldnt have felt so dejected upon graduation!
Although there are actual VG courses (Computer Animation and Special Effects, CASFX, and Interactive Systems and Video Game Design, ISVGD, are just two that i know of that are/were on at my old Uni), the content was either outdated, poorly constructed or badly taught - or a combination of the three, with other unsightly monstrosoties thrown in.
VG courses are the next big thing, and here in the UK are already over subscribed (a first at my old Uni) - so as long as they get the content right (choosing would be beneficial, to some extent) and maybe have links with major development teams and houses.
One of my friends works for a game development team now in London, so that just shows that jobs are available for graduates in these courses.
Ive read a great deal of everyones posts here, and those of you slating and putting down VR seem to know nothing of what you're talking about, and those of you backing it up, dont 'appear' to have enough insight into this technology to form a solid argument.
;)
Im just finishing a BSc (hons) Degree in Cybernetics and Virtual Worlds, with many modules on 3D world constuction, immersion, sound etc - including the use of some of the latest VR headsets.
I can tell you some of the major downsides right now - the fact that the majority of these headsets work with VRML... and aweful, outdated and pretty much useless language! And those that work with other languages (or even games) only support res's of around 800x600, some of the headsets dont have stereo-scopic vision (both screens show the same image, rather than slightly different like your eyex), some of them _are_ cumbersome, and heavy, but the vast majority (especially the ones ive played with) weigh so little, that you get used to them.
As for trackers, they are one of the other major aspects that let the whole technology down. Short of spending another £1000 on a decent tracker (in my lab we have 3 headsets, and 2 trackers, one of the headsets is over £1000 and one of the trackers is over £1000 in cost, so ive gotten to use the best and the worst!) they might as well not even be there! The decent tracking sytems, however, work with a good range, and accuracy, so your movements, in full 3D with 6 DOF (Degrees of Freedom) are relayed with a 1mm accuracy to the PC, so the image is returned to the headset with the correct yaw/pitch/roll and X,Y,Z co-ordinates needed.
I agree with some earlier posts about the cables, and if you are paying money to use this equipment, thats the last thing you want to ruin your gaming experience. Ive been lucky enough to play on 4 or 5 different types of VR systems (the one in the pod's, where you stamp your feet, the big "sit-down" unit where you drive a tank or race car, and several *ahem* home style units). So i dont think VR's dead, i just think that its moved on. Lets see:
It IS used in military, for battle field simulation.
It IS used in the Motor industry, for assisting engineers with locations and construction of certain parts in the vehicles.
It IS used in biomedical sciences, to view protein strands and DNA
So VR in its rawest form is still used, but not very useful... so i'll ramble on about its nearest cousing AR or Augmented Reality.
This uses the same technology as VR but contains a semi-transparent view on the headsets, so you see real life items, with digital items over-layed. Check out AR-Quake by some students at a Uni in Australia, or see if you can find the UK militaries interest in it, when they tested a large GPS assisted unit at DERA (Defence Evaluation Research Agency).
I dont think ive missed anything, and im fully prepared to be flamed for the things that ive said