Lack of activity

[Silverwind]

A few others on the forum, as well as myself have commented on the lack of development and activity recently. So, what's to be done about it? I say we do what we do best fellow game makers: Make Games!

Tones of people on the forum have enough skills, resources and experience to make some pretty awesome games, so why the heck hasn't anyone made any? Nearly everyone talks about "how powerful their new engine is", but hardly anyone has released more than a few concepts, if even that! What in the name of Muhammad Ali is holding everyone back?

I guess when it comes to games, I'm totally unmotivated. But engines on the other hand...   ...yeah, I never get unmotivated when I can make some cool engine never before made that lots of people will use and modify. (Ex: MMO engine, Space ship maker, drawing program with mirroring and other cool features, v6 converted to Sc, gravity app for Sc)

But all those engines will be pointless if nobody is actually willing to make games! If Ubisoft said "Hey, lets build a great engine but not make games with it." there'd be no Elder Scrolls series. If Squaresoft (now Square Enix) said "Let's write a phenomenally awesome storyline for a game but give the script to somebody else and let them develop it." Final Fantasy probably wouldn't have become the most famous RPG series in the world.

Making games inspires developers and encourages more development, and isn't that what we want? You yourself Gan asked to make the GMG contest bigger, with more languages to choose from and more people to compete against, but what's the point in asking for that if you're not actually gonna make a game when a contest comes along?

I guess to me, making a game is something I could consider leisure time, and you also get a real sense of accomplishment when you create something from nothing. With games that are already created, you are simply reaching milestones the developers set for you, not ones that you create for others to reach, and set yourself. Thats the beauty of game making - you know others are in for an awesome time over the hard work you've done, and that feeling alone is good enough for me to strive to create a great game.

That speech couldn't be more inspirational, so why aren't you producing any games?

Talk about games, planning for games, engines for games and ideas for games are good, but at the end of the day what's needed is someone who'll actually make games. I implore everyone who claims to love game designing to help the Indie Game Development foundry to grow, and the way to do this is to make games! I've just finished QoM and my GMG contest game, but I'm gonna start work on a new project come september, and I urge everyone else to do the same. If we could bring out half a dozen new games between us by Christmas, we'd really have something to talk about and be proud of.

So, what say yee all?

[EqwanoX]

designing games requires alot of imagination, drawing skills, and programming , so its hard. just to remind everyone theres nav systems, inventory systems, and battle engines already programed, but that still requires some understanding of the code to put them all together, if anyone needs help just ask

[Silverwind]

But game designing can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. After owning GM for only a single month and having no previous knowledge of programming I made Epicus.

And you've just made a very good point Eq: There's tones of engines and resources out there now to help with game designing, and there's plenty of helpful GM and SC sages on the forum such as yourself Eq who are offering to help people with their games. So as you can see, game designing should be easier than ever before! Besides, we don't need to create masterpieces, just a few simple games that are enjoyable to play.

[Mystor]

I have a really cool idea for a game but I need a way to have real time multiplayer in order for it to work...
I also lack the patitience to make an RPG which is the reason that DQ has been on hold for so long. DQ has taught me that I don't have silver's gift for details. I can't figure anything but the grand scheme...

So I need to make an simple arcade type game...

In the meantime I will work with a card engine that I made a while back for crazy eights.

Mist

[Silverwind]

In the meantime I will work with a card engine that I made a while back for crazy eights.

Now that would be a cool game to see in GM or SC! This is exactly what I mean, a few simple games like that would help produce activity. The game I'm gonna start working on in September has a very simple concept, but I think it'll make a fun one.

[Teruri]

I am working on a game now. But there aren’t many replying to it. There is a topic in the Silver Creator section. The game is almost 50% done but I’m planning on release a real beta soon (not just the movement) with basic and hard opponents. You can only play as one side and not as the other side. So it’s really basic.

[Tireas Dragon]

Silverwind knows I am working on a game. (Why else would I ask permission to use his graphics) I am working on it right now. Plus I am doing a little editing to his graphics so they look slightly better and fit the scenery better. If his new graphics come out before my game does its gonna be a pain re-doing all those graphics.

[Mystor]

The card game is actually in flash...

I made the engine a while ago and then ditched it because I couldn't figure out why cards didn't leave your hand when you clicked on them. I later found out that it was because I just forgot to write the line of code to delete them :/

LOL

Mist

[Silverwind]

Silverwind knows I am working on a game. (Why else would I ask permission to use his graphics) I am working on it right now.

I can't wait to see it finished.

If his new graphics come out before my game does its gonna be a pain re-doing all those graphics.

Hehe, no worries of that. I doubt they'll be completely finished for a good while yet, and I don't plan to grant public use of them.

[Swamp7hing]

A few others on the forum, as well as myself have commented on the lack of development and activity recently. So, what's to be done about it? I say we do what we do best fellow game makers: Make Games!

Tones of people on the forum have enough skills, resources and experience to make some pretty awesome games, so why the heck hasn't anyone made any? Nearly everyone talks about "how powerful their new engine is", but hardly anyone has released more than a few concepts, if even that! What in the name of Muhammad Ali is holding everyone back?

But all those engines will be pointless if nobody is actually willing to make games! If Ubisoft said "Hey, lets build a great engine but not make games with it." there'd be no Elder Scrolls series. If Squaresoft (now Square Enix) said "Let's write a phenomenally awesome storyline for a game but give the script to somebody else and let them develop it." Final Fantasy probably wouldn't have become the most famous RPG series in the world.

Making games inspires developers and encourages more development, and isn't that what we want? You yourself Gan asked to make the GMG contest bigger, with more languages to choose from and more people to compete against, but what's the point in asking for that if you're not actually gonna make a game when a contest comes along?

That speech couldn't be more inspirational, so why aren't you producing any games?

Talk about games, planning for games, engines for games and ideas for games are good, but at the end of the day what's needed is someone who'll actually make games. I implore everyone who claims to love game designing to help the Indie Game Development foundry to grow, and the way to do this is to make games! I've just finished QoM and my GMG contest game, but I'm gonna start work on a new project come september, and I urge everyone else to do the same. If we could bring out half a dozen new games between us by Christmas, we'd really have something to talk about and be proud of.

So, what say yee all?

Wow Silver, you really thought this through. Thanks for highlighting my speech, thought it would come in handy.

The reason I haven been making games recently is, well, I've been too busy doing "Off The Computer" stuff then to get on it, sit down, and actually develop something. All that will change soon, because I think I'll get back to work on Nel's Journey.

[Silverwind]

All that will change soon, because I think I'll get back to work on Nel's Journey.

...

Wow! Words I never thought I'd hear spoken. And actually, I suppose I still haven't, I just read them off a screen... but still.

Can't wait to see development resume!

[Tireas Dragon]

Nel's Journey I thought is was abandoned? Really you are gonna work on it again. Thats FANTASTIC NEWS I hope it gets done soon

[Swamp7hing]

Wow! Didn't know you guys were this enthusiastic about it! Awesome stuff, glad to know you guys are interested. But just out of curiosity, why?

[Tireas Dragon]

We played the demo and wanted to see the rest.

[Gan]

I think I will try to start on another game, but I'm still a little iffy.

Also, I might just make it in Gm. For some reason Sc just unmotivates me. How does a online checkers game sound? Or tic-tac-toe. Something small, than I will work up.
Yeah, I think I will make a tic-tac-toe game. I could enter a tic-tac-toe game into the contest, than everyone else wouldn't have to worry about getting the least ratings.


-Gandolf