I've finished a Game 'MUD HUNT'. I've been making games for over 10 years, I had never finished (completely, published etc) a single game until this year. The most toughest part in developing a game is definately the last 10%!!!
When you get to the last 10% of a Game (you'll know when you are there) - Don't give up and start another Game. This is the most common mistake amateur Game developers makes, and it can become a VERY bad habit. Instead stick with your game, eventually it'll become complete!!!!
/Memir
Edited by - Memir on July 9, 2000 12:59:41 PM
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Poll-Who has actually finished a game?
"Once you finish the first 90% of the game, you have to finish the last 90% of the game." - Some guy I don''t remember the name of
lntakitopi@aol.com - http://www.geocities.com/guanajam
lntakitopi@aol.com - http://www.geocities.com/guanajam
"You never finish a game, you just stop working on it." - Some other guy I can''t remember the name of
lntakitopi@aol.com - http://www.geocities.com/guanajam
lntakitopi@aol.com - http://www.geocities.com/guanajam
I''ve worked on two games that were published last year. Two more that are finished but aren''t being released for another month or two and am working on one now that should be released in a few monthes. All were value titles($20). What I''ve done on my own and not for work are a Pacman clone in VB and a top down action game were you walk around and shoot people. Kind of like GTA but with more blood and less fun. Both used BitBlt to draw the graphics.
I think most people have trouble finishing games when they''re working alone because they try to do too much. Stick with the smaller games like Pacman or Tetris and try to make them better. One thing that I''ve found that helps alot when your trying to learn how to make games is not program games at all but to write just normal programs that you think would be useful. I''ve never worked on a project were I didn''t learn something new.
I think most people have trouble finishing games when they''re working alone because they try to do too much. Stick with the smaller games like Pacman or Tetris and try to make them better. One thing that I''ve found that helps alot when your trying to learn how to make games is not program games at all but to write just normal programs that you think would be useful. I''ve never worked on a project were I didn''t learn something new.
I''ve finished a bunch of games myself, including 2 or 3 text adventures (1 in highschool), a side-view dungeon platform game (also in highschool), an overhead ASCII dungeon crawl game (again, highschool) and a bunch of little games I made on the C64 when I was younger (some fighting games, an ''Impossible Mission'' inspired game, another dungeon game, and a bunch of others I can''t remember now). I''m working on a couple of game projects currently, using the Allegro library.
One suggestion (which I see is already well represented here)... in order to finish a game, you need to be able to ''stick to it'' and not get distracted by other cool game ideas half way through. I know I have abandoned many games because of this. Write all your new ideas down, but continue on and follow through with your current project; once it''s complete, take those cool ideas from the backburner and start using them for a new project.
One suggestion (which I see is already well represented here)... in order to finish a game, you need to be able to ''stick to it'' and not get distracted by other cool game ideas half way through. I know I have abandoned many games because of this. Write all your new ideas down, but continue on and follow through with your current project; once it''s complete, take those cool ideas from the backburner and start using them for a new project.
I can sympathise with Memir A LOT!
I spent many, many years without properly completing a game. The reason: I was always too ambitious. Once things became boring I invented another project that used all I had learned from the previous one, but fooled myself that it would be easier.
When I look back now on some of my greatest projects that failed, I can only put it down to inexperience. (I started the coolest-looking isometric, 2-player, split-screen pac-man clone in 1988, on an 8-bit machine!)
Every now and again though, I did write a complete game, but only a simple one.
My advice to anyone starting out is not to write a game
Code demo''s or example applications that prove a theory or two. When you''ve got a back catalogue of sample code use it to join a team, or use it to decide exactly what you can put into your ''game''.
Later
Matt
"wise from many years of trying...."
Check out my project at:www.btinternet.com/~Matthew.Bennett
I spent many, many years without properly completing a game. The reason: I was always too ambitious. Once things became boring I invented another project that used all I had learned from the previous one, but fooled myself that it would be easier.
When I look back now on some of my greatest projects that failed, I can only put it down to inexperience. (I started the coolest-looking isometric, 2-player, split-screen pac-man clone in 1988, on an 8-bit machine!)
Every now and again though, I did write a complete game, but only a simple one.
My advice to anyone starting out is not to write a game
Code demo''s or example applications that prove a theory or two. When you''ve got a back catalogue of sample code use it to join a team, or use it to decide exactly what you can put into your ''game''.
Later
Matt
"wise from many years of trying...."
Check out my project at:www.btinternet.com/~Matthew.Bennett
i have finished a couple 2d games for school the last couple of years, as well as a bunch of text based adventure/rpgs. i am currently working on developing a 3d engine and making little throw away projects like asteroids and simple crap to test out new features. i am designing two very different games right now, neither of which will be done for a while i am sure.
i think the hardest part about making a game is staying committed to the project and true to the original design. all too often i find the design spiralling out of control as i program it and decide to add more and more features to it. another difficult thing i find is STARTING to program it; setting up the frame work and what not. i like to consider the entire project''s code right from the out set and code fewer, more flexible functions and classes. once i have the foundation though, things go fairly smoothly, although slowly.
<(o)>
i think the hardest part about making a game is staying committed to the project and true to the original design. all too often i find the design spiralling out of control as i program it and decide to add more and more features to it. another difficult thing i find is STARTING to program it; setting up the frame work and what not. i like to consider the entire project''s code right from the out set and code fewer, more flexible functions and classes. once i have the foundation though, things go fairly smoothly, although slowly.
<(o)>
I have nearly finished a couple of games.....
I was very close to finishing a really good game of snake, but I got bored in the end,
not because it was a bad game, but because it was just practise for a bigger game I was making.
check it out on the game demo vault on the DX++ webpage (link below)
DX++ The DirectX Programming Site
I was very close to finishing a really good game of snake, but I got bored in the end,
not because it was a bad game, but because it was just practise for a bigger game I was making.
check it out on the game demo vault on the DX++ webpage (link below)
DX++ The DirectX Programming Site
Well, I''ve finished a pre-algebra program that basically did my homework for me.
I''m currently in a partnership with terminate and we''re making a ASCII poker game. It''s still in early development but it should turn out nice if all goes well. We have the AI mapped out and everything for it. Should prove to be nice practice.
Don''t give up, just give up the state of mind you''re in (boredom).
............
Guardian Angel Interactive
I''m currently in a partnership with terminate and we''re making a ASCII poker game. It''s still in early development but it should turn out nice if all goes well. We have the AI mapped out and everything for it. Should prove to be nice practice.
Don''t give up, just give up the state of mind you''re in (boredom).
............
Guardian Angel Interactive
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