Concept creator

[Yukimura]

Hi all.

Not sure if this is the right place. Recently, I began work on a Design document for a new game concept I've been working on. Now, while It's still in a development stage and is currently being refined, I've come up with some questions.

I'm niether a program or artist, just a good writter and designer with a knack for coming up with interesting concepts. As such, I was wondering how I would go about shopping my idea around to game stuidos once i've got it ironed out and patented.

WHile I can write out in detail both the artistic and technical needs the game will require, I'm mostly concerned about the fact that I cannot myself develop it and will need to work with a third party if I ever wish to see it realized.

as such, I was wondering if there was any advice availible for a buddy game designer who prefers to create the ideas, and let other make it into reality.

[Picho]

This is exactly the point im stuck at. In the great game known as development, I too am currently questing for a party, but alas there does not seem to be one.

If only i had some l337 progaming crafting tools, I could be of some assistance, but i only have half-talent of artisian. Still currently working on raising my drawing skill to be able to compeate in pvp.

[neoelasticman]

I've been there, it's a dead end. Back up a little and try to get your foot in the door before you mash your face in there. The first step is to get a job in the game business, and the zero-th step is to make sure that you can demonstrate in an interview that you have skills that the company needs. I have seen websites that specifically say they don't want to receive suggestions for games from random guys who have a pretty neat idea, because they never use them.

I'm not actually in the business myself, nor do I know anybody who is, but I have done my research. Me and some friends are currently making a game that is specifically being made to showcase my talents, and as a bonus I'll also have a cool game to play. When it's done, I'll have something mighty impressive to bring into an interview. I might recommend you find something similar to do if you don't already know some people that are "in the business."

[Brokenscope]

I'm not sure you can patent it.

You can copyright it and claim it as intellectual property. You would also trademark certain aspects.


Look at the scope of what you are doing. Could you meet your goals with a modification or a total conversion. Do you think you have the makings of a successful commercial game? If so, try doing it with the Source engine. Valve has a history of taking amazing modifications and making them commercial products. Counterstrike, Day of Defeat, Team Fortress, and soon Portals just to name a few.


What ever you do STAY THE HELL AWAY from Torque it has gone downhill significantly.


Please note Im talking about making an FPS game, then again using source doesn't mean you have to make and FPS, Ive seen the beginnings of an RTS, RPG and turn based RPGs. I've seen a pretty deep space combat game aswell.

[esutman]

Hey there,

As someone looking to go into design myself, I can tell you it's a dark, windy path that leads nowhere fast. Good luck! :D

Not to burst too many bubbles, but basically, your dream game will 99% of the time remain just that, a dream. We all have them, usually a few that we keep tucked away in the back of our minds and our notepads, to someday be fully realized, etc. Unfortunatly, interesting ideas are a dime a dozen, and studios don't have time or money to invest in the hundreds of paper designs out there. Even if they wanted to, you'd be even harder pressed to find a publisher willing to fund and back it.

If you're convinced that game in your head deserves to be made, your best bet is modding it into reality yourself, or finding a platform/indy engine that you can use to create it. If you can make a successful prototype, prove that it's both doable and has potential on a wider market, then you might have a shot. However, that's a MUCH harder sell than you think it is, especially if you're not already in a design position at a studio.

All of the advice I've ever read on getting into the design field breaks down to the following:

1. If you're going for a college degree, go Computer Science. However, read, watch movies, go to art shows and plays, etc. Expand yourself creatively, to make yourself a richer person with a broader pool of creativity to draw from. Oh yeah, and a play games a lot!
2. Be active in the development/modding community as much as possible. Build up a portfolio of designs that are actually implemented.
3. Be prepared to take a job in QA, testing games. Companies need credentials, and until there's a design curriculum that they can rely on, they're going to need to see in-the-field proof that you know a good design from a bad one. If your new to the industry, that means working hard and excelling at relatively low-paying tester jobs until someone has enough faith in you or your experience to give you a shot in design.
4. Writing design docs is still a good thing to be doing! You should work up experience in writing down your ideas, because communicating them is key to getting a game implemented correctly. Look at job listings for designers. They ALWAYS say that good communications skills are a must!


Hope that helps, even if it's not always the cheeriest of news!

[GoodRobotUs]

Systemic knowledge is also quite important when designing software, you don't have to know how to program, as such, but you do have to know how a program 'works', ideas such as arrays, objects, classes, selection and iteration, as well as a general idea of dataflow and system limitations.

Often it is not merely the job of the writer to come up with the idea, they also have to detail how it would be implemented, you can't for example say 'This game will include cities with over half a million fully independent "Sims" running at the same time', because it would be beyond the abilities of the average computer to run something like that at an acceptable speed. So a writer has to keep in mind the limitations of the medium he or she is writing for.

[EliOwens]

I would also suggest that if you're simply looking for experience, join an Indy team. You probably wont be doing any of the main writing for the game, but there are a lot of great projects out there that are always looking for more help with the design side. It allows you to get a glimpse of the inner workings of just how a game is put together and it is good practice for understanding the do's and dont's of the design process. It's also a great way to begin building up contacts that you can ask questions to if you're unfamiliar with something.

[GamesLaw]

Holy bajeezus necro post.