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Sci-Fi game kinda like ROOT

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Tue, 03/17/2020 - 06:44
Milostnik
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Hey everyone,

I have so many ideas and concepts for games and end up creating things about 70% of the way and just get cold feet or lost.

I had a good idea the other day. I'm an illustrator and specialize in retro / Mid Century style illustrations (think old school Pink Panther cartoons). I love Sci-Fi and wanted to create a universe that has all these different factions like Dune / Star Wars / Fallout and have a game that plays out very A-Symmetrical. Similar to the game ROOT. I wanted to use that contrast of "Cute-Esk" Retro illustrations but with a really great game with a rich distinct world.

Where can I find like-minded developers to collaborate on such a project?

As I mentioned, I'm an artist but can help with design suggestions and mechanics but would love to get some help with the more MEATY side of the game.

:)

Cheers

https://adinmilo.myportfolio.com/

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Tue, 03/17/2020 - 07:26
#1
ElKobold
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Cool art!

Cool art!

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Tue, 03/17/2020 - 07:43
#2
Milostnik
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Thank you very much!

Thank you very much!

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Fri, 03/20/2020 - 23:02
#3
Juzek
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I've been thinking about

I've been thinking about this, and I gotta say, big complex things really aren't my forte. I think I am coming to terms with making games mainly for kids. But let me know if you develop it more, I will give you feedback. Here are some questions to start with:

Who is this game for and what is their price limit?

Can I make factions and homages to IP out there without getting in trouble? (Looking at you, Disney)

How long should a game last?

What do I want the players to feel while playing?

What primary mechanics should I employ?

How is this different from Root? Root already exists.

What do I like drawing?

How can I give the players contrasting motivations with each decision?

As far as factions go, start off with one that won't interact much, and has a straightforward goal, then have each new one mess with some existing faction's resources or plans.

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Sat, 03/21/2020 - 15:13
#4
questccg
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Something to consider

Milostnik wrote:
...I have so many ideas and concepts for games and end up creating things about 70% of the way and just get cold feet or lost.

I had a good idea the other day...

Everyone has "good" ideas... The problem with IDEAS is that "in your MIND they sound AMAZING...!" But when you TRY to develop the idea and make a prototype... USUALLY you'll find that the IDEAS SUCK! I'm telling you the truth... That's the case for 90% of ideas that designers have.

However ... Don't dispair. You may have 1 or 2 games in the 10% worthy of Publishing (or self-publishing).

Milostnik wrote:
Where can I find like-minded developers to collaborate on such a project?

The problem becomes a issue when people are working to develop and design YOUR game. Remember, I've already told you that 90% is just noise and will never make it in the market. And your 10% is different from my 10%.

So while we on BGDF can HELP with ideas, mechanics, themes and everything else... It might be HARD to find a pure collaborator. Because as I explained, we all have ideas. And therefore are interested in pursuing our own ideas.

Milostnik wrote:
As I mentioned, I'm an artist but can help with design suggestions and mechanics but would love to get some help with the more MEATY side of the game.

Like I said, we ALL have our own ideas ... that most of us are developing and playtesting and prototyping and writing rules for, etc. Your best bet is to HELP SOMEONE else...

I read and contribute to A LOT of threads. But I find a lot of people are on a ONE-WAY STREET. And what I mean is the BIG "I"... "I WANT TO DO THIS", "I WANT IT THIS WAY", "I AM LOOKING FOR INFO ABOUT THIS", etc. We (BGDF) actively encourage people to PARTICIPATE in the threads because as I have explained to you, MOST OF US are working on those 10% games... Ignoring the noise of the ideas (90%) and focusing on making the games real.

So perhaps one way to get INVOLVED is to help someone ELSE out.

I'm just trying to explain how things on this website are mainly 1-sided. Although we have some regulars who actually do CONTRIBUTE... We (other designers) mainly reach out to each other... Some will help if asked to offer their expertise, other share ideas (that you may or may not like) ... See that's the thing about collaboration. You are going to need to make compromises with the other people in your team. If you work ALONE, it's YOUR design and you are responsible for the complete outcome.

To recap: so while you THINK you have good ideas, I am telling 10% is good, 90% will never become a game. Instead of asking people to help you out... See if you can help SOMEBODY ELSE. Also SHARE more about your idea and get people to comment on a Blog thread which is there to share what you are thinking or wanting to work on...

Like I said ideas, there are dozens of them. A GOOD GAME... That is more rare... And even IF you work alone, you will need to make compromises with your design ... Because as I explained above... The IDEAS don't always work the way you might have hoped for...

Cheers.

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Sat, 03/21/2020 - 15:36
#5
questccg
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Not quite so amazing...

questccg wrote:
Everyone has "good" ideas... The problem with IDEAS is that "in your MIND they sound AMAZING...!" But when you TRY to develop the idea and make a prototype... USUALLY you'll find that the IDEAS SUCK!

I had this one concept which I THOUGHT would be AMAZING! Then I did some research and found ONE (1) game that was CLOSE ENOUGH to my "original" idea. I thought the idea must be GOOD ... because someone has implemented something near identical to my idea!

After doing more investigation and WATCHING several videos about the game... I realize that the game is PURE GARBAGE (and so was my idea). But here is the REAL LESSON: that pure garbage game was designed, manufactured and SOLD in Local Game Stores (FLGS) in the USA and Canada...

So CRAP CAN sell too!

Like I said, I was so enamored by the idea ... I thought it would be so cool. Then I see something (another game) which is 85% similar to what I was interested in... And come to the realization that the idea was in fact useless ... and turns out to be a BORING game.

Yes they did have FANCY artwork ... And Lenticular cards for animation ... And they even had a Cartoon Series (for a 1 season period of time).

So MY CRAPPY IDEA ... Was in fact a million dollar idea since another Designer and company had developed the idea and went as far as having its own Cartoon Series! But to me... It's much TOO BORING... In terms of play. And if you are honest with your OWN designs... You'll be able to figure out which ones are BETTER and which ones are purely "noise"!

Cheers ... and keep on designing!

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Sat, 03/21/2020 - 18:50
#6
questccg
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Start with sharing YOUR vision of the game

Juzek wrote:
How is this different from Root? Root already exists.

@Juzek makes a good and valid point: Root exists ALREADY. How is YOUR game going to be DIFFERENT??? What aspects of Root do you LIKE?? How would you differentiate your game from Root (aside from art)?

These are some VERY important questions. You don't want a Root COPY. And you certainly need to figure out what makes your game DIFFERENT. It's fair to look at a design and say: "Hmm... This is great but we could do it differently...!", etc.

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Sat, 03/21/2020 - 23:55
#7
Juzek
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All undeveloped ideas suck,

All undeveloped ideas suck, not just 90 percent. The trick is to try them out, not get discouraged and decide if you want to keep pursue that idea.

You mentioned you were mainly an artist, but you obviously have an interest in design too. I urge you to practice it. One of my favorite quotes from Bob Ross is: "Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you’re willing to practice, you can do".

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Sun, 03/22/2020 - 05:27
#8
Milostnik
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Thanks for the great

Thanks for the great feedback/advice. I guess my whole goal for the OP was to basically put this little idea out there and see if anyone else was developing something that needed art assets where the two visions could collide?

As I mentioned my strength really lays in creating characters and designs (from an art perspective) but in my particular retro/fallout-esk style, which I don't really see a lot of people thinking of using.

I've started putting pen to paper on the aesthetic I've had in mind and I'm loving the look and feel.

https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/f811a9494f2bcc2d4e520e4b41bc...

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Sun, 03/22/2020 - 14:36
#9
questccg
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Yes, I agree with you 100%

Juzek wrote:
All undeveloped ideas suck, not just 90 percent. The trick is to try them out, not get discouraged and decide if you want to keep pursue that idea.

You mean that you don't get "flash in the pan" ideas that seem TOTALLY AWESOME and you think this could be the next "pokemon" or "magic" or "dominion", etc. I OFTEN get IDEAS that seem cool. And then I add a couple mechanics and think: "Wow this is amazing!"

But then as you say, when I prototype them... Things don't work together as planned, the mechanics need to be changed, I've got to compromise on some of the core theme aspects, etc.

Like you said you need to see/determine if you pursue the idea or not.

That's why I don't really focus on IDEAS but games with rules and such. Your rules are what define YOUR game. And without them there is only a concept/idea. It's all of the detailing of the idea into rules that make it truly a GAME.

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