Icy
10-14-2007, 10:04 AM
After playing tons of text sims over the last years, I'm serioulsy thinking on developing my own one, first as hobby, in the future, who knows.
I have two options, first one is to develop a desktop game, but it would mean to learn a windows programming language. I know Java already and some basics of Visual C# but... to create a game, with a graphic interface etc, i would need to learn a lot more, loosing tons of time on it that i could use to develop the game itself.
Second option, and the one i'm more seriously considering, is to create an online game. I work already as online developer/marketeer, know enough PHP+MySQL and graphics design to create a game as i use it in my daily work, so i could start to code the game itself right now, not loosing time learning any language (well there is always more learning needed when programming, specially about speed/performance etc, but i have a good base to start to code already). I also own some servers/bandwith and know how to get traffic to the game website, how to create revenue from it though advertisement, etc, as again, that is what i do daily for my job, to create and market websites. I also think that the future of gaming outside consoles is web based, specially for a small/indy developer without a big company behind.
I'm looking for ideas in case i decide to go for it in the future (i know this thread could lead to other guys taking those ideas, but... we are in a free market and i can't fight against it).
Here are my first thoughts:
The game needs the following:
1) To be appealing for a large amount of public. This is easy to understand, a free online game makes revenue from advertisement, and the more traffic in your website, the better advertisement deals you can make.
2) To be about something i know enough. For example, I can't make a good and deep game about cricket when i haven't ever played or even watched cricket in my whole life.
3) Must be able to generate tons of interaction between the players, via discussion forums, personal messages etc, to create a community around the game and to motivate the players to come back every day both for the game itself and for the community of players around it.
4) To be something new or unique. Well this isn't 100% necessary, as I could always work on an idea already done by another game, but doing it better or from a different approach. It has good and bad things, the good one is that if there is a game already in that niche, it means there is enough interest for it and there is always room to make it better and to attract those players, the bad thing is that it means to compete against another game, that people will compare always with yours, for the good but also for the bad.
My possible ideas so far are the following ones, with the 4 points above applied to them.
Sports ideas
Soccer:
It's one of the sports with the largest worldwide fan base. I have grown surrounded by soccer in Spain, played it in an amateur level and it's the sport i know the most, from the most basic stuff to the most advanced tactics, history etc. You can generate tons of discussions and interaction between players, from contract negotiations, transfers, national selections, domestic leagues etc. There are other games already like hattrick and the new FM online. so i would approach it from a different perspective, like for example a soccer game where you are not the coach/GM but the player itself. you start as a young kid and must develop your player, get contracts, sponsor deals etc. I could even mix things up having also humans playing as the teams coaches/GMs and interacting with the other players (like cyberdunk but for soccer).
Basketball:
Most of the above points from soccer apply to basketball too, i have also played it when younger, watched it a ton etc. It's also a sport with tons of fans worldwide, and the approach could be the same, or as coach/GM only or as players only or both. There is already cyberdunk and other games like this but i think i can do it better/different.
Football:
Also with tons of fans (but more in USA/Canada), and not any competence but... my football knowledge is not as deep as with soccer or basketball, plus the engine is more difficult to create as it's a sport with tons of different strategies. I'm not sure if i would be able to create an accurate enough game engine.
Hockey:
The fan base is way lower, and mostly in Canada/USA and North of Europe. Also i don't know as much of hockey strategies, etc. But the lack of real competition make it attractive too.
Tennis:
I know enough of it to create a game, the game engine wouldn't be difficult to create as it can use the same approach than a simple fighting RPG combat game. Only to players (or 4) in the court so no team tactics etc. It would be the easier game engine to develop, but... there wouldn't be as big interaction between players, as there are no transfers/trades, no teams (maybe i could create national selections for the Davies cup) so no possible deals between the different players, outside maybe selling stuff between them, like balls, sport shoes etc that could boost your performance. I'm not sure if Tennis has enough fans worldwide to generate enough interest on a game.
Fantasy Sports:
The good thing of a fantasy game about football, hockey, soccer etc is that there are no real stats to compare the engine with, i can create my own rules etc, so the engine can be as deep as i want it, and it doesn't need to be as statistically accurate as a real sport game. For example, the typical game with orcs vs gnomes etc etc.
Street fighting:
Like an MMA game but based on a fake street fighting world. you train your fighter, fight vs others etc. Like a gladiators game but based on street fighting/gangs. It could be done both as stable owner and as fighter, with contracts between owners and fighters, transfers from one stable to another, sponsors, regional and national selections, etc. As it would be about street fighting, i can create my own rules etc so the fight engine would be easier to develop than an accurate boxing or MMA game engine.
Non sports ideas:
Gangs wars:
Something like Omerta but based on street gangs instead of on Mafia. Dealing with drugs, weapons etc. the problem is that a game like that would be for +18 as it would include violence, drugs etc.
College life:
This could make a really deep and complex game, perfect about players interaction etc. Let's say you are an student, you need to decide when to study, when to go out for party, if to join a sports team, to be a nice guy or a bully, to flirt, etc. It s a nice idea, but needs to be so complex to be attractive enough for a long time, without being repetitive.
Bussines/Tycoon:
I loved those king of games and have not seen a good one for a long time (trucks maybe? i have not played it). This could be interesting, but i don't have ideas right now.
Ok, long thread, now what are your thoughts ideas? :)
I have two options, first one is to develop a desktop game, but it would mean to learn a windows programming language. I know Java already and some basics of Visual C# but... to create a game, with a graphic interface etc, i would need to learn a lot more, loosing tons of time on it that i could use to develop the game itself.
Second option, and the one i'm more seriously considering, is to create an online game. I work already as online developer/marketeer, know enough PHP+MySQL and graphics design to create a game as i use it in my daily work, so i could start to code the game itself right now, not loosing time learning any language (well there is always more learning needed when programming, specially about speed/performance etc, but i have a good base to start to code already). I also own some servers/bandwith and know how to get traffic to the game website, how to create revenue from it though advertisement, etc, as again, that is what i do daily for my job, to create and market websites. I also think that the future of gaming outside consoles is web based, specially for a small/indy developer without a big company behind.
I'm looking for ideas in case i decide to go for it in the future (i know this thread could lead to other guys taking those ideas, but... we are in a free market and i can't fight against it).
Here are my first thoughts:
The game needs the following:
1) To be appealing for a large amount of public. This is easy to understand, a free online game makes revenue from advertisement, and the more traffic in your website, the better advertisement deals you can make.
2) To be about something i know enough. For example, I can't make a good and deep game about cricket when i haven't ever played or even watched cricket in my whole life.
3) Must be able to generate tons of interaction between the players, via discussion forums, personal messages etc, to create a community around the game and to motivate the players to come back every day both for the game itself and for the community of players around it.
4) To be something new or unique. Well this isn't 100% necessary, as I could always work on an idea already done by another game, but doing it better or from a different approach. It has good and bad things, the good one is that if there is a game already in that niche, it means there is enough interest for it and there is always room to make it better and to attract those players, the bad thing is that it means to compete against another game, that people will compare always with yours, for the good but also for the bad.
My possible ideas so far are the following ones, with the 4 points above applied to them.
Sports ideas
Soccer:
It's one of the sports with the largest worldwide fan base. I have grown surrounded by soccer in Spain, played it in an amateur level and it's the sport i know the most, from the most basic stuff to the most advanced tactics, history etc. You can generate tons of discussions and interaction between players, from contract negotiations, transfers, national selections, domestic leagues etc. There are other games already like hattrick and the new FM online. so i would approach it from a different perspective, like for example a soccer game where you are not the coach/GM but the player itself. you start as a young kid and must develop your player, get contracts, sponsor deals etc. I could even mix things up having also humans playing as the teams coaches/GMs and interacting with the other players (like cyberdunk but for soccer).
Basketball:
Most of the above points from soccer apply to basketball too, i have also played it when younger, watched it a ton etc. It's also a sport with tons of fans worldwide, and the approach could be the same, or as coach/GM only or as players only or both. There is already cyberdunk and other games like this but i think i can do it better/different.
Football:
Also with tons of fans (but more in USA/Canada), and not any competence but... my football knowledge is not as deep as with soccer or basketball, plus the engine is more difficult to create as it's a sport with tons of different strategies. I'm not sure if i would be able to create an accurate enough game engine.
Hockey:
The fan base is way lower, and mostly in Canada/USA and North of Europe. Also i don't know as much of hockey strategies, etc. But the lack of real competition make it attractive too.
Tennis:
I know enough of it to create a game, the game engine wouldn't be difficult to create as it can use the same approach than a simple fighting RPG combat game. Only to players (or 4) in the court so no team tactics etc. It would be the easier game engine to develop, but... there wouldn't be as big interaction between players, as there are no transfers/trades, no teams (maybe i could create national selections for the Davies cup) so no possible deals between the different players, outside maybe selling stuff between them, like balls, sport shoes etc that could boost your performance. I'm not sure if Tennis has enough fans worldwide to generate enough interest on a game.
Fantasy Sports:
The good thing of a fantasy game about football, hockey, soccer etc is that there are no real stats to compare the engine with, i can create my own rules etc, so the engine can be as deep as i want it, and it doesn't need to be as statistically accurate as a real sport game. For example, the typical game with orcs vs gnomes etc etc.
Street fighting:
Like an MMA game but based on a fake street fighting world. you train your fighter, fight vs others etc. Like a gladiators game but based on street fighting/gangs. It could be done both as stable owner and as fighter, with contracts between owners and fighters, transfers from one stable to another, sponsors, regional and national selections, etc. As it would be about street fighting, i can create my own rules etc so the fight engine would be easier to develop than an accurate boxing or MMA game engine.
Non sports ideas:
Gangs wars:
Something like Omerta but based on street gangs instead of on Mafia. Dealing with drugs, weapons etc. the problem is that a game like that would be for +18 as it would include violence, drugs etc.
College life:
This could make a really deep and complex game, perfect about players interaction etc. Let's say you are an student, you need to decide when to study, when to go out for party, if to join a sports team, to be a nice guy or a bully, to flirt, etc. It s a nice idea, but needs to be so complex to be attractive enough for a long time, without being repetitive.
Bussines/Tycoon:
I loved those king of games and have not seen a good one for a long time (trucks maybe? i have not played it). This could be interesting, but i don't have ideas right now.
Ok, long thread, now what are your thoughts ideas? :)