lostforever
SasqWatch
Reading this thread, it seems you and me have similar problems when it comes to writing games!
I am a programmer for 15 years now and I got into this due to my love of games. I always wanted to write a game as hobby and I have started like 5 or 6 times to write one but never ended up finishing it for one reason or another. Looking back, my problem is that as I start, the features I wanted to added get out of control and the whole thing becomes way too complicated. I also tend to get side tracked with technical nature of the OS and all the other stuff. So the whole thing becomes too complicated and I abandon the whole thing!
In order to finish the next game I write, I have told myself that it will be DOS/ASCII based game only! No graphical interface at all. It will be simple loot based dungeon crawler with turn based combat. It will only have 3 classes (fighter, mage, thief). Also not party based. Its simple story, you are held prisoner in dungeon and you have to escape and thats it! The meat of the game is design an interesting combat system. This is where most of the time will get spent.
Once the above game is FINISHED, then and only then I will expand in number of directions. First, expansion is figure out how to generate random dungeons so you have replayability. Second, turn it into party based and add more classes. Third, add more fleshed out story and NPC interactions. After all of this is done now, think about upgrading the graphics from DOS/ASCII into 2d tiles.
As you can see, graphic is the last part of the upgrade. The reason for this is that, I have always made the mistake of thinking, worrying and doing the graphics engine first. This is part which get complicated very fast and get me to side track very easily. This is what overwhelms me and I never really get to the real GAME!
Based on what I have read here, it seems you have done more than me in terms of progression with your past games so maybe DOS/ASCII is setting the bar too low for you. However it also seems you have never "finished" a game as well. Why not set the bar low and set your self just 1 month and write a very simple DOS/ASCCI game finish it and SHARE it here?
We will act as your project mangers and QA team!
I am a programmer for 15 years now and I got into this due to my love of games. I always wanted to write a game as hobby and I have started like 5 or 6 times to write one but never ended up finishing it for one reason or another. Looking back, my problem is that as I start, the features I wanted to added get out of control and the whole thing becomes way too complicated. I also tend to get side tracked with technical nature of the OS and all the other stuff. So the whole thing becomes too complicated and I abandon the whole thing!
In order to finish the next game I write, I have told myself that it will be DOS/ASCII based game only! No graphical interface at all. It will be simple loot based dungeon crawler with turn based combat. It will only have 3 classes (fighter, mage, thief). Also not party based. Its simple story, you are held prisoner in dungeon and you have to escape and thats it! The meat of the game is design an interesting combat system. This is where most of the time will get spent.
Once the above game is FINISHED, then and only then I will expand in number of directions. First, expansion is figure out how to generate random dungeons so you have replayability. Second, turn it into party based and add more classes. Third, add more fleshed out story and NPC interactions. After all of this is done now, think about upgrading the graphics from DOS/ASCII into 2d tiles.
As you can see, graphic is the last part of the upgrade. The reason for this is that, I have always made the mistake of thinking, worrying and doing the graphics engine first. This is part which get complicated very fast and get me to side track very easily. This is what overwhelms me and I never really get to the real GAME!
Based on what I have read here, it seems you have done more than me in terms of progression with your past games so maybe DOS/ASCII is setting the bar too low for you. However it also seems you have never "finished" a game as well. Why not set the bar low and set your self just 1 month and write a very simple DOS/ASCCI game finish it and SHARE it here?
We will act as your project mangers and QA team!