FreeGameDev

Hi all,
I have a game idea I think would be fun to play but also would have educational possibilities. I would like to hear what you think about the idea, and also if you want to collaborate. I am an Autodesk Certified Instructor- but basic stuff for n00bs. What this means is that I have access to people who know stuff.

Problem no. 1 is to create the special "gravity" environment....
Anyway what do you think?

Thanks for your time and efforts
Sub

Interesting idea subtlefly, but are you planning this as a proprietary game that is a commercial venture or an open source game that is a community collaboration?

If it is the first of those two options, it is off-topic for this forum (about the Free software philosophy).

well at the moment it is just a concept, if I cannot get one of the first two to fly I am happy to give it over to open source. I just want to discuss the idea at present. I dont want to waive my intellectual copyright.

subtlefly {l Wrote}:well at the moment it is just a concept, if I cannot get one of the first two to fly I am happy to give it over to open source. I just want to discuss the idea at present. I dont want to waive my intellectual copyright.

You understand that ideas are not patentable, your intelectual copyright, whatever that is , is only as valid as your implementation. I can easily implement the idea you described in the PDF and I don't need to give back anything.

I'm not saying that I'm going to do it, it's just to make sure you understand that an idea is not something you can prevent others from using and having an idea grants you nothing unless that idea becomes a product or a process that you register in the proper places.

As for the "idea" drafted in the PDF, I don't see the point in it, what's the objective/goal? To create a game that is fun to play or a simulator that is realistic enough so that the concepts mentioned can be learned by students?

ok, obviously I am not too precious otherwise I would not be posting my idea on this and other forums. I want to make this game one way or another.
Second the goal is to make an exciting, addictive game (like counterstrike) that can be justified to be played in an educational context.

Basically my work is out there now, and can be tracked in time. I would just hope that people would rather collaborate than...

I do see some fun in this kind of game, but then again it is all about how you go about making it..

ajf.aloomba@mac.com drop me a line if you have an idea or suggestion

Not being much on sports games, I can only say that the unique mechanics of having gravity be on the outside and all the movement options that entails are what ought to be fun about this.

Honestly, it sounds a lot like a Stallone movie with a band of misfits battling an obviously evil rival team in black uniforms and a few kick the dog moments. That can be perfectly enjoyable, especially if it doesn't take itself too seriously.

Hey team,
Thought you might be interested .. Unity has quoted 171,000 euro to make this game with a 98 day timeframe. They want me to go out and seek sponsors to give them the cash.. Pretty unlikely eh?!
I can post the full breakdown if you guys are interested.

haha! sure, if you're allowed to share the text, please do

Programming

- Multiplayer over network: 4 weeks
Develop a network system that is able to handle 2-16 players.
A lobby system and simple matchmaking is part of this task

- Chat: 1 week
Chat system to be used both in-game and from the match lobby screen.

- "GravityBall" physics: 6 weeks
Implement specialized physics for the game. Players are able to run on the surface of a dome, while the ball is forced to the center of the dome.

- First Person Controls: 8 days
Players are able to run and barge other players during collision.
Players should be able to jump and while in the air affected by the physics system. (gravity change at the center of the dome)
Players are able to grab other players and take the ball (like football)

- Animation: 4 days
Handle player animations, blend, layering etc.

- Suit: 3 days
Ability to modify suit and abilities
Adjust the EMF (heavy-light)

- Game Logic: 2 weeks
Round based gameplay, time and score limits.
General task to implement game rules and mechanics

- Statistics (Ultra): 3 days
Measure player metrics.
Run time, time with ball, scoring, tackles made etc.

- Menus: 1 week
Implement various menu screens, splash, login, options etc.

- Graphical Implementation: 2 weeks
Optimize graphics, lighting, shadow and shader settings.

Total: 98 work-days

Graphics

- Design style guide: 2 week
This process is important to agree on the style of the game. This process is direct back-and-forth communication between US and the customer.

- 3D Dome: 2 weeks
The actual level with various objects and effects.

- 1 Character: 1 week
- Rigging / Skinning: 3 days

- Animations: 12 days
- Run, Walk, Jump, Barge, Throw, Grab, Tackled
- Implementation in Unity: 4 days

- Ball: 1 day

- Special effects: 5 days
- 5 different effects

- Menu: 5 days

Total: 55 work-days

Other

Project Management: 35 days
Testing and general bug-fixing period: 30 days
Buffer ( 2 weeks full team): 20 days

Total work days for entire project are: 238 days.
We charge €14.400 Euro pr. man-month for large projects. The full price for the entire project is therefore: €171.360

So what do you think guys? If we were going to make a freeDev game, how would you do it? What engine would we use? Could we use a FreeDev game that works as a demo to then attract the money or is that totally not the point? In the end this game is meant to be for underprivileged kids to get online and compete against others so maybe making it all free is a good thing? I am stumped. I have got some advice from Sloperama, and he says "What's the business plan? I am an educator, I was thinking about pedagogy not how to sell the final game.
Anyway what are your thoughts?
Cheers

Could we use a FreeDev game that works as a demo to then attract the money or is that totally not the point?

That might work with fundraising websites like kickstarter, etc.
If you plan to commercialize the game, it might also work I suppose, but you will loose some freedom to the investors (like license freedom for instance).

In the end this game is meant to be for underprivileged kids to get online and compete against others so maybe making it all free is a good thing?

-if free in the sense of libre:
Yes! Not only because of the lower costs (or even zero-cost), but also because the children might be able to play around with the code and learn how to program, how the physics engine works, etc, or learn how to create 3D computer models, anything related to game development and programming in general.
-if free in the sense of gratis:
Obviously yes.

Anyway what are your thoughts?

I am impressed by the development speeds, although I suppose it is normal if you have professionals working full-time on it. (1 day to design a 3D ball xD)
I would very much like to see this game being developed in an open-source way by volunteers, but the reality is that you will have difficulties finding volunteers and they will not be working full-time on it, so the development time might be pretty long.
Of course, if you are able to pay full-time developers to create the game, it might take about the same time.

The other advantage of an open-source development is that you might get something usable faster and neverending improvements (in theory).

So what do they say about the licenses? Are they willing to give you all rights so that you can publish the code under a FOSS license and the art under a CC license, provided you pay them those €171.360?

Besides...the estimates sound reasonable but be aware that:

1) You only get what was estimated/agreed/contracted/paid...not what you probably imagined or what improvements you need afterwards.
2) Planned development timescales are usually exceeded by a factor of two

Part of such a contract could be that you get the (exclusive) copyright to all resulting source/art - not too uncommon for contract work. Then licensing is your own matter. Oh, and be sure to demand the source or else they may deliver you the binary and they are done.

Ok so the guys at Garagegames reckon that unity will not let you play with the source, but I thought Unity was a "free" engine and I have seen Autodesk course material that uses Unity as the engine, but I am a bit out of my depth here...
Just a few clarifications..
1...I live in Australia so kickstart is no good. (you need to be an American citizen)
2..I am an Autodesk ACI but that means I am a teacher not a boffin, I can do some modelling and animation but that is about it. I guess the good thing about being an ACI is that I have contacts who know stuff.
3.. I do NOT have 171,000 euro, and to tell the truth I am reluctant to go looking for the money as I am unsure if Unity are telling me its a good idea because they want the dev money or if they actually think it is a good idea.
IF I was to get investors and hunt up the money I would want to have access to the finished product for kids to mod and make the final game free anyway as a corporate gesture for kids education (think counterstrike for student education).

So are you guys interested, should we make it a freedev open source game? Or should I pursue financing options more vigorously? What engine would we use if we went open source and how hard would the physics be to crack?
If I am wasting my (and your) time, let me know and I will go away.
Thanks for your time and interest.
sub

What part will you be contributing in this project?

The two ways to create a game from an idea:
* Pay people to do it - and as the estimate shows, this can be a lot of money.
* Create it yourself, possibly with others helping out. I suspect you will have far better luck getting people to help out if (a) you are taking part (and are not simply "the ideas guy"), and (b) you have a working prototype.

What is the Unity estimate - I thought Unity was a game engine? Do they create games for people, or is this a service that just gives people an estimate for their own commercial projects?

The quote is from Unity in Denmark, evidently they make games as well as licence their engine. i will play any part I am capable of playing. As I have said I am Autodesk industry certified Instructor. One thing I can do is get exposure for all who contribute via Autodesk STEAM education portal. I am able to crete industry certified curriculum for education. Skills wise compared to you guys I am probably pretty crap, but I can model and animate, rig (a bit), do concept art, create any music or sound effects. I have access to kids who can beta test for us...........I really need some coder boffins to help out with the game engine (whichever one we choose).