Where do I start?

[2BlocksShort]

Some people say that all that is required is an idea, with an idea you can accomplish anything.... Sadly this isn't the case, and in the situation of game mod creation you need Coding Skills, Modelling Skills, Mapping Skills, etc etc, and thats on top of your basic story telling and motivational skills, its really quite scary when you break it down >_<.

ANYWAYS... the point of all this. Being on of the many many people out there with a mod idea, that I personally think would be GREAT, I need to get a team together and get it made right?!...

Well, the problem is my skills go about as far as story writing and bossing people about, which really isn't good. It would be extremely unfair to create a team where everyone is hard coding and modelling, while i sit there and write a bit of story and say "DO THIS" "DO THAT" "No no no, his head should be bigger" "more blood dammit, MORE BLOOD" and so I feel that I need to learn to do at least one of the major things - coding, modeling, map making - and preferably more than one.

SOOOOOOOOO, after all that nonsense - the question I put before ye, is - Where do I start? Lets work on the basis of me learning coding and modeling.

Basic background in both areas:

Coding - Rusty (very rusty) - Pascal and Delphi coding ability; Ability to understand the basics of how code works without knowing knowing all the functions (if you get what i mean).

Modelling - I can make a sphere

Map Making - On par with my modelling skills I would say

That is all folks, thanks in advance to anyone who replies, and sorry to everyone who had to read all this crap

 

[Argyll]

It all starts with the idea and develops from there.

Promote your idea, set up a temporary website with info about it.

Talk to people, contact modelers - hire some (quality) ones... get some nice work to show.

Continue to work on your concept.

Promote your work. Build a better website, better host ( I recommend: www.hl2files.com ).

And believe me, being a mod leader is a ton of work (especially once you get big) even if you don't think it is.... trust me

 

[Shinobi]

drawing is useful in every aspect of game design and development

practice life drawing and technical drawing and you'll help yourself in ways you havent imagined

my art teacher with about 30 something years of classical art experience and little to no computer knowlege modelled a kickass human skull today that was very correct according to anatomy,,, and the @#$@#$ing thing was 300 polies!!!

 

[2BlocksShort]

The concept has been developed quite heavily, i carry a journal round everywhere with me at the moment that I scribble ideas into.

From what I've read elsewhere though, people arent usually willing to join teams where the "leader" can't offer anything other than story writing ability and order shouting ability - unless i got the wrong end of the stick :dork:

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Art wise - i can draw objects, and buildings etc - but i cant draw people to save my fecking life >_< .. cept odd cartoonish people - see comic @ www.twoblock.net </shameless plug> thats how i draw people :x not really suitable for concept art :x

Website wise, I did actually create a website for my mod way back when i first came up with it, but shut it down because I had far to much university work to give the mod enough of my time (things have no changed and i have much MUCH less work to do).

@Argyll - I have no misconceptions about work load, I imagine is somewhat similar to cooking an 8 course meal for 200 people, looking after a newborn baby, and writing a 20,000 word essay on quantum physics all at the same time

 

[Neutrino]

I think it is possible to lead a mod team without any modding skills such as modeling, mapping, or coding. However it is also somewhat unlikely to succeed as has been pointed out. I applaud your attitude though and open mind in realizing this is the case. If your serious about it though, I guess I would suggest trying to learn one specific area of modding as best you can. For myself I find mapping very enjoyable. Once you can contribute something to the mod, even if it's something small, it will be easier to assemble a team I think.

Another option for you I think is to find someone who is experienced...(probably a coder would be best).. and see if you can't get them interested in your idea. You could then ask them to co-lead the mod with you which would provide the needed experience to the team leader position.

Oh, and what is your concept? Sounds like you've spent a bit of time on it and I'd be interested to hear what you've come up with.

 

[2BlocksShort]

@Neutrino - there were actually 3 concepts but I concentrated on one and left the others on the shelf.

Its basically a multiplayer team based game where the emphasis is on sneaky tactics, teamwork and planning rather than your typical run and shoot type gameplay. The way this is maintained is by actually having 3 teams, 2 human and one computer - the computer act as a security force within the map whilst the humans fight to accomplish mission objectives. By fighting in open areas in a blatently obvious manner you are likely to attract the attention of the security force who will either attempt to arrest or kill you depending on how much of a threat they determine you to be. By also having security force based checkpoints blocking off areas of the map players will be forced to either go through unarmed - thus risking their lives and thus needed a plan - or seek alternative methods to traverse the map and accomplish their missions. You could of course just kill the security force and make a run for it, but they may set off an alarm, and then more forces will be called in, its all a gamble.

I have worked out an entirely plausable story to explain all this as well as backstory and even side stories to be explored via machinima (sp!) animations using the models made for the purpose of the mod.

Being paranoid to the MAX (im the sort of person that believes if you leave your window open to much at night, crazed serial killers will climb in and kill you in your sleep >_<) I don't want to say too much about the other ideas I think might make this mod somewhat unique. Hopefully once I have been here a little longer and have stopped looking over my shoulder for a board member with a gun, I will be a little more open.

Thanks to all of you for being so nice, and helpful, its making me a bit less paranoid.

 

[Shinobi]

honestly though, I think the lead game desiger and production heads of a mod should understand every aspect at least on a conceptual level,, meaning you should know enough c++ to understand pointers and classes, enough about 3d to be able to export into engines and apply skins (don't have to be good at all,, just understand the graphics pipeline), understand the basics of sound, animation, texture creation etc....


it makes a world of difference,,,


one of the classic examples is from a book on game design written by Ricard Rouse III

A game designer designs a magical sword, he wants players to see this a magical sword when the player is holding it so he tells the programmer to make the sword warp and bend in space. The programmer tears his head out for weeks trying to get this effect to work while the whole time it would have been more viable to give the sword a blue glow since the game engine has a built in particle system.

 

[Neutrino]

I think what you say is true for the most part Shinobi. However I also think it depends on the team leaders personality. If they have a very open mind and are extremely flexible and open to ideas from the team it could work I think. That way in the above situation the coder would just tell the leader that that would be hard to implement so the leader could change the plans.

 

[chapel]

I would recommend you learn about all the stages of developement, the principles of team and project management, and find something that is your strength and develope it.

Past that you dont need to be an expert, just someone that knows and understands those principles. Its all about the application of them, if you can do them even in the most rudimentary forms you are better off than most people.

Good luck, I enjoyed your concept, seems original enough to be good.