The topic explains most of it; I am wondering how many people it takes to make a game on BYOND. Most of the good games I see are made by one person, or at least the majority is done by one person. Every week there's someone else looking for a group of people to make a game. These people are trying to make a massive game (usually an RPG) that will take years to make, but is this what BYOND needs?
I am curious how these groups work. I don't get how you have (or why you need) two or three people to make icons, and have four or so coders. Maybe I am missing something, but I didn't think icon making was a team sport. If the game is going to take six months to complete, how many icons do you need? I mean, if you have two or three people making icons for six months, do you really need that many icons?
Maybe its just the way I am; Provided I have the time and nothing better to do (which is most of the time) I will have no problem with putting ten hours a day into making a game. Could somebody please explain to me why making a game requires a team of ten people and takes months if not years to make. I realize that people specialize in different things, like coding or graphics. But why do you need several icon makers and several coders? People can learn to code, thus becoming better at it; can't people get better at making icons? For some reason the thought of teams of people making a game on BYOND confuses me. Don't take this the wrong way; I don't mean any hostility towards people that are working in a team on a game, I would just like someone to explain to me why you need a team.
ID:153882
 Nov 14 2002, 2:03 pm
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Nov 14 2002, 2:16 pm
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Sariat
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Most of the people wanting teams are DBZers. There's only 1 Good team out there (DDT) and about 4 decent ones with potential.
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It depends. Some people find icon making to be a impossible task.
Ive never felt the need to have more then 2 coders, I work with one person (War). The only reason that relationship works is because we think and code alike. Also when we arent thinking in sync, we usually complement each other. I dont see the need for a project to ever have anymore then 4 people, Coder, Icon Maker, Mapper, and Sound Maker. Even then most of those jobs can be done by one person. I think hte main reson people like taems though is because they think that the work will get completed faster. -DogMan | |
Well, I've never worked in a group. But unless I knew the people I was working with (know them in real life and see them on a regular basis) then I don't think it would get done any faster. I don't think of sound as a requirement for an original game on BYOND. Sound effects are usually quite generic and can be found for download or on CD, and music is a heck of a lot harder to make than icons, it takes more practice. I've never understood the role of the mapper. They make the maps? That's it? I guess I like to do everything myself so I can make icons when I get sick of coding and vice versa.
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I only work with War because Ive known War since before either of us knew how to Program in DM. Ive worked with him on a lot of projects.
I know the guy really well. Mapping is something anyone can do with a day or so practicing. However people dont give 'pro mappers' enough credit. Maps are something you think look fine until your a 'pro'. Thats when your a pro you realise just how much work goes into making a great map, and how much better a map can make a game. -DogMan | |
OneFishDown wrote:
But why do you need several icon makers and several coders? Because chances are, if you get several icon makes, only one of them will actually stick around to do anything. Same goes for programmers. Failing that, it's because they're too lazy to do the work themselves so they want other people to do it instead. | |
You spend weeks making maps for a game, and you'll understand the role of a mapper, and why someone would give them the job instead of keeping it to themselves.
Also, some people apparently have a nack for making better-looking maps than other people. | |
Glad you asked...In my estimates, I suggested a number of 35 people somehow affecting the developement and administration of the game. Not 10, but 35! Why? I included the people who submit one or two icons, the people who reply to a post on the help needed forum with a fix to our code trouble, and the people who offer good ideas. I don't think anyone has used less then 10 in their game. Heck, I've used about 10 people already, and we have 5 staff members right now. How?! Tutorials, forums, demos, other games that I saw that inspired me...they all contributed to the game. I think our game will work out great...and it's not a "dbz gaem" Hehe. I think it's important that you use eachother, everyone has their own unique ideas, and it helps!
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Foomer wrote:
Because chances are, if you get several icon makes, only one of them will actually stick around to do anything. Same goes for programmers. That's probably the downfall of these group projects, the strict roles. I think I would get bored of working on icons for a game for more than a month. I like to make games by myself because then I can do something else for the game when I get bored of one thing. I also think there is something greater in being able to say, "I made that game," instead of saying, "I made 17 icons and 1 map for that game." | |
That's a good point. I didn't have in mind all of the people that you ask or demos/tutorials that you used. The problems I forsee (with working as a team) would be clashing styles, whether it be coding styles or icon styles. I would also think that it might be too much of a pain to communicate with the group. Also group members might come and go. Heck, one might even *gasp* steal the code and release it. I'm not sure, maybe it works great working as a team, but I'd imagine that it would require the correct people for it to work well. I work by myself so I don't have to worry the slightest bit about any of that, except for getting bored of a project. Anyways, good luck with your game.
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One of the key points to working with others is that you dont give up as easily, Since you cant let your team down.
Although that can lead to actually hating a project like you do your job. -DogMan | |
That is a good question. Here is what I have deduced from all of this:
Most of the best games come from the rogue programmers (the loners) who program just for the fun of it and to see others enjoy their games. This is really the only reason I program, though money will become an issue when I turn it into a career. Larger games, however, are easily created by groups of people. If you have one person coding, one person doing the icons, and one person mapping/developing ideas, then the work can be done so much faster. On the other hand, having a dozen people with 4 people doing the same thing is pointless unless you get them to do a certain job and then let them go (which is common in the real world of programming). Basically, if you want a large project done in a shorter amount of time you should get some help. Look at all the other games out there done by a single person: They're small simple games but have something that makes them amusing. There really aren't any large games because no one has the nerve to make a group and stick with it. | |
I think there are plenty of people with the nerve to make a group and stick with it, they just team up with people who dont. Lots of people just run into the Ad's Forum and start a team, no real thought behind the team or anything.
Also, being unorganised is a key problem. You can have 3 of the greatest coders in the world, but if you cant get them to work together its useless. -DogMan | |