6 replies to this topic

[Wrath666]

First off, I live in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

I have a great idea for a new MMPORG

I have ZERO programing capabilities in this area

How should I proceed with this idea ??

Help!!

Thanks

RC

[bladder]

you need to either get on the artsy side and learn how to make art. Or you need to start programming. Or you need to be able to make music. When you're *very good* at any of those three areas, you can try your hand at making an MMORPG.

If you want to be the "designer", then I suggest you get a design document up, and learn how to make proper sketches, and story boards. If you can do all that, and you can design *thuroughly* then you may be able to scavage a team together and lead them to fame and fortune.

If you cant develop assets, then learn how to first.

[Wrath666]

My idea is on the scale of Everquest 1 and 2 as well as World of Warcraft. In all honesty I have played all of those games and more, and if my idea was out on the market it would be my choice of game as well as many many others.

Do I even try to compete with the big boys or should I contact them and sell the idea ??

I am not an artist, but the entire idea, down to every possiple senario are all in my head. If i close my eyes I can see it as if it were in front of me. I will try to get it down on paper, because I do understand the need to do so.

Based on the concept that the game would run like the ones mentioned above, what programing language should I use.. and what type of graphics program would I need?

Thanks for the reply

RC

[Ed Mack]

Writing up a great design document is a good idea, you will learn a lot from doing it, and it'll teach you to envision in more depth, putting emphasis on areas that might have seemed unimportant. Plus, if thats the career line you'd like to pursure then it may be a useful portfoleo piece (or the basis for one) for seeking employment.

As for plain selling the idea, it's unlikely any bid company will be interested since their own employed designers will likely have drawers filled with pet projects and good designs for the companies future. What the company will do depends a lot on internal details, the like of which only the designers will have access to. It seems that all ideas are almost worthless, except a few.

A MMORPG is a gargantuan undertaking - it would require a lot of people (Art, programming ect) to even build one upon open source technologies. I think investing time on your writing and design skills is a worthwhile persuit.

[Steven Hansen]

I also have an awesome idea for an mmorpg. I've had it for the last 10 years. MMorpgs were almost unheard of back then. (In fact, it wasn't so massive... the idea was for a BBS). I had very small programming experience at the time, and tried to gather a team. Each of them had their own ideas. Shortly the project fell apart.

The idea has evolved over time, and I'm sure if well executed would put everquest II to shame. Graphics and other gameplay technologies are not enough to drive a game forever, and the design should never focus on such skin-deep features.

However, here I am 10 years later and my idea is still not much more than an idea. It was a nice motivation as I ran through the computer science degree. It was nice to think about as I wrote java GUI applets for device configuration and management for HP. It is still motivating as something I might put together in the future while I am currently designing 3D visualizations, Transitions, and MMX optimizations for a small software company.

Someday - maybe I'll get around to it. But when I do, I want to have funding to pay real programmers. Funding for artwork and music. Funding for computer systems and internet services. I want to have a great plan for delivery - who buys it if no one knows about it? I want to have gained the knowledge sufficient so that if it comes down to it, I could program the entire thing myself (getting close on this one). I wouldn't want it to fail due to lack of foresight. A non-mmorpg is probably in order before I jump into the real big idea as well.

My idea is still a great one. Yours will probably still be great in 10 years. Give yourself time to learn what is involved, and learn the skills. If it isn't worth 10 years of your life to prepare to make this thing, then the idea probably isn't worth bothering with.

Good luck.

[bladder]

You cant sell an idea for an mmorpg. As Ed pointed out, the designers probably have rooms full of ideas. Ideas are a penny a dozen. And having themin your head dosen really count either. You have to get every minute detail down on paper. And when I say minute, I mean like really really detailed. In esence, if you gave your design document to another team and didnt have any contact with them, they should be able to make a game almost exactly like the one you had in mind - just by referencing the document. That's how detailed a design doc has to be.

And competing with the "big boys" is going to be very tough. Do you know that EQ have 50 developers on call currently (just for maintenance and expansions), and EQ2 have 150. (I dont exatly remember the numbers, but you should pick up the 10th aniversary edition of game developer magazine, there's a lot about EQ in there). If you're a millionaire, then I guess you can possibly compete with them. Or if you can get funding from a millionaire.

EQ uses C++. For graphics people choose either between maya or 3d studio max. For artwork it's adobe or corel, the former being more common.

[Wrath666]

Tanks again for the info, i'll do what i can with it.

RC