6 replies to this topic

[Jappeto]

This may seem like a silly question but im going to ask it anyway. Currently i am a JR. in highschool and i do see Game design and development as one of my future career choices. I have been self teaching myselft C++ for about a year and a half know and i am about to take a C++ class at my HS(im sure it will be a waste of time) I am also a fairly good writer and i am writing an fantasy based novel. When the time comes(10 years) would u say that it would be a good idea or a bad idea to possibly start making a mmorg about this novel. Or should i just scratch the novel and start putting together a MMO portfolia with content, classes, weapons, UI setting, etc.

Appreciate ur help and i welcome harsh comments

[Goz]

Do the book ... An MMO is a HUUUGE complicated project that will, likely, only lose money.

If its a good book, on the other hand ... then you'll be rich and laughing and you may even get somebody who wants to turn your book into an MMO and then you can be a consultant on the project. ANNNND you don't tip a shed load of your own money down the drain ;)

[monjardin]

Personally, I would value a finished fantasy novel way above a scrapbook of game ideas. It shows that you have a history of following through with the projects you start, and it differentiates you from the hordes of other people with the next great scheme.

[Gaiiden]

Jappeto said:

I have been self teaching myselft C++ for about a year and a half know and i am about to take a C++ class at my HS(im sure it will be a waste of time)

I was in pretty much your exact situation when I was in HS, tho I started on C++ a little earlier. I took the AP Computer Science courses and knew I was smarter than my teacher. I never liked school in general but I still look back on the two years of AP CS as a valuable experience, mainly from working on projects with my class mates, and not always class projects. Take advantage of that especially.

Do the novel. At least then you'll have a backstory in place for later. Plus you can sell it.

[Sloan]

Plot is all
it shall guide you,
the compass to your harts desire.

That is, unless you don't want your novel in game medium, then it depends on what you want more.

Being the scribbling scribe that I am, your novel should come first, but some things can be done parallel, doodling the HUD is not a crime, and exercising the concept is a good idea.

[NightRage]

I would recommend do both, write your novel and and put your game together. Or write a design doccument for your game instead of the novel. Your about 16-17 years old, Right? Dude you have time up the Ying Yang to do that.

As an amatuer/aspiring Screenwriter, I use Final Draft and I'm 55 pages deep so far. I'm not writing a novel, and wouldnt know how. Its all about the amount of time and tallent you have.

[Nullmech]

Definitely do both. Especially since you're in HS, the colleges like to see that you can stick to a long-term project like a book.

I know what you mean about HS programming being so boring. I took AP CS course during my freshman year of HS, and the teacher couldn't even figure out a simple bubble sort. Hopefully you'll get a good teacher, though, who will let you go ahead of the rest of the class and do things at your level. You might actually learn something (especially if you get into AP CS work, although that's Java-based today). Heck, consider yourself lucky just to have a C++ course available to you - my HS only had a Java course, and they canceled that during my sophomore year because they couldn't find anyone who could teach it.