I would like to request a (DSC) Developers Solution Center, aimed at providing aspiring developers with the communication tools, and industry resources to achieve professional quality products. I believe that this will elevate Game Studio to the next level by generating positive media, increasing sales, and promoting positive growth in the user community.

A DSC would allow users who meet certain criteria to access tools that will speed up development time by allowing them to communicate more efficiently with each other. The DSC should be free to the qualifying user base, but certain features should not be free, as they will require economic compensation. I will suggest which ones I feel should be paid for and why.

Sec 1 - Communication tools

I suggest an applet that allows eligible users to chat 24/7 in private or public windows. This would alleviate the need for forum posting, email coordinating, and phone calls.


1a - Features of the applet

24/7 online: This allows people from all over the world who are working as a team to communicate regardless of time constraints and to log in at a whim for important updates. It also means that you never have to be held up because current info is not available on the project's status. 24/7 online creates the environment needed for all developers to access resources needed, that are not available on the forums, regardless of the persons time constraints.

Logging: This allows all team members to see what others have written even if they were not logged in at the time that it was entered. Logging should include time/date stamping, as well as print and forwarding options. I suggest shortcuts to email, and email forwarding. Records should be emailed to a user upon request, and a log of all conversations between specified dates should be available as well. Logging allows valuable information to be viewed by others at anytime.

Private rooms: Teams should be able to hold a private room open that will stay open for a specified period of time, based on registration or membership criteria. This should be flexible, including multiple room setup, or sub rooms for larger projects, with private channels, password and login features, and security for sensitive information. Private rooms allow teams to speak efficiently, securely, and connect with privacy.

Public channels: This is for other users who meet the criteria, and may join labeled subject oriented channels. Developers will be able to communicate without the forums for on the spot real-time conversations with others working on the same aspects of their projects as they are. The possibilities are obvious.

2a - Design an implementation of the applet

I believe this should only be available to the rest of the DSC users. This is not the place to ramble off questions to people working hard on projects, nor is it the place to chat about life, god, politics, complaints, or other issues not revolving around the business. That is for the forums. Implementation should be through a downloadable applet, and is included with the DSC package. The design should include all of the form mentioned buttons, with an easy to read layout, link for translation for inter-lingual communications, search options for finding users, viewing users, and topics.

Sec 2 - Project Planning, Implimentation of Planner, and Production Cycle Templates

What do we know about the necessity for planning? First of all, any success project has key ingredients, and although there are many methods to making professional quality projects, there is only one RIGHT way to take it from concept to release; Planning, Forecasting, Budgeting, and Meeting your Deadlines and Goals. This will not guarantee a successful product, but it will set the stage for the possibility for fame and fortune.

Does Game Studio have what it takes to make this happen or aspiring and hungry developers? Yes, but it currently, Game studio is in my opinion, regardless of features, no better than any other engine on the market. Why? Because you, yes you conitec, provide users with the tools to "make" a product, not "succeed in the game industry". You have to ask yourself conitec, what would set us in the forefront of the industry we are in? What would make our dedicated and hardworking users have a better chance of success? How can we as a company help them to achieve their wildest dreams of fame and fortune and game crafting heaven? The answer is not features, it's not new releases, and it sure isn't advertisement. You could come out with a feature tomorrow that promises to lay a golden egg on the user’s keyboard that upon hatching reveals the most amazing shader, terrain, lighting scripting, and modeling tools on the planet! This would not even edge you ahead a dime, because users don't need the best tools, they need the best "business resources" for success.

2b - Template structures and Implementation

These templates are not "game" templates, example levels, shaders, scripts, or game development tutorials. We have those. These templates are fully customizable, interactive, proprietary design documents and layout devices, geared at teams or individuals looking to properly structure and develop a product for release. They should be made available in the DSC, and function as a foundation for the team’s production cycle. You can make this a licensed or non-licensed addition to the DSC, because it doesn’t really matter. The end results will still be the same as I will outline them for you. As with the rest of the DSC it should be made available for serious qualified users, who want to work with a team, or have a team.

2c - Features of the template system

The template system should include "live templates" that through a software program can be updated to-the-minute for teams. Each template should be organized and represent the critical thinking, and developmental process of professional game production cycles. ergo, for an adventure game involving a team of 4 programmers, 6 animators, 3 conceptual artists, 9 beta testers, 1 lead programmer, 1 lead animator, 1 lead artist, 1 beta team leader, 1 project manager, 1 website admin, 1 public relations supervisor, and one budgeting analyst, you would need a template setup called "Team based Adventure Template System", and it would include:

Gantt charts for project forecasting and workflow
Organic Time and Workflow solution charts
Webpage and GUI design work charts
Classic Storytelling templates and reference sheets
Quest and NPC/Dialog Plano-charts
Critical thinking and analysis charts for code workflow
Marketing and Forecasting charts for prelease
Pitch list "top ten to do" etc.
Understanding the industry references *web links, etc. to keep users on track
Budget forecasting
Level design/storyboard template
Communication reference list *a how to, on how to talk to your subject efficiently
Demographics Template
NDC for IP protection
Work-for-Hire Agreements
General contract related materials

Treating a project like a business encourages realistic and positive growth. It helps to avoid pitfalls, and will nurture aspiring individuals and teams as they continue the developmental cycle. I believe that this is paramount to the DSC, Game studio, and the Indy developer community in general. I believe that this will develop a lot of public appeal, and turn a developer, into a business person, because weather they know it or not, that is exactly what they are wanting to do. The key to success is not learning about game studio, it’s about learning how to function in the game industry.

Can you provide that? Yes you can, because I know that I could for the community and I'm just one person. I don't have all the answers, not even most of them, but I have ambition, and I want anyone who takes game development seriously to succeed in the industry!

I would love for the community’s feedback on this topic. Tell me you think its crap; tell me you think it’s wonderful. List things you feel that should be included.

I hope you make the right decision conitec

Jesse

{Project Hooked}

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The key to success is not learning about game studio, it’s about learning how to function in the game industry.

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In my experience however, by the time you've learned how to function in the games industry, you've already left game studio.

Perhaps that is because Conitec doesn't support a business community and a tool like yours would help. Or maybe it is just the nature of the beast, that 3DGS is and always will be a stepping stone to bigger and badder engines.

I don't know.

But to me this is the fundamental question that needs answered before we consider if 3DGS can be taken to the next level: does the 3DGS community WANT to be on the next level or are they happy just staying where they are. And I say "they" on purpose because I sure as heck don't use 3DGS as a hobby... it is my business. But I am in the small minority and thus spending time and money on a solution like yours may be a waste if there are only 2 or 5 of us here that could appreciate and use it.

In my experience by the time that people learn how to function in the industry, you've already left game studio"

Im not sure what your saying... please clarify
People using game studio don't know how to function in the industry?
Gamestudio is not a part of the industry?
People using game studio eventaully learn how to function in the industry and then decide they don't need game studio?

Whatever you meant to say, no disrespect but it doesnt say much at all about gamestudio, and if so why are we here?

We are here to make a product with THIS engine. Anything that this engine can provide regarding business planning, weather internally or externally through the community will help generate more revenue for the community, and conitec.

Im not sure what you mean by people not needing this?
Gamestudio is not a stepping stone to anything. It is an indapendant developers solution for producing video games. I assume that by "stepping stone" you are voicing your own opinions, because I sure that is not what conitect is trying to achieve. I don't think people purchase gamestudio with the intentions of working for another company, or using other software either. Quite simply, GS is for making games, so it is not a stepping stone to anything. However, A system, like the one I mentioned before IS a stepping stone, it's a stepping stone FOR gamestudio, to get growing and become an industry standard.

Sounds like the DarkBasic Developer Network (DBDN) in early days, it is a service and require money to join.

Unless 3DGS user willing to pay for that kind of service, otherwise I prefer Conitec focus on engine development.

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People using game studio eventaully learn how to function in the industry and then decide they don't need game studio?

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Bingo.

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it doesnt say much at all about gamestudio, and if so why are we here?

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I plan on milking ever last dollar of use out of 3DGS. I plan on using it commercially. Just because it's middleware and 90% of the community uses it as Hobbyware doesn't mean that I don't take it seriously. But to that 90% 3DGS is a low cost solution to learn about game development... not game industry, game development. Very few people here actually want to take the next step and sell their game. Oh, we all start saying that but after a few years we realize just how hard that is and either ramp up our operations or just make games for fun. Ultimately, we stay here because 3DGS is stable, powerful, and feature-full...and because the devil you know is better than the one you don't! And trust me, in game engines there are no angels, just different devils!

But once you know how the industry works, you realize that you need a team to make something work... and once you have a team you most likely have the money... and when you have the money, then you can buy something that is more focused on your needs rather than 3DGS' "all in one" approach to game making. Again, let me make very clear that I plan on taking 3DGS as far as I can, that even with the money I have chosen to stay with 3DGS, but I feel that my decision represents a very small minority in the community.

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Gamestudio is not a stepping stone to anything. It is an indapendant developers solution for producing video games.

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There is what a product is meant to be and what a product turns out to be. I agree that 3DGS is meant as a full developer solution; I use it in that fashion. But to 90% of the forum community (for these are the people I have direct contact with), 3DGS is just a hobby or a way to build a portfolio for the future. So it's not really my opinion as much as my observations over the last 3 years on the forum.

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to get growing and become an industry standard.

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The industry standard right now is the Unreal engine at 500 thousand USD and hundreds if not thousands of developer studios cranking out noteworthy commercial products month after month. 3DGS has zero chance of fighting that 500 lb. gorilla with AFAIK 80 thousand users, 1000 USD per license, and maybe a handful of commercial games published a year.

3DGS' closest competitor is Torque. They are trying to do what you suggest, even down to the Dev. Network. However they are burning money at a furious rate and pumping tons into advertising... yet statistically they are on par with 3DGS... about 1000 USD per license and maybe a handful of games a year.

In order for 3DGS to "step up", they would have to radically revamp their business model and plan. They would have to put money into advertising (a budget that as far as I can tell is zero right now), probably revamp their update schedule to fit the marketing campaign (so code freezes and sporatic updates), they would probably have to increase the cost per license, etc. All I'm saying is that Conitec is doing now what works for them. Any slight perturbation to their model and I could see the whole thing crumbling down.

But who knows? Lite-C is a sign of a maturing engine being pitched to a more mature crowd. The tool developments are progressing well. It may be that this is the next direction Conitec wants to go in, that of Business Development. But I have not smelled that on the winds so it's not likely to be on the horizon.

Doug? JCL? Care to chime in? We are hijacking your thread after all...

If what you say is true about conitec, then you obviously know more about A7 then I do, and that would not be difficult. But that doesn't change what I need from A7, nor the fact that I am using it on my project.

I disagree that you need a team, though I do have the money. Remember my other post on that other forum? I have a beta that is very close to some of the most polished products I've seen on the market, and it only took me, and about 18 hours per day, 7 days a week to do it.

I guess I shouuldn't speak for 90% of the community if they want to use 3dgs as a hobby and not for commercial use. There really is alot to that, and to be honest, once I made the decision to make a commercial product I stopped having fun. Isn't that why I decided to make games at all, for the fun of it? Or was it the money, oh well. I apologize, because I'm pretty selfish, and only want to make money sometimes.

It was also probably a bit unreasonable, and silly, asking for a system like the one formentioned, without fully understand what conitecs situation is, and what they are really trying to achieve.

But I guess I'll never really know, since they don't have an answer... and it's been 6 whole hours!

My idea for this system really stems from a conversation I had with a conitec rep on the phone, about the feasability of implementing the A7 engine in the classroom for teaching. I though, well that would be nice, and a use full tool indeed. I wonder if that same structure can be applied to the community, and actually get some professional results by bringing people together.

Fastlane you have a nice way of staying on track, I need to visit your brain for a day, stay for coffee, and then drain you of all that silly multiplayer programming knowledge that you so obviously dont need.

Darn if we only had an applet, fastlane and I would be ranting in our own private chat room and not hijaking this thread, so I guess your right fastlane, we are the only ones who could use this kind of system!

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Gantt charts for project forecasting and workflow
Organic Time and Workflow solution charts
Webpage and GUI design work charts
Classic Storytelling templates and reference sheets
Quest and NPC/Dialog Plano-charts
Critical thinking and analysis charts for code workflow
Marketing and Forecasting charts for prelease
Pitch list "top ten to do" etc.
Understanding the industry references *web links, etc. to keep users on track
Budget forecasting
Level design/storyboard template
Communication reference list *a how to, on how to talk to your subject efficiently
Demographics Template
NDC for IP protection
Work-for-Hire Agreements
General contract related materials

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Sort of takes the fun out of making a game does'nt it.

IMHO Instant message systems are very distracting to the process of developing a game. The constant pinging of mostly useless chatter slows the whole team down... We do not allow their use with my teams....

Ken

Sad but true... A hotshot lawyer once told me in his oh-so-cold mannerisms
Making games is not what your doing, and I am in the business of making money, so if that isn't what you want, then go make games.

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Making games is not what your doing, and I am in the business of making money, so if that isn't what you want, then go make games.

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Explain ????

Ken