I like the approach that "thegamedesigner" does
(The project Broken Brothers)
Which was made for the experimental gameplay competition.
http://experimentalgameplay.com/blog/

This approach is basically a rapid prototyping and
polishing of an unusual gameplayidea or Artstyle
in a limited time (7 days)

The good thing with this approach for indie development is, that
you then dont try to make the gretest game ever, but
try to make a unique idea or use an unique Artstyle
wich can be nevertheless produced quickly.

I would suggest these small closed projects for
indie developers, rather that trying to make
a huge project with several members.
Simply because those large projects drain the exitement
and interest away, once you are over the prototyping stage
and go into the slavework of creating content, models and levels.

My main motivation for the project I did was to create
a prototype of some never or seldom used technologie of
"big" games
by using gamestudio. (and Java)
including FPS Ai, RTS, different Mulitplayer approaches,
shadow rendering etc.
They usually dont result in shipable projects, but
train a lot in understanding the development approches.
The fun is to reaseach the topics, have ideas and
make them work in code soemhow.

(I worked on commercial Games in several companies,
where this knowledge was a good kickstart for getting the job)

Bottom line: this engine and the Indie development should
be seen as a hobby and exercise platform.
Its not bad not to finish all dreamprojects.

You should either try to make a small unique game and
finish that, or try to create the next WoW-Age-of-Counterstrike
wich will fail, but teaches a lot in creating parts
of it.

I'm pretty sure this is true for most people here. Some might left the forums or stopped frequenting it as often as they did previously, but that doesn't mean they have stopped working with 3dgs in their spare time.

I wasn't able to work on my projects for about 6 months, so yeah, it might look like I've stopped. I used that time to invest in a different hobby though, which is making music.

I think people here seem to still underestimate how much effort it really costs to make games and finish them entirely.

Some aren't in this game to finish and sell games and some aren't good enough to really try yet.

Ultimately I think the community's demographic pretty much explains best why many projects (are doomed to) fail.

Personally I still wonder why people aren't making more small games. Not necessarily casual crap or Bejeweled clones. I'm talking small games, indie developer style gems.

I think to some extent this forum needs more artists + programmer teams consisting off just two or three people.

But people do not start working with gamestudio (the name sounds really a bit cheap) because want to make a small game. No, what you get with 3DGS is a powerful 3D Engine you have the cabability to produce a high-level game. So it is difficult to start with a small 2D game or sth. easy!

Making a game involves programming and artwork, thats a problem as well.

And If you want to sell your game, it is twice as much work, because you must not use code/artwork of somebody else.

@spike: great points... I got alot of "free" help from the community ,back in the time when i was a new member, to learn what i know about the engine and game-dev.

agreeing with MPQ, ppl dont spend 199 on GS just so they can use it as an hobby, some do but most of them have an ambitious project in mind, i also do wonder why i dont see alot of minor games coming out, spending too much time on that 'killer-app', hoorah for the multiplayer survival game which tho didnt last long, did stir up some attention... with more work it could be a very good game that even brings ppl to GS...

ppl need to keep a list of things that made them start working on their project, that way, when and if they get bored they dont say, oh well, imma start over with something new but instead say, lemme go over these stuff again and reinspire myself

i for example never watch movies/games that has nothing to do with my game because i know i'll get moments of: "damn that looks cool" which may demotivate me and make me wanna try doing it, when i watch stuff similar to my game, it drives me forward...

stop working on the outer shell of your games and work on the core elements, that way no matter how your style changes, you have something to wrap it around..

Well as few pointed out this is a "hooby engine" for somebody. People really have nothing to post and just check for information about the engine and stuff. ( I know I have for 9 months or so now). And when they don't have nothing to ask/show they rather don't post.

And yes this was a thought made by my head, generilized alot and may not be true, but it's how I see it

Well, how MPQ said - these fckn name

If I tell my friends that I am programming with 3DGS - they are laughing .
------------------------------------------
BTW: I decided to make some "bigger" TuTs - like a "Total Beginner TuT" or a "2D Game TuT".

As long as htey're only laughing because you're using Acknex everything is fine.
At my time they were laughing because I tried to create games instead of playing them.

Its the same in my case: In my class nobody is interested in making a game. I asked a couple of people but nobody is interested in learing how to program/make a 3D-Game. But people do not laugh they are kind of "awseome" that I make my own "3D-Games" (nobody really knows what it means, but sounds well:D) with A7-Engine (A7 sounds very good instead of gamestudio :D).

yes A7 and acknex both sound better but try telling that to someone in the field your trying to get to work with you, like a new artist:

artist: so what engine do you use? i've played with unreal and cry 2..
you: umm, well am using the acknex engine
artist: the who?
you: its also called the A7 engine
artist: never heard of it, it any good?
you: ya, its the 3d gamestudio engine
artist: ohhh [drifts away]

lol