Posted By: Blade280891
What i've learnt and my journey to enlightenment - 12/31/08 04:51
This might not be the best place to post this, but here i go.
When i first got this game engine (trial) i was under the impression that to make a game all you need to do is make some nice looking levels. To achieve this i followed the Dan Silverman tutorial on how to make a level, then opened WED and started using blocks to make a level, this level looked ok (it wasn't that bad :S) but when it came to compiling it i had to leave my laptop on overnight and it took over 8 hours to compile a level of untextured blocks, some lights, the sun, a sky and a church made of blocks and textured.
At first i thought this was normal and how long games took to compile. Once i had done a few adjustments to the level and compiled and ran it, i saw it was quite plain but i didn't mind.
Shortly after my computer had some problems and i lost all my levels i had made, and for a while after that i didn't use the engine much.
Then when i read through the MED tutorial i wanted to make some models, so i made my first billboard. And i didn't think it then, but it looks awful it was very blocky and square and had some bad textures. It was also very high poly for what is was, although i didn't know this at the time.
Once i had thought i had the hang of making models in MED i decided to make my first game, so i started making a level , although i had a very vivid idea of what it would look like. And using the template scripts i made a very horrible attempt at a Stargate SG-1 level.
I was later advised to make a design document, and plan a game.
So i did and i planned "Underground", which some of you might remember. The plan was basically what would happen in the first two levels. Then i ran out of ideas, but i wanted to make what i planned.
I then planned the first level of the underground bunker, i had several hand drawn plans of the layout and one WED plan of it, where i laid out blocks where each room would be.
I then started creating the level, first off i made the hollow blocks for the rooms then i made the hollow blocks for the hallways, and using subtract created a network of rooms and tunnels.
This (to me) didn't look bad, but it was flawed. It was full of gaps, and would later cause problems.
I then started on the main room which i had a very vivid idea of what would be in it. This lead to problems such as trying to fill up a large room with only a few models.
The models themselves where flawed, they had poly's that could of been removed and most were open meshes causing shadow problems.
Once i had filled the room i added lights, at first very badly but with C&C from the forum they improved.
I soon realised that to make a game, even as a level designer (even more so a hobby one) you must be able to script to a degree.
I couldn't. Therefore i stuck by the template scripts for this.
With some help from the forum for a custom CCTV camera script.
I then stopped this level/game to work with spear in getting a team together for Draco Pangaia (previously named, Dragon Sword) which today is in development with a large team.
Since then i have just been improving my modeling and level design skills.
But not until recently did i comprehend the fact that making a game is not sitting down and just creating a nice looking level or character, or creating code that does cool effects. Yes that may work for more experienced game developers for small games.
But in fact creating a game involves a lot of planning, you need to plan the story and make it solid, you need to plan the levels and locations and also realize what is possible design,code and time wise.
That was my revelation, which i got mostly from experimenting with lite-c.
In conclusion i have learnt not to rush into a game and plan it out well, to always get criticism on your work (this will make your work and you a better and more knowledgeable person) and most importantly of all set realistic boundaries.
Thanks for reading
If you have anything to add please post below.
Thanks,
Blade
When i first got this game engine (trial) i was under the impression that to make a game all you need to do is make some nice looking levels. To achieve this i followed the Dan Silverman tutorial on how to make a level, then opened WED and started using blocks to make a level, this level looked ok (it wasn't that bad :S) but when it came to compiling it i had to leave my laptop on overnight and it took over 8 hours to compile a level of untextured blocks, some lights, the sun, a sky and a church made of blocks and textured.
At first i thought this was normal and how long games took to compile. Once i had done a few adjustments to the level and compiled and ran it, i saw it was quite plain but i didn't mind.
Shortly after my computer had some problems and i lost all my levels i had made, and for a while after that i didn't use the engine much.
Then when i read through the MED tutorial i wanted to make some models, so i made my first billboard. And i didn't think it then, but it looks awful it was very blocky and square and had some bad textures. It was also very high poly for what is was, although i didn't know this at the time.
Once i had thought i had the hang of making models in MED i decided to make my first game, so i started making a level , although i had a very vivid idea of what it would look like. And using the template scripts i made a very horrible attempt at a Stargate SG-1 level.
I was later advised to make a design document, and plan a game.
So i did and i planned "Underground", which some of you might remember. The plan was basically what would happen in the first two levels. Then i ran out of ideas, but i wanted to make what i planned.
I then planned the first level of the underground bunker, i had several hand drawn plans of the layout and one WED plan of it, where i laid out blocks where each room would be.
I then started creating the level, first off i made the hollow blocks for the rooms then i made the hollow blocks for the hallways, and using subtract created a network of rooms and tunnels.
This (to me) didn't look bad, but it was flawed. It was full of gaps, and would later cause problems.
I then started on the main room which i had a very vivid idea of what would be in it. This lead to problems such as trying to fill up a large room with only a few models.
The models themselves where flawed, they had poly's that could of been removed and most were open meshes causing shadow problems.
Once i had filled the room i added lights, at first very badly but with C&C from the forum they improved.
I soon realised that to make a game, even as a level designer (even more so a hobby one) you must be able to script to a degree.
I couldn't. Therefore i stuck by the template scripts for this.
With some help from the forum for a custom CCTV camera script.
I then stopped this level/game to work with spear in getting a team together for Draco Pangaia (previously named, Dragon Sword) which today is in development with a large team.
Since then i have just been improving my modeling and level design skills.
But not until recently did i comprehend the fact that making a game is not sitting down and just creating a nice looking level or character, or creating code that does cool effects. Yes that may work for more experienced game developers for small games.
But in fact creating a game involves a lot of planning, you need to plan the story and make it solid, you need to plan the levels and locations and also realize what is possible design,code and time wise.
That was my revelation, which i got mostly from experimenting with lite-c.
In conclusion i have learnt not to rush into a game and plan it out well, to always get criticism on your work (this will make your work and you a better and more knowledgeable person) and most importantly of all set realistic boundaries.
Thanks for reading
If you have anything to add please post below.
Thanks,
Blade
