The artwork rocks. But just a little point - it wouldn't hurt to make the background images a bit wider (maybe 2048, just blank area). I use a fairly high resolution, and they tile at the right edge. I don't think it would increase the file size dramatically.
Edited by - zephyr on October 3, 2000 10:50:29 PM
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Landfish.com
Landfish : Just a quick question, take it at face value and don''t read too much into it. It''s just a thought that came across my mind while reading through this thread. Do you ever get tired of people telling you what you can''t do?
quote: Original post by felonius
Stay focused. Work on one title only. Ditch the others.
Now, if I as a writer were to follow that policy I would never be ready to start a new project when I finished the previous one. I have a novel in progress, 2 unrelated short stories in progress, vague outlines for 2 more novels, and a bunch of random ideas that will eventually get incorporated into something. I get the most work done overall by working on whichever project I''m in the mood for just then. In most creative processes there comes a time when you''re stuck for inspiration and you just need to put that idea away for a while so your subconscious can work on it. But meanwhile you need to do something else so you''re not wasting your time.
That''s a good point s&s. Coming up w/ ideas for several different projects is different than actually implementing them. I don''t think it should hurt to at least think about a few different projects. Trying to actually develop several projects at a time is crazy of course.
"'Nazrix is cool' -- Nazrix" --Darkmage --Godfree
"'Nazrix is cool' -- Nazrix" --Darkmage --Godfree
quote: Original post by sunandshadow
Now, if I as a writer were to follow that policy I would never be ready to start a new project when I finished the previous one. I have a novel in progress, 2 unrelated short stories in progress, vague outlines for 2 more novels, and a bunch of random ideas that will eventually get incorporated into something. I get the most work done overall by working on whichever project I'm in the mood for just then. In most creative processes there comes a time when you're stuck for inspiration and you just need to put that idea away for a while so your subconscious can work on it. But meanwhile you need to do something else so you're not wasting your time.
Well, if you never complete any of your many projects you might say that you have wasted all your time all along. Want counts in the real world is what you *complete*. One completed project is worth more than 10 uncompleted ones - except of course that you might have learnt something in the process.
I don't know if writing novels and computer games really compare. A computer game takes 20+ man years while a novel at Steven King writing rates takes much less than one man year to do - and the smaller the project the bigger the chances of completion.
Furthermore, novels don't have the risk of becoming outdated as computer games does, so you can't let a game wait too long before it doesn't really matter anymore whether its done or not.
So I will repeat: Stay focused or fail. I really mean it. Don't even think about other game project before you are at least half way through with the first one. You should focus on adding quality and content to the first one not to future ones that might never be.
I have been part of several project myself that failed for various reasons including:
* Being too ambitious, so it took to long and people lost interest.
* Being to unfocused; different people wanted the game to go in different directions.
* Taking too long, so it was outdated before its planned release.
Of course, these problems are a lot less if people on the project actually get paid money while they work. That can really help motivation and the chance of getting done.
Jacob Marner
Edited by - felonius on October 3, 2000 11:21:33 PM
Author
Fer: I know the mistake you THINK I''m making, and I assure you, I am not making it. You''re confusing the creative and the developmental processes. The creative process is a helter-skelter one, it goes where it pleases, as S&S describes.
The DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, of actual coding and art and design and music, is straightforward. I would never think to have two projects in the works at the same time, but it''s always good to THINK about where you might go next. In the text that I will put up on the porjects page, I will stress the word tenative.
But the fact is, when you''re dealing with a whole creative team, sometimes you have to just let the ideas fly, and file them away for a later date. That''s what I''m doing. DEVELOPING Multiple projects at the same time would be suicide, and I know it.
Graylien: You should have seen the original design for the site. It was a parody, Bad idea. All we ever did was tell people what we weren''t going to do and we did so in a biting, sarcastic tone. It got to so much that we scrapped it. Good thing, too.
But at the same time, much of what I want to do in games is a result of what I don''t want to do, so I don''t think mine is a completely horrible stance to take. I speak of revolution, and you can''t revolt without something to revolt against, right?
Though I really appreciate all the input, I''d like to keep it to the nature and writing of the website, not the nature of my team. I''m intimately familiar with the small likelyhood of my success in this venture, and that is one of my driving inspirations. Telling me it won''t work won''t help, ''cause I know that already.
Stick to criticism of the site itself, please...
The DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, of actual coding and art and design and music, is straightforward. I would never think to have two projects in the works at the same time, but it''s always good to THINK about where you might go next. In the text that I will put up on the porjects page, I will stress the word tenative.
But the fact is, when you''re dealing with a whole creative team, sometimes you have to just let the ideas fly, and file them away for a later date. That''s what I''m doing. DEVELOPING Multiple projects at the same time would be suicide, and I know it.
Graylien: You should have seen the original design for the site. It was a parody, Bad idea. All we ever did was tell people what we weren''t going to do and we did so in a biting, sarcastic tone. It got to so much that we scrapped it. Good thing, too.
But at the same time, much of what I want to do in games is a result of what I don''t want to do, so I don''t think mine is a completely horrible stance to take. I speak of revolution, and you can''t revolt without something to revolt against, right?
Though I really appreciate all the input, I''d like to keep it to the nature and writing of the website, not the nature of my team. I''m intimately familiar with the small likelyhood of my success in this venture, and that is one of my driving inspirations. Telling me it won''t work won''t help, ''cause I know that already.
Stick to criticism of the site itself, please...
Landfish, one thing I think that needs to be determined:
What is the main purpose of landfish.com. Is it mostly to document your projects and views about the game industry and how Landfish is going to be different, or is it more to attract potential people to help fund Landfish''s projects?
Because I think our opinion of the website has much to do w/ the intentions of it. Personally, I''m unsure of your intentions.
"'Nazrix is cool' -- Nazrix" --Darkmage --Godfree
What is the main purpose of landfish.com. Is it mostly to document your projects and views about the game industry and how Landfish is going to be different, or is it more to attract potential people to help fund Landfish''s projects?
Because I think our opinion of the website has much to do w/ the intentions of it. Personally, I''m unsure of your intentions.
"'Nazrix is cool' -- Nazrix" --Darkmage --Godfree
quote: Original post by Landfish
The DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, of actual coding and art and design and music, is straightforward.
PLEASE! Now you are really underestimating every one else''s work. Coding, art, design and music is NOT straightforward. First it is very complex and second it is not something that can be done from the beginning to the end without reiterating underway.
A game is not "done" when ideas have been laid out. It is here the fun ends and the real work begins. If you just want the fun part then you should write books, not games.
If I was you I would read some books on Software engineering, the subject on how to manage a software team/project and making it succeed in the end. This is no simple task and as a writer you do not have the qualifications to do so, namely because you do not have the proper training.
I am myself a programmer/designer (not a writer) and I think you should not underestimate the technical complexities inherit in building commercial class games.
quote:
Fer: I know the mistake you THINK I''m making, and I assure you, I am not making it. You''re confusing the creative and the developmental processes. The creative process is a helter-skelter one, it goes where it pleases, as S&S describes.
I would never think to have two projects in the works at the same time, but it''s always good to THINK about where you might go next. In the text that I will put up on the porjects page, I will stress the word tenative.
But the fact is, when you''re dealing with a whole creative team, sometimes you have to just let the ideas fly, and file them away for a later date.
I am not confusing anything. I am even saying you should not THINK about other games once you start working on one. If you can''t keep your minds focused on getting the all your creative ideas into one game then maybe that game isn''t going to be that good after all. You should use all you energy on making that single game the highest quality possible. What happens in two or three years when the your first game is complete nhobody knows. That is a long time from now and the needs in the computer industry may have changed in the meantime. Do only one thing, but do it good. Do waste time in the meantime discussing ideas that won''t be realized in a long time. It is really a waste of time - except of course that you may learn from it.
All this of course assumes that you intend on making a commercial class game. If not, I you all are just doing it for fun and can keep your ambitions down then the work needed to write and develop the game is much less and might succeed.
Jacob Marner
From the Theory of Constraints, one of the most influential management techniques of the moment, there is one item of paramount importance in running ANY kind of project:
If you are working on more than one project at a time, with the same team, you no longer have clarity of goal. Your people cannot be focused, and cannot be sure what is important in the organisation. ( Do we have to do this brainstorming right, or do we have to finish that other game? )
Commit to ONE of those, all through the process there will be plenty of opportunity and necessity to do further creative brainstorming WITHIN THE SAME PROJECT. It is only when part of your team will no longer have to contribute anything to a particular project that they can move on to another.
People might not remember what you said, or what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
~ (V)^|) |<é!t|-| ~
Clarity of Goal
If you are working on more than one project at a time, with the same team, you no longer have clarity of goal. Your people cannot be focused, and cannot be sure what is important in the organisation. ( Do we have to do this brainstorming right, or do we have to finish that other game? )
Commit to ONE of those, all through the process there will be plenty of opportunity and necessity to do further creative brainstorming WITHIN THE SAME PROJECT. It is only when part of your team will no longer have to contribute anything to a particular project that they can move on to another.
People might not remember what you said, or what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
~ (V)^|) |<é!t|-| ~
MadKeithV,
I agree totally.
I think a general problem with new development teams is that the leader/coordinater often do not have a proper background in management and therefore do not have the knowledge and compentance to complete the project satifactory and on schedule.
I do not have this kind of training myself, so I stay away from management. One should only do what one is good (or even trained) at, but having a bit of knowledge in the other areas is also good.
Jacob Marner
Edited by - felonius on October 4, 2000 9:36:14 AM
I agree totally.
I think a general problem with new development teams is that the leader/coordinater often do not have a proper background in management and therefore do not have the knowledge and compentance to complete the project satifactory and on schedule.
I do not have this kind of training myself, so I stay away from management. One should only do what one is good (or even trained) at, but having a bit of knowledge in the other areas is also good.
Jacob Marner
Edited by - felonius on October 4, 2000 9:36:14 AM
This topic is closed to new replies.
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