Getting Started on a Budget
by Joar Nessosin · in General Discussion · 08/01/2005 (11:10 am) · 8 replies
Is it possible to get started on independent game development, without having a lot of money available? I'm guessing Torque is the cheapest available option, but which tools are necessary for someone that doesn't have a lot of talent in coding or designing content?
I consider myself something of an idea man, but ideas only go so far... I can't do anything alone and I don't want a team to rely on me, should I not live up to expectations. That said, what would it take, bare minimum, to get the right tools to do the job solo?
(The game ideas in question range from RTS to FPS, so I would like to be prepared to deal in both, if that makes any difference in the final price.)
Also, I have a bad habit of bailing out when the going gets rough. Are there any success stories out there from people impressed by the tools provided by Garage Games?
I consider myself something of an idea man, but ideas only go so far... I can't do anything alone and I don't want a team to rely on me, should I not live up to expectations. That said, what would it take, bare minimum, to get the right tools to do the job solo?
(The game ideas in question range from RTS to FPS, so I would like to be prepared to deal in both, if that makes any difference in the final price.)
Also, I have a bad habit of bailing out when the going gets rough. Are there any success stories out there from people impressed by the tools provided by Garage Games?
About the author
#2
08/01/2005 (11:28 am)
You could use Torque Build Enviroment (TBE) instead of VC++, It uses Eclipse for an IDE. Blender for 3D modelling. Spend the money and get Cartography Shop for dif's. Torsion for scripting.
#3
08/01/2005 (11:42 am)
And you can also use blender3d instead of MS3D, I like it better anyway. Plus, it's free too. 
#4
www.gamedev.net/reference/business/features/gameinaweek/. The idea was to start from SCRATCH, with no budget whatsoever other than a computer, an Internet connection, and an install of Windows (That's a couple grand already, admittedly). I only spent 40 hours on it (one work week), but I do have links there for some of the resources (all free / open-source) for a 2D game.
You are right about the limitations to being an "Idea Man." Ideas are still about a dime a dozen, and HUNDREDS of ideas will be going into a single, small game (most are discarded). It's all about implementation and details.
I'm a programmer by trade, and got started in my career doing game programming for Playstation, PC, and Sega Dreamcast games. Since becoming an indie, I've really had to stretch myself and become a jack-of-all-trades (I'm still working on stretching. My artistic skills are still not much beyond what I had when I was six years old). I started my first indie game without much of a clue. I started it solo, but after a certain point I managed to find help from very skilled friends and contacts (one of whom I came into contact with via the GarageGames boards). The game was released, so that's a success story on it's own, but I didn't use Torque.
I'm using Torque now. It's not easy AT ALL, but it's less of a pain than maintaining your own engine with nearly that level of functionality.
So what's it take? Well, first of all, you have to lose that bad habit of yours. Creating games is an insanely difficult creative endeavor, and the reward is generally pretty small. MOST of the new developers bail at around the 20% stage, where their game becomes a working tech demo. You have to be pretty determined to make it happen, or it won't.
Right now the biggest success stories are with Torque 2D. It seems to be the easiest tool for a lot of people to get started on, and it requires the least technical expertise to get started.
As for budget tools: Blender 3D, The GiMP, and QuArK provide you with some reasonably decent functionality for FREE. They aren't great, but they are usable, functional, reasonably well-featured, and FREE. Torque is a really solid (and unbelievably cheap) foundation to build on.
08/01/2005 (12:34 pm)
I had an article about this a little while ago:www.gamedev.net/reference/business/features/gameinaweek/. The idea was to start from SCRATCH, with no budget whatsoever other than a computer, an Internet connection, and an install of Windows (That's a couple grand already, admittedly). I only spent 40 hours on it (one work week), but I do have links there for some of the resources (all free / open-source) for a 2D game.
You are right about the limitations to being an "Idea Man." Ideas are still about a dime a dozen, and HUNDREDS of ideas will be going into a single, small game (most are discarded). It's all about implementation and details.
I'm a programmer by trade, and got started in my career doing game programming for Playstation, PC, and Sega Dreamcast games. Since becoming an indie, I've really had to stretch myself and become a jack-of-all-trades (I'm still working on stretching. My artistic skills are still not much beyond what I had when I was six years old). I started my first indie game without much of a clue. I started it solo, but after a certain point I managed to find help from very skilled friends and contacts (one of whom I came into contact with via the GarageGames boards). The game was released, so that's a success story on it's own, but I didn't use Torque.
I'm using Torque now. It's not easy AT ALL, but it's less of a pain than maintaining your own engine with nearly that level of functionality.
So what's it take? Well, first of all, you have to lose that bad habit of yours. Creating games is an insanely difficult creative endeavor, and the reward is generally pretty small. MOST of the new developers bail at around the 20% stage, where their game becomes a working tech demo. You have to be pretty determined to make it happen, or it won't.
Right now the biggest success stories are with Torque 2D. It seems to be the easiest tool for a lot of people to get started on, and it requires the least technical expertise to get started.
As for budget tools: Blender 3D, The GiMP, and QuArK provide you with some reasonably decent functionality for FREE. They aren't great, but they are usable, functional, reasonably well-featured, and FREE. Torque is a really solid (and unbelievably cheap) foundation to build on.
#5
08/01/2005 (4:51 pm)
Torque is much less intimidating if there's no constraint on time. It takes a long while for Torque's make up and script to sink in. Diligence and commitment is the key. If a person is willing to commit, Torque very well can be the golden ticket in games, simulators, and educational programs.
#6
The compiler(g++) is free.
The os is free.
Torque is nearly free ( 100.00 - it's almost stealing ).
blender3d for 3d objects is free.
Gimp for painting textures is free.
# another idea if u can't get the hang of blender: have one of your rich friends run quark( to make structures/interiors) and milkshape($20) on windows.
3D Game Programming All in One" book on using torque(script) is $30 used from amazon.
My expenses so far = $130.00
Use the Script, luke...
08/02/2005 (2:14 pm)
If you are on a budget, then linux is your master.The compiler(g++) is free.
The os is free.
Torque is nearly free ( 100.00 - it's almost stealing ).
blender3d for 3d objects is free.
Gimp for painting textures is free.
# another idea if u can't get the hang of blender: have one of your rich friends run quark( to make structures/interiors) and milkshape($20) on windows.
3D Game Programming All in One" book on using torque(script) is $30 used from amazon.
My expenses so far = $130.00
Use the Script, luke...
#7
There is a free compiler based on G++ called MinGW (and there are others too). One IDE that I have used for it (also free) is Dev-C++
Torque is the same price
Blender3D is free for windows also
Gimp is free for windows also
And you don't have to learn a new operating system.
In other words, if you are on a budget, windows and linux are equivalent masters, so long as you already own a windows PC :)
Also, if you prefer Illustrator over Photoshop, instead of GIMP you could try Microsoft Acrylic (which is currently free, but may cost later down the road... not sure, still in beta).
08/02/2005 (2:39 pm)
Or if you already have windows:There is a free compiler based on G++ called MinGW (and there are others too). One IDE that I have used for it (also free) is Dev-C++
Torque is the same price
Blender3D is free for windows also
Gimp is free for windows also
And you don't have to learn a new operating system.
In other words, if you are on a budget, windows and linux are equivalent masters, so long as you already own a windows PC :)
Also, if you prefer Illustrator over Photoshop, instead of GIMP you could try Microsoft Acrylic (which is currently free, but may cost later down the road... not sure, still in beta).
#8
I'm not sure if all my talk will ever amount to anything, as I seem to always be busy lately, but it's good to know my options.
08/03/2005 (11:32 am)
I'd like to take a moment to thank those who replied. :DI'm not sure if all my talk will ever amount to anything, as I seem to always be busy lately, but it's good to know my options.
Torque Owner Matthew Livingstone
Hope this helps.