Help needed abt RTS game development
by Alo Chatterjee · in General Discussion · 02/03/2008 (3:01 pm) · 8 replies
Hello,
I dont know if this is the right forum to ask this but I need some information about RTS games development.
I want to get a RTS game developed along the lines of C&C:Red Alert.Can somebody give me an idea as to how much it will cost to get such a game developed?....and how long will it take?
some other specifics:
1) the game needs to have only multiplayer capability....no single player campaign required.
2) two factions with about 4-5 different units in each.
3) one resource type.
4) five terrain types: mountain, hill, water, forest, plains.
5) graphics and sound of the level of C&C: Red Alert.
I dont know if this is the right forum to ask this but I need some information about RTS games development.
I want to get a RTS game developed along the lines of C&C:Red Alert.Can somebody give me an idea as to how much it will cost to get such a game developed?....and how long will it take?
some other specifics:
1) the game needs to have only multiplayer capability....no single player campaign required.
2) two factions with about 4-5 different units in each.
3) one resource type.
4) five terrain types: mountain, hill, water, forest, plains.
5) graphics and sound of the level of C&C: Red Alert.
#2
yes i know it is very difficult to give an estimate without much information abt the game....but i am still working on the design doc....it should be ready in a week or so.
but i can answer some of the questions u asked:
- the game is going to be used for educational/training purposes and not for direct sales. so it doesn't need to have any cutting edge graphics or technology. just a bare bones RTS without any major bugs will do.
- the target audience is such that 95% of them will never have played an RTS before. so they wont have high expectations either.
- the time window for development is one year.
i know this kind of information is not enough but i am just looking for a ballpark figure for the costs involved.
02/04/2008 (2:18 am)
Hello novack,yes i know it is very difficult to give an estimate without much information abt the game....but i am still working on the design doc....it should be ready in a week or so.
but i can answer some of the questions u asked:
- the game is going to be used for educational/training purposes and not for direct sales. so it doesn't need to have any cutting edge graphics or technology. just a bare bones RTS without any major bugs will do.
- the target audience is such that 95% of them will never have played an RTS before. so they wont have high expectations either.
- the time window for development is one year.
i know this kind of information is not enough but i am just looking for a ballpark figure for the costs involved.
#3
Beeing a non-comercial product, has its pros and cons; you are in a good position if your game would not need much detail or polishing, but the game need developers anyway. Finish up your design doc, and try to expose some extra info here, so people with more experience than me, could help you, with more precise information about money and people recruiting.
02/04/2008 (10:08 am)
Alo, what you tell me confirm the idea of getting the RTS Starter Kit. Beyond the licences costos, though, my powers cannot see ;)Beeing a non-comercial product, has its pros and cons; you are in a good position if your game would not need much detail or polishing, but the game need developers anyway. Finish up your design doc, and try to expose some extra info here, so people with more experience than me, could help you, with more precise information about money and people recruiting.
#4
Design (drawing) + Modeling + rigging + texturing + animation = 1 unit type
Okay, now lets throw some numbers at it:
2 hr + 8 hrs + 6 hrs + 6 hrs + 6 hrs = 28 hrs
Let's add a 15% FUF = 4 hrs
Your artist works for say $20* an hour, so 32hrs = $640.00 per unit.
So 5 units would cost you around $3200.00
To save cost, you could simply reuse the above units but apply a different texture map which will only cost you an additional $600.00
*Prices may vary. Please consult a doctor to see if "pie in the sky" is right for you. If you experience nausea, headaches or an urge to take on MMO production, discontinue use.
02/04/2008 (12:02 pm)
Well, let's start with the units first, assuming a single textured 600 polygon unit with the four basic animations and basic code implementation.Design (drawing) + Modeling + rigging + texturing + animation = 1 unit type
Okay, now lets throw some numbers at it:
2 hr + 8 hrs + 6 hrs + 6 hrs + 6 hrs = 28 hrs
Let's add a 15% FUF = 4 hrs
Your artist works for say $20* an hour, so 32hrs = $640.00 per unit.
So 5 units would cost you around $3200.00
To save cost, you could simply reuse the above units but apply a different texture map which will only cost you an additional $600.00
*Prices may vary. Please consult a doctor to see if "pie in the sky" is right for you. If you experience nausea, headaches or an urge to take on MMO production, discontinue use.
#5
i mean i have come across many sites on the internet which have tons of free textured models ready for use.
02/06/2008 (3:05 am)
James, is it really necessary to create models from scratch? i mean i have come across many sites on the internet which have tons of free textured models ready for use.
#6
02/06/2008 (7:10 am)
It depends on the license of those models, their format, and a slew of other issues. You can definitely use them, should those factors match up. Places like Lowpoly Coop are great, too.
#7
Then, you could add and apply that, to what you have in mind (like for example the use of pre-made models), coz in the end, the real matter is: no one can knows exactly what do you have in mind.
02/06/2008 (8:29 am)
I think the point of the James post is beyond the costs of the models, and shows how you could make money estimations for your project, by making task divisions, and simple calculations.Then, you could add and apply that, to what you have in mind (like for example the use of pre-made models), coz in the end, the real matter is: no one can knows exactly what do you have in mind.
#8
I would have to say your best bet is to spend the money on TGE and get the RTS Starter Kit. You'll have units and the ability to have multiplayer right out of the box. It comes with 3 different types of units and a building. There are additional assets available for free on TDN... which reminds me, I should finish off the animations for the Peon...
02/06/2008 (10:12 am)
Well you see right there Alo, it's hard to give you an idea of what's involved either time or cost wise. That little detail of "We'll use existing assets" changes how you would estimate your time and budget.I would have to say your best bet is to spend the money on TGE and get the RTS Starter Kit. You'll have units and the ability to have multiplayer right out of the box. It comes with 3 different types of units and a building. There are additional assets available for free on TDN... which reminds me, I should finish off the animations for the Peon...
Torque 3D Owner Novack
CyberianSoftware
You should analize the scope of the project, the target audience or market niche, the time window you have to produce and develop it... the kind of approach to the project is also important, would it be an indie project? With the proper planing you even could make a game for almost nothing, but sacrificing some aspects.
Now that you are here though, you should take a look to the RTS Starter Kit, which is a set of modifications to the Torque Game Engine, for development of RTS games. Is a wonderful tool, some of us are using it; graphically is beyond C&C:Red Alert though, TGE is a 3D engine.
You can get Torque Game Builder if you want something 2D.