I worked a year contract creating a game in Unity and became pretty comfortable with the engine. I've decided to use what I've learned to create an android game. I will create posts to chronicle development of the game.
Technical Considerations
Why Unity?
It's extremely easy to create modular functionality and development tools in Unity. It's crazy just how easy it is to make interesting things with it especially if you have a comfortable working knowledge of coding and linear algebra. At some point in my life I'd like to put together tutorials for each of those things and I'll probably use Unity to create them. For now though I'll just be creating a game.
Why Android?
As a dude in his late 20s with the disposition of a 70 year old curmudgeon I held out on upgrading to a smart phone until this year. Since I've finally upgraded I noticed an opportunity. A game that can run on a smart phone is extremely easy to share with people and show off some of the things I've learned. I chose Android because it seems more development friendly than the Iphone. Also I just don't want an Iphone.
Design Considerations
Why pursue this concept over others I want to create?
There's many other games I'd like to create but there's a few factors that put this game concept above the others. The primary reasons for me are the platform, scope, and scaleability of the project. Also because of that I'm alright with implementing my non-professional artistic "talents" to create assets.
The Platform
I want to create something for Android phones and my other ideas do not fir the platform as well as this concept.
Narrow Scope
Other games I want to create are much more ambitious, and as a solo developer I would have to make concessions I'd rather not make to their designs in order to create something in a timely manner.
Scaleability
This game is also significantly more scaleable than other game concepts I've come up with. The game can be considered complete if I complete 4 or 400 different characters, effects, and bosses. What needs to be completed to be considered a minimum viable product for this game is considerably easier to achieve than my other potential game projects. It will also be much easier to expand upon from a design and technical perspective.
Art Assets
Since I'm less invested in the project looking perfect I'm alright with creating art assets myself. Despite being a programmer I quite enjoy drawing doodles and creating visual effects. By doing the artwork myself I get to tickle the creative side of my brain which can be a pleasant break from programming tasks.
Check the following post for an overview of the initial design for my game Cluster Luck Assault.
What are some of the other game ideas that you mentioned?
ReplyDeleteI really should get around to writing a design doc for them. Too much to explain here but I can give you one example.
DeleteAt some point I'd like to make a JRPG that experiments with non-linear character progression western RPG elements.
By non-linear character progression I mean avoiding "leveling up" causing a flat upgrade to character stats like hit points/damage/etc. and instead increasing combat options like additional skills to use.
By western RPG elements I'm referring to how the original Dragon Age allows the player to select different backgrounds for their character and having some NPCs react differently depending on those backgrounds. Even if it's just a single altered line of dialogue this can greatly increase the apparent weight of the player's decisions.
I've got more figured out than what I've explained here but there's still a lot of work to be done in just the design phase. It's a bit over-ambitious so I'm going to put it on the back-burner until I can get a few more commercially released games under my belt.