Making a game - Worth the effort?

[ramon82]

Hi,

I was developing a game about a year ago but stopped. Now I am thinking of starting a new one. Is it worth it? I mean what is the ultimate satisfaction of taking up so much time. Will the AGS endure for long? will AGS awards count for developers outside UK/USA?

Its a very ambigous topic I started here but many people will wonder about it.

[Mr Jake]

its called a hobby......... And its not different to many other, why spend so much time playing football and training? for some medals which might get you into a better team which might get you molre medals?

Its just a hobby

[m0ds]

Developing games will help you get experience in game development. Which is good, if you want to become a game developer.

Simple logic!

[Bernie]

I find making games entertaining, that makes it worth the effort for me. As Hotspot said, it's a hobby.

You'll probably get some satisfaction out of it when your game is finished an people post comments about it, but that shouldn't really be the reason for making a game in the first place.

It should be fun, that's what games are all about. If it's not fun anymore, I stop. Isn't it like that with all hobbies?

[Ginny]

It's also a creative outlet for ideas and for whatever else you might be creative with. I like making games because it's good practicein the art of game making, but also because, sometimes, I have a story to tell, and cause I enjoy the process very much.

[Dart]

Creating a game is very useful because....

- it's a hobby that focuses on your creativity

- you will get a lot of satisfaction after finishing your project

- you can experience how much trouble a real game developer has to deal with (deadlines, frustration over plot/story/art/music)

- in the process, you get to learn more about scripting, creating backgrounds and fixing plot hole in your stories

- if you want to become a game developer, you could add to your resume that you've had experience in making a game (which will impress them quite a bit)

- you get to share your game to the public and entertain them (one of the major factors of people wanting to become game developers)

- you get to have fun

[DGMacphee]

You make games because you feel the need to make something creative. If you question if it's worth it, then you've got to ask yourself why you want to make a game in the first place.

As for the AGS Awards, they're open to anyone who makes a game. However, don't let that be your prime motivation for making a game.

[Dave Gilbert]

I once wrote an article about this for AG.Ã,  The link is HERE if you want to take a look.

[Kinoko]

Yep, you've gotta do it because you enjoy it, not so much for the finished product and the praise (if any). Up until this year, I was mad about art and making comics and had been for almost a decade. This year, I just got a little ... well, not tired of it but I lost the spark, and game making filled the hole NICELY. For the first time in a long time, I was finding it great fun to be obsessed with something, figuring out problems in scripts, designing cut scenes, touch ups... it was just exactly what I wanted to be doing at the time and I just got my second wind lately so I'm making another one.

If I tried to force myself to draw, it wouldn't come out so great because my heart wouldn't be in it. You have to do what you really have a drive to do. Don't worry about tying up loose ends and finishing old stories just for the sake of it. Do it because you have a real desire for it.

[Captain Mostly]

I found that making adventure games stopped giving me a hit after a while, as I didn't feel I'd really pushed myself creativly (After I did "The Surprising Chinchilla of Fate" I sort of didn't know where else I could go with the adventure format).

But then I made VPET 1 & 2 and found that programming something you didn't know how to program before is enormously satisfying. And now I've gone back to adventuregames to push myself to do something new and satisfying in that area (since people round here don't like non-adventures, so making them puzzle games is like giving meat to a vegetarian... D'oh!)

So perhaps the satisfaction in making a game isn't in just making one, but in surprising yourself by doing something harder than you expected you would be able to do? Then you get a sense of pleasure from making the game, even if then no-one likes it after all! (and they probably WILL like it, as when you push yourself, you'll make something really interesting!)

[Barbarian]

I once wrote an article about this for AG.Ã,  The link is HERE if you want to take a look.

Hey Dave, very nice article. I enjoyed reading it and some of the other articles over there.
Thanks for sharing.

[Mr_Threepwood]

I think its a great thing to do with friends, me and my friends are working on a game and weve got a good team, a programmer (me, but im new and learning), and artist, and a writer/ semiprogrammer.  Its fun to go over to their house and work on making a game, and it helps prepare for a future in programming.

[SSH]

I found making the Princess Marian games very rewarding becuase they were birthday/anniversary/etc. presents for my wife and she loved them, thus giving me lots of brownie points to use next time I forget to put the toilet seat down, etc. 

If what you make is appreciated, it is great. Of course, there's a balance between effort invested and the appreciation you might expect. Of course, if you are particualrly good at one area, try joining a team that's looking for help in that area. If your expertise is graphics, then help me!

Oh, and the AGS Awards are open to anyone, anywhere.

[DGMacphee]

I think the trick to holding interest it to push your own boundries and knowledge with AGS -- to keep experiementing, which is pretty much what Mostly said.

One of the things that kept me interested with Stickmen was the multi-character command. Maybe you should pick a certain unique feature (or features) of AGS and model a game around it (or them).

[Mr Flibble]

The point is, IMHO, as follows.

I wanted to make a game. I wanted to tell people this story, and adventure games are a wonderful media.

I procrastinated, but all I could think of was this game.

Thats what its about. The way some sporty person gets obsessed with their sport, programming gets into the blood.
I was playing FF7 yesterday, and all I could concentrate on was " How would I program_______?"

There is nothing quite like posting a demo, and having people say it's the best thing ever.

[m0ds]

If you make one game, then another, then another and another - you gain experience with AGS and game-making in general, and in theory each game will continue to get better and better.

Some people expect your first game to be pretty good too, tho

[Alynn]

There is nothing quite like posting a demo, and having people say it's the best thing ever.

Amen... I'm actually glad I got a really good response for Skytower Rescue, it made me want to finish it even more... and I will once I get back from Iraq. And many people were mad because they had to wait over a year for me to even get to working on it again...

But in the end, its all about what you want. I am not making my game because I want people to worship me as a game maker, I know it wont happen... But I'm doing it for me, I will pull no punches, because this is not only a game I want to make, its one I want to play.

In the end some will hate it, some will be OK with it, and some will enjoy it... Thats the nature of making something that you will share with others... In the end its not what THEY say about it, its what you believe about your work... even if you are proud of it, if it bombs in the community, its still something you can be proud of...

[CMonkey]

Making a game can be a very lonely process. And extremely hard to do part time, and even harder when you have a job and a house to worry about.

It's so hard to find good dedicated people (Haddas excepted). JAPNCA was completed mainly by myself, and partly with my brother while he was interested. But i would have loved a small local team of at least 3 people willing to see the game until completion.

Time is the major problem though. If you know you won't have enough time to properly dedicate to a game i would suggest not bothering as it will probably never be finished. I'd say you need at least 20 hours a week to keep breathing life into a game

I would recommend that if you're at uni or school (and don't have a job), then go for it. If you're working full time and are in a relationship, look at giving one of those up if you want to start, otherwise don't bother. Unless of course you have a partner that is also interested in creating games, in that case i hate you =0P.

Yet, it's great when you finally complete one and it turns out well. There's nothing like a "loved your game" email to get your spirits up.

[Chronos]

I have a full time job, a girlfriend and i can still find some time to work on a game..
This is like i've read in another post: "There's nothing a good cup of coffee can't solve".
Making a game is the funniest thing!It involves imagination,intelligence and art.
On top of that, it allows you to make people feel various emotions through the atmosphere of the plot,backgrounds and chars.
I'm quite confident i'll finish mine and hope you will too!