AGS group projects

[GreenBoy]

It's definitely possible but constant communication is the key, as well as strong leadership of course.  Without someone who provides direction for the team the project is doomed to failure.

I've been involved with a couple so far.  First one was Monk game, like the TV series, which didn't last very long at all.  We had some trouble finding a background artist from memory and it went stale really quickly.  Funny how one person can make such a big difference especially in regard to the art side of the game, if someone leaves halfway through a game it can be so difficult to replace them that it's easier to just drop the whole thing altogether.

The second group project is the one I'm on now, it's a Indiana Jones fan game "Indiana Jones and the Seven Cities of Gold".  Seems like this one may last the distance, I hope it does any way.  There's a good group of people involved and things seem to be progressing well.

I also agree of the benefits of being able to punch people   

[Danman]

One thing I never do is quit doing a project in till it is done. The Indy game looks like we will make it hey green boy. All I know is I started 3 games in my life I have completed or will definitely complete them even if they suck.

I think it is hard for some people to do games when you got work, School and whatever else. Life is always very busy.
Also I think some people don't commit themselves to a project at the right times. This is just what I have seen so far.

[m0ds]

I think it depends how you view your hobby, or desire for career in games making. Also your internet useage & happiness to stick with AGS. Especially if you plan to join or moreso start a group project. A lot of people come here to casually make games for fun so it seems strange when deadlines or games not coming out then starts to bug them. But we're all used to it, and guilty of it. Where's Run Hot?? Sphinx looks like it could work, still - as it just seems to be helping out how you can and adding to it if you want, rather than set team members and stuff. It looks very promissing!

This subject always draws on FoY for comparisons but I guess that's because it's a known team project that's "taken ages". But seriously, in what it is for those of us making it - that's still quite a short time. I mean, year in year out where possible some of us meet up, and hopefully all of us in the future, it's a bonding process. It's also become a bit of an institution these days, and there's nowt wrong with that! The team trust each other now, everyone has a role and they're good at it - but why do you think things like Gods of AGS or some other big projects like AFA FOA2 struggle? They change and swap their team and members around or various team members just dissapear. I've selected people for a project I know will take a while but I trust these people are actually in this for the long run, not just a year, a month or a week to produce a few bits of animation and dissapear. Because that happens! A lot. And as a team leader I feel you need a balance of telling people what to do, letting them get on with it but also not interfering (cos its a hobby) with their personal lives. People have to live them, and it's just not right to think people will put a game first before their life.

Finding dedicated people to work on a large scale project is not a walk in the park, unless of course - you're willing to give it some years to blossom. I'd imagine a larger project could be done in a years time with a large, strong team. But would there be consistency? I don't know. I'm yet to see it happen in the AGS community. I would have said Resonance but even that has funding now I'd say start early, get your ambitious team project going, even if it's doomed to fail. In the meantime you do other things and this will only reflect on you later.

For example, I started Kinky Island in 2001 or 02. Now I could have focussed on just getting that game out and not on anything else but I didn't, mostly cos it was again a process of finding team members. So, between 02 and 06 I did other things, then came back to it, did a little more and made a newish demo at not much extra effort at all really but then new talent wanted to join the team. If I'd have gone for it in 02, it would've been a shit game. It would've lacked in 06 too. We're in 10 now and again there are team changes but the game that would be produced now would be 100 times better than anything in 2002! But Im more fussy about making a decent game, rather than how long the game itself has been in public domain - which I know is a biggie for some developers. And in the meantime I've built my name up in music, made stupid online movies and done all sorts of stuff that proves to people there is a willingness - even if shit at leading a team If there's one thing AGS has taught me, time strengthens projects, in a nice way!

All I can say is that FoY's early team hit a production standard of about 40%. Now 9 years later what I'm seeing is a game that doesn't just give FoA a run for its money, it gives several modern 3D games a run for their money. A highly dangerous quote perhaps but seriously - I have never seen AGS do such wonderful things! Ahhh!! Over the next couple of years is the real challenge to see if it can go from strength to strength and materialise beyond an intro. For the love of freeware if it does then I can only say just wait and see it and you'll realise why it took longer than expected *ahem* ! And if the project really does come to a halt early in its production, at the current level - it would still be a viable product to propose to LEC themselves. And then team issues would dissapear, because everyone would be paid. You'd have to buy the game, but it would at least mean the game is available Though as miez says at the moment no, we want it to be free and keep full creative control - whilst doing the Indy franchise good justice.

All this can happen at the other end of the scale though, it really does depend on your ambitions. Kinky Island has a team of....2....but that simply cannot be made at the moment. It's also very ambitious in terms of animation and this is where a lot of problems can lie. Large team projects usually require large amounts of animation and still even in a community like this it can be a struggle to find them, especially if you're just starting out or you're "unknown" as it were. But on the other hand, look at some of the developers - they are obviously looking outside the community for artists and animators and it's really paying off.

[SinSin]

Mods for prime minister 

[m0ds]

Edutainment, edutainment, edutainment! 

[abstauber]

That was really insightful. Though I find it problematic to always be pushy and naggy as a team leader. Since the member it's a hobby for all of us and everyone is investing spare time.
Though I think I let go of the vision aspect too much - 'hope I can fix it until even more Bens are leaving me

(of course I need to hire a few Bens for that to happen... )