Advice sought on stalled project

Newbie & Debugging Questions
#1

Hello,

After graduating from computing conversion course (in which we got a grounding in Java and a few simple games) I decided to have a go at making a proper game. I decided not to make the usual mistake and go for a huge project, so I decided on a 2D tactical combat game with a base management layer and RPG style levelling…

4 months later, I’ve built a prototype that is functionally almost complete.

The problem is the visual implementation, especially of the turn based combat segment. It’s awful. That’s because my knowledge of graphics in java is awful. I’ve been stalled for a week now, trying to build some basic animation testers.

Now for the questions:

  1. Can a game of commercial quality be made in a swing frame set to full screen? (i.e. something that could be sold on Steam) Or do I need to use FSEM? Or should I add some libraries (another topic I know little about). The base management layer is heavily reliant on frames.

  2. How many months learning will it take to get a basic grasp on animation? Assume I’m pretty much starting at 0.

  3. Are there any different technologies (i.e. game engines) I could move to that would greatly simplify animation?

  4. Would teaming up with another enthusiast who has a grasp on graphics be a good idea? What are the downsides?

  5. Should I backtrack and work through some tutorials on making simpler games, and then return to my main project?

Thanks for reading. Any advice would be seriously appreciated.

#2

Write the game for yourself to enjoy first, not for the purpose of selling.

#3

  1. I believe, yes. I never sold something though, and I’m happy enough if I get a few people to actually look at my projects. But still, I don’t see a technical restriction in the Swing toolkit that would prevent you from making a professionally looking game; it might just be a question of effort.

  2. It depends. A lot. If you have a natural talent on understanding how things move, and some talent in painting, you surely can learn it in a few weeks. Otherwise I’d recommend a few months of practising, of course you’ll need books or tutorials which teach you the basics of anatomy and kinetics.

  3. I have no idea. Either I use 3D tools to render my animations, or pixel them frame by frame. Neither approach is very quick.

  4. Yes for sure. Downside? You’ll need to communicate, find agreements, and have discussions. It’s slower than doing everything yourself, but will result in better quality. A 2 person team has little communication overhead, but it already exists.

  5. Hard to tell. To make a game you need:

a) Game design skills (how to make it interesting/fun?)
b) Coding skills (actually bring it alive)
c) Graphics skills (make it look good)
d) Sound/music skills (set mood and atmosphere, give feedback to the player)
e) Storytelling skills (keep the player interested)

… at least. If you lack some of them you can still make games, but it will be more difficult and most liklely players will feel that something is lacking.

#4

The problem is most people only can do 1 or 2 things from this list, i guess this would be the main reason to team up with other people.
No one can be good at all these aspects.

#5

Thanks for the advice. Some good points made. Should be able to handle the game design, coding (if I can figure out basic animation), and story telling myself. The intention from the start has been to get allies to help on the graphics and sound. Have no aptitude for either of those.

Thanks again

#6

its hella difficult to get your game on steam now, thanks to greenlight :persecutioncomplex: