Starcraft-esque RPG/MMORPG

Business and Project Management Discussions Community & Volunteer Projects
#1

Hi:
I’m a high school junior, with moderate free time on my hands. I was wanting to make a futuristic RPG/MMORPG. I still haven’t decided between an RPG and an MMORPG because none of my schoolmates are willing to devote the time.

As far as plotline, I still don’t know. But, this will be a mainly mechanical kind of game (e.g., mechs, futuristic terminology).

I have the general framework laid out already (obviously, I’m open to changes). I also have a chart of character classes.

I code Java decently (three years of classes in high school), but don’t understand/know much Graphics stuff, or networking, for that matter.

This idea, if it flies, with any dedicated programmers here, will be my first “big” programming project, aside from Breakout (a school assignment).

Any takers/ideas/whatever?

Sarvesh Ramprakash

#2

Just a small advice. Try to get one thing at a time. Don’t create graphical, networked, multi-genre game as a first project. Start with one of these elements, at build on top of experience. If you want to start with ‘graphical’, try to create some kind of 1 person arcade game. If you want ‘networked’, probably chat server with multiple rooms/etc is ok. For RPG, create something with most basic graphics (non-animated tiles, using one of tile libraries available on the net) for 1 person (rogue/nethack/etc comes to mind).

I know that this is not as sexy as creating Fallout meets Everquest MMORGP, but there is a chance that you will finish small project - and with that you can start to move further.

#3

No. Be ambitious and go for it. If you keep yourself to making little games you will only gain a little knowledge. Besides you are in high school and have 3 years of java experience, then you already have some good experience.

You guys over-analyse things too much. Heres an experienced programmer wanting to do a game, if you have some free time join the project. So what about if you screw up ? Then at least you have had a valuable experience that no theory book can provide you.

Check out my thread here for some ideas about a plot. Ignore the nay-sayers and pessimists :wink: and take only the info you find useful.

http://192.18.37.44/forums/index.php?topic=8373.0

As for my part im in the middle of exams so my free time is zero.

#4

I think the key in this is balance. You want to take things one step at a time, but still make the project as fully featured as you want them. My games get developed because I have a visual idea in my head of what comes next. I start where I need to start, and progress where I need to progress. You can make a huge game, but don’t expect it to take the time of a little game. Develop it in intelligent stages. My main point being: don’t try to do everything at once or you’ll get exhausted and overwhelmed. Don’t get frustrated when you don’t understand things. Take a step back, learn what you need to know. Don’t kid yourself into thinking something is easy when it’s not and you won’t get frustrated. Good luck!

#5

What kind of projects do people have to post here so that they can be considered feasable ? A pockemon game ? A pong game ? A mmorpg for kids ? What do you see in an ambitious game proposition that would make you think the project was feasable ? Probably just the fact someone would post it in this forum would make it immideatly an unfeasable project. Perhaps thats why we don’t see so much people around here.

#6

So, what you’re saying is we as a community should endevour to give bad advice to encourage more people to come here?

I’m all for being positive and encouraging people, but just saying yeah, just go for it! isn’t exactly useful. The other responses here haven’t been “don’t do it”, just to pace yourself carefully… take things in stages. Nothing discouraging about that.

Kev

#7

I agree with zingbat. Go for it, but keep in mind that it’s a very big project.

If you want to be sure you’re going to finish it, it might be a good idea to start with something smaller, but if that’s not your primary concern, go for the Big Visions and the Grand Schemes.

Sure, you’ll probably not be able to finish it, but what if you do? =)

#8

I don’t think we should judge people who are proposing volunter projects. I think people in these threads should discuss project details and try to be constructive. I could understand there is a reason for this in Project Proposals but not in volunteer projects.

Besides there is good reasons to take risks, one is to push your own limits. You can’t push your limits by doing uninteresting simple games. You need to take risks, fail and try it again. This is the only way to get the necessary insight to do a really good game. If you want to do a really good game you will have to dig a lot and eat a lot dirt for it. Thats when you can show people something unique and original.

#9

I seldom finish my wilder grand schemes, but always learn lots. Provided it’s the journey thats important, rather than the end product then that’s fine. After a few false starts, one gains enough knowledge to achieve what previously was out of reach.

To me, the multiplayer networking bit looks hardest (because I don’t know how to do it). This needs time-synching, throttling of data to go through 56k pipes (assuming not all players on broadband) and handling of latency - missed shots, two players try to grab the same bit of treasure & the like. Then there’s the server. Would this be a C program on a dedicated server? Maybe a Java servlet?

Bear in mind that unless you turn out a real gem, it might be difficult to get enough folks to play multiplayer at the same time, so a straight single player RPG might be a better bet. It can and has been done though ;D

Have fun.

#10

hey sarvesh, i wanna do something. can i help you? did you already start any project? any other way to contact you? tell me!