Can one programmer make a commercial game?

TheHitchhiker · Post by **TheHitchhiker** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 4:42 pm

Can one elite programer and a few 3D artists using Irrlicht, ODE, RakNet, and Audiere make a commercial game ? Lets say that they have great idea for a 30% new genre.
Since I know that worse selling game sold 30.000 copies, and that you can recieve $10 from publishers per copy, all that you have to do is make something that publishers will agree to publish and you have AT LEAST $300.000 to share between 3-4 people.
But the question is: If one can make so much money, why there is no commercial games in Irrlicht?
I guess that in western countries $100.000 per person for 6 months of 12 hours work is not that good and that is hard to find 3d artists willing to work for nothing till game is finished(since you can pay them only after game is finished). But in my country (Serbia), where average salary is about $150 per month (internet connection that I have is almost a luxury) , $100.000 is INSANE amount of money and unemployment is big, so it is easy to find people willing to work for 6 months for a treasure chest at the end of a rainbow.
So if I have a great idea for a trully unique game(and I think that I have one) and enough programming skills (and I think that I will have soon) can I make a commercial game?

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 5:02 pm

The fact is with normal maps and all hi res content, houses are heading the need of having 30 ppl or more...A type b, or z, game, maybe....

That'd be comercial, too, but forget about with that number of ppl make something else....

u can make original games, with some great playability, and hit a different market (indy), but not compete with the big ones.

Not even two extremely tallented coders, and 2 or 3 very pro gfx artist can do it today...

TheHitchhiker · Post by **TheHitchhiker** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 5:21 pm

And what if the game is multiplayer-only? You do not need so much models in multiplayer because there will be no enemies, just skins, and worse graphic is advantage in multiplayer because it is better if it can work on older computers (Remember Starcraft and Counter Strike).
Just asking.

Fraza · Post by **Fraza** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 5:26 pm

No matter what anyone says, you should definetly give it a go!

1. You'll enjoy it.
2. You'll learn.
3. There's a chance of profit!

At the very worst at the end of it you'll be left with your own game to play and develop.

TheHitchhiker · Post by **TheHitchhiker** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 6:45 pm

http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/s ... am/credits
this game earned $8 000 000 for its developers:

Programming
Davor Hunski, Alen Ladavac, Dean Sekulic

2D Art
Davor Hunski, Petar Ivancek, Dinko Pavici

3D Art
Admir Elezovic, Tomislav Pongrac

Game Design
Davor Hunski, Roman Ribaric, Davor Tomicic

Level Design
Davor Hunski, Dean Sekulic, Davor Tomicic

Music
Damjan Mravunac

Sound
Damjan Mravunac, Roman Ribaric

Additional Programming
Damir Perovic

Additional Artwork
Hrvoje Colic, Mladen Tripalo, Aleksandar Vjestica

there are 13 people there (some names can be seen twice). There are 4 coders. The game is from year 2001. so it is neither new, nor too old. But, do not forget that I do not need so many artists becouse it is a multiplayer game so there will be less monsters to create, and less maps. Also do not forget that we have ODE, Irrlicht, Audiere and RakNet today and those people had to do EVERYTHING alone. All that we have to do is improve Irrlicht so the graphic can be mediocre. And we are not talking about $8 000 000 , we are talking about $3-600 000.
And the question is what do those 13 people do. It is obvious that those 3 "Programming" people write code, but what is "Aditional Programming".Does it mean that he wrote 2 lines of code so they had to include him in credits or that he was working for 10 hours a day instead of 12 hours? And what is "Aditional Artwork"?
So can it be done now in 2005 with, let's say 2-3 coders and 3-4 designers (thats 5-7 people ,not much smaller than Serious Sam team) and fresh idea?
Or standards are simply too high today

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:55 pm

there is always a chance that you make an exceptional game that can make you exceptional amounts of money, but the odds are against you. i think it is(or should be) everybody's goal to make a quality game, wether you intend to make money on it or not. thats the challenge! can i do it? can you do it? if you can, i encourage you to try, but dont count on becoming a millionaire... it just might not happen...

but who knows, your game might get noticed, a big game company with a solid reputation might be impressed with this game developed only by one coder and some artist, and maybe they will help you out on the next project....

okay enough with the dreaming already.
it is extremely unlikely that making a game will make you a millionaire,
but that shouldnt stop you from giving it a try!

djceejay · Post by **djceejay** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 9:47 pm

Can they make a commercial game? yes
Will a publisher publish their game? maybe - it would have to be very good or you could approach a budget publisher. you could also release it as shareware - take id software for an example.

It would be sticking two fingers up to proper devcos who have 20+ staff.

I'd do it just to see their reaction.

Joe_Oliveri · Post by **Joe_Oliveri** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 9:49 pm

Not one programmer alone can make a comm. game. however the indy market isn't a hard one to get in with a little effort. A have maneged about 3 teams now and you need at least a few of each. Meaning 3D Artist and Programmers. How ever for a real good comm. project the team sizes are around 20 - 50 people.

But you should give it a try it is really easy to get a team member to help.

TomekZ · Post by **TomekZ** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:42 pm

Hi Guys!

I've just finished a commercial (budget) game only with one 'graphics guy'. It's racing game, I've been using only TinyXML, Newton Game Dynamics and DirectX.

Take a loot at :
http://www.tmreality.com/index.php?pods ... zawka.html

Now I'm trying Irrlicht to see if it would be suitable for my next game(still I will be the only programmer).

So just follow your dreams and they may come true

Tomek

etcaptor · Post by **etcaptor** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:07 pm

By me it's not impossible. I even have similar idea.
The important goal is to release your NEW ideas in game.
The main obstacle is bad marketing and managment.
In my country Half life 2 is very good game, but Doom 3 is failure - that is gamer's opinion. Why???
So, some game writing is more complex idea then codding and modeling.
Gamer is more exacting now.
By me we must create topic about what is need any game to can be successful for trading.

djceejay · Post by **djceejay** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:18 pm

Wow your games look excellent TomekZ.
Can you tell us more about them - how long were they in development? did you pitch your idea to a publisher first? at what stage was the game in when you signed to the publisher?
Did you bring in your 'graphics guy' just for the 1 game or are you in partnership together?

Keep up the good work.

SARIN · Post by **SARIN** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 2:39 am

for 100 bucks each per person for that long, thats not so good. however, depending on how u sell it, u can or cannot make that much on a game. why would it have to be commercial? if ur just trying to make money, u could do shareware. in fact, ud probably make more money that way. personally, if i made a game in 6 months with 3-4 people, im sure the morons at my school would pay about 3 bucks for each copy, and since theres alot of people online too, i could probably make a total per person of 50 bucks (this is for a low graphics, short, multiplayer game). of course, this is without a copyright, but if u sell locally, u shouldnt need one. id go this way if i didnt have some licenses slowing me down (arrrgghh, dev-cpp is great, but stupid gpl license

)
remember, its all in how u sell it. with shareware, u prob wont need a publisher, and if u each game for about 5 bucks, im sure 30 people would buy it.

saigumi · Post by **saigumi** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:58 pm

How the is devcpp's license slowing you down?

The GPL applies to you changing and selling DevCPP itself, not what you make with devcpp.

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.htm ... ToolsForNF

SARIN · Post by **SARIN** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 3:48 pm

really? i didnt read that part, i just assumed that they were talking about any programs you write with it. sweet, yay, happy

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:17 pm

I'm one programer ...