The game: My Game Part 3 - (dev. log)

I didn't get much time to do a proper video demo, which I promise will come some time soon; when I feel the timing works, but I will at least give you some screenshots so you can better understand my progress...

Figure 1: Basic game view, with Meemo in middle of screen.

From fig.1 you can see the basic retro 2D graphics, which is very pixelated, but at least I can produce some of my own art to keep the project going at a decent pace. Since I have not yet found an affordable artist, and also since I realised the industry is such that you need to prove your game first before people want to help. Funny enough, then people may even do it free if their interested. I am lucky though that the robot art (Meemo) was done for free since the artist decided to rather start his own game now also. Which was cool of him! So 90% of the rest of the graphics I did myself, and as I go along I'm redoing all the stuff or using public domain assets in order to keep it legal and call this my own game.

Then I took the extra week to trash out many bugs, so many, and now I can say crafting and the whole current game is bug-less, yay for Doom! That includes collision checking with player movement I finally added successfully as well. Meemo will move to the goal the mouse sets with left-click, avoiding solid objects. Also looting of world objects, to gather or farm resources for crafting materials is proximity based and looks and feel better. I've added a basic DAY/NIGHT timer - still not sure if I will fully implement this though.

Figure 2: Preview of crafting Table pane (working).

I've also added the Hearts (physical damage indicator) and integrated the oil drops with movement and robot speed, as well as now the robot battery power auto depletes depending on efficiency...so later it is easy to upgrade if needed. 

So what is next?

A few things, which is still a must for basic engine mechanics:

1. Place-able objects made from crafting. So you can place a new crafting box, or chest or machine on the game floor, etc.
2. Add materials in game to scavenge to replenish battery power and oil, basic survival needs. 
3. Add the first enemy robot.
4. Re-Theme complete game content to fit fallout/world in waste setting, with almost no living or growing fauna or flora...
5. Finish Crafting Recipe and Chest for materials sections, which currently is not crucial, thats why the empty grey placeholders are there.

Thanks to my friend, Nico, whom visited and gave me some good ideas and input: I will probably consider making the big tree or something a home base, which will be attacked in waves by enemies. Then you need to defend it, as you progress with crafting. Crafting from mats from mobs and exploring and scavenging. Nico had a cool concept for enemies, or boss enemies, which requires the player to figure out how to defeat them in a specific way. Almost like a puzzle to win battles or fights. I like it, will obviously require much more work if each one is very different from other mobs...but lets see where we get in this year.

Overall I'm really happy with my progress, I also wrote out a whole game spec for the graphics requirements, or art images and sizes. So if any of you pixel artists are interested in helping ( for free) I can share it with you via email. Just send me the request. At the moment the first version (alpha) will be non-commercial. If I'm so lucky to get a following I will ask for support in form of art, and donations. Then if still people want more and I have time left, I can release a paid version with expansion content or something. Don't hold me to this, just ideas floating around.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment if you have any input or ideas now that you have seen some screenshots. In time and when I manage to get Camtasia studio to make/record video's I will do so of the game...

Great community for Game Devs

So many times the game Developer is on a solo guest face of the GameDev boss in the epic battle,
well in this short post I just want to let you in on a secret...
"You don't do this alone!"

Go find like minded individuals to support you and make friends have fun...
A great place to start is at http://www.onegameamonth.com/resources

Here they encourage and challenge each other to make a game a month for 2013, oh yes and there is an epic free pixel font resource for free download.

Enjoy,
finding you the gems and easter eggs in game dev.
Go BIG!
Boysano

Start up costs for a solo indie games developer

In an effort to stay transparent and show you other dreamers what I'm going through and what start-up costs are before you even make a dime, I decided to share a short blog on what I've done so far. 

Like I said the aim was to start part time make games for HTML5 mobile devices, which is played via web browsers. I'm focusing my development, to ensure I cut time costs while I only have about 8 hours a week maximum time to work on this endeavor.

I already made the mistake of making a unique game, a derivative of the tower defense genre, instead of copy and pasting a known recipe, but replacing it with different graphics. However, I did save on costs and time by using already made free to use and sell graphics. Make sure that you are allowed to do this first, in this case the awesome author of The Lost Garden allows for this under his published licence.

So things has really started out slower than I hoped, but today I'm making progress again and want to share it with you. I thought by this time I will already have sold a game and then only blog everything of the process. But my game is about 60% complete only functionally, since family and my day to day job took priority. I really recommend that you put in leave to make the final grind to finish and polish a game, instead my family decided I must spend it with them. Well this is extra motivation for me to put in hours after a work day to also enjoy the vacation with them.

To save time I researched what others have done in 2012 to be successful and in this way also purchase an ebook and my game making software as well as some extra java code to extend the GMS (Game Maker Studio) mobile device display and orientation functionality. I also networked, until I found a graphics designer locally whom helped me with the BIG (Boysano Indie Gaming) branding graphics. These type of artists have a different skill-set than that of game animation artists, and I learned that you have to find both types of artists in your resource list. Note my strategy is to outsource game assets, and use software I purchase, while I program and market the games myself. This is the only way you can do this part time. Use other people's time and other peoples skills. In future if my games sell, I will recoup my start-up costs and reinvest 100% in new game assets (graphics, etc.).

The costs for starting up so far: (assuming you do not pay extra for time and internet costs)
1. Software: GMS + HTML5 module on special offer = $ 150
2. Code: java extension for GMS = $ 60
3. Ebook on making money in 2012 with HTML5 = $ 20
4. Brand graphics = $ 37.5
5. Avatar and more brand graphics = $ 25
5. Blogger, Facebook, google+, forums websites and marketing = $ 0 (yes its free to market)

Total start-up costs: $ 292.5
(Note: I already had an iPhone 4 and iPad 3 to test my game on, you may need to buy these as well, or borrow a friends. But while I would recommend buying it when you can, since you must test your games, I do not recommend buying this when you are not sure you can even sell a game, prove this to yourself first!)

It's safe to say you need at least $ 300 to start 'making money by selling games', and a typical HTML5 game will fetch $ 300 - $ 400 per publisher at non-exclusive licence when you sell it. So if you sell your first game, then you can break even and then the more you sell the more profit. Assuming you sell your game to 3 publishers, if it is good enough. Then you have paid back start-up costs (aka risk = zero), $ 300 available to re-invest in a double as good new game for graphics, and another $ 300 to spend or as profit. This is basically one of my strategies.

So note that leaving your job until you have not sold at least 3 games, or your first game 3 times is not recommended. And in time you should build a business which grows and reinvests its own resources and previous successes in other for later months to repay the investment of the start-up phase.

BUT, the best thing is to start and hone your skills and grow yourself. That is why I do this, it is fun!!
Remember 'success breeds success' and is a great motivator...

Free graphics is the way to start as HTML5 dev

Since I'm a programming developer and not a sound or graphics artists, I realized that in order to start completing games you have to put your pride in your pocket and accept help where you can find it.

So I did some research to find where I can get graphics for games, and still be allowed to sell them commercially, use it in many different small game formats for HTML5. Where it is important not to use to much large sprites, since games must be small to run fast in browsers.

I found this man, who is doing us an excellent service by releasing his well organised and themed graphics sets so that we may better the world with new games, even if we want to sell them. He only requires that you refer to him for credit and not to clone his games made with the same graphics, which is so little to ask.
Please make sure to read his licensing blog post, before you use his art.

His website: http://www.lostgarden.com/

I will be making my first games with these graphics for HTML5, give him credit, and see if I can sell it.
Then if it works I can reinvest that money to commission graphic artists and build my own game dev assets base, and repeat the process.
If this works then you will know how it is possible.

There are other free graphics sites, like http://www.opengameart.org, but you will find it is difficult to get a set of sprites that work well together and in multiple different game formats. Make sure to read and use their licensing terms correctly.

I do not condone stealing or plagiarism.

But I do agree with Daniel Cook, from Lost Garden, that we should share and give credit to the individual for creation of game assets, and not allow it to go lost in history due to large companies only paying them a salary for their efforts.

Viva Indie Gaming!!