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[Villanite]

Hello, everyone!

I'm not sure where else to post this, unfortunately, so I'm going broad for a shotgun effect. Please forgive me!

I'll cut straight to the point:

I have two concepts for video games in my mind right now. One is simple, the second one is much more complex. What I'm looking for is an Artist and/or a Programmer to help me with these ideas I have. One of them is a simple Visual Novel based on Ren'Py. The second idea is an RPG inspired by games such as Suikoden (the second one, in particular).

The Visual Novel can be done using Ren'Py or any other engine. The only reason I reference that one in particular is because I'd like to make it so it can install on Android and iOS easily.

The RPG would be a lot more complex. To me, at least.

I can't pay anyone anything, but I don't mind working out agreements for profit splitting, assuming these ideas make any money at all.

Now that the request is made, I'll give you some backstory, if you're interested;

I'm currently a web developer for a city local to me. I work primarily with VB.NET and C#, along with various other languages and libraries that come with web development. I enjoy my job, but I don't want to do it forever. I don't see it as my passion; it's a hobby I can do fairly well enough to make a living off of. My passion is story telling. I absolutely love writing and sharing stories with people.

Both of my game ideas take place in the same world that I have been sculpting and writing about for the last 10 years of my life. However, they're in completely different time periods.

My dream is to bring people into this world and enthrall them with the legends, history and characters that I (with the help of friends here and there) have created over the years.

I'm looking for one or two people to help me tell some stories. I'm open minded and very good at taking criticism.

[DecapitatedOrk]

RPGs are a tremendous amount of work. I've been working on the dialog system alone for the past month and I'm only about half-way done. Granted, its an extremely in-depth dialog system but even like SNES JRPG dialog system seems simple at first, just display some text and a picture behind it right? Nop.

Need to write a parser. Then need to write a heuristic to detect when its to create a new line. Now compensate for various resolutions (or don't, but receive poor results with low/high extremes). That's constantly displaying text, adding mechanics like choices or controls, is another bag of worms.

Pretty much every mechanic or "feature" of making an RPG is like that. Looks simple, until you start making it. I honestly would avoid making an RPG unless you're using a pre-baked system like RPG Maker or have several programmers who know what they're doing, since you're gonna spend several months just developing the architecture.

[Villanite]

Makes sense. Believe me, I'm no newbie to the concept of programming. I deal with high end Web applications day in and day out, from vehicle sales systems to banking management systems to city utilities systems.

I know, all too well, the idea of seeing a simple concept and realizing that the logic is beyond simple.

I've heard of RPG Maker, but that was years ago. When I heard of it, it was more of a minor hobby tool. I see it's got a nice price tag on it now and a big following. Do you have any experience using it?

It'd be nice to get some reliable feedback before dropping $70.

[Dave_C]

In the interest of helping you find a team, I give you my thoughts (as an indie dev) on your proposal as it is now.
1) you can't  pay me, this is a multi-year project.. so why would I work on your idea instead of mine?
2) you havent completed any other projects.. do I want to embark on this only to see you dissapear after a year?
3) you mention profit sharing.. what else do you bring to the table besides the story? Personally if I was the lead programmer/artist I'd expect the lions share of the profits... I wouldnt want more than 5% going to the story writer (if that was his only role)

Basically I think your current proposal won't draw in the talent this project needs.. you'd reallllly need to wow people with an amazing story/concept.. good luck with your game ^_^

[diegzumillo]

You say you're a programmer, would you be willing to help back with my project? I have been looking for this kind of mutual contribution, I feel like it's more realistic to find other game developers to help each other than assemble a team that works for free, credits or "money, when it starts making some" (that's the worst).

I'm an artist and a programmer (hobbyist level) and I wouldn't mind lending a hand to a fellow game developer, I may have expertise you don't etc, brainstorm ideas, and you doing the same for me. But for that to work you need to have something to offer, hence the first question in my post

[nikki]

I feel like it's more realistic to find other game developers to help each other than assemble a team that works for free

I think you can use this forum for that.

stuck on some programming problems? try googling and still stuck? write it as good as you can in technical.
advice on the story, proofread? post your pieces of text in writing.
uglyass drawings that are wrong? design, one of the critique threads.
etc.
you want to contribute to the greater good? write some tutorials.
want to learn how to dissect games? try to write some proper critique in devlogs.

when you take these tasks seriously and contribute you might find people wanting to contribute back.

[diegzumillo]

I don't know if I follow what you're saying. Yes, sometimes I have programming problems and I ask for help in forums. Sometimes I help other people and write explanations on forums and similar services. What does any of that have to do with teaming up with other game devs?

[Graham-]

Generally people won't do real work until you've done real work. You need to have proof of having done much more than you expect others to do.

I'm always talking theory on the forums. But I never expect any help other than debate about theory. Actual labor is a whole different ball game.

We see this a lot with newer members. Sometimes they are full of shit. Sometimes they are not. But the community generally can't tell the difference.

I like diegzumillo's suggestion personally. Basically indies bounce around teams. That's my understanding. So there is an unwritten law of mutual back scratching.

The rule of the visionary is this:

If you want others to help you, you have to sweat first

[eyeliner]

Build a team through small collabs, and then work on a bigger project you all like.