Thanks Thomas you have been a really great help. allan
----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Ward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 2:30 PM Subject: Re: audyssey: game company question > Hi, Allan. > > 1. Yes, it is very important to know how to program, but fortunately > there are ways of learning to program without going to college to learn > those skills. One such resource is: > safari.oreilly.com > Safari is an online service where you can get programming books on any > topic read it online for a monthly fee of $10 or more. > 2. A compiler for your language is esentual. A compiler is a program > that converts your source code, human readable text, to a binary, *.exe > or *.dll. > 3. Learn how to use game sdks, software development kits, such as > DirectX. A sdk is usually a collection of *.dll, library files, with > reusable functions, classes, etc. For example, the > Microsoft.DirectX.DirectSound.dll contains everything necessary for > setting up a soundcard, moving sounds around, loading them, playing, > them etc. That does not mean however you are free of work. You have to > actually know how to use all that good stuff in your game. > 4. As far as financing USA Games I did it all out of pocket. > Fortunately, that will probably get easier as the company grows and I > can refund myself from the games to do more and more things. > 5. The issue of licensing is a sticky one. Legally no we don't have free > reign on using licensed products. USA Games is currently attempting to > contact Paramount for licensing of Star Trek for STFC and contacting > Lucas Film for Star Wars. > Here is the deal with licensing as I understand it. If it is something > you plan to sell then it legally should be licensed with the copyright > holders. If it is something free you can use licensed material as long > as it is free of charge. > > >> Hi James and Thomas, >> Thank you so much for the important information. I suppose the most >> important thing about the game industry is knowing how to program, >> something I know absolutely nothing about at all. Like what is a compiler >> and SDK's? >> >> I was hoping also for an idea on how a game company such as yourselves >> started. Was it all out of pocket to start or was there small business >> loans, licensing stuff like that? Is there places or groups that assist >> in >> this kind of thing? >> >> Lastly, does the accessable community have free reign on licensed >> products? >> For example, if I or another managed to start a venture could games or >> things licensed by others be used? An example would be making a game for >> Magic: the gathering which is owned by Hasbro, or Axis and allies which >> is >> owned by avalon hill.... >> Thanks for any answers you could provide. I appreciate your answers and >> your >> work on these amazing games. >> >> allan >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "James from Alchemy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 7:33 PM >> Subject: RE: audyssey: game company question >> >> >> >>> Hi, Allan & Thomas. >>> >>> While the list below is quite comprehensive, don't let it scare you off. >>> >>> In my opinion, the number one driving force behind developing games is >>> the >>> GOYA principle, i.e. "Get Off Your Ass" a.k.a. motivation. The rest >>> will >>> fall into place as necessary and often on a need-to-know/use basis. >>> >>> Remember, necessity is the mother of invention. >>> >>> Have the desire, then acquire some vision, temper it with innovation and >>> imagination, and match the tools of the trade to accomplish all of the >>> above. >>> >>> If you're wanting to hobbyist your way into it at first--often, a good >>> choice--pick up a copy of Visual Basic 6 and the DirectX 8.1 SDK and >>> read >>> through the documentation, eBooks, play with it, whatever is necessary. >>> >>> Btw, good luck in finding the 8.1 SDK, but people still do have it and >>> use >>> it. If you need it, drop me a line privately and I'll drop a CD in the >>> mail >>> with it and the DirectX 9.0C SDK stuff as well. >>> >>> Once you're proficient enough at writing the games, throwing up a basic >>> website is within the same realm and will naturally follow. >>> >>> A lot of people are put off with the thought that a Ph.D. in Advanced >>> Mathematics is required to write games. Absolutely untrue. As with >>> anything else, mathematics are tools of the trade. There are often ways >>> to >>> accomplish the same things using simpler tools than going the most >>> concatenated and complex way to accomplish them. >>> >>> The end product is what sets the mathematicians and the artists apart. >>> And, >>> there are plenty of formulas for physics, vector and matrix maths, and >>> the >>> like on the 'net to be perused. You are almost certainly guaranteed not >>> to >>> be at a loss of access to this sort of information. >>> >>> Sound effects. Get what you can from the 'net, get creative and make >>> some >>> of your own, and know that individual sound effects are not >>> copyrightable. >>> That opens up a lot of possibilities. Need a space ship sound? Record >>> a >>> few sweeps of a vacuum cleaner, shift the pitch downward, and add a >>> little >>> flange or chorus and normalize the waveform and there ya go. >>> >>> Experimentation and play is the best way, IMO. >>> >>> Personally, I use Cool Edit Pro 2, but I'm also sighted and so don't >>> have >>> to >>> consider the accessibility issues that you may. >>> >>> AI is a means to an end. Again, necessity and invention. >>> >>> And, if all else fails, read a book or take a course in developing >>> accessible games. >>> >>> More about that mid-2006. *grin* >>> >>> 'til then.. play, play, play.. >>> >>> - James >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> On >>> Behalf Of Thomas Ward >>> Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 12:26 PM >>> To: [email protected] >>> Subject: Re: audyssey: game company question >>> >>> Hi, Allan. >>> I think this one is quite alright for the game list as this is a game >>> related topic. Here is the things you would need to get a game company >>> open. >>> >>> 1. Knolege of a programming language like C++, C#, Visual Basic, etc... >>> >>> 2. A compiler for your language of choice. >>> >>> 3. A knolege of the programming api you will need to use for your games >>> such as: DirectX, OpenAL, SDL, etc... >>> >>> 4. Some knolege in several related fields such as trig/calculus, >>> physics, artificial intellegence, encryption, etc.. That list can be >>> quite large as game programming is beyond a normal application. >>> >>> 5. Purchase yourself a good collection of sound effects to begin your >>> games. At least search the net for some unlicensed ones if you don't >>> have money for licensed sounds. >>> >>> 6. A good sound editer like Goldwave or Soundforge. You will need them >>> to clean up and modify effects to your liking. >>> >>> 8. A web site, and any other related materials like a shopping cart, >>> some company to process orders if the games are for sale, etc. >>> >>> I think these requirements are pretty basic ones. There are other >>> things, but that is the basics. >>> I don't wish to scare you off, but I wouldn't be honest if I told you it >>> was all easy. Fact of the matter for a beginner it is pretty hard. There >>> is allot of work involved in learning DirectX input and sound, learning >>> how to make your AI react in somewhat a humanlike way, lots of math for >>> calculating distance and targeting vectors, learning to save and load >>> games, etc. There is just allot that goes in to writing a game. Then, >>> even after your first title is done you need somewhere to upload it to >>> for download, and if it is a commercial title then you need to come up >>> with a registration system as well as a shopping cart. >>> Hth. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> allan thompson wrote: >>> >>>> Hello, >>>> I was wondering about this question for a long time and I hope some of >>>> you >>>> >>> game company owners could help answer it. What does one generally need >>> to >>> start a game company in the USA , especially for the blind and visually >>> impaired. Could someone give a basic rundown of what it takes? >>> >>>> My appreciation in advance for any input. >>>> If this is considered off topic here is my email [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> thanks again, >>>> allan >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> to leave send a blank Email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> You can contact the list owners/moderators by Emailing >>>> >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> >>>> to go nomail send a blank message to: >>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> change "nomail" to "normal" to resume messages. >>>> Yahoo! Groups Links >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> to leave send a blank Email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> You can contact the list owners/moderators by Emailing >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> to go nomail send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> change "nomail" to "normal" to resume messages. >>> Yahoo! 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