Hi, Allan. I am glad I could be of help. I just want others to see what all goes in to starting a private game company. The one item neither James or I mentioned is time. There is quite a bit of time involved in designing games. It is not an instantanious process. I notice I get faster and faster with development as I get better, but the first few titles will be quite ruff. In the making of STFC I have had many false starts, and my share of newby mistakes. So many infact I just rewrote the game from scratch which solved most of the issues. With the SW demo I am working on now most of the code in that game is experimental untried stuff like using game devices like joysticks and mice. I am also doing some behind the seens experiments and I learn from it. Unfortunately, it is quite a bit of time to test something over and over again until you get the desired result.
allan thompson wrote: > 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! 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! 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! 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! 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! Groups Links > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/VPRolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 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 visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindgamers/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
