Development goals

[spenoza]

I'm sharing this so that hopefully I'll have proper motivation. I think I want to eventually get good enough at HuC that I can make a Rolling Thunder knock-off for PCE. It is a game I've always loved, isn't super demanding on hardware, but has a nice aesthetic and decent animation. So, after finishing the tutorials (I've been busy lately) and creating a few simpler style games, I would like to eventually work my way up to this.

What do you folks thing. Setting my sights a little too high?

[nodtveidt]

Nah, sounds like a decent maiden project. As soon as I get some more free time, I'll be able to continue on with the tutorial series. I have four more tutorials planned, and by the time they're done, a complete game engine will be up on obeybrew.com.

[sunteam_paul]

Cool. I like Rolling Thunder!

[Arkhan]

As long as you don't get too fancy with the graphical shenanigans, it would be a pretty solid project. 

[nodtveidt]

...and don't get lost in the details. That's the #1 biggest project-killer... tacking on more and more stuff. Devise a plan, and stick with it... only add on to it if it becomes absolutely necessary. Don't be afraid to cut stuff from your design either... don't get married to your concepts... that's probably the most common rookie mistake.

[spenoza]

I AM a perfectionist at time. I can get really absorbed in reworking and reworking things.

But I'm SO not there, yet.

[nodtveidt]

That's a habit you will want to break... not now, but yesterday. In game design, there is no such thing as perfection, and the pursuit of the non-existent perfection will lead to vaporware... which is a great way to ruin your reputation before you've even started.

[sunteam_paul]

...and NEVER make a role-playing game!

[nodtveidt]

...unless you REALLY know what you're doing...

[BigusSchmuck]

...unless you REALLY know what you're doing...

Or if its just text driven with still pictures like Wizardry Made a few of those in qbasic back in the day.

[spenoza]

I dunno, PCE memory limits could be a real bitch, even with a text RPG.

[Arkhan]

A text-RPG would be easy peasy. 

A JRPG has too many things to worry about.   

[spenoza]

What about a gold-box style RPG, eh? How hard would that be? I think the sprite and tile work would be pretty easy for battles, but I'm not sure about corridors.

[Arkhan]

it would be two punches in the dick.

those maps in battle are exact replicas of the first person view maps.

getting the visuals for the first person alone is enough of a PITA. 

this is compounded by all the other shit you have to deal with.

I strongly advise against that kind of project as a first.

[spenoza]

No, I would not be biting off that particular project for a long time, if ever. I'd rather stick to other stuff.