How Much Should I Pay For This Project?

I don't think so. COD is a solution that has a shelf life, therefore always needs a new COD game. It's like pizza has a shelf life and you always need a pizza.

COD and Battlefield are there to fill a clear persistent need for warfare based FPS gaming. The name itself isn't the important part (it's a brand basically). What is important is that you can go into the store and purchase FPS wargaming that has a proven track record.

That they have two teams doing it alternate should show how big the business is, and how much demand there is.

 

Well that is true. I see what you are saying. These games are commodities. Kind of like razor blades. They get used up and the fans need more.

The article was more focusing on the huge amount of money they put in and how every game was growing closer and closer to becoming a do or die proposition because of that.

BUT it may well be that was all just hype. I wouldn't be surprised to see a failure of such a game to result in some heavy layoffs. That is just such a common way for a company to react to such events. Tighten their belts.

 

Pretty sure they have the costs lower and more efficient these days. Be a bad business if not. The have well-oiled machines making these games now. Don't need new engines for a start.

 

You could probably pay some third worlders to make the core engine for a fraction of the cost. And maybe just pay a designer to work on the actual game

 

Fair enough. I must suck at reading.

It's challanging working with lower income countries for technical work. As a general rule lower income means lower education, which often offsets the cost gains.

 

Actually, I don't think it's lower education. These people are probably smarter than most. The issue at hand is with acceptable standards. They may consider something rough and perfunctory as being acceptable standard because they haven't had the luxury of sitting down for so long trying all the things on pretty decent hardware. They won't have had time.

That's not the same as education or smarts, in fact kids who do go to school in lower income countries probably study harder. Know more.

I know kids in this country grow fat on nandos and fool around on twitbook.

 

I'm not equating education with raw intelligence. I agree that's a fallacy.

Education covers all of the training that has been applied on top of raw intelligence. Knowing how to use the latest and greatest hardware comes under education in my books.

I don't have any real facts to back this up, but that's just been my accendotal experience working with low wage economies. You can often pay a third of the going rate, but have the job require three times as many iterations.

 

Adding a clone of a game adds traffic and confusion.
Hopeful confusion is a big part of the reason these 'clones' even exist and make any money.

I'm not - but I agree - looking at the top 100 isn't useful at all to lone wolf/small indies.

 

Oh come on... how is that a choice? Either you want to look cool, or you enjoy driving.

(height shouldn't be too much of a an issue, I'm a big dude and 6'2", both are are comfortable for me).

 

Okay so if I was doing it, I would make it 3d. Have a tile based dungeon, then give each dungeon its own tilset, give each dungeon its own set of monsters lets say 5 different enemy types per dungeon (maybe usising some base enemy types), 1 boss, give unique hazard and puzzle element for the dungeon puzzles. Maybe give each dungeon its own unique item. So when you got all the basic functionality, you tell the designer, you got to build the game using these parts.

I dont think it could be that hard to come with a basic ai enemy functionality, block puzzles, melee combat with the basic weapons bomberang, bomba, shield, fire sword, etc

 

TOTALLY OFF TOPIC...

Both. Also, not sure where you're drawing that line (look cool/enjoy driving). Care to elaborate?

I love the BMW, it is truly a machine built for driving, and I am a driver. Wanted to be a race driver for a while, even. The Alfa Romeo I looked at was awesome but... it wouldn't start (haha, figures) so I walked away and might look at it again Tuesday. The Spitfire I'm just not sure about. Classic British roadsters are many times problems waiting to happen. Notorious for difficulties. I'm also looking at Fiat Spiders, which are super cool as well, but again, unreliable. In the end, I'm probably going to get a first gen Miata. It's all the style and flair of the older two seaters, but with the reliability and reputation for being an amazingly fun car to drive. Then when I have more time to tinker on a car I'll grab one of the others. Decisions, decisions.

BACK TO THE THREAD...

Yeah, hire a team or solo dev who knows what they're doing and has a history to prove it, or do it yourself in GameMaker or Unity or any one of the many engines that you can play around in. There is most definitely something to be said for taking on the challenge yourself and personally making it happen. The journey is half the fun, and you'll be much happier with the result in the end.

If you're doing it purely to have something you can put into the market and make some money on, again, hire someone with a history of making that happen. I just so happen to have finished up a six month project for a client this past week, so, uhm, yeah, I'm available. For a limited time.

 

Was it this kind Ony? My son has this 'thing' with cars. For doing well in school or other things - his choice of reward is to go to the local car lots and check out all the new cars. He knows them all, make, model, horse power, etc etc.

I've driven a first gen Miata - very rough ride, but tight handling. Consider a paint inspection before buying, those first gen had a paint defect which caused them to peel and flake off after awhile?

 

No, not a new one. A 1985. I prefer older cars. That's really cool about your son's love of cars. Good for him.

Drove it today, buying it tomorrow. It's a 1996 with very low miles, one owner, and always garaged. It looks and feels like it just rolled off the lot. Ride wasn't rough at all. Paint is magnificent but I'm thinking of a repaint down the road because I want custom color. Can't wait to drive it home in the morning.

 

The Spitfire definitely has better lines, a pretty sexy car. The Alfa, not so much, but handles much nicer (IMHO). Fiat spiders are awesome, but as you noted, can be a nightmare to maintain. You really have to love them to deal with that. Before you commit, I would highly recommend that you take an early 2000s MR2 Sypder for drive. Like a Miata, you get the benefit of modern reliable car in the form of a classic roadster. But you also get a performance engine and best of all, mid-engine rear-wheel drive. Total joy to drive, and super sexy.

 

What color?

 

Midnight violet with burgundy rally stripes.

 

I'm positive that Activision would have zero problems firing off the entire staff that makes CoD.

They've done it before so that they didn't have to pay out million dollar bonuses when Modern Warfare turned into a monster hit.

 

If you ever get cut off by a bubble gum pink Ferrari with a rainbow on the hood and "You mad, bro?" in white comic sans across the back bumper, you'll know that I made it.

 

hah! I'll keep an eye out.

 

This is an interesting thread now it's talking about 2 seaters, but it should probably go elsewhere. I've crashed my TVR and my Caterham 7... probably shouldnt talk about cars..