It sucks

I'm interested in game design but i'm not artistic and at this point i don't have the time to learn programming or anything. I love writing and have an amazing idea that could totally be mapped out, but it's kind of hard to form a team when all you really have to offer are writing skills. I mean of course i can test the game and do some stuff with the kit, but no a whole lot.

I don't know, maybe i should just focus on life and stuff, but man it really sucks have an awesome idea in your head but not being able to do much with it.

 

You could learn... or make a tabletop game or a bunch of things. One of the most important aspects of game design is actually overcoming challenges to create the best product possible.

 

I mean I started learn JS a while back and i've gone through a few tutorials on unity, but I still don't feel like i know enough to bring an idea to light. I work over 40 hours a week right now it's hard to learn a game engine. I don't know, maybe i just need to find the motivation.

 

Writing huh? I know of at least one developer that got their start in the industry as a journalist.

Don't focus on starting your own team, teams are started by veterans. Instead focus on the value you can bring to someone else's team.

And if that involves writing puff pieces for a small game review website, well everyone has to start somewhere.

 

I mean as far as my idea goes.

I enjoy screenwriting, storyboarding, and what not. I was thinking about joining a team, but there aren't a lot that seem to be needing a writer.

I also just really would love to see my idea come to life too though, but meh, maybe one day.

 

Depending on what your idea is, you might be able to find a suitable framework in the Asset Store, or if not, you could try one of the visual scripting languages on offer there, which would allow you to make a game without "coding". There's one of those on sale today, even.

 

Might have to look into that. I just wish i had more irl friends into game design. I have one and he might be down but he's also really busy.

 

At some point, if something is important to you, you have to just buck up and take it on, even if you have to do it yourself.

There's really only one main rule if you truly want to be a game developer:

1. Be a game developer.

 

Fair enough. I've spent the last, uhhh almost year, building myself out of rock bottom, and i'm just now getting that itch to get into game dev again

 

Uh, well it doesn't sound like you're too enthused. If you are go for it, and if you aren't then you may as well stick to writing and self-publish a book. Your chances at success are about the same at either so you may as well do what you like better.

It's a fallacy that more technology is applied to a task, the more successful something is likely to be.

 

If narrative is all you care about, write yourself a screenplay and try to get it published. I mean Hollywood has been desperately crying out for help for something new, if your idea is any good, maybe you can realize it that way

 

No, write a book and self-publish if the gaming world doesn't hold your interest enough. And Hollywood ain't interested in anything that doesn't have famous people supporting it; meaning the pitcher likely created/copied what they are pitching or the entertainment vehicle being considered already has huge financial success behind it. If you self-publish and are really, really successful, Hollywood will call.

Some guy in these same forums posted a link to a free book by some successful Hollywood person where he basically sums up your chances of being successful amount to writing alone and self-publishing and gives advice how to do it. He doesn't leave out the part where you need to be really, really good writing those books. And that's what he tries to communicate throughout the entire book mostly. Although I'm not planning on writing a book I did download and read parts of it. He is a good writer and gives good advice. Maybe, I'll read it all later and write a small book for fun. The author's name is Steven Pressfield.

http://www.stevenpressfield.com/bla...Pressfield_Nobody-Wants-to-Read-Your-Sh-t.pdf

I've read some good unpublished writing and storytelling as a child and college age, and writing by it's nature it is more original than the game publishing world so success is mostly in knowing you wrote a good book or story. You may stand better chance of doing something genuinely non-depressing and good so go for it.

 

It's not that i'm not enthusiastic about it.

This last year i've just spent picking up the pieces of my life, and i'm just now regaining the interest in what i used to love.

 

I've read another book by Pressfield that I liked, "The war of art". Might be relevant to the OP too. I'll have a look at that pdf, thanks for the link.

 

Look at the Choices software for creating make your own adventure stories. It has player stats & everything & the choices available can be locked down depending on whether a player has achieved certain stats. That will use your writing skills & give you portfolio stuff for how you map gameplay & interactions.

https://www.choiceofgames.com/make-your-own-games/choicescript-intro/

 

Game design is a journey, not a destination.

Make sure that you love game design and not the idea of game design.

And the only way to do that is to dig in and start learning, practicing, and making.

No one is going to make squat for you unless you can pay them. The forums are not a bunch of people sitting around waiting at the opportunity to do free work for people with an idea, no matter how great it is. It's a community of like minded individuals with a passion for game development who help one another out symbiotically.

SYMBIOTICALLY, as in we help those who help themselves and others.

Sit down and do the tutorials. Do a couple sample projects. And do a very simple game.

It doesn't take that long.

And if it IS too long, then believe me that making a game isn't any better and game design is not for you.

 

Requirements for developing a game:
-10% game idea, 40% ability to hire assistance and buy assets, 70% elbow grease

 

If the main problem is you don't have time and a big part of the reason is because you are working over 40 hours per week for your job... you may want to consider just outsourcing the project.

I don't mean all at once at an entire finished game scope but just pieces of it. Get some art assets created and start sketching out your game showing the screen layout for gameplay, inventory (if you need one), NPC dialogue (if it applies) and so forth.

This way you are at least making progress and as you get more and more done you can switch over to hiring a Unity programmer to start building pieces of the game. Just be sure to hire someone trustworthy who is not going to steal the art you paid for or do other stupid things. @BoredMormon would be a good choice. I hired him to do some research and programming work in the past. @neginfinity is probably another good choice. I've never hired him personally (although we discussed it at one point) but he seems like a good honest person and I am pretty sure he is quite skilled in programming.

 

Mike Shinoda would think otherwise.

 

The music artist?

 

You only get one life. If you think game development is your passion, you'd do yourself a favor by acting on it.

Learn how to code, learn how to draw, learn how to compose music. Learn, learn, learn.

No skills gets you nowhere. Ideas are worthless without talent or money.

 

Well if you got money you could probably outsource your idea. It takes money to make money