Any Practical Advice For Getting Started

[NickPoem]

Any advice for building games.

-Where to get started.

-Steps I should take.

-Good resources to use.

-Videos, books?

-People to talk to?

-Things to learn.

I want to build a fairly simple mmorpg using EO, but I suck dink, I can't even make cliffs. lol.

Should I design the game on paper first?

[Sealbreaker]

The way I started was by playing around with eclipse alot and getting to know it by myself… May not work for you but I think that the program is pretty much self-explanatory.

You can also read some tutorials on here and talk to people on the chat.

Have fun!

-seal

[rairai5650]

> Have fun!

Yeah,Have fun "If" this is only hobby but if you want to get some money then you should recuit some "Pro" lolz xD

-You can Start by planning it something like "Story,Title,Can i host the server?,ETC"

-I don't know but you can start with mapping i guess

-If you want to get some money you should use custom graphics or purchase, if not then you choose

-Buy some books of programming to programm your self (I don't know if there books of mapping or what ever)

-If you have some interested making mmorpg then you can talk to them, I will not recommend you to talk to anybody because there some people trolling player using admin panel.

-Programming,Mapping,Balancing

[Sealbreaker]

I think people who REALLY want to make something professional and earn money with it won't use eclipse.

Don't put your hopes up too high and stay realistic with your ambitions. 

Definately a good tip too!

-seal

[rairai5650]

yep i don't know what your planning to do earn money or just hobby because if you want to earn money you will need to have more money too something like this

Website

Adversment

Jobs

Etc

if you're lucky in here you will able to get 10 player Max until 15 i guess

[SkywardRiver]

I find that the games that really go far are the ones that have teams where each person is devoted to their strength.

IE: My strength is writing, I have a team with a programmer and a pixel artist ect. Get my meaning?

Anyways, good luck!

[jcsnider]

Understand that at one point it goes from being fun to being work and there will actually be a little dedication required to reach for the fun at the end. Once people learn this fact the hard way they generally quit. (I am guilty of this too.)

[Helladen]

> I think people who REALLY want to make something professional and earn money with it won't use eclipse.

Work with what you got then pave room for the future. Eclipse is still the best for prototyping games out for 2-D MMOs as is RPG Maker for 2-D RPGs.

[drmike]

I would think sitting down and working out a basic plotline on paper would be a good start.

[SkywardRiver]

Selecting the base engine that is right for you is a fairly important step as well!

NEVER exchange Features for Functionality.

You wan a nice STABLE base.

[Exception]

My honest candid suggestion is to simply not hang around **ANY** Mirage derivative, if you're looking to actually get anything finished.

While it's fun for some, it can be an environment that inhibits the most procrastination possible, and you will have no sense of focus.

It's possible to deviate, and there are obviously exceptions…but history proves that's obviously rare.

Anyway. Advice.

One thing I rarely see mentioned: recognise the difference between a hobby, and something you want to pursue as a career. It's quite easy to let your mental and physical health crumble worrying over a project that you later realise is silly or not worth worrying over. Ensure that you know your limits, and make sure that you sleep well, eat healthy, and exercise.

Next, realise that your players don't actually give a crap about your programming prowess. It's important to optimise your code, but computers are fast becoming better and better. You don't have to waste time recoding things unless if it provides problems in active testing. Get something playable out as quickly as possible, even if it isn't finished to your standard. Just release, let others play it, evaluate, debug, release, repeat.

I realise now that I have no interest in game development whatsoever (more interested in front end software development + design. I'll stick to playing games, and the occasional small game project to cure boredom), and am unlikely to ever start up a somewhat serious game project again, but if there was anything I wish I knew when I cared, it'd be the above.

Ultimately, there's nothing anybody here can suggest that doesn't compare to you simply trying it out.

We can advise all we like, that won't prepare you.

[Exception]

Oh, one more thing:

Start small. Don't go too large scale, you will hate yourself for it. I mean it.

[drmike]

> Selecting the base engine that is right for you is a fairly important step as well!

This is important.  Trying these engines out first before sitting down to work with them is important.  Three months down the line only to find out that the engine doesn;t support what you need is not going to make you happy. 

Having said that, I;ve searched and don't see a thread on tools and/or procedures one may use for planning out a plot line.  I know Fred over at Megatokyo has written a bit on the tools that he's using but they're all Mac based:

[http://vn.megatokyo.com/](http://vn.megatokyo.com/)

Any suggestions on plot planning for windows based folks?

thanks

[PD]

> This is important.  Trying these engines out first before sitting down to work with them is important.  Three months down the line only to find out that the engine doesn;t support what you need is not going to make you happy. 
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> Having said that, I;ve searched and don't see a thread on tools and/or procedures one may use for planning out a plot line.  I know Fred over at Megatokyo has written a bit on the tools that he's using but they're all Mac based:
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>
> [http://vn.megatokyo.com/](http://vn.megatokyo.com/)
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>  
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> Any suggestions on plot planning for windows based folks?
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>  
>
> thanks

Two tools I use:

FreeMind - [http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page](http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page)

yWriter5 - [http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html](http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html)

There are better tools out there I'm sure but these are free and get the job done.

[Helladen]

Anyway, my best advice is for anyone making a MMO, don't bother until you learn how to make games first. Start with simple games like Pong, Tetris, or Bejeweled. MMOs are the hardest games in the world to make. I'm not even joking either.

[Abyssrayel]

Get a hold of me on here & we can set up a meeting where I can give you the run down of what's involved with managing a project. Specifically in EO4 and/ or in general. I may even share some of my personal work with you if I find you to have a promising attitude.