Game Design (pc) help

[_X12A_Testament]

Does anyone have any information about game design?

I am a fan of many genres and have been creating a new idea using many influences. I just don't know where to go with it, or what to do with it, but it is 95% complete.

I don't need crazy graphics either, like it could be very basic 3-D for now.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

[ImperialPanda]

1) Finish high school. Then get a CS degree.
2) Read some books.

[Roots]

Don't underestimate game design. Having an idea means nothing. Pouring in the money, blood, sweat, and tears to implement the idea means everything, and is much much much much MUCH harder than simply forming an idea.


I have proof. I made a similar post on this very forum here:

http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=9409

That was in March 2004. I actually started working on my game, Hero of Allacrost (http://www.allacrost.org/) in June 2004. It's now February 2006 and I'm STILL working on getting a playable release, even after having almost 3 dozen people help me along the way at some point. I also have a bachelor's degree in computer engineering (and soon I'll have a master's), so I already had a good programming foundation coming into game design, and it was still incredibly difficult. Of course I design this game in my spare time and if I could devote myself to it full-time, I'm sure I'd be much farther along right now. But that goes to show you a real example of how much time it takes to truly create a game, and note that my game isn't ambitious by any means.

If you are really serious about designing your own game, I suggest you start with the basics. If you don't know programming, go write some basic programs that manipulate data structures like linked lists, process file I/O, etc. Then make some really simple games, like a tetris or a pac-man clone. Only then do I think you should seriously consider going after designing a full game. I would recommend you join another game development team and learn from your experience working there before you start your own.

Note that over 90% of game projects fail, and many of those within the first few weeks or months. But if you are really serious about it, it's possible. I recommend you start learning by going to this site:

http://www.gamedev.net/

[Ending]

Well, I have heard that there is this tool called "FPS Creator" that should make creating your own FPS a bit easier, but truth to be told, it isn't a single man job as of yet. RPG Maker XP almost made it possible, but only "almost." But toy with these two tools and see what you get -it's even fun for a while. ;)