Please help me get started on my project

[Niko_Io]

Hello Everybody. So I have some ideas for games and not enough hobbies so I would like to start creating some of my own games. I do not have a lot of programming knowledge so gamer creator tools that were designed to include people who are not programmers are appealing to me, RPGMaker for example. But there are so many of these programs, I do not know which one is best for what I want to do. So I’m hoping I can tell you what I want to do, and someone can recommend a program to start with.

I want to make a variety game. The mini games will include casino games like poker, slot machines, roulette and the like. Also I want some memory games (probably cards), a bartending mini game and a whack-a-mole type game. There will be a player character who navigates an RPG like map. To play a slot machine for example your character will walk to a slot machine on the casino floor, select it and the slot machine mini game will open on the screen. Same with the other games. Is any game creator coming to mind yet that would be best for this? Did I give enough information?

 

[9robin3]

I would recommend Game Maker or Construct.

A new game in Game Maker is totally empty when opening, to the diffrence of RPG Maker (s), a new game there will not be empty, but have automated enemies, troops, weapons, etc. Also you cannot control events and actions and controls used and it is very limited, in game maker, nothing is pre-made and you yourself decide WHICH type of game you will make. RPG Maker is only for RPGS if you dont want to learn coding!

 

[Kain Nobel]

Unlike what that guy said, I suggest you do learn some coding before fucking with RPG Maker, as there is a shitload of it and you're only limited by what you don't know. Matter of fact, I've seen people make stuff like what you've mentioned, such as card games like Blackjack and whatnot, you can do whatever with it if you have the patience and willpower to learn. Heck, people have even made space shooters and explorable 3D dungeons and such with it, god bless their poor souls lol.

But yeah, using RPG Maker for that stuff? It can be done, its been done, it will probably be done again, but to save yourself the headache you should use something that is already tuned to the beat of a point-n-click game. I've used Game Maker, Multimedia Fusion, Construct and Spark Casual Engine, these are all good for what you're wanting to do. They're a bit too clicky-clicky for me, so save yourself some trouble get yourself some Icy Hot for your wrist and a couple spare computer mice, you'll need 'em!

It doesn't really matter what you make this with, these things are all tools, you can pretty much do all the same shit with them all, its just different programs require different approaches. Last piece of advice would be to learn some basic artsy skills because, quite frankly, it sucks alot less than begging folks for all sorts of odds and ends.

Good luck on your venture mate! :thumb:

 

[Niko_Io]

Thank you very much for the responses. I downloaded a trial for RPG maker and I quickly discovered that I can't do the majority of things I want without modifying it myself. I had a suspicion that it wasn’t the right tool for what I wanted part of why I asked. It still holds appeal to me, it would be fun to work with regardless and I will probably purchase a copy of it.

A couple of those tools suggested I haven’t heard of, Multimedia Fusion and Spark Casual Engine. I’ll get to researching those right away. Thank you again for suggesting them. I was looking at Wintermute which seems rather intriguing. Have you (or anybody else reading) used it? How was it?

I am open to learning coding. In fact, I’m realizing it as a necessity. I work at a place where if I should choose to get coding knowledge I can apply for other jobs within the company that would pay more. Which also means if I’m doing this as a hobby, I still might want to make sure those skills overlap into my work life. It’s a shame Ruby is seen as a useless skill here. If I got C coding knowledge, that would be valuable. I was trained in Java but I’m not a coder, I need to work with coders so my training was so that I wouldn’t be functionally retarded when dealing with those coders. My teacher constantly pushed understanding the concept of what was happening in the code over understanding the syntax. It was probably good advice as I still understand concepts and that helps me on my job, I’ve forgotten most of the syntax.

I have tried improve my art skills. But it just seems to be a skill that isn’t with me naturally, I really think I’m going to need professional help in order to improve to a point that I feel my art should be presented in a game. I have no trouble visualizing art, my hands though will not co-operate when it comes to pulling it out of my head and getting it down. I do have some “basic” skills I suppose. I am able to create mock ups of what I envision and my plan is to beg someone to help lol. I have a good friend who is an artist, also an avid gamer. I admire his art and it’s the sort of thing that’s right up my alley. He’s a surrealist, like Salvador Dali for example. I like games that show the creators pushed the visual presentation beyond “Make it look realistic”. I prefer stylized graphics I suppose. This isn’t a “normal” casino variety game I have in mind here, not quite as out there as Salvador Dali however. But asking for my friends' help is one of the last things on my list to do. So many people have good ideas for games but it’s not enough. I want to show him something first, I want a working demonstration of the game, my mock ups, the story written out completely, some flow documents for the progression of the game etc before I even ask him because I want to show him I’m serious first. He’s going to have to want to do it, and I think he will if he understands I’m serious.

Anyway, thanks again for the responses.

 

[Allen2014]

To be a game, first must have the tools, in fact all of these is not important, the most important is to insist to finish the work, making a game's difficulty lies in whether the development of the story about your thinking, you Is it right? Will often change in the production process, if so,then I suggest you write a complete script start. The above is my suggestion, can we be friends?