Time for a Rant - "Biting Off More Than You Can Chew"

I like to rant, anyone who knows me knows that. In fact there is a type of ranting named after me known as the Markument. But I haven't ranted up on this blog yet, so now it's about time...

Now the subject of this particular rant is budding game developers biting off more than they can chew. Having seen a few game design students' potential projects and having read this:

http://sol.gfxile.net/mmorpg.html

it has solidified my opinion that people are almost universally over ambitious when they try to make their first game. Seriously - I've witnessed a group of 3 students announce they will build a third person action adventure from scratch in less than a year. Then they announce that the story will be much better than several mainstream titles. Firstly you don't stand much hope of finishing what is probably the most complex type of game to produce (aside from RPGs for pure depth and girdth) and secondly you're expecting to make it better than a game that had 60+ professionals working on it for 3 or more years. You need to sniff the reality salts guys. I don't mind the ambition so much as the arrogance!

It just reminds me of Marc Echo - urban clothing designer - and his determined pitch to the games industry that he would show us how it is done. Yeah? That worked didn't it...

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/marceckosgettingup?q=getting%20up

Then there was the doorman that decided an MMO was his future and he pumped his (and his family's) life savings into it. Forget trying to get experienced people to help, he'll manage with a few friends and loyal companions!

Unfortunately even those who've been on the perimeter of game development don't always get it right:

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/pennyarcadeadventuresepisode1?q=penny%20arcade

I love the cartoon strips (even the lampooning of Heavenly Sword), but there is a slight bit of smug satisfaction when the critics don't get it right themselves.

Just remember - if you're going to start in game development, start small. Build a mod for an existing game. Build a small arcade game. Whatever you do don't start bragging about how you are going to revolutionise the industry - we've heard all that bullshit before.