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Best approach for a demo game in short time? (Forums : Coding & Scripting : Best approach for a demo game in short time?) Locked
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Jun 4 2016 Anchor

Hi, I think not only me but many newbie game devs are interested in the below question, so I give it a shot.

With a solid base knowledge in Computer Science (C++), but little experience in game programming. Given Unreal Engine 4 (no experience), how would we approach if we get to build a best demo game to showcase our programming skills in 2 months?

  1. Which genre would be the best given the experience, and time constraints above? Racing, action, platform game, RPG, MMORPG, MMOFPS, etc. I am thinking about some MMORPG, MMOFPS. That would be best because it let we work with almost all aspects of game, and the demo just need to be working (no need to be polished) so it would not be much difficult as it sounds. But I do not know whether there is any hidden cost behind.

  2. What are the best resources (books, tutorials, etc.) that you recommend that can absorb in the above time constraint and can help produce acceptable result?

  3. What are other aspects need to be considered? Some advice?

Edited by: seraphpl

Nightshade
Nightshade Unemployed 3D artist
Jun 5 2016 Anchor

I would say that you should strongly focus on making a good vertical slice (google it!) and heavily tone down the amount of content as much as possible. Core gameplay is the most important thing to highlight. Skip things like stories (seriously - I don't understand why there is such an extreme focus on story by amateur and indie devs? You make games by making games, not by writing stories).

1) It's not about genre, really. However, some genres are more content-heavy by their nature: MMORPG and MMOFPS are such examples. If you are an indie dev, student or amateur hobbyist and think that you could make such a game in two months, you are either insane or incredibly naïve (usually the latter) - maybe both.
Content is something you push for once you have the core mechanics laid down and you are done with the prototype and enter "real production". With a 2 month production time, what you are aiming for is a PROTOTYPE (or as you yourself put it: a demo). Preferably you pick something 2D as the production of 3D usually takes longer.

2) Udemy.com
It's C# but with a solid base in C++ this will be easy for you

3) Prioritize everything from mechanics to art assets, because you are going to have to cut away a lot of it in order to make it in 2 months. You are gonna have to face the fact that your wonderful little darling of an idea is going to be reduced to an amputated quadriplegic - metaphorically speaking. This is something you need to really learn as a game dev: reducing your visions and ideals without getting upset about it. It's not a bad thing really as it makes you better at pin-pointing what makes a game good and also improves your overall productive performance.

Good luck!

Edited by: Nightshade

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“There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. Some kind of high powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.” Hunter S. Thompson

Jun 19 2016 Anchor

Hi, thank you for the feedback. I have just made a simple multiplayer fps prototype based all some tutorials on Youtube. Now I am putting my hands on tutorials from UE4 document because it will help learn basic stuff about UE4.
After all, UE4 blueprint and the engine is pretty mature, I feel that most of the things is already done for programmers.

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