Announcing the launch of my new gaming company

[ccheath776]

I cant say the name because I think it is against the forum policies to post names of other companies.

I do want to put out a special thanks to the people at Turbine for finally giving me the needed inspiration to pursue a career in this line of work. Was it not for the great game mechanics and the game itself I am sure I would have not gone forward with this.

Anyway without further adew,

Announcing much to my delight the founding and begginnings of my new online gaming company.
* if you PM me I will give you the name and website. The website is not up yet but will be soon on Nov 15th.

Founded for the time being as a portal where I will place game mods for the latest games like AVP2, NWN2, and the upcoming Force Unleashed.

In the future it will also feature some of my originally designed games such as my flagship game "The Immortal" but will also be featuring "Masters of Toreadon" based on my novel "Fall of Toreadon".

Launch date is expected for April 2008. I need those 6 months to setup incorporation and write up some of the basics.

Original games will be made using the Lawmaker game engine. In the future I will switch to FURY or Unreal but I cannot afford the licenses for those yet so Lawmaker will be a good starting point. I will also be toying with XNA and some other languages. My point is to break into the gaming industry so I need to learn it all.

Background:
I am getting into the gaming world, being that I am going to school to learn how to program games. To further that cause I am doing this, making game mods and designing my own games. So that I have some kind of a demo for potential employers. If I am going to get hired by a big gaming company I want to have something to show my talents with.
Or
Perhaps someone will publish one of my games and I can start my own gaming company.

Who am I in regards to games-
I grew up in California and now live in Georgia. I have written 100's of novels, short stories, and articles since I was 10 years old with some being published.
I am very passionate, creative, and believe that all the stories i have locked up in my head can be made visual through games. I have been playing video games since I can remembers. Before where I always thought of them as a hobby, it wasn't until a few years ago I started getting the idea of working in games and some day designing my own. Working as a Chef in a resturaunt was not going to get me there. So I walked off that dead end job 96 and into a local cash register company and basically asked them to hire me which they did on the spot. Ever since then I have been educating myself and settling myself for the right time to become who I have always wanted to be. A creator.


For the sanctity of protecting the ideas of my games I cannot release information about the games that are in development until I get them copywritten.
I can tell you the names.
1. The immortal
2. Masters of Toreadon.

If you want to know more PM me.
Wish me luck and keep me in mind. In the future I will be looking for many good people to join my company if I decide to go that route.

Thanks,
CC

Ps - this is not an advertisement, just a shoutout that a member of the community was inspired by DDO to become a game creator himself in hopes that one day he will either become a game designer working for a big company like Turbine or forming my own company.

[ccheath776]

Proof of concept draft implemented.
Here is a link to the design concept for the website.

Dont laugh, this is just a design rough draft thats why it looks as basic as it does.

To be added -
- Better graphics
- Flash countdown timer to April 25th 2008
- A sound wave effect that plays as the seconds tick down.
- A flashing marquee with something on it.
- A background graphic.
- More animation to spice it up a bit.
- Possibly need to seek a 3rd party web designer for assistance - Money set aside to fund this if necessary.

Anyway here it is.
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/c...Websitepic.jpg

Further update -
- First XNA coding of the immortal is in development. My first official lines of code for the game, Go me!!
- Checked with MS XNA dev support to make sure code can port to other engines like Lawmaker and Unreal. Confirmed to port.
- Models and story have been storyboarded and are preparing for design. ( Ill have a pic soon of my new storyboard, pasted all over the walls of my computer room. )
- Recorded first character voices.

Goals for weekend and next week:
- Go through XNA tutorials and coding manuals. Learn all I can.
- Begin by writing some test codes and preparing 3d modeling.
- Refine storyboard and add new area.
- Map out game play design grid. Will this be FPS, 3rd person, area by area, etc..?
- Brainstorm on Mob types. ( i need some outside input. Good Monster types from the Greek or roman mythical line?)

[ccheath776]

If you wish to be included in my updates or just want to voice support, send me a PM. I will keep your name in file for notation as I am sure I will need testers, designers, and many other things once I get the funding to hire.

[ccheath776]

Breakthrough update.
Enjoy the first 3d model scene I have ever created.

I used some objects from NWN2 and rendered them in XNA. I then used many of aspects of the toolkit to create my first 3d scene.
I just need to learn how to create my own 3d objects and then things will start to fall in place.

Enjoy.



Ignore the errors on the door. Its because I messed up on a piece of the code. Hey not everything is perfect right?

[ccheath776]

Game update - 10-26

This weeks accomplishments -
- First rendurings and scenery setup successfully completed.
See above link

- XNA tutorials completed. More coding and testing upcoming.
-Improved the storyboard a bit to better improve the storyline. Fixed some plot holes and conflicting storylines.
- Level and gameplay design complete. (Unable to release on public forums to protect ideas )
- Copyright submission sent in Tuesday. Expected to be approved by next week.
- Combat strategies finalized. Combat will be a mix of real time play with clickable special abilities possible.
- Monster Ideas coming into focus. The following mobs will make it in. Others to be announced.
Cerberus, Lilath, Cyclops, Medusa, Basalisk, Flesh devils, Minitaur ( note the singular use, Moribull, and colossos.
- Potential sponsor for website and game possibly secured.

Goals for this week -
- Art renduring of the first monsters to be completed.
- Attempt to 3d model.
- Create a module using the NWN2 toolset to gain experience in level building. I should have the first mod up and complete by this weekend.
- Dedicate to finding and hiring a 3rd party web designer to get the website up and working.
- Budget plan for upcoming web page launch. Begin posting some financial prospects to investors to gauge initial interest.
- Write up a feasable 6 month project plan and set goals according to dates. Should be complete this week.
- Upgrade computer processor and memory, it is giving me a lot of lag with the amount of 3d modeling software I am using. Install new hard drive for extra space. (approved by wife )

[FlyinS]

Building looks awesome, but that pic in your last post there doesn't work.

[ccheath776]

Update week of 11-2

Note: Not many updates this week because my job sent me out of town. So I didn't get much done. DOH! Oh well.
I began to code some things in Linux and XNA but then I pushed back the beggining of coding anything until I learn more about XNA and also until I get my art designs and game design finalized. I had a friend who did game projects for the Cartoon Network help and tell me no coding should begin until your game design, storyboard, monster manual, and software model is done. Otherwise I am coding on the fly and any big game should never do that. I agreed. So that is why you are not seeing any coding work done at the moment.

Accomplishments this week
- Drawings of the mobs and some of the scenery done. Screen shots soon to come.
- Copyrights will be approved. I will get an official letter to state this soon.
- Money put in bank. Enough to keep the website running for 1 year.
- Project plan 80% done. Once complete allocation of hours should be set.
- New hard drive that should have been installed this week will be put in this weekend.
- Thank to Gary from the Cartooon Network game and entertainment department who gave me a full 2 hours of his time to consult and give me some direction.

Goals for next week
- Still need a web designer. I will find one this weekend.
- Redo storyboard again based on the consultation of my friend. Just for re-draws and final touchups. Screenshots soon to come.
- NWN 2 toolset is great for making scenery and areas. I am going to use it to set up my two beggining areas.
- Complete NWN2 module, it is 50% done.
- Begin drawings and development on UI and combat interface.
- Begin monster manual for Mob design.
- Begin write of game design in total.


Enjoy your weekend.

[ccheath776]

No updates today 11-9
I will have some on Monday 11-12
I have been busy trying to bring my web page up.
I have some big news on monday. Your gonna love it!!!!

[ccheath776]

Update 11-11

Only need to say one thing.
I CREATED MY FIRST EVER GAME!!
- Its a small game but its still my first one and I made it one my own.
Its basically a rendition of 1945 with airplanes, sound effects and all kinds of cool stuff.
Yes I will have an EXE file for you shortly.

Further Updates -
- Monster manual is massive and I ran out of drawing paper. The details are being written up.
- Storyboard is in the process of being redone
- I learned my first aspects of object and scripting language.
- I purchased, or rather my company purchased, 800$ of tutorial and training software on Linux and C programming. These are the best money can buy.
- Areas complete on new module. Once I learn scripting I will add in the scripts and cutscenes. Who has NWN2?
- Begin work on my second game. A rendition of Missle Command. My favorite game. I need some sprites
- Website date pushed back to 11-22

Thats all on to next week.

[ccheath776]

Update 11-30

Accomplishements -
- Made the scenery and I started some artwork on the monster manual. Thats going well. I have one of the landscapes as a background on my PC.
- We created our first platform game. Although its nothing big since its just a mario looking character bouncing around the screen. But made it I did.
- Started courses on C programming and scripting. I am shocking myself as to how easy C is.
Refer to this article if you want to get a good understanding since C programming really helps when scripting.
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/c.htm
Also go to serebra.com. There online video tutorials on things like scripting and programming are very awesome.
- Registered and ready to start my first semester at the Art Institute of atlanta in Jan. 08. I go to orientation on Saturday and complete everything. Very excited.
- Website design completed YAY!. I will purchase a hosting and get the website up and running. Target date is Jan 1 08.
- Financial funds secured. Double YAY!. Thanks to my wife we have put away my game design and education fund. The first payout was to my school to pay for my education all the way through. I should have enough in January to start purchasing all the tools I need to get started.
Tip - always plan financially. No matter what it is. knowing how much you have to spend and when your going to spend it has been such a big help.
- Game design document done, with full descriptions and in a professional format. YAY!! I cannot publish it until I get it copy righted. I need to call the CR office to find out what the hold up is. Its been 2 weeks since I sent it in.

Goals -
- I have a few pieces of software I need to aquire. Gamestudio 3d, Corel Draw or Adobe illustrator, Manga studio, and Anime Maker
- I asked for an electronic drawpad for x-mas and I think my wife got it. It will be the Wacom brush and draw pad. That should allow me to start 3d modeling in January.
- Write up the goals, plans and deadlines into a formal document.
- Take a deep breath and relax. Dont panic.

News -
- Suspending game development for most of December. I am anxious to get this stuff out but I have family in and lots of stuff going on this month. I cannot sacrifice family for this so I will still do some work on it but I am going to enjoy the x-mas season as much as I can. I will still be reading, watching tutorials and playing with code to learn all I can. I will pick everything back up in January.
- One thing I hope everyone is noting who is watching this and my progress. This will not be the next Halo 3 or anything. Those type of games take millions of dollars and have a whole development team behind them. I am one person so far with a dream, ambition, and a great game idea who is doing this to create a stunning game design portfolio for potential employers and put all the experience I can. There is the possibility of my company becoming something serious in the future.
If you want to know where I am coming from and what plan I am following read this website. http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson12.htm
The main thing to keep in mind is the motivation factor and the knowledge. I want to gain as much knowledge as I can and not get discouraged by setbacks or how much time it is taking. Anything done well is worth doing right and I want to do all I can.
So thats just a note because I dont want to set anyones expectations to high. Everything takes time and I am a very patient person.

Have a good weekend yall more to come next week. I appreciate everyone who is keeping interest in this.

[ccheath776]

Well we are live as of now.

I am using the free hosting for godaddy.com so there will be a few adverts on it for now until I can get my webserver up and running.

But check it out.

http://www.immortalgamesonline.com