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First off to the mods, I sat here for 5 minutes trying to decide what forum to post this in. If it's out of place, feel free to move it.

Me and some local guys have come up with the idea of founding a video game company. We have the direction that we're going to focus on first person shooters and have an idea on the table for our blockbuster to be a MMOFPS ( basically, if Call of Duty and World of Warcraft had a kid).

I think the biggest challenges right now is that all three of us are broke, and we don't know anyone in the industry that we can follow their lead.

Should we try and get an SBA loan first?
Should we spend some time producing little titles to bring in little bits of revenue first?
Should we put the blood and sweat into getting a prototype and hold a convention to prove our concepts to investers?

I know pretty much nothing about software development but I know a little bit about start up companies.

Start with the work first. Don't worry about all the stuff you have to buy, or how you'll get the money for what you want, just get working with what you've got. Use the machines you've already got, and work from home when you've got the spare time.

This means when it comes to actually spend money you'll have a much clearer idea of what you really need to produce a finished product. More than that, though, you'll sort the people who really want to work on this from the people who like to talk about it, but shy away when there's actual work to be done.

Your game sounds a lot like the soon-to-be-released Planetside 2. I don't envy you, taking on Sony.

Correct board, worry not !

can't offer any solid or practical advice here really. I do know a few people who work in the industry in a variety of ways, and i do know from them it's a pig to actually get into as there are so many people keen to work in the field.

Good luck with all though

www.kickstarter.com

Seems so be what all the cool kids are doing these days.

sebster wrote:I know pretty much nothing about software development but I know a little bit about start up companies.

Start with the work first. Don't worry about all the stuff you have to buy, or how you'll get the money for what you want, just get working with what you've got. Use the machines you've already got, and work from home when you've got the spare time.

This means when it comes to actually spend money you'll have a much clearer idea of what you really need to produce a finished product. More than that, though, you'll sort the people who really want to work on this from the people who like to talk about it, but shy away when there's actual work to be done.

Thanks man, that sounds really sound. I think we should start really small and work on our engine and such, launch a few over say steampowered.com. Hell, Quake was ID's 4th tittle and WoW is Blizzard's 15th (I think).


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ouze wrote:Your game sounds a lot like the soon-to-be-released Planetside 2. I don't envy you, taking on Sony.

Well, keep in mind that when Blizzard starting World of Warcraft, Sony's Everquest was king of the hill when it came to fantasy mmo. Planetside looks interesting, but one should "follow them up" and improve on such things.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Dreadwinter wrote:www.kickstarter.com

Seems so be what all the cool kids are doing these days.

Dude, that site is for funding for the arts, not for business expenses.

sebster wrote:Start with the work first. Don't worry about all the stuff you have to buy, or how you'll get the money for what you want, just get working with what you've got. Use the machines you've already got, and work from home when you've got the spare time.

This means when it comes to actually spend money you'll have a much clearer idea of what you really need to produce a finished product. More than that, though, you'll sort the people who really want to work on this from the people who like to talk about it, but shy away when there's actual work to be done.

While working on it first before getting into debt etc., you really need to be devoted for this to work. Getting all the coding, graphics etc. will take masses of man hours, and either you've got to have a load of people working at it (like the big companies do) or you've got to spend every second possible at it, otherwise by the time you release it it'll be out of date and no good. Good luck if you think you can do it, but...

Also, if you need anyone to playtest it...

Not at all.

Most of the KS that have been advertised here on Dakka have been business ventures. You should look into it; then crush Sony under your boot!

You can make one of the MMO things I a few months can't you?