From Dream to Delivery, Part 1
Tags: devjournal
Published: 2023-04-09 22:09:21

I've been passionate about video games for the better part of 20 years. I still remember my first time playing capture the flag on Blood Gulch after school with friends and getting bullied by the more experienced players piloting Scorpion tanks. Or the first time I was zergling rushed on a "No Rush 15" map in StarCraft. Or figuring out how to do Mephisto speed farming in Diablo II. More recently, I've been proud to fulfill goals like earning a raid title in Destiny 2, and achieving Cutting Edge in World of Warcraft. These experiences have shaped the fabric of my close friendships over the years, and I'm so thankful to have access to this social, creative, and competetive outlet and this way to bring people togethers even when physical distance or a global pandemic have kept us apart. 

Throughout my time playing games, I've always been fascinated with the development process. I would watch the behind-the-scenes DVD on repeat that came with my copy of Halo 2 (that I picked up at midnight at launch on a school night--thanks for driving me, Dad!). Growing up, my friends and I would dream about what types of games we would enjoy making and playing, and create elaborate storyboards for the major story beats and draw up concept art. Now days, I love watching GDC conference talks on the design process, technical demos for new engines, and early alpha footage for upcoming titles. 

As a recent software graduate exploring the available positions and fields that I could see myself working in, of course video game development has been a consideration. My capstone project for school was to create a browser-based educational game for the NASA Psyche Mission, and I loved every minute of learning the intricacies of the Unity engine to make that game. That experience of collaborating with others in a Scrum environment, producing playable demos to product owners and stakeholders, collecting feedback from playtesters, and iterating on the game to make it engaging, informative, and fun was incredibly enriching.

Now, as I'm looking to add some projects to my portfolio to demonstrate my skill and aptitude to future employers, I've decided to try my hand at making my own game, solo. One of the first things I do when approaching a new venture is to seek wisdom from others, and learn tips and pitfalls to avoid that they can share from their experiences. Enter "Indie Games: From Dream to Delivery" by Don L. Daglow.

Daglow starts his book by guiding the reader through a series of questions, with the intent of helping the reader give form to their dream. I've decided to record my answers to these questions here, for posterity and reflection. Part one of those questions follows below.

Credit to Dan L. Daglow ["Indie Games: From Dream to Delivery"](https://www.amazon.com/Indie-Games-Delivery-Don-Daglow-ebook/dp/B079NSDVSF) (2018) for all of the questions below.

## What is the game that you have you been thinking about creating that inspired you to read this book? 

A multiplayer turn-based fighting game that plays into the concept of “yomi” from traditional fighting games, and taps into the satisfying feeling of “getting into their head” when pulling off strings of predictive moves and combos. The simple mechanics of the game can be spiced up with flashy visuals paired with frozen/dilated time to build excitement. 



## What objective would you like to meet by launching your indie game?

The design of the game feels like a good introduction to some fundamentals of multiplayer gaming—profiles, stats, matchmaking, lobbies, chat, cosmetic customization, and networked gameplay itself. 



## What makes you passionate about this game? In what game genre or category will reviewers classify it? 

My favorite moments in multiplayer gaming are when I can utilize my skill to predict and capitalize on an opponents move. That feeling is immensely satisfying and joyous to me. Whether it’s a tech read in Super Smash Brothers: Melee, or a dunk in Rocket League, or a well-timed prediction for a shot in Overwatch, they make me feel like I’m a master of not just my own technical skill, but also my opponents mind. Now of course, being turn-based, this game idea would not tap into that mechanical side of that feeling, but instead it would be purely focused on the predictive “mind reading” side. I think this game would be classified as a tactical fighter. 



## When did you first become interested in the play style, genre, category or theme that lies at the core of the game you want to create? What was the first game you played in this genre that made you love the category?

I’m not aware of a game that exists in this genre, or sub genre of fighting, but games that have inspired this idea are Melee and Rocket League. In both games, a player must demonstrate both mastery of game mechanics and the ability to “read” their opponent to achieve victory. Pulling off a “hard read” has always been an experience that makes me giddy. 

Edit: I have since learned of the existence of another indie game, Your Only Move Is Hustle (aka YOMI Hustle). I believe that my game idea is distinct enough to be considered completely separate and not derivative of this game, given that YOMI Hustle is based on frame data and is more of a "Tool Assisted"-esque style of game, while mine is more focused on simple mechanics and the rock-paper-scissors element at the core of the moveset.


## What is the first platform on which you plan to release your game? What other platforms do you intend to support simultaneously, or soon after your initial launch? 

I believe the simplicity of the game lends itself to being a mobile game, however I have an unconfirmed suspicion that most people do not want to have to download an app to play a game. If I could serve the game through a mobile friendly website for greatest exposure, then release optimized iOS and Android versions via app stores later, that feels like it would be the best choice. However, I’m not sure how well a Unity-built WebGL game would work on a mobile internet browser. This may require some prototyping to test and flesh out. 

## Will your game require any additional hardware or peripherals for users to play, like VR headsets or alternate interface devices?

No, the game at its base form will only require interacting with 3-5 buttons, besides social/menu buttons. 

## In what programming language (or languages) will your game be coded? Will you use a third party engine as the foundation for your game, or create it entirely from scratch? If you’re using an engine, will it be Unity 2D or 3D? The Unreal Engine? CryEngine? GameMaker? Something else?

If I want the game to be mobile browser friendly, given that WebGL has limited support in mobile browser, I think I will be forced to write it in a JavaScript based web framework. 

If I accept that it will need to be an app, then I will build it in Unity with C#. Whether it is 2D or 3D is an interesting question. 3D may be more challenging, but would allow me some flexibility when it comes to visuals. Or, if I go with a more retro/pixelated aesthetic, 2D would work just fine. 

## Is this your first game of this scale? Have you pursued lots of indie games in your life? Have you worked on other initiatives or startups that were similar in size to this project?

Yes, this would be the largest game I have worked on. Prior “games” were all for school assignments, and had very simple, if any, interfaces. The game would be simpler in scale than the capstone project I worked on, but still the largest solo endeavor.