The 3-Day Mark

72 hours ago I was pacing in my house, pulling out my hair, asking myself repeatedly "could this really work?"  I have the skillsets to deliver, and I'm convinced that there are at least some people out there who would love to take part in making an MMO but cannot do so for one reason or another.  And that's quite literally what this is all about.  My days of proving that I can do this in such a sheltered way are over; it's time to dive head-first into this community of gamedev's and deliver something that is fun and enjoyable.  I honestly can't tell you if I will fail or not, because there are quite a few variables in that equation that I have no control over.  

Variable #1: What is it?

I don't have a clue what game I'm making.  That is incredibly exciting to me, considering I am obsessive when it comes to proving that something could work before diving into it.  For this particular project, the only thing that needed to work was the basic concept: do I have the skills to build a system that makes this entire experience enjoyable rather than cumbersome for the end-user.  I believe I do, and while I don't expect you to believe me at this point, I'm not asking for more than the time to prove it.

This is why I got into gamedev.  Not to hide in my office, having no social life, and cranking out game after game.  I got into this to be a part of a community that 13-year-old me would have cherished, and 33-year-old me does not take that for granted.  On the other hand, it is quite an undertaking, even when you don't consider the fact that the game has no plans yet.  It will be a social experience before it ever becomes a game, and for that I am incredibly grateful.

Variable #2: Your Participation

This project cannot work without input.  I am very anxious to get started on the client, but I'm a little limited in what I can do without knowing what type of game this will be.  If it's a top-down fantasy RPG, the setup of even the smallest details becomes very, very different than (for instance) a resource-managment or 4X MMO.  Because it is an MMO, it needs to be efficient, and so it needs to be scoped to include what is needed, and the rest stays out.

Does the majority of participants want a Sci Fi game, or would they prefer fantasy?  Are they looking for a laid back 3D version of Travian with more depth, or does grinding mobs sound more fun?  Or is everyone interested in a 3D community of like-minded people where everyone can have their own little piece of the world to call home?  These are the questions that I am hoping members will help me answer, so members are desperately needed.

Variable #3: Time

Right now, I have a lot of time to work on this project, but that is because I am in between freelance gigs.  As soon as I am working again, depending on the project, I'll have less time to work.  Considering I'm doing the programming solo, that can become a bit of an issue.  But I'm dedicated, and any free time that I can spare will be put into this project.  You can't fault me for needing to keep the lights on while I do this, and freelance work provides me a lot of opportunities that I would not get by other means... don't be fooled, however: it comes with its share of pitfalls as well.  For instance, not knowing when the next gig is going to come along...

I solo'd the entire process of building a working MMO architecture in six months, and I'm a lot more experienced with Unity3D and SmartFox now.  I've built a website that works seamlessly with the client/game server setup I built from scratch back on day one.  I know the limitations of almost all my porting options (Windows Desktop, Windows Store, Linux, Mac, Android, iOS, Unity Web Player).  And while I understand that the client & game server are the most important parts of this project, they aren't needed yet.  When they are needed, they're ready and already allowing logins... right now what's important is giving members a chance to share input.  I'm not asking anyone for their most cherished game ideas, it's about taking existing concepts and making something unique and fun.  Don't share anything you'll regret later, and as a whole, I think we'll all get something out of this in the long run.

This is where I need to be.  This is the right project for me, mostly because it isn't just mine.  I'm excited to see what we come up with.  I'm confident it will be a unique experience, and while it may have it's share of bugs or annoyances, it will absolutely have character.  

Let's Make a MMO!!