New PC Gaming Company

[Skid]

True, but bad language can be used to great effect is used in the right places, its just when they swear in every other sentence.

[Gecko]

Gecko, this sounds awesome.

One thing I would like to solicit though is about language (keep it on the down low, please).

Other than that I would gladly support your endeavorer. Entrepreneurs FTW!

Thanks! Good point about the language. I hadn't even considered this aspect yet but my gut feeling is along what Skid mentioned. Too much and it becomes crass and annoying. In the right places here and there it can have effect. 'Minimal but targeted' is my thinking in this regard.

[DaFox]

I'm still sceptic though - it's money that rules the market. Consoles and simplistic games = money. That's why there's so many of them.

A niche market can provide enough income, but you'll have to grab a large percentage of it, i.e. the game must be really good.

I feel this way aswell. You really might want to think about supporting at least the 360 if the game would work well on it (I seen Dues Ex thrown around, that would work fine... Baldurs Gate on the other hand, not so much.)

Would you guys be doing the engine or using something like UE3.5?

[Anprionsa]

I didn't see this, but what engine or genre would you be targeting? If multiple one, which?

[Paradigm Shifter]

Interested.

Thinking of sitting down with a few friends who are far better coders than I, and making an RPG. Never thought I'd be the storyboarder! :lol:

[yogibbear]

[quote]Gecko, this sounds awesome.

One thing I would like to solicit though is about language (keep it on the down low, please).

Other than that I would gladly support your endeavorer. Entrepreneurs FTW!

Thanks! Good point about the language. I hadn't even considered this aspect yet but my gut feeling is along what Skid mentioned. Too much and it becomes crass and annoying. In the right places here and there it can have effect. 'Minimal but targeted' is my thinking in this regard.

You could just design parts of the game with a filter in the options section. E.g. anti-blasphemy filter, porn filter etc. etc. to suppress the whiny soccer mums.

[Widerron]

As a PC enthusiast, I'd like to see a game company with DX11 as a minimum spec. I'm wanting to see some serious tessellation and so far it is lacking.

[DaFox]

As a PC enthusiast, I'd like to see a game company with DX11 as a minimum spec. I'm wanting to see some serious tessellation and so far it is lacking.

Tessellation can not really be done great if its not designed for tessellation from the ground up. IMO

[packerfan]

I would love to see what you come up with. If you get the right exposure and have a demo I can see your hypothetical company getting a lot of popularity.

Look at the exposure minecraft quickly got, now that developer is probably on people's watch lists for future releases.

I too have noticed that the games that really stick with me are the ones with good story lines. Morrowind, Bioshock, Half-Life 2, Legend of Zelda etc. even Far Cry 2 or Mirrors Edge, as compared to games like Left 4 Dead 2 which have a story but not to the same extent.

[JohnnyWakko]

I like the idea, specially if you keep it at adult level with adult content and adult problems.

[CrackerJackMack]

Coop means that I am sold.

Same

[skipclarke]

I realize this is an old thread (was searching for something else). However, the WSGF would fully support any member in their efforts in creating PC games. We'd through any and all support your way.

[redrain85]

How did I miss this topic before? I'd love to see a new company that focuses on PC exclusives.

Sure, it can be a tough market if you're niche and releasing on only one platform. But I still think it's possible to be successful. The best example of an existing company with the same goals, that I can think of, is Frictional Games. And just recently they gave word that Amnesia has actually sold beyond their wildest dreams, as a PC only title.

http://frictionalgames.blogspot.com/2011/01/four-months-after-amnesias-release.html

At 200,000 copies sold in such a short time for a niche indie title, on PC only, and with no real marketing campaign: it's doing pretty darn good.

There's still money to be made and acclaim to be had, if one's expectations aren't absurdly unrealistic. That's the problem with most publishers/developers these days. They think they have to bet the farm in order to succeed, and correspondingly they're not satisfied with anything less than millions of copies sold.

Instead of blowing money on Hollywood actors for voice talent, hiring huge burdensome teams, having massive marketing budgets that are larger than the game's own development budget, and producing an endless stream of sequels and "me too" titles - Frictional sets an example that more developers should follow. Making a great game with a small team and small budget, that still has high production values.

[Gecko]

Thanks again all. The dream is still that, a dream, but it's getting a thorough consideration. Many, many factors to mull over and we're all at different stages in our careers.

I'll definitely let everyone know if we decide to launch this venture though.

Cheers,
Chris

[Davros]

Those of us who follow the teachings of the Gaming Gods salute you sir
you are a true visionary...

and remember

[medtech]

geko, you have a PM..

[Anprionsa]

Any news Gecko?

Any ideas swirling around with you guys?

[medtech]

the last message I received was that they were still "looking at options", which is sort of like saying, 'they' lack the ability to make the jump from 9-5 job to full on game company. Too bad, I would have gone in with them, nothing like having a real solider on staff who's also certified on many different animation platforms, as it is I'm staying in the military and heading back out shortly. The guys at Adhesive ( Hawken) are baller in my book, they've got the 'go big or go home' attitude, Canadian's from birth i think are pre programmed not to do that with out 100 different options, studies and dry runs...

[illy]

i'm no expert in how to start a gaming company, but i do believe that the only way to gain momentum in getting there is to actually start working on a project. don't worry about trying to get the company up and running. focus your energy on gathering hard working, talented people who seem genuinely interested. there are plenty of people who will work on a project without pay if they are passionate about it and if they think the project has promise. you'd be amazed at how many incredibly talented and hard working people will offer to help.

so, at this point, the game is more important than the company because that is what will make or break it all, not the other way around. you've probably already thought about all of this, so sorry if it may be redundant to you, but just my two cents after stumbling on this topic.

edit: oh, and i forgot to add, I LOVE THE IDEA. i truly do. we need more truly passionate pc oriented gaming companies.

[skipclarke]

Sorry you will fail, no one has high end gaming PC's any more, everyone just plays consoles and even the small fraction of PC gamers consists of 50% pirates.