Hey ladies and gents, i'm new here. I have an important question, in hopes that I may receive better help in this gaming community. I have a game concept that's approved by the thousands, however out of all those people, none have any idea as to what I could do to get it developed. I know I am not the only one with this problem, however I am one that is willing to do what I can to get it done. It's based on Mixed Martial Arts, which i'm sure many of you are now familiar with (the UFC, Pride FC, WEC, Shooto, just to list a few of the well known MMA organizations). There have been about 11 previous MMA video games prior to this concept, however my concept is completely unique, in which I have proven, and it doesn't necessarily involve these popular brands of MMA I listed. On a MMA forum site I have made a thread entitled: "Recipe for the greatest MMA Video Game Ever". It was locked on the website because of it's success, in hopes that I can be used as proof to how acclaimed the game's concept actually is. It would be set out to being one of the most realistic fight game simulations out ever. Even if I weren't backed by the UFC or Pride and the fighters were fictional, many would still want the game based on it's intended fight controls. Fight Night would honestly have it's competition. With my Uncle representing me as my attorney, we have contacted the UFC headquarters, Dream Stage Entertainment (through Pride FC), EA Sports, Acclaim, and THQ. Apparently, they all have plans on their own, so they say. EA wouldn't take anything unless I worked under them. The same with Acclaim. We could not get anyone to review my concept that I was willing to provide in full documentation and professional presentation. The gaming industry is titanic and I understand my chances as a nobody with no game affiliation. I know many people are in my situation and I understand that it is the reality of how the gaming industry is to date... however being a gamer myself, I have created something many have been salivating for... and sadly I have to tell them that I am still unsuccessful in my efforts. I came here, hoping to find a better community that may help me with advice to get this game out for everyone to enjoy... I have no knowledge of how to make game designs, nor am I doing any form of education for it. I'm currently studying Pre-Dentistry and I don't have any money. So far I have people telling me that I am s**t out of luck because i'm in the wrong studies. What can I do? I am free for any criticism, as long as it is somewhat helpful. Thanks in advance to anyone who respectfully responds.

I'm in pretty much the exact same boat. I'm in medical school, no money, no time. The only thing I've got going for me is holidays. And my ideas. I don't have an enourmous thread to validate my ideas. It only got a few replies when I posted them. However, that didn't prove to be a problem.

Five holidays ago I learnt windows programming. The next one I learnt Direct3D. Then I coded a collision detection and physics engine. The next two holidays were spent prototyping games.

Now, Summer Holidays are only 11 days away. I've got a physics engine, a years worth of ideas, and four prototypes under my belt. I'm three months of hard work away from releasing my first completed game.

It will be 2D. The sound will be freely available samples. The art will be whatever I can can bribe my BA friends with booze to draw for me. But, two years on from when I sat down and made a serious commitment to learning to make games, I will have made a game.

Learn to code. That's my advice. It's a lot more work than getting someone else to make it. You learn a lot more than if you got someone else to make it. It gives you something logical to work at to give you a break from the endless memorising (if dent is anything like med). But most importantly of all, my game is actually getting made. Something I've wanted to since I was a kid drawing platform levels in crayon is happening. And doing it yourself is the only way to ensure that it happens.

If you take my advice, here are some resources to get you started:
C++ tutorials are a dime a dozen on the internet. Andre LaMothes books on game programming are great for learning (Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus is venerable, but still very good), or just as a skeleton that you can modify to make a game without having to learn the nitty gritty. Nehe for OpenGL, Drunken Hyena for DirectX, and Oli's "Poly Colly" Separating Axis Theorum tutorials for physics. Good luck.

Good luck and Good job, respectively. I am impressed by the dedication I see, especially the part about making your own game engine.

I am a programmer and would love to help you out. But CIJolly is right, it is best when you are the programmer. I can give you a decent product, A professional can give you a good product at best. But nobody has the enthusiasm for your game as much as you do. (If you have no enthusiasm your idea is not worth making a game for) Therefore the result will not show the proper umpfh unless you program it yourself. But don't think you have to, I and others will still give you a good product. But don't expect a record-breaking title. I especially will not get excited at a wrestling game.

You have some great initiative to try and get a big-name sponser, but the answer you get will always be no. First make a prototype of the game, impress them, and then ask for an endorsement. Paper doesn't show that you are ready and will give them a good product, (and an electronic file definately doesn't show anything), but a working product reeks of dedication and gives you a fighting chance.

About myself, I have been programming since I was twelve and know several languages. I also have no money, but I have lots of time. As previously stated I would love to help you, I am currently working on my own game and know what troubles will ail you. I will work for free for you, mabye with a 1% commiision on whatever you make, but that is a discussion for later.

please contact me at Numbermaniac@gmail.com

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i agree, without dedication, there is no result. and when you finish, what you pursued, well, for me it is the ride of my life. when our first machinima movie was published (i was scriptwriter) well, it was worth it and much more.

Unfortunately there's "the best game since EVAR!!" around every corner and game studios receive ridiculous numbers of these, they have no choice but to reject them. Now you may well have a concept that will do incredibly well in the market, but there's simply no incentive for any of the big names to back your idea and take all the financial risk (we're talking millions of dollars here). Your next avenue is getting an indie development team to work on it for you, but you'll be hard pressed to find a team that isn't already devoting everything they can to their own pride and joy. The reality of it is if you're outside of the industry and have an idea you want seen brought to life, you're going to have to do it yourself (to get it started, at least).

Write up a game design doc, it isn't all that hard and there's no 'right' way of doing it, it's just putting your ideas down on paper in a way that other people can pick up and go 'ahh, I see what you mean' (and it forces you to think them through properly, rather than just going 'this sounds good!'). This is the absolute minimum that you'll need to get other people (seriously) interested in your idea. If you can, start development yourself. Learn a programming language and start creating a prototype or draw concept art, or both if you can. People need to *see* that you're serious about the project and not yet another one of those "i've got an idea, do all the work for me!" types. When you think you're ready set up a website to show off your idea and entice people to the project, and post on forums like this requesting for help.

Also, don't try and pretend you have the greatest idea since sliced bread. Everyone thinks *their* baby is the best, this isn't a bad thing since you need to love it to be devoted enough to pull it off, but you also need a level head and realize that just because you love your idea, and even if you find heaps of other people who love your idea, *doesn't* mean it's going to be successful.


Best of luck, and get to work on that design doc, monkey boy! [grin]