Hi! I'm a new member of this site. I found this site while researching for how to make a project proposal on game dev. It's actually a college thesis. I'm having a problem right now. And that's where you guys come in. I'm kinda new to project proposals so I ain't to certain how to make one. I need to know how to make a title for my project proposal. I plan to make an adventure game. The problem I've got is how to state the problem. Like, what is the issue with the game that I can use it as a thesis for my course, Computer Science. I really need all the help I can get. Thanks. So as not to violate the formats... Team name: I ain't got no team. Project name: That's what I need - a project name. Brief description: It's something new. I need some info to finish my proposal. Target aim: This is a college thesis. Compensation: I can't pay. I don't have the money. Technology: I plan to use Lite-C in programming the game. Gamestudio will go for the graphics and such - it's got Lite-C bundled with it. Talent needed: Whoever. Team structure: I just need some bits of info. Additional Info: The game would be an adventure game - most probably 3d. Yeah, most probably cuz right now, I ain't certain about anything. I want to know what you put in your Statement of the Problem when you make game dev as your thesis project for Computer Science. Thanks.

Moving to Game Design - the Help Wanted forum is for recruiting team members for projects.

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Original post by Evil Steve Moving to Game Design - the Help Wanted forum is for recruiting team members for projects.

Oh, OK. I missed that part.

Well this might help you with a bit of structure

http://gamasutra.com/features/20070220/bateman_01.shtml

http://digitalworlds.wetpaint.com/page/Example+Blank+Design+Document

Just on how to do a design document. Im sure this isn't exactly what you need for your college report, but definately a good place to start. Might give you some clues to what you need out of the project.

as for deciding what you want to do. Maybe have a look at good adventure games and the problems that they present, maybe its a technological issue, maybe its design issue, or something to do with the production pipeline. I know when I was doing my thesis project I looked at the problems associated with RPG's in particular the issue of adding dialogue to a game.

Coming from a computer science background where I presume you havent spent too much time making games creating a basic adventure game would be a quite impressive feat.

Is this for a business degree, or a design degree, or a technical writing degree, or what? Because the focus of the class would determine what the grader will be looking for.

Basically you will need to make lots of decisions, including whether the game will be 3D or not. Tell yourself you can change it necessary if later, but you will be doing yourself a huge favor if you can quickly nail down all the major points of the design. A lot of inexperienced designers stall out when faced with the need to make so many decisions, and without a design it's impossible to write a proposal.

So, I'd start with making a features list, if necessary you may need to play or replay some adventure games and analyze their features to get ideas for what you want in your game. You probably will want to write a brief description of your target audience, synopsis of your story, estimated gameplay time divided among what major gameplay activities, list of physical locations in the game, list of the playable character's abilities within the game, list of characters.

If it's a business proposal you'll then have to estimate time and costs of production. On the other hand if it's a design proposal you might need sample artwork, descriptions of specific puzzles, or even the whole script.

If it is a thesis in Computer Science the game must illustrate something, preferably something new. Some method or combination of methods that you are investigating of how to accomplish certain goals. You do have a tutor dont you ? If your tutor can not help you find a new one quickly!!

@simnon
Thanks for the links. Just done checking out the first one. Though, it's totally far from my idea, it gave me loads more. I'ma read the second one later...

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Coming from a computer science background where I presume you havent spent too much time making games creating a basic adventure game would be a quite impressive feat.

Well, what if I say that I enrolled in CS cuz there ain't no game design course in here? Anyway, I've been into game design since I-forgot-when...

@sunandshadow
It's definitely not a business nor a design degree. Technical would be close. Anyway, the degree is called "Computer Science" so I guess, it's technical.

Oh, yeah. Simnon's 1st link kinda told me to make some sort of features list. I'ma make a rought outline, I guess that would do me good.

@mrr
I don't actually have a tutor. Well, not entirely. I have an adviser here in school but the thing would be... The advisers were drawn by lots. The person I got's somehow more into the hardware part of computers. He doesn't come close. To be honest, I haven't even bothered talking to him. Instead, I talked to someone here, some other instructor, whose expertise comes close. But I do have a mentor - someone who will help me to get this thing done right.



Well, the thing with the problem is that... I have to check on which aspect of the game would be an appropriate problem for a computer science thesis. According to the instructor here, what is it in the game that can contribute to the knowledgebase of computer science... That's the biggest thing I got - actually, the thing that I ain't got...

Ok, this time a have a clearer point.

The thesis is still on, as it should be, and I am still not certain on what to do.

I got into this forum as this is a game dev forum and I'm thinking of making an RPG. Not something like an MMORPG - I'm not that ambitious and I can't fund it; I'm just a student anyway. Just a small RPG with a plot based on the Philippine history. I've been all around the net and have been searching for something but I can't seem to find it - that something is not so defined.

I kinda found the application of inverse parsing interesting but I learned that it is a rather not-so-new idea. So, there I am stuck again.

I thought of designing the AI for the RPG but it seems to me that I am not creative enough to be able to build something new. I thought of the intellegent AI system but my mentor told me that it is already well implemented on the game Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - if I remember it right.

Now I don't know what would be something new. Please help me... If you can spare me an idea or something I can improve. Or maybe a website that Google wasn't able to send me to where I can find something and will do an improvement.

Every reply will be appreciated.

Thank you.

edit:
Ok, I know this will sound stupid but... I guess it was my connection cuz it takes a really long time to load pages - I bet the school can't fund for better connection... I was looking to edit my post but I can't seem to find the edit button so I went on posting a new reply. This time I found it. Is double-posting allowed here? My bad if it ain't...

As you said, your thesis must add to the knowledge base of computer science.

Have a look at a game called Façade. It was done as an experiment in new ways of interacting with a game through more natural languages and player actions.

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I thought of designing the AI for the RPG but it seems to me that I am not creative enough to be able to build something new. I thought of the intellegent AI system but my mentor told me that it is already well implemented on the game Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - if I remember it right.

The Elder Scrolls implementation is only of one type of AI, there are lots more that could be used for a thesis. And in my opinion, it was a good implementation, but done in the wrong way. Most of the intelligence of the AI is too much behind the scenes and doesn't interact much with the player.

This makes the player see events, that look almost random, and can sometimes be annoying.

I have an interest in AI and have been working on my own design for an AI in an RPG that allows proper role playing (or at least better than what we have now).

I am looking at how social networks develop, change and pass information around, and how Agents can act on that information and social network structure (and how it acts on them too).

Instead of trying to model it, I am trying to create the system that allow such a networks to function and create AI Agents that exist and can access it and act on it in the same way the player can.

One of the key features is to allow Information to be treated like an object and allow it to be copied (and even changed) between agents. This will allow it to be traded, created, lost and changed just like anything else in the environment (so it has value and instance in the world).

The idea I am hoping to do, once I work out the details of this system, is to create a Trading Sim game with social interaction between the player and the NPCs as a major element. This will give the player opportunities to project a persona into the game world, in other words Role Play (not action adventure as most current RPGs are).