Hi,@slayemin, I agree with what you've written, however I offer my own successful formula:
1) the game is managed start to finish by one or two determined developers, with some experience in engines and a fair bit of past experience creating games for fun.
2) the developers know each other personally, but are not necessarily in the same geographic location.
3) loose realistic deadlines are set and adhered to (e.g. "summer 2017").
4) as much as possible is farmed out to subcontractors or paid for from art and music sites. This is done from developers own pockets and records kept.
5) everyone enters the project with an understanding that a business shall be created in the event any profit is made at all and money shall be handled in a proper manner so relevant parties such as tax are happy.
This has worked for me so far. Usually the number of team members at all stages has been just me, or me and a close friend.
Thank you for sharing, Brain!
How did you and your close friend(s) decide to make a game together? Did one approach the other about a project they wanted to create, or did it just happen organically while talking about games/work? What game(s) did you create together? Where did the budget for subcontractors come from (personal savings?)
Thanks again!
Generally we have an idea together that grows organically. Sometimes, one of us has an idea and runs with it while the other has no time or inclinations to follow it further.
Not all projects end up being partnerships as everyone's availability differs.
We've created a few games together, only a couple have reached completion (mostly while we were at college) and the one I'm working on alone right now is nearing completion in the summer (see my signature and profile info). Even with an approach that works, not all games survive past a prototype and part of gamedev is successfully discarding bad ideas and retaining good ones.
The budget for subcontractors isn't set in stone and as and when we need art or music we can't produce ourselves we pay out of our own pockets, keeping track with the intent to recoup it on release. For example in my current game I've spent about $200, mostly on art (3D models and textures etc) which I've then adjusted myself.
Let me know if you need more info!
