Game I designed just released: Relics of Fate

M

Matthew

Completely Average High School Student
Hi everyone,

Matthew here, reviewer for Anime UK News by night and game designer by day. I've worked in the games industry for nearly a decade now, but a couple of years ago decided to go freelance which has really opened up the opportunities for different styles of games to work on. Where as before I would mainly be doing movie licenses, now I can pick and choose projects from small iPhone apps to involved PC and console titles.

I figured the Creative Arena was the right place to inform you the latest game I designed and helped write the story for, which was then developed by Fuzzy Bug Interactive in Birmingham, has been released by Big Fish Games. It's called Relics of Fate: A Penny Macey Mystery.

There's a video below and some screenshots to give you an idea of the gameplay. This isn't a game you'd find on a console, it's aimed squarely at the casual market with hidden object games, puzzles, and a solid story to lead you through the gameplay.

Here's the story blurb:

"Newtown’s local PI Jack Macey is kidnapped while investigating a series of robberies linked to a mysterious set of relics discovered in the town. You take on the role of Penny, his daughter, who discovers he’s missing after finding a letter addressed to her at his office. Explore the town, talk to its inhabitants and solve intriguing puzzles in Relics of Fate A Penny Macey Mystery"

There's a free one hour demo available on Big Fish Games:
http://www.bigfishgames.com/download-ga ... index.html

If anyone has any questions about the game or working in the games industry in general, please go right ahead and ask and I'll do my best to answer.

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looks interesting, seems like a similar format of the professor layton games i may look into it btw what qualifications would you need to be a games designer/script writer something like that. it seems like something i might want to do and as i like games i could get fully behind it too also (this ones more personal you dont have to answer) roughly how much did you get payed when you started out and was it like you get payed everytime you finish a job or monthly,as i have a few ideas for a couple games
 
Qualifications needed for a game designer?

This varies a lot. The most useful game designers have both a technical and creative background. It's a benefit if you can:

- Write both story and dialogue
- Know how to program in a language e.g. Python, Lua, anything really as long as you under stand the underlying concepts. A lot of game engines now have built-in scripting languages designers have to use
- Knowledge of a 3D package such as Maya or 3DSMax, although the free to use Blender is a very good starting point as is Google SketchUp
- Proven ability to create a game and gameplay with projects you have done yourself

Basic qualifications you will be required to have are GCSE English and Maths. I went the route of doing a computer science degree followed by a Masters in Games Development so I was 23 before I got my first job. If you become a tester I've worked with people as young as 18 who did not have a degree.

If you don't have the qualifications then talent and perseverance are your way in. Pick up a game making package and learn how to use it well. Unity 3D and Unreal Engine are both free to download and use on a PC. Construct, GLBasic, Game Maker, and Blitz are excellent routes into learning the whole process of games development. Also be prepared to start at the bottom, possibly minimum wage working very long hours. It pays off eventually if you are good.

Pay in the games industry?

This varies a great deal and depends on your discipline. Testers (QA) get paid the least, designers next, then artists and programmers can be pretty even. But again it all depends on experience so a lead designer will get paid far more than a junior programmer and about the same as a specialist artist e.g. concept artist, environment artist. Time in the industry also counts towards your pay grade as does number and quality of games shipped.

Have a read of this Gamasutra salary survey for a better idea of pay. It's in US dollars but it's easy to convert over to pounds sterling:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/2793 ... ercent.php

What game engine did Relics of Fate use?

I believe Big Fizz have their own internal toolset and engine and do not use an off-the-shelf solution.

A lot of these types of game are created in Flash though, and just get exported as a desktop application.
 
thanks alot dude!!! :D do you have any overall tips for a program that would be easy and free to use as a starting point also where i could learn one of those languages
 
If you are just starting out I suggest not going anywhere near a programming language like C++. Focus first on the creative side and understanding the process, which means using a tool that does a lot of the grunt work for you.

My recommendation is to try Game Maker:
http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker

There is a free version and a paid-for version for £25. You don't need to purchase the paid-for version unless you get more serious. Then combine it with this book, and you will be able to start creating within a few days/weeks:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Makers-App ... 239&sr=8-1

The book is £18 on Amazon.

Anyone who turns their nose up at Game Maker is doing it an injustice, I still use it today to play around with concepts and gameplay, and you can produce commercial games with it. Recent developments have also seen games ported to iPhone and Android, and browser games are in the pipeline. So it's a very capable program.

If you can't afford the book, the tutorial it comes with is good, the help system useful, and the community helpful.

If you have programmed before then my next suggestion would be GLBasic.

http://www.glbasic.com/

Again there is a free version, but the paid-for version unlocks a lot of extra functionality plus it exports to most platforms including iPhone and Android.

The choice of what to use is huge, the secret is to pick one and stick with it through thick and thin. You may get stuck or find something hard and decide to switch: Don't! Finish a game with the tool you chose however difficult before deciding what to do next.
 
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