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Pitching a game idea, where would you start?

F

FinFan

Member
As someone outside the industry I was wondering how someone would go about pitching an idea for a game.

I know that's a vague statement so I'll explain a little about my idea. It would be online multiplayer game play only, 2 to 8 players with 2 or 3 game modes at the beginning. I think it would be a great addition to the 360 Live arcade. I've had the idea for a while and after reading about this game Roboblitz I think it could be done on the 360.
 
mine would be a game where you play as a retarded guy who keeps on running, no matter what, he just runs and runs and runs forever, but you don't control him, you control the thingamawizz contraption he wears on his head that has handlebars and a propellor and you have to save him from running into lava pits and/or porcupines with sharp spikes and such.
 
Only way it is going to happen is if you cobble together a demo using an existing engine and you make it look stellar. Anything less is going to get ignored.
 
Warm Machine said:
Only way it is going to happen is if you cobble together a demo using an existing engine and you make it look stellar. Anything less is going to get ignored.
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Definitely, mods are a great way to get your idea recognised.
 
Somethingblah Cock said:
I believe any "game pitches" are ignored by developers for legal reasons.
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That was my thought as well.


Drinky Crow said:
try pitching it in that aluminum container next to your desk

lol

bitch you got SERVED
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It's a Rubbermaid jackass! :D Thanks for your insight. :lol
 
Ninja Scooter said:
mine would be a game where you play as a retarded guy who keeps on running, no matter what, he just runs and runs and runs forever, but you don't control him, you control the thingamawizz contraption he wears on his head that has handlebars and a propellor and you have to save him from running into lava pits and/or porcupines with sharp spikes and such.
Click to expand...


That's Shadow the Hedgehog.
 
Your game will not be ignored by a PUBLISHER if you have a very solid design doc together (and a bit of luck). That is how many very famous companies have started.
 
artful_dodger said:
Your game will not be ignored by a PUBLISHER if you have a very solid design doc together (and a bit of luck). That is how many very famous companies have started.
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I have documented my idea pretty well, going into detail about the game play, characters, game modes, etc. Is there certain criterion for a design doc I should follow?
 
Like other people said. You really need to make a mod to show off your game.

Currently, I'm doing something similar with my research, though since it needs to be open source and gfx don't matter I can't quite use the GarageGames engine or anything nearly as complicated.

I'll show it off later next month when I finish for sure.
 
Design doc isn't good enough on its own. You would have to show it working in the real world via a demo. You also need to show that you have a team of people who could bring the game to life if you did happen to get it developed.

CS and Day of Defeat are the best exapmples of people who made something and later were able to sell it or continue its development.
 
FinFan said:
As someone outside the industry I was wondering how someone would go about pitching an idea for a game.
Click to expand...

As someone outside the industry, the chances of anyone picking up a game idea are slim. Although given you are only talking about 360 Live Arcade, its not quite as dire as somebody pitching say a PS2 game as the budgets/risk are a lot smaller.

The most comprehensive advice I have seen on the matter is http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html

Other than that, I would personally suggest if you really want it to get made, you organise and fund the development of the whole thing on PC, distribute it as shareware to recoup some money and build a fanbase, then try to take it to Live Arcade through a publisher or developer.
 
artful_dodger said:
Your game will not be ignored by a PUBLISHER if you have a very solid design doc together (and a bit of luck). That is how many very famous companies have started.
Click to expand...

Yes it will. A publisher most certainly will ignore a game design that comes from someone with absolutely no track record in the industry, no matter how complete it might be. Publishers need to know that the game is going to be made, and they are very, very reluctant to sign contracts with people who haven't made a game before.

You really have two choices:

1. Gather up some like-minded individuals with programming and artistic talent and make the game yourself.

2. Hold on to your design. Get a job in the game industry -- QA's a good place to start. Eventually you may find yourself in a position where you are able to present your design to the company, and maybe THEY will decide it's worth making.

Point being, as someone outside the industry you have pretty much zero chance of your game being made unless you do it yourself or have a lot of patience & time to wait.
 
Ninja Scooter said:
mine would be a game where you play as a retarded guy who keeps on running, no matter what, he just runs and runs and runs forever, but you don't control him, you control the thingamawizz contraption he wears on his head that has handlebars and a propellor and you have to save him from running into lava pits and/or porcupines with sharp spikes and such.
Click to expand...

Forrest Gump: The Official Game of the Movie
 
Mario said:
As someone outside the industry, the chances of anyone picking up a game idea are slim. Although given you are only talking about 360 Live Arcade, its not quite as dire as somebody pitching say a PS2 game as the budgets/risk are a lot smaller.

The most comprehensive advice I have seen on the matter is http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html

Other than that, I would personally suggest if you really want it to get made, you organise and fund the development of the whole thing on PC, distribute it as shareware to recoup some money and build a fanbase, then try to take it to Live Arcade through a publisher or developer.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, that's some great info. Although a bit discouraging.

With all the talk of next gen game development costs going through the roof. I would think publishers would be more willing to listen to a pitch for XBLA game than a full blown title. They wouldn't have to deal with advertising and distribution costs. I see a lot of potenial for smaller developers to utilize the Live market place.

I have a few friends that work in the industry that may be interested in taking on a project like this. But, I perfer to educate myself before even bringing it up ot them. Once I get my ideas flushed out in a more organized manner, I'll see what they think. So again thanks for the links guys.
 
I used to come up with my own videogame ideas when I was a kid, which was fun. But really, who doesn't have an idea? Game companies have hundreds of employees, and I bet every one of them have game ideas. So yeah, the idea won't get your foot in the door.
 
If you really think your ideas good enough you're going to have to DIY.

Point of interest, The 360 runs flash (Hextics is a flash game for example) so that's a fairly mature and easy environment to get a really nice looking prototype up and running to pitch.

But as stated, unless theres a game there, looking near finished or well on its way, no publisher is going to listen.
 
I assume sending in ideas is alot like sending in scripts, most places wont take them and if they do take them most likely they will just steal the ideas stating they already had a similar idea in the works.
 
How to pitch an idea:

A - have a design doc and a pitch doc
B - have a pre-vis (a well edited movie, a CG, working game Mod, movie of a game mod, or coded tech demo)
C - have a contact at a publisher who will agree to see you
 
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