New Gaming Studio

[EnemyZero]

Hey guys, me and some other video game die hards just started our own gaming studio. We are tentatively going by the name Starview Interactive, and we have began working on our first title, but we are a little lost. Would anyone have any info reguarding what we need to do or who we need to talk to in order to break into the mainstream of gaming? What I mean is like becoming known or hell just get this game out. Any advice is welcome and if anyone is in the gaming business maybe you can give us a :-D hand. Thanks :P

[slapdash]

I don't know if there are any experts here, but...

There are books that focus on the games industry, including a new one with just contact info. You might want to look into some of those.

Also, if you have any demo code, you might be able to get some projects; if you don't have any demo code, write some.

What platform(s) are you shooting for? If consoles, you'll have to look into licensing from the console manufacturers.

[EnemyZero]

thanks slap

[punkoffgirl]

I have one piece of advice for you: Don't EVER make a game about the forums.

[digitalpress]

What system is it for? I'm sure we can throw at least a little publicity your way with a game review or two. Also, I'm moving this to the Video Gaming forum. Seems pretty "on-topic" to me.

[EnemyZero]

lol well you dont have to worry because Forum Wars isnt coming anytime soon :P lolz, but tentatively its an action-rpg title for PS2, ^_^ once we get what I feel is a surpluss of "good" material I will make sure I give you guys some stuff to drool at

[Drexel923]

Hey if you need a 3D modeler let me know. I graduate college in 5 weeks and I still haven't gotten my gaming job. Could give me some more stuff for my portfolio.

[DigitalSoapbox]

First, you need a license to develop for the PS2.

Second, you need an official development version of the PS2.

Third, you must submit your games to Sony for testing, approval and, if you've done all of the above and have developed a good game (they have fairly strict standards on content/quality/gameplay), for manufacture.

Honestly, you'd be better off developing an XBox title. Since US-developed games rarely get released in Japan for next-gen consoles, and since the XBox has such a large installed userbase in the US, and since Microsoft is always looking to sign on new developers, you'd have more luck. Also, they have a program for small game studios that allows you to get dev hardware/software REALLY cheap, and possibly with some funding from MS, should they like your product. The trade-off is that you publish through them, but this isn't much of a trade-off for a start-up like yours. The chance of your "studio" qualifying for PS2 development - especially since you're just a group of gaming fans who don't have much knowledge about what kind of and how much work actually goes into developing a game for a next-generation platform, how to do the work, funding to do the work, or how to market the resulting work - is somewhere between nonexistent and impossible. You also need to be a registered, official company/corporation to qualify. With the XBox, not only are you given a chance, sanctioned by the creators of the platform, you're dealing with a platform that, because of its PC-based architecture, is much easier to develop for.

Just a little info so you don't get off on the wrong foot and are disappointed when you discover this on your own, or are forced to face stark reality when you start promoting/developing your game - unless you plan on just tinkering around w/ the hardware and maybe doing a small game that you give away for free (and even then, you won't have much of an audience), Sony will shut you down in an instant if you operate w/o a license.