Start coding?
I think a project leader/manager(s) will be needed for coordination, etc first.
So... who's the best suited for this?

Well, I'm very willing to give it a try, but surely we'd need a team first Anyone who wants to participate? And really START the development of an RPG? And has time, experience and enthusiasm enough to participate?

I think it would be great

Time might be a problem, but enthusiasm isn't. Neither is expierence. Graphics and music would be my most logical terrains, however I am a big fan of orchestrated music for RPGs and I would be the first to admit that Wolf_ is a lot more experienced in composing that (and a lot better at it too).

I won't volunteer as project lead since I feel the person with the most time would be more suitable for that task! It's no use appointing a lead who doesnt have time to yell at others for not having time

scriptwriter
Makes the story, the characters, and can explain the whole atmosphere to a director.

director
Decides about gfx, sfx, music, maps, cinematic stuff etc.., and keeps the crew working and happy at the same time.

In many cases the scriptwriter *is* the director. Think M.Night Shyalaman, Steven Spielberg .. etc.

I guess in this msx case, the storywriter equals the director equals the manager. This do-all-person needs a few skills:
- be able to communicate to each crewmember about what the exact wishes are, and be rather strict in that
- be able to inspire each crewmember (think: carrot & donkey, it sounds silly, but that's the way it works) Usually the idea of the 'end product', or some audio/visual result of a fellow-crewmember is enough to serve as carrot.
- to cheer-up each crewmember if he's lagging behind for whatever reason
- preferably a director knows a bit about everything (code, gfx, music etc.) simply because that communicates way better and the director can do some suggestions now and then.
- repeat this list often few days a week ..

Now, who will take these honours?

Since you have a good idea of what stuff needs to be done, why don't you do it yourself, wolf__?

Not only cheering ppl is important, the director also shouldn't hesitate to kick someone's ass, if he's too lazy to work and slows down the whole team/project. (well, a very extreme case, hope it won't happen)

I think wolf would indeed be a very good director for this RPG(engine) project. Go for it, Wolf!

saw that one coming ... and I dunno about it yet. It also depends on the crew itself. You know me, I'm always comparing/mixing-up amateur-things with professional-things, and sometimes I get complaints that I shouldn't. If I would be director then I would prolly apply/demand some professional dicipline/quality, while working with amateur/scene/fun-ppl.. I dunno if that's a good mix, dunno if ppl in a crew would like that. Maybe it's good .. maybe not .. maybe it's what is needed .. maybe it doesn't work at all. I mainly posted those points above to perhaps 'wake-up' ppl who think "hey.. that's me".. just making clear what the role of a manager/director is! (it's not just IRC'ing like 'so.. uh.. any news?' .. it's actually 'producing the game')

From my own experience I can say that in movies/commercials etc. the director is the creative boss. Usually there's a temptrack for music already, and usually you've to clone that. (yay! dumb slave-work) This means that there's less 'input' than you might expect.
So, crewmembers are basically ppl who do 2 things: 'they do their thing' and 'they give advice if needed'. They don't take the lead!

Now, we're talking msx-scene here. And that's the whole point. I'm sure the Konamis and the Microcabins of this world work the same as the stuff I described above. But the scene has some 'independent' ppl around.. I dunno if it's a good idea to mix those indies with a strict work-scheme in which one director has the last word. While I think it's kinda important to work that way, if you really want results, I don't know if it's something that should be done like that in the scene as it is now.

In short: "it's giving up individual aspirations in order to gain something in return (the end product)"

So, uhm.. any reactions/ideas/suggestions on this one ?

Anyway, for the moment I turn down the request as I don't know reactions yet.. let the topic mature a bit.. we'll see what happens next. (who knows.. devcon/bussum might prove to be interesting meetings )

I would work (gfx/music/story) on my own RPG anyway .., that's not because of this topic orso, I have some story-ideas for more than a year already. Maybe there's a chance to forge them into a concrete game now


anyway.. on topic:

It also depends on the actual engine .. afaik you can already walk around and bump into walls in sonic's under-construction engine. I first wish to await its progression, let's not rush things..


ideas/suggestions/rants -> #msxdev

It's true that the scenario writer and project manager can very well be the same person, even ideally are the same person.

Being the 'director' of Sargon, I have experience as a project manager and since making an RPG is something I want to do for quite some time (but I myself lack the necessary coding/gfx/music skills), I would surely be willing to volunteer as a project manager and make as much time for it as possible. But since we've all grown older and aren't in high school anymore, there's virtually nobody who has the same amount of time available as professional developers have.

But as I said and as Wolf_ said, in order to start anything, a team is necessary.

Kicking asses surely won't be the problem, by the way

Indeed, first start the team, then worry about the leader Judging from my experiences as 'manager' of Team Bomba I can say it's a shitty job, but someone has to do it

Seriously, the director should mainly have the end product in mind at all times and work towards that. The team is very essential to that, because you need a team that works well together, but also doesn't consist out of too many (nor too different) people, or you will loose focus. In the end Bombaman had like 3 composers, 2 gfx dudes, 1 programmer, 1 level designer, 4 testers and 6 translators, and that's about the maximum scope you'd want to manage

However, keep in mind that managing takes up a (lot of) time, so preferably choose someone knowledgeable that doesn't have to spend too much 'other' time (like coding, music or gfx) on the project, since free time is kinda limited.

Awell, just my $0.02. And no, I won't participate in this RPG thingie, even tho it's very interesting! We (Team Bomba) always ended up wanting to make an RPG but decided not to, since it's too much work

It probably is just a shitty job when your team members need to be set to work over and again .

Making an RPG is much work indeed, but very rewarding as well. Seems that most MSX users would like to see new RPG's. Ofcourse other games are wanted very much as well, but probably nothing beats a good RPG...

Making an MSX version of Ys 4 - Mask of the Sun might be interesting, by the way... The game is very similar to Ys 2, so it's doable on MSX2... Although I guess making an RPG engine like Ys 2 is not one of the easiest things to do...

Ys 2 would be a kid's job compared to XAK: The Tower of Gazzel. Really

Anyway, to me it would be a dream coming true when The Curse of Kaijruu would be finished after all

Quote:

It probably is just a shitty job when your team members need to be set to work over and again .

Trust me, no matter how good the team and the intentions, in a few months' time, you will be kicking team members to work again