Retro Game Designer : Create your own games for Jaguar

[Orion_]

Here is my Kickstarter for a tool I have been working on since about 2 months
It's called "Retro Game Designer" and it's a Windows / PC tool that will allow you to create your own video games and export them to the Sega Megadrive, Dreamcast, Playstation 1 and Atari Jaguar consoles!
Without any programming knowledge (except for the adventure game engine that will require some very simple scripting)
Several game engines are planned depending on the amount that will be reached by the KickStarter.
We start with a 2D platform game engine, then an adventure game engine (point & click, text or myst like)
followed by a Shoot'em Up game engine (horizontal or vertical), and finally we end up with an RPG / Rogue like!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/orionsoft/retro-game-designer

Please spread the word !

[Gummy Bear]

That sounds like a great idea!

 

If you have the time, a beat em up engine would be epic too.

I always wondered what kind of Streets of Rage type game the Jag could have done...

[neo_rg]

Nice one Orion, I'll be backing this on payday.

[ColecoGamer]

Whoa! I am definitely backing this tool! Thank you, Orion!

[Austin]

Very cool! I can't back it at the moment, but if I had the cash I would.

[Machine]

Can you explain the tiers more?

ex:

The tiers with the splash screen, are you allow to make more than one cart and sell them?

And... the multi-platform tiers, do you get a rom for each system and can you sell them?

Also, can you make more than one game?

[Orion_]

The tiers with the splash screen, are you allow to make more than one cart and sell them?

And... the multi-platform tiers, do you get a rom for each system and can you sell them?

Also, can you make more than one game?

You are not explicitly allowed to sell your game with the "Amateur" version, it's just that, having a splashscreen at the beginning of a game you sell, is not really professional, and it will make free advertising to my software.

The multi-platform tiers, you get a rom for each system, if your game matches each systems restriction (for example: a Dreamcast scale game, won't run on Jaguar ...)

Here is the restriction order: Dreamcast > Playstation 1 > Jaguar > Megadrive/Genesis

You can make as much game as you want.

Edited May 14, 2018 by Orion_

[+af0l]

Probably the only way I'll produce something for the Jag Count on me when the time comes.

[Final Theory]

Dear Cedric (Orion), I've known about your work and games in the past by the youtuber Adam Koralik. I am also very found of wanting to make games for these older retro consoles. Here are my thoughts on your kickstarter and tool set and I hope that you read these and possibly take my suggestions into consideration.

 

- The Retro Game Designer price point is too high on kickstarter. I can go $100 or maybe $150 (USD), but $300 just for one professional export to a single system is too high.

 

- I hate splash screens. I might be able to afford the lower price for the amateur version, but if the splash screen is enforced then that is a turn off for me. I know a little bit of programming and hacking maybe I could just buy the amateur version and then hack my own rom to remove the splash screen myself.

 

- I backed the NESmaker kickstarter. They only asked $36 for their software, very affordable. If you make the price lower then more people can buy it and then we have a bigger community of people who are into it.

 

- If you are going to do this kickstarter please also open up a facebook group like what Joe did with NESmaker, this way you can get direct feedback from people using it.

 

- Open up a website and forum so that people can interact with each other and get support from each other when they are working on their projects.

 

- Make your program such that it is easy for people to share code between projects. For example, on super mario world central (hacking website), anyone can upload sprites, blocks, tiles, and custom code that any other person can use in their game. If people can share resources with each other then lots of progress can be made and people don't always have to reinvent the wheel so to speak.

 

- Allow people to beta test your program to catch bugs and to get feedback.

 

- Give people the information to how they can get their cartridges made or disks professionally burned. In other words give people the info on how the manufacturing process works when the game is finished.

 

 

So yeah, this is a product that I am very interested in. The main problem that I currently have with it is the price. It's just too much for me. Also I only want 1 version of the program that can export to all of the available systems. For example, I don't want 4 different programs, 1 for genesis, 1 for jaguar, 1 for playstation. I don't want that. I only want 1 single program that exports to all systems. For this I might be able to put out $200 for it, but you are asking for $600 for this. Again just too much for me.

 

I wish you the best though.

Edited May 15, 2018 by Final Theory

[leech]

I want to back this, but since the creation software is written to run on Windows, I will hold off. As a general principle, unless it will run on Linux, I won't back it.

[Machine]

Back the Multi-Amateur level.

Can you upgrade if you decide that you actually made a game worth selling?

[VladR]

Can you upgrade if you decide that you actually made a game worth selling?

Wait, there's such a thing in jag landscape ?

 

Really, all that matters is that you're willing to put your name behind the game, and won't feel embarrassed 5 years later down the road that you released that kind of a game...

Plan B, don't use your name, just an internet nick, and you're good to release anything

 

 

 

Besides, I find it hard to believe that Orion would protest if you paypal'ed him the tier difference once the time comes...

[Welshworrier]

I believe there is a game called "wall of text numberwang" that someone has been working on for the past 5 years. I understand it's a hero/klax/adventure/road race/star raiders/buck Rodgers/stun runner style game with unicorns.

[Final Theory]

Looking at the project again I just think the price is wrong here. Lower the price and have more sales. Make it cheap so lots of people can afford it and you grow a large community with your software.

[haightc]

I don't think the price is to bad at 30 Euros per platfrom at am amateur.

In fact 300 EUR is for a developement platform for commercial software is relatively cheap.

I just backed the MD amateur version even though I don't have any immediately plans to make anything.

Show I decide to I'll probably want to have it on the Jaguar and I assume you'll be able to upgrade & port with relative ease.

[Bratwurst]

I would suggest lowering the professional dev package rate for a platform like the Jaguar because it's going to be a much more limited market than something like the Dreamcast or Genesis. It's easy to crank out Genesis cartridges and there's a much larger potential customer base. Just a thought.

 

Confirmation that someone would be able to upgrade later from amateur to pro would make a very attractive option for anyone sitting on the fence too. I wouldn't bat an eye at $30 euro to fool around and eventually come up with a polished product I'd be inclined to sell.

[Final Theory]

For the Sega Genesis armature version all you have to do is open the rom in YYCHR and delete the splash screen graphics. Just don't even force a splash screen at all as it really upsets me. NESmaker had a low price point and they met their goal within the first few days. That is how you run a successful kickstarter.

[Orion_]

For the Sega Genesis armature version all you have to do is open the rom in YYCHR and delete the splash screen graphics. Just don't even force a splash screen at all as it really upsets me.

You think I'm a noob developer ?

Try to hack my game Escape 2042 on Genesis to run on an Emulator, good luck

I don't think people won't buy because of a splashscreen, how many people really plan to sell their games ? not the vast majority

now if 30€ is too high then I can't help it, I'm not working for free

if you plan to make lots of money out of a 30€ tool, where I'm the one working the most, it's not fair

Edited May 18, 2018 by Orion_

[Machine]

If I can make any type of game run at all, I think it would be a great purchase and a fair price! I have had a few basic ideas (like most of us) floating around my head for a few decades and would jump at a chance to try to make one of them happen.

 

I really hope this comes out as it is the only way us lazy and stupid dreamers will ever be able to make a game!

[Final Theory]

Sorry Orion for giving you a hard time, but I'm a little disappointing in the price. I understand that you want to get paid and yes you should get paid, but if you lower the price then more people can get the software and then you will get paid.

 

Remember how when Playstation 1 came out and it kicked the crap out of the N-64. Why did this happen? Because the CD games were cheaper to produce than the expensive N-64 cartridges. When things are cheap it just works. Also remember the PS1 price.... $199 which was cheaper than Sega Saturn.

 

Cheap price for PS1 console and cheap price to manufacture CD games meant that PS1 sold over 100 million consoles!!!

 

Now remember 3DO and how it cost like $600 and guess what happened to 3DO, it went down the sh*tter.

 

You Orion being a retro game enthusiast understand this analogy perfectly but just in case you need some help here it is again.

 

Playstation 1 - Cheap and successful

3DO - Expensive and unsuccessful

 

Now change the prices on your product and then you WILL have me as a backer for your kickstarter.

 

Thanks.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Final Theory

[sh3-rg]

There's only a finite potential market for something like this. Orion knows the state of play better than most. He's done the math and set prices at a level that he can make work.

 

If the prices were lowered, there's no guarantee there would be a larger swell of people buying in to achieve the same total required.

 

It's a difficult situation, I'm glad I'm well away from having to give a shit about money, costs and pricing and dealing with people, boxes, carts, shells, post offices, printing, stickers etc. etc. etc., it's all a big demotivating ball-ache!

[Lost Dragon]

@Final Theory:Atari tried the cheapest Next Generation console angle with the Jaguar, when going head to head with the 3DO and later PS1 and Saturn.

 

Sega thought offering existing Genesis owners a cheap upgrade route to 32 bit gaming with the 32X would be a winner..

 

Lower prices are an incentive,but they only get you so far.

 

As Sh3-rg has already said, a project like this,sadly will have a 'set' market, people who are willing to put in the time to produce games,knowing just how toxic the reactions to home grown games and ports from 16 bit micro's can be already, are a very brave bunch, but there are only so many out there.

[Lost Dragon]

I believe there is a game called "wall of text numberwang" that someone has been working on for the past 5 years. I understand it's a hero/klax/adventure/road race/star raiders/buck Rodgers/stun runner style game with unicorns.

 

And who would want to play that?

 

Da kidz these days are screaming for yer Resident Evil/Quake/Tomb Raider/Magic Carpet/Water World/Powerslide mash ups, with your main character being a unicycle riding zombie blowfly.

 

Cart and CD release planned..

 

Going to be Monster I hear...

[Zerosquare]

Cheap price for PS1 console and cheap price to manufacture CD games meant that PS1 sold over 100 million consoles!!!

You're comparing apples and oranges.

 

That cheap price and commercial success wasn't free. Sony invested a massive amount of money into the PS1, much more than Atari for example.

 

Now think about how much an indie developer like Orion_ can invest, i.e. virtually zero.

[Eternal-Krauser]

Amazing!!!!!