5 ms·

Don't remake an old game (2020)

31 points by Amorymeltzer 3y ago

up2isomorphism 3y ago
If you want to make money, don’t make game, don’t even play game, but to sell game. The author itself is try to persuade people who are not interested in the goal that he assumed.
amatecha 3y ago
Archive link since the site seems to be down... http://web.archive.org/web/20230518081635/https://blog.eamonnmr.com/2020/04/dont-remake-an-old-game/ http://web.archive.org/web/20230518081635/https://blog.eamon...
phendrenad2 3y ago
Great advice. Most of the reasons to remake an old game vanish under inspection. Instead, make something people want, but draw from old games for inspiration.
b800h 3y ago
Seems like sterling advice if you want to make money. On the other hand, if you just love the game (and programming itself), and want to make it accessible to a modern audience, then fill your boots. In my case, I contacted the original author of a game who kindly gave me his blessing to use a variation of the game's name for non-profit purposes.
pipes 3y ago
They are probably right. But an exception seems to be night dive studios: https://www.nightdivestudios.com/portfolio/system-shock/ https://www.nightdivestudios.com/portfolio/system-shock/ Also my current favourite remake is wipeout phantom https://github.com/wipeout-phantom-edition/wipeout-phantom-edition https://github.com/wipeout-phantom-edition/wipeout-phantom-e... Well it's not a remake really!
mcv 3y ago
Ironic to see this on the same day Unciv (an open source Civ 5 clone) is on the front page. I have for years dreamed about making my own clone of Stars!, a really nice space 4X PBM game with deep, complex strategy. But not just a clone, I had lots of ideas for improvements. Actually, I think that's what this article recommends, but I still never got anywhere.
RugnirViking 3y ago
eh, ive done it, and its been super rewarding. I have no illusions of grandeur but i've had great times with the community for years and years. I don't and didn't expect or plan to make any money from it, it was just a hobby project that picked up steam and rolled downhill as more talented contributors joined. We never got finished (of course) and likely never will, but we got to the point of releasing a fun, playable version, which people still play and make content for. I learned a ton while doing it, as well. We went with our own engine written in C++, Due to unique mechanics, I imagine we would have been struggling mightily against the limitations of engines. Now instead we have nobody to blame but ourselves, and blame we do :D
dormento 3y ago
Site's been hugged :(

31 points by Amorymeltzer 3y ago

If you want to make money, don’t make game, don’t even play game, but to sell game. The author itself is try to persuade people who are not interested in the goal that he assumed.

amatecha 3y ago

Archive link since the site seems to be down... http://web.archive.org/web/20230518081635/https://blog.eamonnmr.com/2020/04/dont-remake-an-old-game/ http://web.archive.org/web/20230518081635/https://blog.eamon...

phendrenad2 3y ago

Great advice. Most of the reasons to remake an old game vanish under inspection. Instead, make something people want, but draw from old games for inspiration.

b800h 3y ago

Seems like sterling advice if you want to make money. On the other hand, if you just love the game (and programming itself), and want to make it accessible to a modern audience, then fill your boots. In my case, I contacted the original author of a game who kindly gave me his blessing to use a variation of the game's name for non-profit purposes.

pipes 3y ago

They are probably right. But an exception seems to be night dive studios: https://www.nightdivestudios.com/portfolio/system-shock/ https://www.nightdivestudios.com/portfolio/system-shock/ Also my current favourite remake is wipeout phantom https://github.com/wipeout-phantom-edition/wipeout-phantom-edition https://github.com/wipeout-phantom-edition/wipeout-phantom-e... Well it's not a remake really!

mcv 3y ago

Ironic to see this on the same day Unciv (an open source Civ 5 clone) is on the front page. I have for years dreamed about making my own clone of Stars!, a really nice space 4X PBM game with deep, complex strategy. But not just a clone, I had lots of ideas for improvements. Actually, I think that's what this article recommends, but I still never got anywhere.

RugnirViking 3y ago

eh, ive done it, and its been super rewarding. I have no illusions of grandeur but i've had great times with the community for years and years. I don't and didn't expect or plan to make any money from it, it was just a hobby project that picked up steam and rolled downhill as more talented contributors joined. We never got finished (of course) and likely never will, but we got to the point of releasing a fun, playable version, which people still play and make content for. I learned a ton while doing it, as well. We went with our own engine written in C++, Due to unique mechanics, I imagine we would have been struggling mightily against the limitations of engines. Now instead we have nobody to blame but ourselves, and blame we do :D

dormento 3y ago

Site's been hugged :(