I got some down time today to get on the computer while working, only to be shocked at what I saw when I took a look at the Vega Development Blog. Project Vega has been canceled. Wow 
Carnevil, the project leader (if you weren’t aware), had finally finished up the publisher demo a few days ago and also found a legit name for the game. From what I saw on his Twitter, he was trying to find a willing publisher, although it was proving difficult to get in contact with any of the companies. That was two days ago, I believe. Today I get online only to see this. And my heart sank 
. The short version is this: it would be nigh impossible to find a publisher given what we have so far. So in order to get one of those publisher’s attention for funding, the game would have to be in a state where it would not need funding. Yea, it’s a viscous cycle. The problem is that none of us, myself included, can put all of our time into getting the game to that point without some sort of income coming from it. Carn probably has the time, but not the skills or talent to make textures, models, maps, or the art required to get the game to that point.
And so, it seems that Carn is pretty much dead set on dropping the project entirely. Where does this leave me right now? I’ve already said it a couple times now (read my comment there), but with this turn of events I’m seriously second guessing my plans to go into the game development industry. Aside from the occasional lucky indie game developers who make a break into the industry, no one really cares about anything else other than the big name games being made by the big name companies because they make big time profits. And that was one reason why I was stoked to get a chance to work with Carn on his project. It would be my chance to get into an environment where I wouldn’t be drowned out in a huge development team, where I and everyone else would have a say, and where ideas are genuinely heard. I dread working for a giant soulless company and would much rather take a risk and go into business with someone. I have no idea if I’ll ever get that opportunity again. Right now, I’m just not nearly as excited as I use to be about the possibility of going into a game design career.
So I’ve been pondering what I’m going to be doing form here on out. I have been thinking about trying to finish up college starting this coming spring, personal issues willing. I was working on a game design degree the last time I was in class so I’ll probably finish that up. I’d also like to possibly do something in relation to Architecture and then use the knowledge from that for level design. I’ll probably also start to focus on Doom stuff again. I was conscripted to contribute to The Shores of ZDoom, although after I started Vega (and due to the lack of activity of TSoZD at the time) I sorta fell into the background of that project. But now that I’m no longer working on Vega, I will probably try to help out with that effort. There’s also Vaporware, although I was never really planning on dropping from that project. And then there’s Supplice, and now that there’s no longer a Project Vega, I’ll be hitting it pretty hard. My man Jimmy91 has been helping me out with it. I’ve made mention of Supplice here and there, but not enough to really go into depth about it. It’s still in the planning/pre-alpha stages, but once I have my goals all set in stone, I’ll be making a post about it here. Also, I’ve had my eye on Quake I for a while now since I got a taste of 3D mapping from Vega. Now that I won’t be able to get my 3D mapping fix, I think I’m going to get my hands wet with Quake mapping some day soon.
It’s always sad to see something that you are genuinely interested and that you’ve got lots of work into go down the tubes. I felt the same way when I eventually made the decision to cancel Sabbat Martyr II. But that’s the way it goes sometimes, and the best thing for you do to is to look forward.
Super Jamie
29 Jan 2010Dude sit down and think about it, don’t make any harsh life decisions based on short-term emotions.
If it really is your dream to work on games then do so. There are more ways (and probably easier ways) to get into the games industry than to get famous off of one underdog indie title. I know I’m not the only person who thinks you’re a talented individual and a cool guy, I think you could go far if you set your mind to it.
I’ve never really been into the whole “let’s troll Carnbarn” thing but I will say his personal issues are not your personal issues, so don’t make them yours. It’s arguable that Project Vega showed a degree of naivety and lack of foresight making this the only inevitable conclusion. I don’t know either of you personally that well and I intentionally keep out of the Skulltag community so this is just my objective opinion as an outsider.
Anyway man, for now I’m really keen to see more of your input into TSoZD & Vaporware and I don’t need to tell you how bed-wettingly exciting a Mechadon Megawad is. Perhaps working on a couple of better-organised projects with a positive team like Essel and Vader is exactly what you need.
Mechadon
30 Jan 2010Yea, your probably right. I have this fear of getting into the industry and just being completely drowned in some huge company that puts it’s own priorities first and pretty much ignores the creativity of the people who work on the game. That scenario just is not something I want to look forward to. I have to say I’m much more of a “let’s just start our own business and do it our way” kind of guy. That was why I was really stoked at the oppurtunity Carnevil offered me; I thought that it just might be a way for me to break into the business in the way I described. Truth be told though, I’m too ignorant to know if that’s actually how it works in the real world.
For the past decade-ish, mapping and level design has turned into my passion. Thank god for Doom…I don’t know what I would be doing if it weren’t for it
. If I could seriously keep doing that in a way that I still enjoy doing it as a job from day to day, just as I do it now as a hobby, then my dream would be fulfilled. That’s really what I’m looking for and I think that’s what I’m afraid is pretty much impossible. But maybe not…and yes, you are right, I shouldn’t be so rash with my future plans based off of one incident. I have to step back and take what looks like a huge disaster with a grain of salt sometimes 
Well hey, thanks for the comment Super Jamie! I hope to be able to put some good work into my future Doom projects and it’s always nice to hear that someone looks forward to my stuff. I’m gonna be hitting Supplice pretty hard, mapping wise, once the resources are taken care of. I’m thinking I’ll probably make a more public announcement about it around then.
Oh and I had no idea folks actually read this blog still. Awesome
Zap610
30 Jan 2010It’s a damn shame this had to happen to you Mech. You may have seen my post on ST about how this is karma for Carn, but what I failed to add was that the people like you who busted their butts for this game did not deserve this at all. You’re not the failure; Carn is. The going got tough, and Carn got going with his tail between his legs. They offered him some pretty good advice on the boards but he plugged his ears and refused to listen.
But not you. I knew you for years and you built yourself a legacy just from doom mapping. I mean you went from this guy who just made some random maps for skulltag into a recognized mapper from every major doom community, and you did it with a wonderful attitude. You treat people right, and in return you are not only respected, but also looked up to. Hell, that’s why I’m taking the time to write this damn thing to you!
I guess what I’m trying to say is, you are nothing like Carn; you’re much better than him on so many levels. I don’t know much about the game industry, or 3d mapping, but if you want to get into game design, I do know you shouldn’t give up like he did. And I also know you won’t.
Mechadon
30 Jan 2010Awww, that’s very flattering Zap
. I just try to be as fair and respectful as possible and keep a positive attitude when dealing with people. Especially when they go out of their way to contribute to a community project I’m running or if they’re giving feedback or just being helpful to me in general. If it weren’t for the help I’ve received over the years, I probably never would have developed a passion for level design.
Guys like TDF who spent, I’m sure, many many hours sketching up concept art and getting the models to work in-game (especially given he has a life and school on top of that) have been pretty burned by this. This decision was extremely sudden too, and I’m kind of shocked that Carn didn’t fight more to keep the project afloat after all that work had been put into it
. Even if this turn of events was going to be inevitable down the road, I still think the turn of events is very disheartening. Despite it looking as though it was a hopeless venture, I’m sure there were many different routes we could have taken to keep things afloat. The massive amount of advice that was given was testament to that. If it were me and I put 2 years worth of work and a pile of cash into something, I wouldn’t be so quick to just flush it down the drain, no matter how bleak the outlook is. Oh well, that’s just the way it goes I suppose.
Carnevil
30 Jan 2010There was really nothing I could do to keep the project going. Believe me, if I thought there was any hope of keeping this going, I’d be all for it. This is pretty much all I’ve wanted to do since I was 8 years old. But, the fact of the matter is this:
We have no hope of finding a publisher, which means our only option is to self-publish. Now, let’s say that I am able to find several skilled artists willing to work for free who stick with the project (ha!). Because they can’t work full time, and with how difficult it is to make something that looks good these days (modeling, animating, skinning, special effects, etc.), we’re looking at something like *three years* to complete something that could be remotely successful.
Look, I’m almost 30 and living at home (there’s some more ammo for you, Zap). It’s not fair to my family to continue to be a burden for several more years, all to chase some dream which may or may not pan out. At some point, you have to get real, stop chasing dreams, and move on with your life. That scenario I painted is about the rosiest of rosy scenarios – a much more realistic scenario is that I recruit like crazy only to have people not do their work – or take so long that by the time everything gets done, some studio’s already copied our idea, or the technology/graphics look incredibly outdated by the time everything’s done. I don’t have enough money, nor could I possibly earn enough to pay people enough to incentive them to keep working and finish. I just don’t.
I would obviously love to keep it going, but I just don’t see any possible way. I know it’s all very abrupt, but wake up calls tend to be. I always knew it’d be a longshot, but it was naive to think there even *was* a shot. When I read what everyone had to say on gamedev.net (keep in mind these are experienced people – one of them even helps indies find publishers, and he most of all thought we were doomed), it completely gelled with everything I learned in my experience with venture capitalists (people who fund startup companies for a living). In my naivete, I thought maybe that game publishers were a little more liberal than standard investors, when in reality, they’re even *more* conservative. A VC would settle for a prototype, whereas a game publisher wants far more than that – they want a completed game. I had no way of knowing that without going through the process first… or being psychic (which, sad to say, I am not).
If you still think I’m quick to flush it all down the drain, then you’re entitled to your opinion, but that’s my side of it.