<ArchStant> still here
<StoneCyph> <StoneCyph> ugh, it shouldn't take you 25 days to write an 80s arcade game
<StoneCyph> <StoneCyph> alex, you need to give us a better idea of scale
<StoneCyph> <StoneCyph> give us examples of games of the correct complexity
<StoneCyph> <StoneCyph> also, we need to know if we have art support, music support
<StoneCyph> <StoneCyph> which will cripple some people
<StoneCyph> <StoneCyph> i could, for example, write tetris or space invaders by the end of today
<StoneCyph> <StoneCyph> but something the caliber of arcade ninja gaiden, with external art support, would take me almost two weeks
<StoneCyph> I'm a commercial c++ programmer writing software for the military, and I'd *kill* to get my foot into the game-authoring industry
<ArchStant> the time scale is approx
<StoneCyph> well, yeah, but can you give me a few examples of games the caliber you're looking for?
<StoneCyph> the 80s included pole position and stunts!, galaga and Galaga 88, Super Pong! and Dragon's Lair
<StoneCyph> sort of a wide range
<ArchStant> bally midway tapper
<ArchStant> r-type horiz scroller
<StoneCyph> okay.
<StoneCyph> art support?
<ArchStant> even asteroids
<StoneCyph> i could write asteroids by the end of the day, easily
<StoneCyph> sinistar, too
<StoneCyph> you'll really pay $1000 for that?
<ArchStant> playability and fun - good gfx and sfx
<StoneCyph> well, i can kick together Sinistar quality graphics
<StoneCyph> more than that i'd have to track someone down
<StoneCyph> but that could be arranged
<StoneCyph> if i start writing you games, how do i get them to you for evaluation?
<StoneCyph> that email address?
<ArchStant> alex@datel.co.uk
<StoneCyph> are you willing to buy more than one game from one person?
<StoneCyph> assuming they're of high enough quality and that you're not out of space
<ArchStant> if you drop me an email tomorrow with a proposal
<ArchStant> yes happy take more than one game
<StoneCyph> are you only looking for arcade-style nerve games?
<ArchStant> not looking for rpgs if that's what you mean!
<ArchStant> platform maybe
<ArchStant> racing also
<StoneCyph> well, platformers, quick strategy (ataxx), et cetera
<StoneCyph> i realize you don't want long-time games
<ArchStant> exactly
<StoneCyph> How long would a shooter a la R-Type need to be to net $3000 ?
<ArchStant> what is your email addy?
<StoneCyph> you may use johnhaugeland@yahoo.com ; i probably shouldn't give you my work address for obvious reasons :D
<StoneCyph> backup, use johnisaheadcase@yahoo.com
<ArchStant> ok - regarding $'s if you send me examples and quality of work i will be able to review it
<StoneCyph> well, i'm just trying to get a sense of scale
<StoneCyph> like, if it needs to be eight levels (r-type length) to net $3k, i'll write the racer, two puzzle games and a quick strategy game
<StoneCyph> better for me to get multiple games in than one big one
<StoneCyph> sinistar as an example is almost a trivial job, except it's also one of the best games ever
<ArchStant> send me a plan and we can iron out the details
<StoneCyph> Can you give me an example plan?  You don't want what i'm used to sending to the DoD.
<ArchStant> obviously inc comp dates
<StoneCyph> ( http://www.senscom.com/ is where i work, if you're curious)
<ArchStant> erm
<ArchStant> game style
<StoneCyph> also, there are a few multiple-month-old screenshots from my current hobby game up at the very end of http://home.earthlink.net/~fatzilla/HexTut/hexgrid.html
<ArchStant> tech details, screen mode, compiler etc
<StoneCyph> tech details is vague
<ArchStant> game save type - if used
<StoneCyph> ah.
<ArchStant> example artwork
<ArchStant> example sfx
<StoneCyph> There's no chance of art support?
<StoneCyph> well, for some of these games that won't matter
<StoneCyph> i can make my art for a racing game out of photoshop and BMW's website
<ArchStant> sorry no support
<StoneCyph> okay.
<StoneCyph> that writes off a number of categories.
<StoneCyph> music and sfx, not just sfx, right?
<ArchStant> music not really important - just some nice zap sounds and explosions
<StoneCyph> okay.
<ArchStant> email me tomorrow - must go in 5mins
<StoneCyph> okay.
<StoneCyph> One last question
<StoneCyph> Are these minigames to be assembled as a question, or as sub-games to a larger game?
<StoneCyph> it matters because sub-games should have /no/ chance of taking a long time, even if you're doing well, whereas collection games have no such restriction.  tetris, for example, would be a bad subgame.
<StoneCyph> but it'd be a fine collection game.
<ArchStant> seperate games - not conected
<StoneCyph> okay.