After my last setback (after “updating” one week old files from our per4 server and overwriting all my progress with old files ^^) I was so ******, I didn’t touch U4 for 2 weeks. The worst thing is I have nobody else to blame. It was just my own stupidity and a lack of Perforce experience.
However, after a period of recovery, I am always driven back to this amazing engine! It’s hard to stop working with it, but to start a serious game development (with a team) it’s crucial the following things are in place:
Design Document
Project Structure
Naming Conventions
Version Control
If you don’t have these from the start, it will mean you have to restart your project several times. Structure is the most important, because you will want to keep the same organisation throughout your project. Each of these things take an effort to learn doing them right. Of course you are free to write a game document as you like it, but then nobody might read it; I found it incredible helpful to illustrate points of the design document - even with stick figures ^^
You don’t always need a concept artist, but it definitely helps. I’m no programmer, so I can’t say how it feels developing a game without having a mental image of the actual assets and style in your head. I think the concept artist clears so much ground and gives so much inspiration to the team that he’s probably the most important guy, next to the programmer. However, concept artists are not always motivated themselves and tend to have a thousand projects at the same time; which is a bad approach.
If it was just about the modeling or animation, making games would be easy. A game is such a colossal effort, even with all the great tools provided with U4. It’s hard to explain to outsiders, why you need a year to make a prototype. So there is always that kind of pressure that doesn’t help one bit when you are developing. Friends and family need to understand that you cannot divide your attention all the time. On the other hand you can’t put them in a backplace for half a year or more. I guess it helps having a supportive wife (I wouldn’t know, I’m single). If you cannot reach the development goals you set for yourself, it is most likely, because other things in your life are eating up too much time.
I learned UDK for several years, so I feel pretty comfy in U4, but there is still a ton to learn and knowledge that needs updating. I complained in some other thread about EPIC making it look too easy to work with U4. It surely is easier after years of experience, but it is not something you can hope to understand by committing a few afternoons to it. It is something you have to keep coming back to. And I am by no means “great” at all things Unreal. I still have tons I want to learn, however the most tedious part seems to be behind me, now. Don’t worry, it will happen! Just keep going strong.