Log in

View Full Version : How long did it take to make your game?


hanford_lemoore
11-13-2002, 10:48 AM
Hopefully this will be interesting (excuse me if this topic has been covered already):

How long did it take you to make your game, start to finish?

I'm looking for answers about games that are DONE, and available for download or purchase. Work-in-progresses, abandoned projects, and in-beta games don't count, please don't post unless your game is done.

Also, an estimate in hours worked as well as the physical amount of time that passed between concept and completion would be cool. For example, in my case, I worked on my game 560 hours, but 14 months passed because I was only working on it about 10 hours a week. Also, the number of people would be cool, too.

Also, make sure you tell us the name of the game, and where we can check it out.

I think this will be interesting to see the paces of other developers, their work schedules, and the results.

I'll start:

Game: Rocknor's Bad Day ( http://www.monolux.com/ )
Estimated hours: 560 hours
Physical time elapsed: 14 months
Number of people: 1 primary, with a 2nd to do music & some levels

Notes:
14 months was from beginning of project to release on the site. it included making the site and writing the store software. During that time however the game was being tested.

~Hanford

Addictive 247
11-13-2002, 11:28 AM
Game: RotaDim ( http://www.addictive247.co.uk/rotadim.htm )
Estimated hours: Haven't got a clue!
Physical time elapsed: 4 months
Number of people: 4

LordKronos
11-13-2002, 04:09 PM
Game: Miko & Molly (http://www.kronos-software.com)
Estimated hours: about a billion? (i.e. I don't really know)
Physical time elapsed: 18 months
Number of people: 1

I took several breaks from the game throughout development, probably a total of 3 or 4 month I guess. Of course, during that time I was passively developing, thinking about ideas and such, but just not actually coding or taking notes (I might have scribbled down an idea or 2 now and then).

DavidRM
11-13-2002, 06:08 PM
Original Paintball Net
2 programmers
6 months

Artifact
2 programmers, 1 artist, 1 sound guy
3 years

Artifact-based Game for Sierra Online (never released)
2 programmers, 1 artist, 1 sound guy
4 months

Artifact 2 (using the carcass of the Sierra game)
2 programmers, 1 artist, 1 sound guy
6 months

Time is measured from the beginning of the project, until the end. We didn't track actual hours worked.

hanford_lemoore
11-13-2002, 10:25 PM
Thanks for the posts guys, keep it coming. It is very interesting to see ...

Im suprised you guys don't even have estimates on how many hours worked. What about full-time/part-time?

The reason i'm interested it partially as a bench-mark, and I'm also just interested in the amount of effort going into indie games.

Thanks for the replies,

Hanford

LordKronos
11-14-2002, 02:18 AM
The reason I don't have estimates of time is that is was done whenever I had time and felt like it. There was no regular schedule, and I didn't write anything down. There were weeks that I worked 75 hours coding, and others when I worked 2 hours (not counting the weeks when I did nothing). If I had to guess, maybe 1200-1800 hours? I'm guessing that based on 60 weeks of actual work, probably an average of 25 hrs a week. This time includes all design, coding, art/music creation, and setting up the web site.

GLIPSEntertainment
11-14-2002, 07:01 AM
How long did it take you to make your game, start to finish?


Sue Gamer is curious and asks this question and various
other questions as well..
a couple indie developers have
replied already... (http://www.garagedeveloperinternational.com/indiepiqs/)

VaderSB
11-14-2002, 07:48 AM
Game: Xtreme Tankz Madness II (http://www.vsbgames.com)
Estimated hours: weren't planned
Physical time elapsed: about 12 months
Number of people: 3

Nick Bischoff
11-14-2002, 07:59 AM
Ok, not a game but an application.
Im working on a game at the moment.

App: URL History

Physical Time: The actual core functionality was done in a few days
& ~3 months for polishing and everything else.

Estimated Time: at least an hour or two a day, therefore, 150 or so.
But it may be way more. I did this in my spare time ie. !!part time!!.

Team: 1 (me) A few beta testers.

Notes: I konw I did this part time, and since its release (2 months ago) I have sold a couple of copies. I haven't advertised much (which I will do in the new year).
I don't think I will come close to recouping my costs (living etc) but it was a learning experience.

GLIPSEntertainment
11-14-2002, 08:15 AM
Game: MonsterTron 2k3 ( http://www.glipsentertainmentinc.com/ )
Estimated hours: quite a few.
Physical time elapsed: 5 months
Number of people: 1