i have to agree, it's not so much the engine its the crap artwork. to be honest most blitz games look like the art was done by a coder, because in most cases it was.
re modders - i just got one on board with me, i think.
i think one reason is that i made a playable engine first, with placeholder graphics i ripped off the web. i have what i think is a compelling idea, but more than that i have something already in process, already playable. it obviously needs a lot of work, obviously needs the graphics, but the artist can see beyond the graphic art need, and even more, see where he can contribute.
i went as far as i could with the engine before approaching an artist because i feel i have more to offer now, and can sell the idea better. i also feel that i'm at the point now where i really need art to continue - it's holding me back.
as far as 1 guy doing all the work, i think it can work with a really productive guy. the guy i'm talking to is psyched that he gets to do all the graphics himself.
but i don't think you can really go and get a modder with nothing but an idea. because they can just hook up with a mod group that's going to build on top of unreal and they don't have to have quite so much imagination that there's going to be something working in the near future. they already have something working.
but in general, the modder idea is really the way to go, if you aren't going to be building a 30 person team and spending millions. there's some really talented people out there, most of them working for (literally) $0 per day, just for the love of it. if you *can* afford to pay anything, you are going to get a lot of people's attention, and i'm not talking big bucks. if you can't pay, you can still get people, i think.
re modders - i just got one on board with me, i think.
i think one reason is that i made a playable engine first, with placeholder graphics i ripped off the web. i have what i think is a compelling idea, but more than that i have something already in process, already playable. it obviously needs a lot of work, obviously needs the graphics, but the artist can see beyond the graphic art need, and even more, see where he can contribute.
i went as far as i could with the engine before approaching an artist because i feel i have more to offer now, and can sell the idea better. i also feel that i'm at the point now where i really need art to continue - it's holding me back.
as far as 1 guy doing all the work, i think it can work with a really productive guy. the guy i'm talking to is psyched that he gets to do all the graphics himself.
but i don't think you can really go and get a modder with nothing but an idea. because they can just hook up with a mod group that's going to build on top of unreal and they don't have to have quite so much imagination that there's going to be something working in the near future. they already have something working.
but in general, the modder idea is really the way to go, if you aren't going to be building a 30 person team and spending millions. there's some really talented people out there, most of them working for (literally) $0 per day, just for the love of it. if you *can* afford to pay anything, you are going to get a lot of people's attention, and i'm not talking big bucks. if you can't pay, you can still get people, i think.