do you work entirely alone?

Yes, my team consists of me, myself, and I. I wouldn't say my graphics are shockingly good, but they've gotten a bunch of positive comments (so has the sound and music, to a lesser extent), so I'm very happy with that. The downside is that it takes longer to do everything, but on the other hand I don't get bored....

Indeed, I generally recommend against crashing your car. Not too many benefits that I can see.

--Eric

 

I was alone for Stick Escape, but then my artist (Dannys95) came along and he re-made the graphics. Everything has been so much better since then. I can concentrate on programming and he can do the graphics and we both try to work together on everything else.


We both enjoy it immensely!

 

For better or worse I work alone - I just don't get along with other people

 

I did all the coding and the graphics for TanZen and Zentomino, with a lot of input from my wife. She's taken on a larger role lately, by designing all the Zentomino puzzles, and creating some custom artwork for an upcoming game. The only thing we hire out for is audio.

 

I do, but i cant make apps.... my dad is to selfish... holding is mac in my face saying "I got a mac!, you dont!"

 

Ha ha, cracked me up!

As for the original post: Yes, I do everything myself. Actually I'm much better at doing graphics/presentation than at coding, where I'm just a beginner.*

I can draw reasonably well freehand, know my way around photoshop and have been known to dabble with animation from time to time. I can also put together an Okayish soundtrack. My strength as a developer is, as I see it, that I'm quite good at a lot of things while I might not excell in one single field.

I do agree with Eric5h5 that the time it takes is a huge negative. Adding stuff like making, promo-material (videos etc.) issuing press releases and maintaining a web-site (actually several web-sites) it sure adds up. I am considering "outsourcing" some of the graphic-stuff later, but I'm blessed with a close family-member actually being a professional illustrator with more than 30 years of experience...


*Just got promoted from Absolute beginner.

 

Me, Andreas, Carl and Marcus (that's all of Illusion Labs) do all the programming. That's it. We are good at programming and that is what we should do. We are just four friends from college having fun.

Carl's girlfriend (Mirabelle) does all of our graphics (design of in-game overall look, designs the websites, App Store graphics, designs for t-shirts etc, textures in some cases) on an hourly basis. She's good at design and should do it. Sometimes get help from another friend of ours (Amelie).

3D graphics is done by another friend of ours (Christoffer, he's still in college), but just on an hourly basis as we don't need that much meshes or textures.

If we need music, we hire one of our friends (yes, we have a lot of talented and creative friends), or talk to a small unsigned band who would love some exposure.

All boring stuff is handled by one accountant and one financial guy, both working part time (a couple of hours each month).

The rest that needs to be done is handled by ourselves; stocking up toilet paper, buying coffee beans, all marketing, code websites etc etc.

That is our setup.

In short: do what you are good at and think is fun to do.

And a tip: If you are starting small with basically no money at all from earlier projects, suggest a share of the profit -- if it does well, the graphics artist gets more. If someone is used to taking risks, it's artists.

 

on some of my projects i work alone but most of the time I'll get help with graphics. It really makes a huge difference and helps you stay motivated about your project when its nice to look at.

 

I have nothing to show yet, but keep your eys open - because - the graphics of my upcoming game are NOT made by myself. In fact you dont want so see graphics made by me...

That said I will outsource all the stuff I'm not at least very good in. In my opinion the components of a good or great game need to be all good or great each.
So I'm doing the entire design and coding (thats my world), and let other artists work on a hourly base on the graphics and sound. I've found some very valuable 3D and 2D artists (who worked on Assasins Creed, Terminator Salvations and other great games) and I'm really happy with the results so far. The disadvantage for this if of course you have to invest some money first, so its not everyones way. I have great respect to anyone who has the skills to produce all parts of the game by him/herself.

 

well im new to apple products but ive been making games for windows for a few years and i did everything myself cause i felt it too be too complicated if someone helped cause usally we would get into arguments over how the game should be and etc, and i plan to due everything myself for the idevice

 

I work in a small team of three. One programmer, one graphic designer and me to design, do audio, project manage and hold everything together with a little spit and duct tape.

I know I can't program or draw, but I can mange the project and create placeholder artwork for the programmer. It's worked out well to get the mechanics of the game I'm working on in place. Our new graphic designer is very good and has really made an impact on the game with his design ideas (he's a real 'type' nerd!), which in turn has really lifted my spirits!

I like working with others. Most of the time!

Elliot.

 

Hey, you sound awesome! Although App Tech Studios is held together stronger than duct tape and spit, I feel the same way about working with others. I am a huge people person, I love going to parties where I don't know anyone and going home having made a ton a new friends


That said, my artist (Dannys95) and I get along great and we both enjoy ourselves greatly! I think that it is great to work alone (I did for the first versions of my first 2 games), but Danny came along with his artistic skills, it gave my time to focus on programming. I really enjoy just doing programming and leaving the artsy stuff to someone more skilled than myself

 

I am alone...so alone...

 

Hey, cheers man. Sounds like we're cut from the same cheese cloth! Can't wait to start posting info on my game next month...

 

I work alone. My programming and art rocks, but I'm not too good at sound effects and music though. I'm still learning Objective-C though, but I'm great at Actionscript andother programming languages. I'm only 14 so yea it's best for me to work alone.

 

@COOL MR CROC

Loved that post, especially if gillygize is a Manc.

 

Im pretty much alone too. I get my brother to do some of my art work, but mostly its just me

 

Almost all of the code in Ground Effect is mine. All of the graphics apart from the sky boxes and the craft itself are mine. The design is basically mine with input from others, mostly my kids who are my main testers and level designers, though i've done a few levels myself.

Beyond that i'm working with a cross platform library descended from what we used at my previous company. As it folded we gave all of our employees the right to do what they wanted with it, one of them added iPhone support. I based my game on this library which has been extended hugely since then. The guy who ported the library hasn't had time to write anything for the iphone and will be getting it back from me (now with multitexture, sound, accelerometer etc...) for when he does.

I also have another programmer helping me out with the end of the project in return for me helping him out with setting up on the iphone.

So, several other people involved but none in conventional partnership or employee (as if I could afford to pay anyone) roles so far.