Here's what I've got-I was learning 3D, but my friend introduced me to 2D games, and with his help as well as the help of a few others, we're collaborating on making a top-down view RPG game. We're using game maker (www.yoyogames.com/make ), and I get to be the spriter. My friend has made several games with game maker before, but neither he nor I have any knowledge of programming with GML (Game Maker Language). We may have found someone who can program, but I haven't met with him yet... I'll show you the sprite sheet for the main character (but it's very low quality on here), and I could give you the whole story, but it would be too long for a comment... You can visit our (underdeveloped) website that our group has made so far for fun(www.freewebs.com/eyebot/ ) to learn a little more about the charaters... My friend talked me into doing some of the things on it, but I wrote the text for the main page, and the "about us" page. We're just taking things level by level for right now. The first level is that the character wakes up in a pod on the moon, sees other abandoned pods, realizes he's alone, and that he has to return to earth. By following footprints on the ground, the character can find the ground tile they lead to, perform an action (feeling for a trapdoor), open the door, and enter the moon mine (level 2). We know what we're going to do up until the character is back on earth. I wrote most of the beginning of the script for a 3D xbox 360 quality RPG FPS game, and we're sort of working off of that. That's all I've got..... Thanks for those websites, by the way! They're quite helpful!

Thanks for replying and for the good advice!

Well, I've been learning new skills. I've stopped working on the 2D pixel game projects for awhile and I've been learning 3D modelling and animation for the last year or two. As for that, I'm doing very well-but I still need to animate more and do more texturing, and I may need a more graphically powerful computer for that (which I need to save up for). I intend on taking Java OOP classes next fall as well as learning to use the Unreal Development Kit.

For the project, I assembled a small team of people (I shouldn't have picked my friends, but they were interested and wanted to help), and they urged me to try to build the dream project first (despite my efforts to try something else). We started out with no clue of what this thing was going to be. Since I was technically the project lead, I had to learn to meet with the group and decide on gameplay, story narrative, plotline, etc. I managed to cut the game down to a more reasonable size, but it was probably still more than we could handle.

Another thing I had to learn was that sometimes it's no fun being in charge when you have to say no to someone's idea because it doesn't fit, the input from others doesn't support it, or because we don't have the time or resources. But they were understanding about it for the most part. Also, we did get a high concept for a FPS made and we're ready to begin the game treatment. The only thing is our only coder is doing basic training this summer and won't be able to help us. I think we're going to shelve our FPS idea until we get more support, resources, time, and probably more skills. In spite of all of that, making a 2D pixel game sound so much simpler and probably will be once I can code!

Until then, I plan to work on smaller projects, create complex game assets, characters, weapons, environments, concept art, and possibly my own ideas for story for other projects.

I'll keep you informed! -mk

I think I might be as good of a game artist as a game developer though... For example, I'm creating weapons and enemy concepts for the first elemental fortress of the game-the electricons. Basically, this part of the story takes place in or around a fortress whose inhabitants use electricity from mystic orbs of unknown origin. Here's what I can do from there-

Now, these are also on my deviantart page too, but I'm having almost as much fun if not more just making the guns and armor for the idea. Now, I'm also aware that what usually happens is that the artist makes two dozen concepts from one idea that vary a lot, the team decides on an idea, and then the artist goes back and does the same thing all over again with the new idea. But it's all just a learning experience.

I will indeed. On the side, I'm working on further developing my 3D modeling skills, 3D sculpting skills, texturing, rigging, and animation. However, I'm majoring computer science and I already have a basic grasp on how to program using Javascript.