Okay. So you would like to tap us to do writing work for you. That will work limitedly.
"Boom" Did you hear that sound? I will explain what it was at the end.
I have worked in the game industry. While most of my work has been in the Pen and Paper side of things, my friends have worked for computer game companies (EA, Griffon (no longer active), among others), let me give you some advice.
It is easy to work in the "gaming industry" when you are in the Napkin stage. The Napkin stage is a phrase from the technology industry that most great ideas were first outlined on a napkin while people were talking. This is the "big talking" stage, where the project is just a few ideas jotted down on a napkin, the back of homework, or in an email. It is easy to be a writer/ developer at this stage. Some people never get past this stage. They are the annoying people whining at parties that they never "got their shot". Don't be one of those. Either do it or stop.
I want your crew to scout the field. What this means is you and your people are going to visit every darn game out there. (Or if you are just making a PC non multiplayer game, check out every game you possibly can). I don't want you to just go and play... I want you to check them out and make a list of what you like you like and don't like about them. Work from this list. And keep in mind, "Can you do something like this?"
If you are not the creative talent, but just the coders... either learn creativity (well creative skills, which are more important than sheer creativity) or hire someone who is. Let them run the show and you can be their minions. Every game (or project) needs a proper vision, guiding principles for the projects. You need to set down well defined end goals for the project showing what sort of thing you want to make.
Create a project bible and stick to it.
You heard me.
You need to define what you are actually doing. Do NOT waste your time and ours by going at this half assed. Define what you are doing. This includes what you are trying to code, how it is going to be used, and how many users you can support... and how you think you are going to impliment all of this. This needs to be defined in pretty specific terms. Vague handwaving is NOT GOING TO CUT IT. Be direct and specific. You also need to put the "creatives" in this bible. This bible becomes your reference point for what you going to put into the game. While Bible elements (especially the creatives) might change a little over time as things are new ideas come to the project, the basic ideas should be defined by the start. (In fact, the team will need to work together when something might be changed to make sure it is okay).
Now check to make sure that your crew can actually deliver. If you want to create a game, do you have the skills to do it? Artists (very important to game... the look is important)? Coders? Money to run the server? Hardware skills to support the thing? Do you have writers on board? If you don't have the right mix, you either need to a) learn these skills, b) find/ hire someone who has them, c) Stop NOW.. until you do.
Important! Do you have legal elements resolved? Working with friends is fun, but eventually it comes down to money and ownership. Define who does what and who owns what in the begining. AND DO THE LEGAL PAPERWORK. (Hate to have you do all this work, just to have to "give the game" to the writer because you didn't have a contract and he is invoking his copyright).
Are you really driven to do this? If there isn't any money involved (and there usually isn't) what is going to keep you all going strong over the months to years it will take you to get this up and running. Creating a game is not that much fun (unless you have a really twisted and slightly masochistic sense of fun). It is hard miserable work. Be prepared and be dedicated. Unless you are willing to follow it through, don't start.
You see, anyone (with enough skill) can throw up another listing of classes races and crud, but that will just be "another game". Yawn. You can "adopt" some code and throw things up. Do you want to spend this much time and effort to make "just another" game, or is this just a learning process?
A game is much like a book or other story. It has a theme and focus to make it interesting. Without a hook or theme or a focus, your game will be lost to "white noise" of the other non differentiated games. You need to find one you like or just stop.
However if you want to build a good game, you need to do what the "big kids" do. You need to learn and understand about story, story arcs, and goals. There are a couple of books I think you might want to read first, so you will understand the concept. I can't find the links for the videogame specific books... I will keep looking.
Story by Robert McKee. Must Read
Writing for Comics With Peter David by Peter David
How to Tell a Story, by Peter Rubie & Gary Provost.
The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That Sells, by Ben Bova.
Orson Scott Card wrote some good books on writing fantasy.
These will teach you about interest, focus, and pacing. While these will not help you create your project, it will give you things you need to keep in the back of your head.
You also need to make something that won't make gamers puke, which means you need either cutting edge game art OR a specific style sheet and an art director.
Does this seem harsh? You bet it is. This is what happens when dreams run into reality.
"Boom"
All things that break the sound barrier make this noise. And at the point of the boom one of two things happen: a) the item can not withstand the forces and disintergrate or b) It shoots forward and flies faster.
Do the preliminary work, keep on working, and then decide if you are going to be a) or b).
