Local computer tech at work on game software

Local computer technician Ken Deel is developing a computer game that Springfieldians could be playing in just a few more years. Deel is one of a handful of game developers in Missouri, and he expects his first game to be finished by March 2001.

Deel, who divides his time between developing the game and doing computer repair work for Computer Ambulance, said that he has found only two other game developers in the state.

The game, called "The Unholy," is intended for adult players. But don't be put off by the name, Deel said. "The Unholy" is all about good winning out over evil. The game features a virtual reality-like first-person perspective.

"It's kind of like the feeling you would get going through a haunted house, facing evil," Deel said.

What separates an avid game player who thinks he can create a better game from a true game developer? According to Deel, the answer includes a long list of skills and countless hours of work. Game development requires knowledge of animation, artistry, writing skills, programming, knowledge of applicable software, level design and construction, and sound effects engineering.

Deel's creative team for "The Unholy" includes two programmers, two 3-D modelers and two artists.

"It takes a lot of expertise in a lot of areas," Deel said. "The story is very important, in order to get the player immersed in the game. It's like a novel; it's all interwoven." The game will also include original music.

Deel estimated that thousands of hours have gone into the development of "The Unholy." According to Deel, paid teams of in-house game developers spend $2 million and two years to develop a game, while independent developers must work for free until the game is distributed.

The effects used in "The Unholy" are only one step down from computer generated cinematic effects like those seen in "Star Wars" or "Toy Story," Deel said.

Independent game developers must finish the entire project before it is ready to sell, he said. "It's like publishing a book," he said. "You pitch it when you get it done."

For this reason, those working on the game must work for a few years with only the promise of future pay. Deel said that this requires a high degree of commitment to the project, and a long-term vision of the game and its profit potential.

Deel first became interested in computer games in the early 1980s. "I had a Commodore 64 in 1982," he said. He began writing his own games using the early computer programming language BASIC. Those first games were a far cry from what is possible to create today, Deel said.

"Back then, there was no ability to make shapes," he said.

Deel continued to improve his games as technology advanced, but he decided to take his game development ideas beyond his personal computer after he played "Dark Forces," a "Star Wars" game, in the mid-1990s.

"That's when I said I've got to make one of these things,'" he said.

Once the game is finished, Deel and his team will begin the work of finding a distributor.

Deel said that with the right marketing, the game could potentially sell 250,000 copies or more worldwide at a price of $49.95 to $59.95.

Following the completion and distribution of "The Unholy," Deel hopes to establish an office for his team and develop games full-time.

"The work ethic and the desire has to be there, then you'll see the rewards," Deel said. "If you have a great game, there will always be people interested."