No. I'm assuming that you need to finance the game you are developing, because I develop CRPGs in the real word - and not on a discussion forum.
I've been project managing software development for a living for over 10 years. Some of my projects have been at the multi-million dollar level. I know a little bit about managing risk in this context. In fact, as a PMI certified PMP, I'm willing to bet I've got more skills at it than 95% of the folks running game development.
What I don't have is industry vertical experience. I'm more than willing to concede that the sell would not be easy. Impossible, however? I doubt it.
You want to cut eye-candy in search of a risk heavy adaptive AI, that will take you an additional 8 months to a year to QA with no guarantee of success?
- How much essential "eye candy" would really need to be cut? Really.
- Where do you get an additional 8 months of QA? I've managed some pretty complex development projects. If you need 8 months of QA for a game, you ain't doin' something right.
I've always suspected that project management in game companies are primarily run by two types:
1) Suit with an MBA. No formal software development project management training, and little to no experience. Good at fiddling with budgets, making employees
feel like they matter, and making the occasional, high level decision. But God help us if they even try to run the project on a day-to-day basis.
2) Developer that's been promoted to project management based on what's called the "halo effect". IOW, "Boy, they are a great developer! I'm sure they'll make a great project manager!! Let's hand control over to them!!!". As I'm sure you can figure out, this often results in some level of disaster. I can personally attest to the fact, having started out as a software engineer, that having intimate knowledge with the work at hand is invaluable to a project manager. However, being a great coder does
not make you a great project manager of software development. Not even a good one. They are very distinct skill sets, and this is very often not recognized by companies.
And, finally, guarantee? Who the hell can offer a guarantee, even with the safest AAA borefest? That's right: no one.
Nice pitch. Good luck with all that.
Being an armchair quarterback on this, of course I'll never have the pleasure of trying. However, like every other industry vertical I've worked in, I'm sure game development is no different: those willing to take the risks are the same that have the best chance at a smashing success. Guaranteed? Of course not. Safe? Nope. The foundation of all innovation? You bet your sweet ass.