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    Starting and Surviving as a Solo Game Developer

    January 08, 2020

    Starting and Surviving as a Solo Game Developer

    Starting and Surviving as a Solo Game Developer

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 06:36 AM PST

    Game development is probably one of the most unique things one can do.

    While financial success, or even retaining your sanity isn't guaranteed, there are some things you can do to make your life relatively easier when embarking on your game development journey. This is by no means an exhaustive guide, but simply what I have found that works for me.

    Figure Out If You Really Want To Make Games

    Often times what we think we want to do, is not what we really want to do. Sometimes, the things that we're most familiar with are the only things that we think we can do, therefore we try and do them. In other words, our desire to accomplish something in a particular field stems from our familiarity with that field or medium.

    Video games are no different. Many budding game developers have grown up playing video games, so naturally, they hold a special place in our heart. Someone with an urge to create things, who has a limited range of life experience, would be drawn towards the experiences that have shaped them, and if video games were a large part of that, then it is only natural that you would be drawn towards them.

    While this is an important thought to keep at the back of your mind, don't let it discourage you from wanting to make games. But do realize that if you have limited life experience, then you might be gravitating towards what you are the most familiar with, and over the course of your life, that can change.

    Just Start

    You miss every shot you don't take. All of us have heard that saying before. Yet, a lot of us are still not taking those shots. What's wrong?

    There's a myriad of things that can go wrong when you start anything new, not the least of which is the risk of total and complete failure. But it is important to understand that failure is only a problem if the consequences of it are enormous.

    Lower the stakes. Don't quit your day job to start game development. Do it on the side and see how it goes. See if you enjoy it. See if you can start to develop an aptitude for it. Don't put everything on the line before you're reasonably sure that this is what you want to do seriously.

    Expect To Get Things Wrong

    You won't have the perfect game idea in the beginning. The first mechanic you develop may not be fun. The first character that you draw may not look very good. The first people that you have test your game may not enjoy it. They may not even give you constructive feedback.

    Many things can go wrong, especially if you're doing them all by yourself. Your brain has a limited capacity to pick up new skills at a time, and its important to be patient.

    The only way we can get things right is by getting them wrong first. And that is fine, it is part of the process, and at any given moment during the development, you don't have results, you only have the process.

    Things Will Take Longer Than You Think

    There is a rule of thumb in project management, that in order to get a successful estimate of the time that it would take to complete a task, one should make an initial estimate and then increase it by 50%.

    You could maybe hope to finish the project in that time frame.

    Estimates can be very iffy, and the bigger your project is, the further off your estimate could be. I developed the prototype for my first game in one week. How long do you think it took me to finish and ship that game?

    Six months.

    I barely finished it within that time frame and I had to cut several features that I wanted to include. After that, I decided to scope up and build a larger game with procedurally generated content, one that I estimated would be playable in a couple of months. That was in the August of 2019.

    It is now the January of 2020, and I have barely scratched the surface of all the mechanics I want to implement.

    Underestimating the workload is almost inevitable, but can be better managed if you account for that fact that you are going to underestimate and then relatively overestimate deadlines to make up for it.

    Participate In Game Jams

    I cannot stress this one enough. Game jams are the lifeblood of almost every game developer. Game jams get those creative juices flowing, instill the fear of deadline in the best of teams and allow you to do something different from your regular project.

    Game jams are especially useful for solo developers, since they open up dozens of opportunities for you. You have a dedicated forum for showing off your work, and get feedback on it. You get to really define your scope and learn how to finish games, which is honestly the most underrated skill in the industry.

    Jams that happen over a weekend, i.e 48 hour game jams, have been the best in my experience. Anything longer than that, such as a week, diminishes the point of enforced deadlines a bit, and you may not feel like finishing your project after seven days. Anything shorter than 48 hours tends to be too little time to develop anything significant.

    Jams are good. Do jams, often.

    Developing Your First Commercial Game Will A Unique Experience

    Developing and shipping your game solo won't be the straight path that you might think it is. Especially since we work on our own, that means that a variety of tasks fall upon us to do. A solo developer routinely has to design, create artwork, code mechanics, figure out sound design and even compose music.

    You can offset this workload by contracting out tasks or purchasing assets, but at the end of the day, your experience will be relatively unique. You will have to develop the game not only as a work of art, but as a product and probably compromise on both of those to be able to ship the game. Marketing your game will definitely be a learning experience, especially if you haven't done any sort of marketing before.

    At the end of the day, it is extremely hard to predict how one's game will do, and this uncertainty can be the cause of many developers feeling the stress of needing to deliver a great product. It is important to remember that while you can learn from other people's success or failures, they don't dictate exactly how your game will be received.

    Marketing Is More Important Than You Think

    But it is equally as important to make a great game. Ethics aside, you have to be an exceptionally great salesman to sell an empty box, which most people aren't.

    On the other hand, even developers with great games often struggle to market them. This is largely because we do not have large audiences who we can talk to directly, especially if we have not shipped a game before. We need to rely on games websites and our small reach on social media to get the word out about our games.

    Marketing should start well into development, and often, that means knowing what the hook of your game is. Figure that out and start selling it, building upon it and teasing bits of your game. Use the traction to build email lists and communities on discord. Get all the people who are passionate about your game into one place and listen to their feedback.

    It pays to know your audience, and they pay for your game.

    You Are Not Guaranteed Financial Success

    Statistically speaking, that is. 9,050 games were released on Steam in 2018. That amounts to 24 games released every day. Even if you manage to finish your game, the chances of it gaining visibility are quite low.

    That does not mean that you should not try. All that means is that you should think very hard before putting all your eggs in one basket. Game development is very risky and very difficult, exponentially more if you are going at it solo, so it becomes more important to have backup plans to ensure financial stability.

    That said, if you do happen to make it big with your game, congratulations! Most likely, if you're at that stage, then you don't need this article.

    If your game does not do as well as you had hoped, do not despair. Hopefully you have something to fall back on, and you can always try again.

    Regardless of whichever scenario you think you fit into, do share your process and your numbers with the community. It definitely helps newer game developers to develop a realistic idea of what to expect and makes the community more positive as a whole.

    submitted by /u/Techteller96
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    3DBuzz is shutting down and is releasing all of its gamedev and 3D modeling courses for free.

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 08:52 AM PST

    Do you forget how to make certain things?

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 05:01 AM PST

    I developed games for about 1.5 years now.

    But something weird happens to me whenever I start a new project. I forget how to do and code simple things.

    Is that normal? Or am I an idiot?

    P.S: I guess the later is true

    submitted by /u/ahmdyasir
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    How are games like dirt rally or Gran Turismo programmed to be almost accurate compared to real world driving ??

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 05:41 AM PST

    I'm interested to know the procedure, are there any interesting videos related to this topic ??

    submitted by /u/__ihavenoname__
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    Unity space shooter 2d game tutorial

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 09:38 AM PST

    Beginner, feeling discouraged, not sure what direction to take or where to start.

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 08:30 AM PST

    I'm an electronic composer and web developer. Ever since I played Machinarium and Samarost I've wanted to make my own game. I played around with some html/js point and click stuff (real real simple and crude) but I've yet to really create something decent.

    I find myself thinking up ideas and trying to game jam with people, I write music for games here and there. Every time I try to either work with a js-game library or dip my toes in unity I feel overwhelmed and discouraged.

    Maybe this isn't the right place or way to ask, but what advice might you have for me?

    Giving up on this is getting easier and easier.

    Thanks

    submitted by /u/chrimbus___
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    Guidelines or rough estimates on how long a new artist should take creating assets?

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 07:55 AM PST

    Hello gamedev, I was hoping I could borrow some of your knowledge.

    in your opinion, assuming that the art is in 2D, how long should an artist take when creating the games assets?

    Assuming of course they are being paid and are a part of the team.

    How long is too long in your opinion?

    I'm just looking for some rough estimates, assuming the artist is of course not in the top 25% of artists and has very little experience making art for games.

    submitted by /u/SwatHound
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    Survey Participants for 2D motion capturing tool

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 02:30 AM PST

    Hello there!

    As a part of my diploma thesis, I'm working on a simple motion capturing tool for 2D animations.

    The tool has a browser and a desktop version and only requires a webcam and a halfway decent graphics card. It tracks your movement and translates it to a humanoid skeleton plus animation that can then be imported into the Spine animation software. It is intended to be used for drafts, prototypes and game jams, and not to be a replacement for professional mocap software.

    Here's an example:

    https://reddit.com/link/elr0o1/video/dn5hojpy7j941/player

    Having a finished prototype, I now need to know if the tool is usable and provides any benefits for (professional) animators. This is where I need your help. I designed a survey to evaluate the tool's usability and applicability. However, as a scientific requirement, I first need to conduct a "pre-test" with a limited number of people on this survey before I can make it public.

    I'd be more than happy if some of you would do that. The survey consists of a (fun! :) ) task in which you have to use the tool, followed by a few questions. It should take roughly 15-20min to complete.

    If you are willing to participate, send me a PM or simply add a post here and I'll answer you with a link to the survey and tool. :)

    Unfortunately, I cannot post a direct link yet, as the tool should currently only be accessed via the survey. I'll make the tool publicly available as soon as the survey is finished.

    Thank you!

    submitted by /u/Kruemelkatz
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    Major union launches campaign to organize video game and tech workers

    Posted: 07 Jan 2020 02:49 PM PST

    How to implement procedural scenario without blocking?

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 06:44 AM PST

    Hello,

    I'm writing a small turn based RPG game in solo. I have a trouble trying to design a correct and convenient way to implement procedural based scenarios.

    Example of scenario when the player talks to a NPC:

    1. NPC says: "Would you like to test your sword ability?" (a graphical message appear)
    2. NPC says: "Yes | No" (a graphical question appear)
    3. If Yes, battle starts
    4. Battle ended, if succeeded NPC says: "You're good"

    In pseudo code we could think something like that:

    ``` dialog("Would you like to test your sword ability?");

    if question("Yes", "No") == "Yes" if battle(npc_enemy_definition) == BattleSuccess dialog("You're good") fi else dialog("You're so shy") ```

    This is exactly what you'd pseudo-code in old versions of RPG Maker, it looks clean and easy to follow.

    But, obviously all of these functions may not block since the main loop has to perform updating, event polling and drawing parts. So my questions are:

    1. How this kind of action is usually implemented? A callback mechanism could work but will lead to a callback hell ;
    2. I already implemented a FSM for basic stuff like (splash screen -> main menu -> in game -> battle -> in game) but I have no idea how can I custom the battle state. For example, I want a battle to act differently depending on the scenario (like adding dialog or failing should not end the game).

    Do you have recommandations, patterns, examples to share?

    Any feedback is welcomed.

    submitted by /u/markand67
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    3Dbuzz closing its door. Tons of free tutorials on most GameDev disciplines for free.

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 09:22 AM PST

    WIP Wednesday #134 - Show Me What You Got

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 10:48 AM PST

    What is WIP Wednesday?

    Share your work-in-progress (WIP) prototype, feature, art, model or work-in-progress game here and get early feedback from, and give early feedback to, other game developers.

    RULES

    • Do promote good feedback and interesting posts, and upvote those who posted it! Also, don't forget to thank the people who took some of their time to write some feedback or encouraging words for you, even if you don't agree with what they said.
    • Do state what kind of feedback you want. We realise this may be hard, but please be as specific as possible so we can help each other best.
    • Do leave feedback to at least 2 other posts. It should be common courtesy, but just for the record: If you post your work and want feedback, give feedback to other people as well.
    • Do NOT post your completed work. This is for work-in-progress only, we want to support each other in early phases (It doesn't have to be pretty!).
    • Do NOT try to promote your game to game devs here, we are not your audience. You may include links to your game's website, social media or devblog for those who are interested, but don't push it; this is not for marketing purposes.

    Remember to use #WIPWednesday on social media for additional feedback and exposure!

    Note: Using url shorteners is discouraged as it may get you caught by Reddit's spam filter.

    submitted by /u/quarlwithcode
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    What are some of your best resources for marketing an indie game?

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 09:05 AM PST

    I've read a few sources scattered across the Web, but would be interested to find any new sources people think are particularly useful for early access indie games? e.g. Do's and Don'ts.

    Thanks!

    submitted by /u/propulsiongames
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    I am thinking about trying to get into the video game industry, but I am afraid of the working conditions.

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 03:18 AM PST

    There might have been similar threads like this before, but I am just unsure what to do in my situation, so I thought I'd share my story. Hope I do not annoy anyone too much.

    I am a Computer Science student who has a bit more than one semester left before graduating with a Master's degree, and I am already thinking about what field in IT I am going to try to find work in. Video game design is one of the fields that sparked my interest, but I am really unsure about whether I should try to get into it, with all the bad things I heard about the crunch times.

    On the one hand, I really love video games, I also really enjoyed working with Unity during my game development classes( which I got an A in), and I want to learn Unreal Engine 4 as soon as my exams are all passed. Dabbling in those things just feels oddly... Calming to me.

    There is also the fact that my interests when it comes to programming/ computer science fields are pretty niche already, so it's not like I have that many alternatives. I also like working on computer vision/ machine learning related stuff, but I suspect there aren't many jobs connected with these. And more "popular" fields like web development bore me to death. I can't stay for a PhD either, because from what I've gathered, I'd also have to teach other students during it( which is something I would utterly fail at).

    But on the other hand, all the things I hear about crunching just scare me off. There are already days when I have to study in the uni for 8 or 10 hours( I don't skip any classes unless I am sick or have other urgent matters), and I come back very stressed out and tired during these. And then there is the fact that I have to constantly manage time between different assignments and try to get them all done before deadlines, which often leads to me working at night and constantly being sleep deprived. I am worried that if the uni is this stressful for me at this point, crunch time is going to completely wear me out. And I want to have time to enjoy life and get stable 8 hours of sleep( which I currently don't have) too.

    These two points prevent me from making a final decision. What should I do? Should I try going into the video game industry? Or should I search for a job elsewhere.

    submitted by /u/ElVi2
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    Can i expect an internship in gamedev to be paid?

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 03:29 AM PST

    Hello, I'm a third semester CS student from Germany. I've been thinking about applying for a 6-month internship at a local indie game company (they offer an internship like this explicitly) perhaps during my fifth or sixth semester. The company is very small (~15 employees). I have no idea whether or not I am in a position to expect payment for an internship like this, so I'd love to hear what you think :) Also how long in andvance do you think it's reasonable to apply?

    Thank you^

    submitted by /u/p_ace
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    Any chance for solo game developer nowaday?

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 07:32 AM PST

    I intend to dev a game app and publish it into google store and iOS later. I have a lot of time played all game from pc to mobile and I can handle both coding and artis position so i decide to solo dev some indie game, i have skilled to create all of them by myself. So i decide to find out some information on the internet about game trademark or copyright when i publish it into store.

    And I found out that some people might encounter some problem about copyright, trademark of their game when they solo dev a game without a company, without register trademark or copyright (because that fee are too high, and they still not get a buck from that game).

    Such as, someone (or some big company) tried to steal their game asset and publish it under other game name and then sue or dmca copyright to takedown the original game. I found out that many of solo dev face to this problem when they publish their game, may be after several month, week, or even after some day, their app was cloned.

    So as a solo dev, what should i do to protect my game from being stolen by bad guy, copycat, or some bad company? Does google or apple protect my app as soon as it was upload or i must register trademark/copyright before upload to publish it?

    Thank you!

    submitted by /u/mijuniop
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    Beginner question about environmental design

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 07:18 AM PST

    Hi, I've always wanted to get into game development and have played around with a couple of programs before. But I never had a direction of what I wanted to do. I've recently been getting into environment design and was wondering what good programs I can use for making sets. I would like to play around with 2D and 3D environments. Also I have no issue with learning more complex programs. Any recommendations?

    submitted by /u/ArcticFright
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    Visually appealing game engines

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 11:39 AM PST

    I've recently been thinking about the anxiety that comes with being a newer game dev or first learning how to use engines. A big thing for me personally is the clutter and just overall dullish and crowded look of the interfaces with engines like Unity or Unreal. It comes off as very intimidating when you're seeing all these tools and menus in one place and it's just like, "Where do I even start here?"

    Do you think if engine interfaces looked more user friendly that there would be more of an appeal to this hobby? Are there engines out there that are like what I'm describing?

    submitted by /u/Tha_Spastic_Llama
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    In terms of a list of games i'll create to show to a company, is it better to create more games that are not the best or a few high quality games?

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 11:24 AM PST

    Game Job Forum hits 350 registered freelancers and clients

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 11:21 AM PST

    Game Job Forum is a free resource for the GameDev community, created in response to Unity shutting down their Job board, and as a complementary resource to the subreddit r/gameDevClassifieds.

    https://gamejobforum.com/

    On Game Job Forum you can:

    • Browse job posts and freelancer profiles in completely separate categories
    • Browse programming, art, sound, and writing posts in separate sub-categories
    • Browse commercial and non-commercial posts in separate categories.
    • Bump your existing thread to indicate renewed availability or new portfolio pieces, taking your thread to the top of the forum.
    • Embed video and audio

    If you're a freelancer, you can post on GameJobForum and have your profile visible for months, instead of hours. If you're a hirer, you can easily browse pre-categorised freelancer profiles to quickly and easily find the person you need.

    submitted by /u/RichardEast
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    Is this too much for a noob?

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 11:01 AM PST

    Hey! I want to make a 2D ARPG side scrolling game, nothing too big to start, I'll probably make three "levels" and a main town to buy potions and stuff.

    I have a background in java programming and have been trying out C# and it's practically the same thing. I know how to draw in Photoshop well enough I guess and have been composing music for a year or two, not game music though and I never made FX sounds either.

    Here is what I think the outline of the game would be:

    • Functional platformer with melee combat (kinematic character controlling, enemy AI, combat, animation) (Did this already).
    • Combat: three attack combo, maybe second attack button does magic (I'll make three spells max).
    • Enemies: 3 to 5 types of AI max.
    • RPG system: This is where I'm more lost, never made anything like this and would be the biggest challenge for me (I think), but I know there's an RPG maker kind of thing in the asset store so I might get code form there and use it to get the basics.

    No weird skill trees, no custom character building, I'm thinking of a Final Fantasy/Kingdom Hearts simple RPG system.

    Is it realistic that I will finish this being my first big project? Am I failing to see a bigger obstacle?

    EDIT: Forgot to mention I'm using Unity.

    submitted by /u/somedude_0
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    Art Realism and Photogrammetry books and resources Needed

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 04:50 AM PST

    Hey all, I am starting my masters with research soon and was wondering if any of you have good books or resources (blogs, thesis, essays etc) on photorealism and photogrammetry. I'm also interested in looking into why people prefer different types of games and different art styles as well. Or if you know people I can talk to about these things.

    Thank you in advance to anyone who might be able to help.

    I apologise if this is not the right place to post this and feel free to remove my post if needed.

    submitted by /u/Neffless
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    Preparing for a Closed Beta on Steam. What should I do and what should I not do?

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 06:43 AM PST

    I've already been applying advice from this very helpful post for my Store page and to not lose wishlists from those who participate in the Closed Beta.

    https://www.pentadact.com/2019-04-10-steam-quirks-for-developers/

    Being mindful of the season and when other games are releasing should also factor into when I start the Beta. No point doing a Beta when a triple AAA has just come out as they'd be busy playing that.

    I have to consider how I will get traffic for participants to enrol in the Beta. How to give out the Steam keys and probably several dozen other things I haven't even considered.

    So, what should I do and what should I not do in preparing for a closed beta?

    submitted by /u/centaurianmudpig
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    Why the Idea Guy Sucks (and how they can suck less) - Indie Game Dev With Greg, Episode 001

    Posted: 08 Jan 2020 09:38 AM PST
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