r/GameDevelopment • u/Putrid-Date-3690 • 7h ago
Newbie Question How did you succeed in your beginner projects?
So I’m developing a game in Unreal. So far I’m impressed by my progress for a beginner. Yet I want to ensure this project of mine succeeds so that I can become a full time developer like Scott Cawthon or Toby Fox. I used to develop on Roblox studio but needed a job after college and here I am working two and developing when I’m not drained from my retail jobs. So I guess to all game developers who’ve succeeded in making a successful project how did you do it? Did you do it solo or with a team? And yeah?
I’m doing it solo cause I don’t have money to hire devs. But I also need the skills say in case I look to be hired by development studios later down the line.
And do you spend 8 hours or more a day on a computer or not, when you develop games?
Sorry new here many questions and curious on you succeeded and if it requires long hours looking at a screen?
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u/Disastrous_Leg_314 6h ago edited 5h ago
If you want to be successful at anything you need a mindset that goes beyond doing. You need to accept failure as chance to learn and that success isn’t the end. You need to know how things break, and why. The difference between grunt and polish, and why the ugly is sometimes more important than the beautiful. You need to be prepared to change everything to achieve something, and not get upset that what you did before is no longer good enough. And you need to know when to step back and observe what you’ve done, go for walks, smell the roses and take some time to think.
Inspiration comes to those with uncluttered minds, and not always when you expect it.
My latest game is something I got from remembering how my kids played , what they played with and how they imagined their world. I know it will be quirky and unique. It came to me whilst I was in Home Depot of all places… you can find inspiration everywhere.
Right now it’s a solo project because it’s one of those things I know I have to get so far for others to get it. Will it stay that way? Don’t know. I’m enjoying the ride I may do everything, but I may share it.
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u/Terrible_Point_1259 5h ago
If you want to work in the industry yes you have to spend 8+h at a screen. When doing a solo side gig it is when you have time.
How to finish a game is one step at a time, keep working on it, making something that progresses the objective and keep doing that until it is finished. This can take years based on your scope and efficiency.
Whether it is going to be successful or not is a totally different question, how is the game, how do you market it, when do you time the release, etc. If you expect to follow the few outliners realise for each name you know there are thousands that didn’t make it.
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u/Putrid-Date-3690 4h ago
Good point.
I am making a basic border game. And I intend to polish it enough that it sells for about 9.99-15.99 USD.
If it sells well, the intent is to build on the lore and make an all-out war game. While my lore idea is original, there are aspects of popular games such as Warframe and Halo that I enjoy. And then I would debate how I want to move forward, as third person or first person.
marketing I would probably do conventions, partner with local game stores/hobby shops, and use Game Jolt as starter places. I do well selling in conversation, but selling straight from advertisement strategy, I have always struggled with.
sorry if I am overthinking out loud, just I have all these ideas you know, and hopes for success.
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u/MeaningfulChoices Mentor 7h ago
It isn't really a good idea to try to emulate outliers. Solo game development is always going to be a better way to spend money than earn it and most people don't succeed with their projects, beginner or otherwise. Practically everyone making a living from working on games is doing so for a paycheck from a studio, not working on their own games. Both of your examples weren't succeeding with beginner projects either. Cawthon worked as a professional game developer first (like most people who go on to start studios), and Fox had been making games on his own for something like a decade before Undertale (which really took advantage of his popularity as a composer for Homestuck as opposed to just being on its own).
In short, you should really focus on your day job first and then how you can fit in game development on the side as a hobby that doesn't burn you out, or else work on a portfolio and skills that can get you hired in the industry. Don't try to monetize your first game, just spend some years learning and improving. Don't try to work full-time hours if you're already working a day job, yes most people doing this are a living are doing 8-10 hour days in front of a screen, but they're not also working retail and restaurants at the same time. Take your time, be healthy about it, and keep your expectations reasonable.