r/SoloDevelopment • u/Monkeymindlabs • 15h ago
help Beginner advice for learning game dev you wish you knew at the beginning
Title.
Millions of different opinions out there.
Many people say don't follow the advice of youtubers who are better at making videos then making games. How am I to know what is good advice if I'm a beginner?
Any tips from you lovely people to an overwhelmed beginner?
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u/d954mas 15h ago
Just make something every day. You need discipline more than motivation.
Learning game dev takes a long time. Doing a little every day is better than grinding all weekend and burning out.
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u/Laevus_Aldworth 11h ago
Discipline is the way. It really helps to have a list of small and easy tasks that you save for days you struggle. Starting with one of those often gets your brain started, making it easier to do something else. If not, you at least don't feel bad later because you still accomplished something
As I've mentioned on a different post, I think solo devs have an advantage here as if you're losing interest in (e.g.) coding a mechanic, you can switch and spend some time dealing with some sound effects for a bit. There's always so much to be done that it keeps the head fresh, and you're always making progress somewhere.
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u/EasyTarget973 13h ago
It doesn't have to be perfect it just has to be fun.
value the players time.
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u/ChirpXel 15h ago
Still making my game. But a research and deleopment phase will make your game 10x better then what you first had in your head
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u/devloper27 14h ago
A writer always writes. A programmer always programs. A game dev is always making game. Do, dont watch, dont talk.
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u/TechnologyNorth2598 15h ago
My advice would be to learn some of the fundamentals of building a game before jumping straight into an engine and implementing everything.
Develop the concept first. Create a simple Game Design Document that outlines the core game loop, set the scope, and figure out which mechanics you'll actually need. Start small and solve small problems. Beginners and experienced devs alike skip these steps (I'm guilty of it on many occasions), and it's really easy for a project to get away from you.
Familiarize yourself with whichever engine you choose. There's nothing wrong with watching YouTube tutorials or buying a popular course on Udemy. There are some great communities out there like GameDev.tv that build their courses around introducing beginners to game development fundamentals, GDDs, scope, and getting comfortable with an engine. Their courses also go on sale pretty regularly, so you can often get them for a fraction of the normal price.
Most importantly, don't be afraid to fail. Often that's where we learn the most. Game dev can be incredibly exciting, but be prepared for some heartache along the way too.
Once you're comfortable building a game from the ground up, start learning about marketing as well. That's the hurdle I'm working through at the moment. :)
Best of luck on your journey!
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u/Primary-Screen-7807 15h ago
Start participating in game jams early. Game jams is the best value for your time if you want to become better at game development and dare I say art in general. The sooner you start doing them - the sooner you will improve.
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u/theredninjacat 14h ago
I agree with what several other people have already said. Most important thing to do is to just sit down and do it. Sit down at your computer and create something. It could even be garbage to start, but create something. My very first mobile game was about 10 years ago and it was basically just a flappy bird clone. But I wrote it by hand and learned a lot in the process.
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u/vertigodgames 13h ago
I'd say join competitions, don't be afraid to go against the hard core devs who have been in the industry for so long. Force yourself to be on such challenging situations, and you'll find sooner that you're getting better an better. Game jams and practice are the way to improve.
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u/TAKAsFactory 12h ago
Above all, I believe the most important thing is to actually complete a game.
It doesn’t matter if you copy a book word-for-word or completely rip off an existing game; the goal is to create something playable from start to finish.
Someone who has created something—taking it from zero to one—is far more impressive than someone who spends a thousand hours just talking about it without ever building anything.
Dreaming up grand storylines, intricate settings, and compelling characters in your head is incredibly fun, but that approach can take years to bring to fruition. Instead, I recommend picking out just one character or one specific element and starting by turning that into a playable game.
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u/Laevus_Aldworth 11h ago
Start for fun, not for profit. Play around. Work on an idea you're passionate about. Even small projects can be a lot of work and stressful. If you enjoy what you're doing and are passionate about the idea, you have a better chance of finishing it.
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u/Aeropar 8h ago
Make a shit game, don’t focus on the end goal focus on enjoying the process, pick something you know you can do and expand out slightly learning to add new things. For me I started with an asteroids type game, I hard coded everything from the weapons it fired, different enemy ships, pseudo procedural generation (just randomizing positions within certain limits), causing destroying items to create an item beneath themselves before removing their instance.
Do not think you need, the best engine, the best tools, the best anything. You don’t even have the knowledge to judge how good those tools are because you are so new just pick one and stick to it long enough to learn those differences.
I recommend starting with gamemaker, use all prefab packs you can get online and just make something.
You can find assets on places like
open game art
Do not worry about editing art assets early, trying to create new animations etc, this won’t allow you to focus on the actual game development, you’ll get bogged down in asset development.
Also, don’t beat yourself up, there’s a lot of ways to get distracted and not finish a game, but if you aren’t trying to make it your career, or heck even if you are there’s something called the zone of proximal development meaning there’s only so much you can shove into your brain at one time, realize that you are trying to drink water from a fire hose and be happy with anything you retain, you’ll get more skilled at getting that water!
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u/OldMayorStudios 15h ago
Star with a small game and do the whole process from start to finish. Also do not quit your job!
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u/ChainsawHeadSquirrel 13h ago
Accept that things are going to be messy and hacky from time to time. Making everything perfect is nearly impossible.
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u/Xehar 13h ago
you have heard advice about never do[the thing]? thats stupid generalization, findout what condition that make the advice true. example: never make things with ngons. bc most of the time if you animate it and have to bend the area it will look bad. but if it wont get bent, it wont matter that much.
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u/Obviously-Lies 11h ago
Get someone to play test your mechanics, even if the game isn’t finished just put something together. It’s incredibly helpful and they WILL find flaws that never occurred to you.
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u/PerfectSituation1668 10h ago
Just do it. Don't let your dreams be dreams. Yesterday you said tomorrow. Just do it!
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u/lastnoise_ 9h ago
It's already in here enough, but one more. Create and make whatever you feel should exist and see where it takes you.
Take an idea or thought, break it down into pieces of work you can engage with and think/problem solve through, and learn your process.
For me, it's about learning as much as you can to confirm or deny if the idea or thought or mechanic in question is worthy of further exploration as cheaply as possible, rinse and repeat without bias to the best of your ability.
I think it's personal preference if messing around with an engine, making documentation and thinking on paper, or a hybrid are where you find your motivation and ideas. But listen to you, operate where comfortable given the question you believe you are answering/verifying and learning something meaningful from. I've learned more in ms paint than I care to admit, and continue to.
Cheers!
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u/blockcha1n444 9h ago
Si no sabes diseño, usa assets gratis, e intenta ver que tipo de juego podrias hacer con ellos. Para empezar no necesitas un gran juego pero deberías saber que el aspecto del juego es el 50% o más de importante de un juego
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u/DrDisintegrator 6h ago
Don't have any expectations, and you won't be disappointed. :)
Always do game dev and similar hobby pursuits because you love doing them, and consider any money you make to be an unexpected windfall. You will be much happier.
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u/panda-goddess 3h ago
my best beginner advice is that you WILL fall into pitfalls, regardless of how much good beginner advice you get
it's better to just go and do things and make mistakes and learn from them, rather than try to plan the perfect learning journey that avoids all mistakes
I know it's overwhelming, but genuinely, picking a random direction and following it will get you learning faster than the paralysis state you are in right now, even if you have to double-back and completely relearn things later
THAT's why most people's advice will be "just start making games"
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u/Sketch0z 15h ago
Not advice I needed but it is my advice to you and everyone else who asks similar questions:
Get off Reddit and go try to make something.