Critical Lessons From My 4 YEARS as an Indie Game Developer

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Music by Jordan from O. and Co.

[costelinha]

Aah nothing feels me with joy than seeing a dad who's super supportive of their disabled son. As a person with a disability (though not a physical one) it sure makes me happy.

[_xtel]

Probably one of my favorite videos to date! Also, let’s take a moment to thank the unsung heroes out there, the supportive spouse/partners.

[WhI]

the little sneak peaks for the next chapter looks really cool

[loipesmas]

On a note related to what you said about Undertale, something I noticed is that people make the same stuff over and over. You can see it your previous games that you showed here (puzzle platformer, nature, redhead protagonist). Or take a look at Elden Ring: it's pretty much the same formula as Demon's Souls or Dark Souls, but evolved and improved. And I find it encouraging, because it means that it's not about being talented or lucky, but about the craft and putting in the work. You just have to keep on making stuff and trust that you will get better!

[mikamuhlbauer]

I love to see the Game and channel grow. I remember seeing the first Devlog and thinking you guys had 100.000 Subs because of the quality of the Game and Videos. I think you guys are Insane and I love seeing how you are starting to get the traction that you deserve. Keep up the good work!! : )

[andygeers]

Thanks for sharing - I especially enjoyed that first section about your journey becoming a games developer, really cool to hear

[jjkay]

Thanks a lot for the videos you make, I am a developer and for the past year I have been trying my hand at game dev and all your videos have been a great source of knowledge and inspiration for me and I am sure a lot of other people✨

[UT-Chara]

I don't know who you are but just from looking at the footage I love the idea of TetherGeist, it's really cool and creative yet stupidly simple and I'm excited to see where it goes

[davkrnk]

Great video! Thanks for sharing the wisdom and insight!

[svinta]

love the message of your game! so sweet

[ReubenAStern]

I really like game development. I think it might be the most intricate form of art. You have the graphics, the art everyone see's, but the music, code and all the other pieces create art that people can feel and get involved with so it creates art you never expected in their minds. In turn they play it in ways you never expected which to me is also art.

[emanuel-alvgard]

Thank you for an inspiring video. Really like you humble and calm approach :)

[OdinWright]

As others have said, fantastic video. There are a lot of developers out there that tend to sugar-coat their experiences a little. I think saying that your internal motivation "died" is the bluntness I needed.

I decided to try to publish a game by the end of the year (which I haven't started yet). I think I'll take it more as an "attempt" than anything. Maybe I'll get to publish in a couple more years lol.

[cupidmakesgames]

Hi Jordan. Fellow indie developer here. Thank you for this video.

I just wanted to share that I felt an incredibly similar feeling of my daily excitement and enthusiasm for making games dying down after 3-4 years especially after being involved in long-form projects that weren't jam games. I remember waking up and feeling excited about making games and working on them for as much as 14 hours a day. But now, even getting through 2 hours of development per day had started to feel like a slog. It's not something I've found to be talked about often. So, I was elated when I heard you address it. Not only that but you also went on to offer a resolution to the issue in your case which was the birth of a more refined form of excitement for making games. I had never been able to think about it in those terms and had just accepted that I'm not that excited about making games anymore. So, you have given me a great gift by articulating and helping me understand the phase that I am in. So, I offer you a heartfelt thank you.

P.S: Your game art looks incredible and the coin-collection UI is inordinately satisfying. Kudos.
P.P.S: I saw that we'd joined the same Paint Jam 3 years ago :)

[mohammaddh]

best wishes for you
great developer
and even greater dad

[ChicoAzevedo]

Thanks for your lessons! I just started in GameDEV. I am exited to make a prototype for a game idea that i have. I am learning with GDevelop and i will put my illustrator and animator skills to the test. The journey ahead seems exciting!

[luisces]

What an amazing video, very inspirational. I'm also making my own game while having to deal with the adventure that is being a parent, my son being only 1 and a half years old.

Anyway, nice vibe!

[sherekhangamedev]

Very good lessons, Jordan. Thanks for sharing, you and the team are making a wonderful job with the whole project, and the wholesome vibes.


My take on motivation is that, I have been living, of, by and for video games for 17 years now, but the fact of not having made a title that is genuinely my very own in that time due to various difficulties and limitations leads me to make this my life goal to release a Good Game.



The motivation has never gone away in 17 years, other things that happened in life demotivate me, but knowing this is the only thing I am good at, I love doing, and I enjoy makes me realize I am privileged, and I don't have to forget about my little achievements of the past.

Even if I don't have any success tittle, nor game of my own under my arm, but I can live from what I do and put bread on the table, that's what matters.


People tell me they respect my discipline despite my mental disability, but I don't think it's discipline, it's simply that I love what I do, we have to pay the bills and put food on the table and there are many people who depend on what I do and my decisions, I will not and cannot abandon ship, the fun of many, their valuable time, and the livelihood of my team is at stake.

I hope, wish and work hard to some day, hopefully get as far as you guys. Respect for how you are doing things.

Thanks!

[KryyssTV]

Excellent video. I feel that most folks getting into gamedev, epecially programming, overlook the critical factor of HOW which will determine the progress you'll make. How do you create an effective UI? How do you reliably save and load data? How do you work around performance or engine limitations? How do you ensure players understand the objective of the game? How do you use audio and music to set the mood and atmosphere? How do different aesthetics impact workflow?

All of these things can be taught but there's still the need for personal experiences you can fall back on to prepare in advance. Knowing HOW to get from A to B in gamedev is easily half of the challlenge and until anyone has built up that experience then progress will always be slow and that is the #1 killer of projects.

In the end, the greatest and most important skill an aspiring gamedev needs to cultivate isn't graphic design, programming sensibilities or musical talent - what they need to master is patience.

[misterlight]

"make sure your game is fun first" sometimes I wish I thought of that at the beginning of trying to make an educational game