5 Solo Game Dev Mistakes You MUST Avoid (My Experience!)

This video is sponsored by Skillshare!

[thomasbrush]

Thanks for watching! Hope you learned a ton.

[rayecast]

"DON'T TAKE FUNDING TOO EARLY!"
Yeah, I don't think I'll have to worry about being offered funding early, or ever.

[Wurstfinger-rlzi]

I think one problem is also that many game devs are either designers, musicians or programmers which makes it really hard to finish a game all alone because you first have to learn about the other parts of game development.

[AurrenTV]

As a developer 5 years in to a game, frustrated, broken and insecure, thank you.
I WILL finish this thing.

[thiscordd]

That screensaver was too interesting. I couldn't help but focus on it :-D

[panampace]

"Emotional mistakes are way more challenging and detrimental than technical mistakes" This applies to a lot in life

[Thial]

The best thing to do as a solo dev is to get a normal job first and then work on your game on the side. You will sleep without any stress. There's nothing worse than having no income and betting everything on the game you are making. And for anyone saying that there's not enough time for that, that's also bs. Just organize your time better.

[skyreachstudio]

I've watched so many of your videos Thomas, and as my game progresses, Its so crazy how much of what you said in this video is the truth. I just won my first award for my game and I was so proud but then things took a weird turn. Winning this award made me feel like I was in a frenzy! I felt I needed to do 5 million things at once, and felt like the supporters of my game were expecting something of me that was bigger and better. BUT the shocker was, when I went crazy, they all said "Crystal, you need to slow down, you're clearly burnt out and need a break. We love your game but we love you too. Take care of yourself, then come back with a clear mind and rejuvenated body". So thank you for posting this, I thought I was alone and being crazy.

[animedreammachine]

Solo dev here as well, good advice. I’d like to add getting a stand up desk is a great idea. And avoid bundles except for Humble Bundle.

[magicth]

Man, this is all too real. Also a solo dev, the other night, I literally walked away from my laptop and sat at the edge of my driveway and meditated. I had to remove myself from everything for even just a couple minutes. It helped me reset. Great advice, man. Always love your videos.

[technofeeliak]

I don't have a support group, or even a person who knows me. I've been teaching myself to make a game on and off for years now. There have been times when I didn't have the internet, so I would go out in -40C weather with my cell phone to stand outside coffee shops in order to download some information to take it back home. It's been more than a journey. And now, I'm at a point in my life when I need to step on the gas. I have to do a lot of renovation work on my apartment to find someone to replace me. Making games has always been a fantasy of mine. I've taught myself 3D modeling along with coding. I'm no expert, but I'll push myself until the product is what I consider professional looking enough. My first complete game has to be the remake of Super Mario Bros.. I've worked long and hard... even started doing hand drawings at the beginning. I've got my workflow down, and I'm able now to make sprites into 3D meshes then turn them into code. No external files anymore. Just scripts that run to animate characters and objects. I feel like no one ever believed in me. It's been very lonely for sure. People here, in Canaduh, they just have no ambition. No values or culture. They just get tats and piercings, and not because they're part of something bigger than themselves. They're just lost, and they make up some identity as they go. It's sad, and for me I feel alone with my vision of life. I'm hoping very much that making a video game will open doors and have me meet people who are driven and excited to be alive.

[emsie]

absolutely agree with the "DON'T TAKE FUNDING TOO EARLY!". I ended up having to return the money (that I've already spent) because I was unable to finish the game on time, due to several personal reasons as well as my lack of skills to finish it solo (had a programmer that quit in the middle of the project).

[yuriy]

01:36 #1 Trust your gut
03:27 #2 Sometimes don't trust your gut
05:43 #3 Don't take funding too early
08:45 #4 Waiting Too Long To Seek Funding (Law of Diminishing Returns)
10:49 #5 You work in a panic

[BruhBruh-ntxl]

I'm currently both solo game dev and a freelance anime illustrator, but I have difficulties on finding work. I have been trying to get a job, but it is very hard to get a job here, let alone I have many competitions. And because of that, my morale is slowly decreasing. But anyways, thank you for some tips, that encourages me a bit and I hope I can become as successful as you.

[kingtreedede]

I don’t even create games and I watch these

[jackskellington]

This is like the 6000th vid I’ve watched about gamedev tips, desperately trying to start out as a solo gamedev with ADHD. Mention of keeping a schedule always makes me laugh! 😂🤣

[bndp]

That computer on the side with the neverending zoom is eating up all my attention!

[studioprimitive]

"Feature creep is often because you're feeling insecure..." ...wow. I never made that connection.

[thesadtraveler]

This was such a helpful video! My roommate and I are working on a game now, and your last point about motivating one another is exactly what we do. Thank you Thomas!

[rdklarnet]

I love that you’re not an ego-maniac!
Very balanced approach to giving advice. Are all the game clips in this video your games? They look awesome! I’m new to gamer world…got my NES robbed from me in 2004, haven’t played since, and just started game dev 11 weeks ago…kinda freaking out at the possibilities!