The Harsh Truth About Game Development

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  • čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
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    ► What I believe: • What I Believe
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Komentáře • 179

  • @thomasbrush
    @thomasbrush  Před rokem +12

    What are some other harsh truths I missed? Also, remember:
    ► Learn how to become a full time game dev, free: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-how-to-make-six-figures
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    ► Make your game instantly beautiful with my free workbook: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-instant-beauty-color-workbook
    ► Get my 2D game kit, free: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-2D-game-kit
    ► Join my 2D character workshop, free: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-2d-character-art-workshop
    ► Wishlist Twisted Tower: store.steampowered.com/app/1575990/Twisted_Tower/
    ► Learn how to make money as a CZcamsr: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-indie-game-income-workshop

    • @BeAltyrnative
      @BeAltyrnative Před rokem +1

      Another harsh truth about game development is receiving feedback. In our eyes our game is perfect, right? We create these mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics thinking "Wow, I love this and if I do, surely, others will as well." Then your first batch of playtesters are stuck on the second level because they haven't been in and out of the project nearly as much as yourself and you're beginning to question why no one else can play it the way you made it.

    • @skytl3431
      @skytl3431 Před rokem

      I've been in the industry for 16 years, and I've talked to some folks who said they lost pretty much all interest in playing games, after spending all day working on games. I wouldn't say this is super common, but it can also happen to varying degrees. 🤔
      And this one I learned the hard way myself: you can't enjoy a game you've worked on, in the same way a player enjoys it. If you try to just casually play a game you've worked on, you'll just end up seeing flaw after flaw, and making notes on what could be fixed or improved - and it just turns into work. (Which can be a bit of a bummer if you get a job working on your favorite MMO, for example) 😅

    • @patriot639
      @patriot639 Před 11 měsíci

      Never quote Kotaku. It's BS and not real journalism.

  • @throbbinguncle7969
    @throbbinguncle7969 Před rokem +337

    50% being unhappy making your game or 99% being unhappy at an office job. I know which one I'd take.

    • @captainnoyaux
      @captainnoyaux Před rokem +12

      Yup but the pay is harder too

    • @alec_almartson
      @alec_almartson Před rokem +3

      You got it

    • @stephenkentperez7705
      @stephenkentperez7705 Před rokem +36

      99% unhappy but financially covered
      50% unhappy and if my dream game flops. I'll be living on the street.
      I'll stick to my sucky day job and pursue my passion in my free time.

    • @captainnoyaux
      @captainnoyaux Před rokem +2

      @@stephenkentperez7705 yup, like entrepreneuring it's better to work on it if you have enough to live

    • @spectersoul7108
      @spectersoul7108 Před rokem +11

      So like, 150% unhappy making a game at an office. Got cha boss

  • @blackcitadelstudios
    @blackcitadelstudios Před rokem +158

    My 4th harsh truth as a solo indie game developer is "there's always not enough time"... Especially if you're still learning at the same time developing and building a community around your game. Doing everything solo is very hard, mentally and emotionally too.
    To all solo devs out there grinding everyday. Cheers to you! We'll get there someday, keep grinding... 😊❤

    • @dzagri4407
      @dzagri4407 Před rokem +9

      I know exactly what you mean and if anybody is seeing this comment please guys take care of yourselves mentally and physically by taking your mind off your project for a while I was the last person to listen to this advice for the sake of productivity but actually it makes you better in that regard, you’re not a robot you burn out and need rest, if you won’t something so amazing and liberating such as creating games can become like another job and burden, take care.

    • @blackcitadelstudios
      @blackcitadelstudios Před rokem +8

      @@dzagri4407 I can no longer count how many times I've burnt out. Resting is also part of the development grind. Have breaks, visit friends, and spend time with family. The game will always be there when you return, refreshed and ready to grind again.
      Take care, everyone!

    • @jvdongames1472
      @jvdongames1472 Před rokem +1

      👍

    • @chrissanchez1367
      @chrissanchez1367 Před 11 měsíci +1

      hire me

    • @blackcitadelstudios
      @blackcitadelstudios Před 11 měsíci

      @@chrissanchez1367 would love to, but funding is low. 😅

  • @HE360_Games
    @HE360_Games Před rokem +86

    This is why I just make my games as a hobby and I drive a bus for a living. At least in bus driving, the pay is decent and I don't have to worry about competition and oversaturation in the job market. In fact, I could pretty much pick what I want to do. And driving a bus can be as fun as playing a video game.

    • @joshuadevsimmz6396
      @joshuadevsimmz6396 Před rokem +4

      I love this.

    • @accreations9590
      @accreations9590 Před rokem +17

      bus driving simulator...

    • @stephenkentperez7705
      @stephenkentperez7705 Před rokem +5

      I respect and envy people who secured a fixed-time day-job that doesn't require the whole of their existence in order to be called "productive".

    • @HE360_Games
      @HE360_Games Před rokem +4

      ​@@accreations9590 It's more like Need for Speed, Rad Racer and even sometimes GTA: San Andreas lol 🤣

  • @TheCuteBandicoot
    @TheCuteBandicoot Před rokem +10

    Yes, that is true, I have been working on a private project for a year and a half now, it's so time-consuming and sometimes frustrating as hell, but goddam if it isn't my passion then I wonder where that fire in me is coming from that keeps me going on and on! thanks for being a good inspirer Thomas.

  • @colonelb
    @colonelb Před rokem +14

    The tools thing is a really good callout and also good to know that MOST folks run away from tools dev like the plague so if you happen to be someone who LIKES tool development, it's far less competitive and has a much higher demand than say, a level creator. And that's true not just in game dev but business app dev too. Everywhere I've worked we've had the main products but also reporting tools, customer support tools, configuration tools, all of that stuff - and especially any reporting tools or things to deal with money tracking - that's stuff that management REALLY cares about so if you're good at it, you may have some decent job security. It's not for everyone, but that's part of that "it takes all kinds of instruments to make an orchestra" approach to teams - find what you're good at and befriend those that are good at what you're bad at.

    • @tux_the_astronaut
      @tux_the_astronaut Před rokem +1

      Ye it’s something bot many ppl think of tho it can be fun to just make tools or modular parts i can pop into any project and use i also think it’s helpful at teaching you to construct things in a more modular way avoiding having a mess of dependency’s on other components

  • @lilrockstar77
    @lilrockstar77 Před rokem +5

    I don’t think you realize how much of an MAJOR upgrade that 50% happy is for the vast majority of people.

  • @codingasford9219
    @codingasford9219 Před rokem +2

    Great video! make more like this, ,very comprehensive and well explained, I love how you simplified things and even defined hooks were just to make sure everyone was on the same page

  • @weeziepuff13
    @weeziepuff13 Před rokem +27

    Great video! I've been a professional game designer for over 30 years and everything you say is 100% accurate. It can't be stated enough how difficult and complex game development is. That's part of the reason I love doing it so much. The other parts are the great people I get to work with and hearing from gamers how much they loved a game I worked on.

    • @JMoore-uc1zp
      @JMoore-uc1zp Před 10 měsíci +1

      I know nothing about game design I'm 24 where should I even start and honestly is it possible for someone this late in life to learn and start in game development?

    • @weeziepuff13
      @weeziepuff13 Před 10 měsíci +1

      @@JMoore-uc1zp 24 is still a youngster! What kind of games do you like to play? I always describe game design as a combination of architecture, writing (creative & technical), art (for communication), and engineering (scripting). Do you have any skills or experience in any of these areas?

    • @brandonroque2226
      @brandonroque2226 Před 7 měsíci

      ​@@weeziepuff13What would you say about a 37 year old with no skills in any of the areas and a bunch of courses who has a close friend with which to get started on learning indie deving?

  • @MatthewBofenkamp
    @MatthewBofenkamp Před rokem +6

    I’ve worked in the game industry for years now as an engineer, and so much of what I do is just putting buttons on screen in the exact right places or trying to figure out why that one character vibrates when they walk, or wrestling with version control software, and this is at small-ish studios (I’ve worked at a few companies, the largest with about 60 people). The nitty gritty definitely isn’t always as fun as bringing new gameplay features to life, but it’s a huge part of the job.
    Also I’d definitely point out that for the vast majority of game developers out there, the stuff you’re working on generally isn’t your idea, or isn’t COMPLETELY your idea. A piece of advice i always give young/aspiring/student game devs is to work with a team on a game that isn’t your idea and see if you still enjoy working on it. If not, that can be a red flag, but honestly, almost every time they really enjoy working on games that aren’t their idea! And that’s great to know! It makes sense though, like for every person you probably have hundreds to thousands of pieces of media you really like that aren’t your idea, but that doesn’t make you automatically disinterested in it.
    And the studio culture good things not being reported is also definitely true. A good friend of mine works at Naughty Dog, which has been famous for endless crunch, but recently they redid some things in the company, and now the crunch is gone. It wasn’t reported on, but company leadership made a genuine effort to improve the lives of their employees and it worked. I’ve heard many similar stories over the years. For every bad apple there are many good ones you don’t hear about.

    • @mandastarlight699
      @mandastarlight699 Před rokem +1

      That's great, I think they have to make a change and are realizing it, games are becoming more advanced, they need more people in order to create the games so it's important to make it an attractive work environment otherwise they lose out on those great developers to other jobs :)

    • @-Engineering01-
      @-Engineering01- Před rokem +2

      How's the salary compared to equivalent traditional software job ? I mean backend, embedded full stack etc

  • @TennessseTimmy
    @TennessseTimmy Před rokem +5

    The harsh truth about this video and channel:
    This guy is not a game dev, he is a CZcams.
    It's apparent from a very often used familiar format, cadence and structure of the video.
    I don't have to go past the introduction to know this guy is basically chatgpt equivalent of a CZcams videos and a skinner box.

  • @ZahhibbDev
    @ZahhibbDev Před 11 měsíci

    Great video Thomas, always nice to hear your input and thoughts!
    I feel like you unlocked something in my brain when you started talking about the Trinity Hook, even though I have made tiny non-commercial games before and I currently work at a indie studio I never thought about how each hook should lead into each other. Of course I knew that hooks has to FIT together, but them relying, building, and improving each other is another thing entirely, and you described it so well and succinctly!

  • @ITAngel
    @ITAngel Před 11 měsíci

    Hey Thomas this was an amazing video. Thank You! and hope you continue releasing this kind of video. I actually learn a few things from it and helps with my vision for what I am trying to work on.

  • @Mirror-of-Darkness
    @Mirror-of-Darkness Před 9 měsíci

    Thomas, thank you so much for inspiring me to make my first game.
    Its been a real tough road. However i am persisting. I will do it. Thanks for being a great voice in the community.

  • @orangelimesky
    @orangelimesky Před rokem +18

    Sitting in an office - doing work that's not your vision, nor your future vision should just be a means to finance your true future. Regardless of game development or any endeavor. Any career is extreme hard work. And it is not meant to be 'fun' in the sense of fun when you sit and do nothing but play video games. True work is extremely hard and mundane but without it you just will not move forward.
    Just believe in one thing - it will happen. It can be anything, a game, a movie, some product that's breaking into a new market... failure should not be in your vocabulary. I don't know how failure can be an option when there's nothing else BUT this to do in your life. Personally I've been obsessed with every single aspect of video games since I played mario and megaman on nintendo. I used to think it was the art, or animation. But I realized I needed to make video games. And it's going to be a hard journey since nobody in my family understands this. But it's going to be worth living this life rather than a life of the regret of never having tried.

    • @randomrandom450
      @randomrandom450 Před rokem +1

      When you think about it, a job is someone paying somebody else to do something they either can't make or don't want to make themselves, it is not supposed to be fun.
      So yeah, you get the money, but your happiness will never come from somebody else giving you work to do.

    • @orangelimesky
      @orangelimesky Před rokem

      @@randomrandom450 well getting money will definitely make me happy but there's no purpose no end goal I can control so the satisfaction won't really be there. One of my biggest pet peeves being in corporate is spending months or years on a project and some asshole investor or upper management changes the entire play field without consulting with anyone that's worked on the projects.

    • @randomrandom450
      @randomrandom450 Před rokem +3

      @@orangelimesky I worked in AAA for years and the final straw for me was when I was working on a game I really liked, it was a smaller project for once, a smaller team. But then the cash crab "year installment" big shit game was in trouble, so they canceled the game most us all to do some minor BS on this big souless game. The suits, that never made a game in their entire life, calling the shots, they are the one ruining games, they are the reason AAA games are boring. So yeah, I accepted a pay cut to switch to a small indie studio, so I totally get the "money is not the end goal".

    • @Dissey
      @Dissey Před 11 měsíci +2

      This is beautifully written brother!
      I have been doing all sorts of jobs in my life and they have all had one thing in common..I didn't want to or enjoy any of them. I have also been obsessed with games since I was 6 and as I got older I realised that what I need in my life is being able to do what i WANT to do. I got really good pay at my work but I just hate the thought of getting into my car, driving to work, doing something I DON'T want to do for 8-10 hours and then get home just to have 1-2 hours freetime before bed. I just started my programming journey and will dedicate the coming 10 yeras to becoming an expert of my craft, my life goal is to be a game developer or programmer in general and I will work so god damn hard to achieve this. I'm throwing my stable and boring slavelike life out of the window and never looking back, If I don't succeed as much as I have now in terms of my future career and finance then atleast I get to do what I WANT to do.

  • @3d8bits44
    @3d8bits44 Před 8 měsíci

    Congratulation for your game Twisted Tower! I follow you since you started 3D modeling, and I'm amazed of how fine and polished are the aesthetics! Impressive!

  • @ReleeSquirrel
    @ReleeSquirrel Před rokem +7

    I don't think everyone can be good at marketing, even with education and practice, and a lot of folks just don't like it. But, you CAN make games without that, and even better, you can make friends with someone who is as passionate about marketing and business as you are about making games. I don't think folks should try to do this stuff alone unless they have a reason to.

    • @marsimplodation
      @marsimplodation Před 11 měsíci

      "I don't think folks should try to do this stuff alone unless they have a reason to." I think the reason most of the time is money, people in that industry are pretty expensive, especially because gamedev always starts off as a hobby poject, so there is your reason

  • @DWGooding
    @DWGooding Před rokem +3

    That Trinity hook feels like something amazing that's been hidden in plain sight, and honestly glad you mentioned it.

    • @splashmaker2
      @splashmaker2 Před rokem +2

      I haven’t looked into the data, but more discussions I hear seems to indicate visuals being more important than I thought or was told. Designers will always say gameplay is king, but it seems to get your game seen without a huge marketing budget requires some flashy visuals. Gameplay will keep players playing, but visuals are maybe more important in terms of sales.

    • @stephenkentperez7705
      @stephenkentperez7705 Před rokem +2

      @@splashmaker2 picking the perfect art style and polishing the visuals is the most grueling part of gamedev for me. If your game looks cheap or feels cheap regardless of the gameplay, it's not gonna get the attention.

  • @dvi6173
    @dvi6173 Před rokem +15

    Personally that "miserable" feeling to me is replaced with an overshadowing Badass feeling following the words "get good" this invites sicko mode to consume your soul and ignore any skill gaps. Ez claps.

  • @craigstewart8123
    @craigstewart8123 Před 11 měsíci +4

    Long time game engineer here. As my experience grew, the more I would work on the problems. Antiquated crap. Making bad ideas work. I miss the early days of small teams making new products. With the advent of AI I think that’s where things are headed again. Definitely a good time to go Indy.

  • @Boldercut
    @Boldercut Před 8 měsíci

    My brother and I are working on our first project in our free time on top of full-time jobs and family responsibilities. It's a lot to take on for sure, even for two people. I even actually quit my CZcams channel that I was working on for it so I could focus more on learning what I needed to. Figured I didn't have time to do everything that I want to do.
    I really felt that 50% bit. I've been getting pretty decent with blender and I made this goblin and I really enjoyed modeling it out. I think it looks great! While I was working on the model, I randomly discovered that retopology was a thing and I got to say I'm not a huge fan. But I figured such is the life of a gamedev.

  • @ConorDrew
    @ConorDrew Před rokem +3

    Just a note on the AAA studios, and just one example, Rockstar, its a studio as much as a supermarket is a brand, if you work at Walmart or Asda, you work for that company, but the building, the local management is different, to show this, look at Rockstar as i said above you have:
    Rockstar Games
    Rockstar North
    Rockstar San Diego
    Rockstar Toronto
    Rockstar Lincoln
    Rockstar Leeds
    Rockstar Leeds
    Rockstar International
    Rockstar London
    Rockstar India
    Rockstar Dundee
    Each one of these has different culture, people, teams, atmosphere, they tend to work on their own projects, I know that's changing a bit more since RDR2 and GTA 6 just because of the scope, but they will still be specialised.
    To summarise all of this, a bad apple doesnt make a bad bunch, but can easily spoil it all if not removed, you can work with 10 people, 100 or 1000, you will get arseholes, you will get terrible managers, but you will also get lovers, family for life, people who just connect, managers who care and look out for people. its just a fact of statistics, and that humans in nature, take negative alot better than positive, if youre happy you may tell 1 person, if youre unhappy, you will tell 10 people.

  • @Cookinbk
    @Cookinbk Před rokem

    Hi I have a question so I’m in school for software engineering but I have udemy courses for 2D but I wanted to know what else art tools can be used besides blender and photoshop I’m learning C# and Python Java I also want to make a team as well but I don’t know where to look

  • @AliSaneei
    @AliSaneei Před rokem +1

    This was the most comprehensive video I've seen in your channel so far. Thank you Thomas!

  • @Fastest.36Navy
    @Fastest.36Navy Před 11 měsíci

    I would love a video on these three hooks. Maybe you could give more examples from other indie and AAA games to give us an idea of how to recognize potential hooks in our own games. And also what makes a great hook? Is it that the mechanic has literally never been seen before? Or can I present a well-known gameplay form in a new way? I'm curious.
    Also great video sir!

  • @randomrandom450
    @randomrandom450 Před rokem +1

    12:14 there's something that fsr nobody talks about like it doesn't exist. I'm an indie developer, I'm also... an employee. 5 years since I made the jump from AAA to indie dev, my bosses went from 3 people, to then hire me and a colleague to 5 people, then a bit more and now our game is released, made with 18 people. I have the fun of making a game I love, be creatively impactful, but I also don't have the financial risk that comes with starting your own studio, I get a paycheck every 2 weeks, while my bosses had to basically run on their savings and eat a lot of instant noodle to get there. It's not: you work for AAA games or you start your own studio. Those more successful indie devs, they hire people, I mean Thomas hire people, those people, they exists, it's an option and in 5 years, I did about 5 hours of overtime, before a PAX where I wanted a little feature in, nobody asked me for those 5 hours, I did it because I wanted to. Yes, somewhere inside, I wish I would make my own game, but I can always do that on the side (I mean, that's what I do actually), but being an employee in an indie studio is definitely the best option for me.

  • @Alexindiegamedev
    @Alexindiegamedev Před rokem

    Thank you Thomas for all the lessons while I work on my own 1st game

  • @artdoesntlikeme
    @artdoesntlikeme Před rokem +1

    Hi I'm learning how to make games in unreal and in the first i was just focusing on building and developing things which were not actually building games but this trinity hook has actually changed my mind and I'm totally sure that i can hire in my favorite AAA game studio.
    I've also seen lots of videos about game developing on tihs channel
    Thank you for saving my life❤🙏🙏

  • @JohnofFinland291
    @JohnofFinland291 Před měsícem

    Making the workplace more enjoyable and fostering kindness towards employees is crucial for productivity and well-being. It's a goal worth striving for, and hopefully, with efforts and awareness, we can create a more supportive and positive work environment for everyone.

  • @VanessaTJ
    @VanessaTJ Před 10 měsíci +1

    I've been a software engineer for over a decade and have wanted to jump into indie game development for at least the last five. So I wasn't surprised by aaaany of these harsh truths, and really they feel encouraging.
    My husband and I are both very excited to jump in, and I appreciate seeing this type of content.

    • @JMoore-uc1zp
      @JMoore-uc1zp Před 10 měsíci

      What advice would you give someone with no knowledge who wants to get into software and game development what should the real first steps be?

    • @FineWine-v4.0
      @FineWine-v4.0 Před 8 měsíci

      ​@@JMoore-uc1zpother than abandon hope ??

  • @CrossCoderDev
    @CrossCoderDev Před rokem +6

    Thanks for the insight, Thomas. I love these authentic talks about game development. 🔥

  • @sassygallop6791
    @sassygallop6791 Před 10 měsíci +1

    I'd never heard of the "Trinity Hook" until watching this video. Thank you for doing what not enough people do: being direct about the inherent problems, but also offering a solution.

  • @aliforgaming-pj9ch
    @aliforgaming-pj9ch Před 11 měsíci

    Hello i have a quastion for you as an indie game devolper do u have time to play games ? And by sahing that i dont mean your own games i mean playing games in genrall?

  • @stephenkentperez7705
    @stephenkentperez7705 Před rokem +1

    The mechanical hook is the "idea" part. It's not easy to come up with a unique game mechanic but most of us have an idea for a game and with an entry level skill in any game engine you can test the idea right away and put tweaks on it to chase the "fun".
    The story hook is what wraps the whole game i think. if you got the game mechanics and settled on some basic game animation techniques. (Assuming you're not a full production AAA studio). Thats all set.
    For me the challenging and gruelling of these three hooks is the visuals. That's going to make or break your game. It's polish, it's the art direction, the eye candy. The final hook that will decide if your game is cheap or a priceless work of art.

    • @Anxtrn
      @Anxtrn Před rokem +1

      Polished artwork can really set you apart, but as an indie dev I think gameplay is most important. Taking creative risks is what sets indies apart from aaa studios. Looking at a game like Rimworld or Factorio for example - all about an engaging game play loop.

    • @stephenkentperez7705
      @stephenkentperez7705 Před rokem +1

      @@Anxtrn these games that you mentioned are visually pretty and polished. Factorio nailed down that alone in a desolated alien planet feel with its art style and sprite works. These games may not be the hit they are today if their visual weren't as polished as they are or the studio took a different art style that doesn't convey the games mechanic.
      I remember watching the devlog of subnautica. Everything was there, building mechanics, survival gameplay, but they were using blocks and other basic game engine 3d shape, no post processing. It's literally the same game but it looked like a cheap knock off. To a reasonable standard, its unplayable.

    • @Anxtrn
      @Anxtrn Před rokem

      @@stephenkentperez7705 I don't personally find them to be visually pretty, per se, but I do enjoy the gameplay. There are many more games that are much more visually appealing than these (made by teams of dedicated artists), but the unique gameplay is the hook, not the art.

  • @BlueEyedVibeChecker
    @BlueEyedVibeChecker Před 6 měsíci

    Taken up coding for Dreamcast development, I've done research on self-publishing, the necessary tools, got my coding language of choice down, and am going to publish them myself, and not give arbitrary deadlines that a big publisher would.
    Full time job? Nah, hobby and side gig? Absolutely.
    I have income already, so it's not gonna have any crunch times and the like.
    I have fun learning, so coding doesn't burn me out. And I live the life of a hermit, leaving only for work, so it's a perfect occupation/side job for me.

  • @idklol4197
    @idklol4197 Před rokem +8

    i almost guarantee no one thats bought thomas's course has made a million dollars making games or doing youtube

    • @-Engineering01-
      @-Engineering01- Před rokem +3

      He is a CZcamsr, not a truly game developer. He's been making his money by selling courses that's it.

  • @matthewfowler3838
    @matthewfowler3838 Před 7 měsíci

    I’m happy in the office probably 60-70% of the time and only really down 10% max. My job is challenging though, and quite varied. That really helps

  • @abhinav3081
    @abhinav3081 Před rokem

    This video fueled my fire even more, thank you for making videos!

  • @CommissarChaotic
    @CommissarChaotic Před rokem +2

    Man, I just wish I had a job. I do not mind any difficulties in game development and video games in general as I am too interested in how humans engage with them. My biggest aspiration for the future as of now is to make some sort of multiplayer rpg related thing. That video from Game Theory about the WOW incident makes me want to recreate it in some capacity. I just want to sit down and watch human behaviour. I want to observe what you humans do in response to any element of a video game and use the insight gained to utilise it to create cooler experiences. But for now, I just really want to observe human behaviour.

  • @DefenderPuma
    @DefenderPuma Před 11 měsíci

    Thank you because this was incredibly insightful.
    I've been a professional web dev, mostly server side, for over ten years. I work at an awesome company but I do find the work quite boring. I've hacked on a game engine or two over the years and I recently tried Godot. I'm quite enjoying the system. I'm going to keep experimenting in my free time. Perhaps I will eventually make a big project.
    I would never risk my financial future on such a project though. I think the stress of it would block any creativity or chance of success. Games take a very long time to make, but one advantage we have now is that we are not forced to use cutting edge techniques to stay relevant.

  • @splashmaker2
    @splashmaker2 Před rokem

    I really want to see Twisted Tower VR, make it a hybrid flat and VR game. It worked amazingly well for Resident Evil.

  • @DankSoss
    @DankSoss Před rokem +2

    Thank you for this, it's honest and helpful ❤
    I've made silly games and now I'm starting my first professional project

    • @Cinetiste
      @Cinetiste Před rokem +1

      ...it can be silly too ! 🙄

    • @DankSoss
      @DankSoss Před rokem +1

      @@Cinetiste very true! I guess I should have said they were very small.
      My next game is going to be this first game I charge money/get funding for

  • @smokeback
    @smokeback Před rokem +1

    This is very helpful love the trinity hook

  • @JonathanOber
    @JonathanOber Před 10 měsíci

    As someone who is just getting started in Unity Hub tutorials with a desire to make a video game, I am keeping it real and trying not to overthink the hurdles that I will need to overcome in the coming months and years as I venture into game development. Thank you for being real.

    • @kid_drip333
      @kid_drip333 Před 4 měsíci

      Update? How are you doing now?

    • @JonathanOber
      @JonathanOber Před 4 měsíci

      I've gotten a few tutorials deep into Unity, some Blender bits too, but took a FT job in Sept. and kids with school sports means my nights and weekends got gone, quick. I am hoping to get back into things. Thanks for asking.@@kid_drip333

  • @VoltitanDev
    @VoltitanDev Před rokem

    With AI it helped with the development of my third game I added features meant for my dream game into the third game(a visual novel 3,d mecha game hybrid).

  • @ConfusedDesigner2171
    @ConfusedDesigner2171 Před rokem +4

    The biggest harsh truth of game development I heard of is "If you like to play games, DON'T BECOME A GAME DEVELOPER", this might sound weird, but it makes so much sense. If you hear the stories of all major successful developers they love playing games, yes, but their true passion lies somewhere else, coding, art, even being an entrepreneur.
    If you want to be successful indie developer you need to spend your time making games to learn how to make great games, if you keep playing them, and even worse, playing them without paying attention to the design, you are just wasting your time and will end up in that 68% Thomas talked about.
    What really bothers me is that in between the years 2000 and 2010 that phrase was used a lot, but I haven't heard it since, that's kinda scary to be honest, and that explains some of the current industry issues: Studios are filled with gamers, not game developers, the mentality is completely different.

    • @minniethriver
      @minniethriver Před rokem +2

      But also do not hate games... all those very capitalist managers who are only in for the money created some very bad cash grabbing games.
      Otherwise you may be right. I haven't played very actively for years as I prefer "creating" as a hobby. Doing things rather than consuming. Sometimes I feel bad for not knowing enough about recent gaming but tbh I barely have time for playing when I want to produce a game in my lifetime

  • @Cookinbk
    @Cookinbk Před rokem

    Hi I am a software engineer in college for IT but I want to also learn game development but I do not not where to start i want to learn python for apps and softwares and C# for games and pc softwares as well I want to start with C# first because i know python is easy and not hard to learn if you know a language already but I want to learn C# for game development and software apps I wanted to know if anyone knew any update courses or tutorials for beginners I do software engineering and also want to do indie game development solo i know that’s hard but I want to try it I really want help on how to start as a indie game developer

  • @doublebeefstew
    @doublebeefstew Před měsícem

    okay i must be missing something about the trinity hook, but some of the most renowned games doesnt even have story or visuals?
    for examples, flappy bird doesnt have any story, the visuals it even "stole" super mario's pipe asset.
    2048, no story and assets, just swipes as the mechanics
    piano tiles, baba is you, the snake game, pacman, candy crush? i can name lots of them
    none of them has stories and barely visuals, yet they are very popular..?

  • @hanzo728
    @hanzo728 Před rokem

    Wow I didn't realize how long it's been since I watched one of your vids thomas😢time to catch up

  • @sethcurtis6178
    @sethcurtis6178 Před 9 měsíci

    no one else paused video at the beach graphic to look for waldo?? ...i didn't find him..=(

  • @jochensum1998
    @jochensum1998 Před 11 měsíci

    In Case one got time, is finically not under pressure und loves to grind oneself by learning a lot of things and manly want to realise a vision. So, a project expected to need many years. How to consider ahead the vision-evolvement of the used software (Blender, Unrreal Engine ...)

  • @likistudios
    @likistudios Před rokem

    Why number one affect me is that I don't have a computer for almost 4 years now, so that's my only biggest setback

  • @rykehuss3435
    @rykehuss3435 Před 7 měsíci

    Trinity hook is a nice concept, but it doesnt work for every genre obviously. Racing sims dont need a story hook. Many roguelites especially of the Vampire Survivors kind dont need a story hook either.
    In my opinion the mechanic hook is by far the most important one. The most successful indie game of all time Minecraft only has one hook, the mechanical one. And it doesnt have to be some new novel idea, if the game feels good to play no matter what the gameplay is like thats a hook. You dont have to reinvent platforming if you make it feel really good and responsive. Too often indie devs think they have to reinvent the wheel, and we end up with a passionate project but odd ideas that doom it.

  • @Alexindiegamedev
    @Alexindiegamedev Před rokem

    As a solo dev I can agree having to learn many skills to create a game

  • @pockystick8557
    @pockystick8557 Před 11 měsíci

    I realized after countless attempts that I am miserable behind an office desk. I would take the 50% chance of happiness. The joy of creating something I envisioned outweighs anything. I would like to be smart about it tho. And invest on other assets.

  • @tomiczdarko
    @tomiczdarko Před rokem +1

    This is why I am not making games anymore, I am moving into programming coaching. I dont have a desire to make games anymore, I developed love for programming alone and that is the path i am making.

    • @-Engineering01-
      @-Engineering01- Před rokem +1

      Why ? What's happened

    • @tomiczdarko
      @tomiczdarko Před rokem +3

      @@-Engineering01- I think it's just the age thing. I am not passionate about games anymore. I am more into engineering now.

    • @-Engineering01-
      @-Engineering01- Před rokem +1

      @@tomiczdarko i don't like games anymore, too. And it's been 7 years since then but continue to game development because i couldn't find a field that i like to code on.
      I just love coding on real time systems. i tried mobile, desktop, but none of them makes me feel anything i don't know why.
      I liked embedded dev but since I don't have any experience in it no body responses my job application.

    • @tomiczdarko
      @tomiczdarko Před rokem +1

      @@-Engineering01- I still like to play games, but I am just not passionate about making them anymore.

  • @Marth8880
    @Marth8880 Před 10 měsíci

    Honestly the editor tools bit is only really true with engines like Unity that give you virtually no tools out of the box 😂

  • @sarahthoni8046
    @sarahthoni8046 Před 11 měsíci

    What does tripple a mean?

  • @JohnK68
    @JohnK68 Před rokem +2

    And the community manager of Satisfactory thinks its a good idea to leave his job and go gamedev....... perhaps he should have watched this video before he made his choice,

  • @okamichamploo
    @okamichamploo Před 23 dny

    91k!?! LOL. Not in Japanese companies. Over here you are doing pretty well if you can make 50k. Entry level is around 30k.

  • @newsciencestuff5540
    @newsciencestuff5540 Před 11 měsíci +1

    I'm hoping AI and tech development will reduce the need to master tons of different skills and makes it easier for indie game devs

  • @directorans
    @directorans Před 7 měsíci

    "96% of all games generated less than $1,000,000". Surely that is too low? You're telling me 1 in 25 indie games makes $1m in revenue?

  • @idklol4197
    @idklol4197 Před rokem +1

    damn i only got two hooks. fuck mechanical

  • @finnvitaly7207
    @finnvitaly7207 Před 3 měsíci

    I love how he says "this was really fun",but he just destroyed oeople dreams😂

  • @bigplanetgames9176
    @bigplanetgames9176 Před rokem

    what about solo devs?

  • @nomad161
    @nomad161 Před rokem +3

    Very timely

  • @Xero_Wolf
    @Xero_Wolf Před 9 měsíci

    If my first game makes a $1000 I'd be over the moon lol. I'm a video editor moving game dev one step at a time so I zero delusions of making thousands of dollars on my first crappy game.

  • @fredkennedy8435
    @fredkennedy8435 Před rokem

    Lol. Some people are unhappy 99% of the time they spend at work! 50% ain't bad!

  • @uncleg1214
    @uncleg1214 Před rokem

    That almost made me quit quiting

  • @Cinetiste
    @Cinetiste Před rokem

    Oh ! I have bought "The First Tree"... !
    ...just to say... 🙂

  • @TheSoprah
    @TheSoprah Před 11 měsíci

    Another harsh truth is your ego:
    I believe that anybody who is interested in game dev has researched a bit to gain some insight about the reality of game development. Thus, they are familiar with the problems that come along with indie game dev. However, they still attempt to create a "massive MMO" or "my own version of LoL". Despite the fact that they know it takes years to finish such a project, they still commit themselves to do it **alone**. And then, they are overwhelmed by the massive amount of tasks that need to be done. This problem even occurs on "smaller" projects.
    My hope for future game devs is that they look for friends or people online who share the same interests for games and create them **together**. Working with a team doesn't only achieve greater things, but it also makes much more fun!

  • @B_Carr007i
    @B_Carr007i Před rokem +4

    Pretty sure Thomas is paying the bills from game dev "training" , and being a CZcamsr. Not from makings games, since it's being honest time. Now that Im a real game developer putting out games I can finally see this.

  • @dungeon268
    @dungeon268 Před rokem

    Damm this was harsh

  • @mayatitus5974
    @mayatitus5974 Před 9 měsíci

    YESSS THE TRINITY HOOK I’VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS

  • @Mellow4202
    @Mellow4202 Před 5 měsíci

    Are childish, fifth grade elementary style art the only route for indie? Anytime I see an indie game it's usually a game I would never play unless I was maybe 10 years old. I have seen very cool indie games that are completely 3D that were only made by 1 person, but i dont see many. Usually it's an elementary School themed art styled game that fits an arcade environment. Like if you were to go to an arcade it would be cool to play most indie games, but most are not really something I would download on my computer or console.

  • @joantonio6331
    @joantonio6331 Před rokem

    Well for the past month, I spent most of my time in Houdini than unreal engine ..

  • @profitrocketholly
    @profitrocketholly Před 7 měsíci

    Hi. My student Dionie is doing a project on the History of Video Games and would like to interview you, if possible, about your journey into video game development and any tips you may have for someone who wants to be a developer. Would you be interested in doing a quick virtual interview with my student? He's a senior who is interested in potentially pursuing a career in this field. We would greatly appreciate it.

  • @sammanohar3803
    @sammanohar3803 Před rokem

    Exactly the video i needed

  • @YOGGaming
    @YOGGaming Před rokem +3

    I work in AAA, and I must say, pay, burnout, unhappy work culture, its not great, I just accept a job in a smaller AA studio, and I everything seems to be far more positive so far, then again, I should wait until I have some more time in the AA

    • @Cinetiste
      @Cinetiste Před rokem +1

      Just to support you, know that any well realized game, with good intentions, is of top quality !
      I and surely many of us, do not go by subjective categories, but quality rendering of the intent !

  • @nixantcreatives
    @nixantcreatives Před rokem

    we ball!

  • @gamerlinkog
    @gamerlinkog Před rokem

    The thing is its frustrating and fun

  • @roosemwandira3572
    @roosemwandira3572 Před rokem

    Powerful

  • @donsavx9603
    @donsavx9603 Před rokem +1

    its hard

  • @ilyabykov2437
    @ilyabykov2437 Před 7 měsíci

    The hard truth is that if your're dreaming to do it full time, it's much better to just buy a lottery ticket instead :)

  • @Questionnairee
    @Questionnairee Před 11 měsíci +1

    I didn't see the full video and I don't think I will game development sounds hard and might not be worth it oh why did I wish to make a game now I know I can't damn I wanted to make a soul knight plus ratchet and clank game together I'm 21 years old I guess I don't have what it takes Man all those cool weapon and gadget ideas all wasted.I will still stay subbed but I won't visit because it gives me pain how one was smarter and better than you ever be because they had more experiences and passion while mine started later with no practice.I think I m being a little dramatic here Don't feel bad for me or at least don't laugh at me.

  • @billyfighter6945
    @billyfighter6945 Před rokem

    Your videos are motivating and genuine. 💪

  • @adriank8792
    @adriank8792 Před rokem

    I would be soo happy if my first game made a thousand bucks

    • @Cinetiste
      @Cinetiste Před rokem

      Indeed !
      Even, you already should be happy and proud if you ever work towards the goal to make a game, or any project you value...

  • @MrTurtle15
    @MrTurtle15 Před rokem

    Cult of the lamb is so good 👍

  • @srisamveda
    @srisamveda Před rokem +1

    being a bootstrap video game studio is tuff too especially if you are in India ;(

    • @wrongsuitnotie8427
      @wrongsuitnotie8427 Před rokem

      That's because you bootlegger video game devs are nothing but a bunch of cheap copycat ripoffs with no creativity. Make your own game and stop ruining the market for the rest of us who actually enjoy good quality games bozo

  • @ninomichaellara1945
    @ninomichaellara1945 Před 7 měsíci

    The user game 🤔✌️💻👍

  • @bayraktarx1386
    @bayraktarx1386 Před 9 měsíci

    Imagine working in the factory every day... will you feel 50/50? Stfu!

  • @cat_941
    @cat_941 Před 9 měsíci

    I am a game dev I understand

  • @ninomichaellara1945
    @ninomichaellara1945 Před 7 měsíci

    Just create a simple game 🤔✌️

  • @ericgamingyt
    @ericgamingyt Před rokem +1

    Yo😊

  • @mayank4156
    @mayank4156 Před rokem +2

    Solo gamedev is a waste of time and money unless you have a good marketing plan.

    • @wrongsuitnotie8427
      @wrongsuitnotie8427 Před rokem +4

      At the end of the day, its a business after all

    • @mayank4156
      @mayank4156 Před rokem

      @@wrongsuitnotie8427 A very unpredictable business.

  • @shinkouhai919
    @shinkouhai919 Před rokem

    well let me add 1, you knew what the things he about to said all along, you know this all along, but still in the bottom of your heart you are stubborn, declining every thing you hear, and still thinks that those things don't work on you. You might agree in the moment, but sometime later you will forget this again, which is sad...
    This "you" here also include me.... sadly...

  • @BrandonCourt
    @BrandonCourt Před rokem

    waaaa you ruined my day!😭😭🤓

  • @midimusicforever
    @midimusicforever Před rokem +2

    chat-gpt will end us all soon!

    • @mattseaton5832
      @mattseaton5832 Před rokem +1

      If you actually believe that, you aren't talented enough to make it anyway.

  • @animeabnomaly4418
    @animeabnomaly4418 Před rokem +8

    This is the 100th time you've made the same video, unsubbing.

    • @1wan375
      @1wan375 Před rokem +13

      the harsh truth about clickbait youtubers

  • @wrongsuitnotie8427
    @wrongsuitnotie8427 Před rokem +2

    Another harsh truth is coding sucks