Your First Indie Game Should SUCK
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
- Let's chat about how you can make your first indie game!
Feel free to download my free resources to put in your back pocket when you need em!
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► What I believe: • What I Believe
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STEPS:
1. Get inspired by two INDIE titles: store.steampowered.com/
2. Create your Game Design Document. There's plenty, but I recommend this one: studylib.net/doc/7204677/game...
3. Download Unity: unity.com/
4. Learn Unity: unity.com/learn
5. Use assets to quickly build your first game: assetstore.unity.com/
6. Release on itch.io: itch.io/
7. After creating your first crap game, make your first commercial VERTICAL SLICE / DEMO / PITCH!
8. Share with publishers, secure funding, and go full time with you demo! - Hry
Thanks for watching! Hope you learned a ton.
► 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
Thomas, quick idea for a mini-course: can we get your workout regimen? 😅
Statistically speaking, over 99% of people will totally ruin their first commercial game. I see it happen all the time. It's important to have someone guide you who's experienced.
Any advice on not totally ruining my first commercial game? 😅
@@jazparsonsdev it is inevitable hahah.. jk don’t have any tips either
@@jazparsonsdev I don't know your situation, so I can't really give any advice... Our discord and Twitter is always open!
@@jazparsonsdev Make another game that you don't care about because you WILL ruin your first game.
Put that magnum opus game on the back burner until you have a couple games under your belt to create the big one.
Not complete true, if u made a good game with beautiful graphics, interesting plot and nice mechanics it may not will be the best but not a totally failure, 95% of game developers are making shitty games first of all and it is obvious that they sucks.
I moved away from complete game dev because I found myself more interested in modelling but I held off on releasing anything for a long while, recently I've started selling assets and though I'm only on my third one, I've been able to track my work getting exponentially better from feedback given by people who might use the assets instead of just sharing something online to people who don't really have any stakes in the quality.
In short; Just start releasing your shit and take criticism well to improve in future projects
That's kind of the cool thing about solo game dev - it gives a person a taste of the many disciplines that go into a game's production and they might find that they're more into one smaller part of the process than everything as a whole.
Interesting, my story is the opposite. I was doing 3D for 11 years, 5 years professionally, got into indie projects, outsourced for AAA flagship titles and a revelation hit me. I came to the industry to make games and not assets for somebody else's games.
Everyone has their own path I guess :)
Looks like my last Asperite comment worked out pretty well so I wanna throw out my suggestion here too. For 2D games, if you fancy making a SNES Zelda type top down RPG, there's a tutorial in the unity store called Ruby's Adventure, it is one of the longest courses I've seen in the store, but it walks you though everything, making and cutting sprites, reusable tiles, creating walk paths, health damage system programing, collision, camera work (which part of the map you're on is visible and camera following the character), sound effects, it's a great all around tutorial. Bonus points, it teaches problem solving, I'm not going to lie, last time I went through it some of the instructions were off so it also teaches you how to research and fix some issues rather than rely solely on a tutorial which I consider a good thing.
Thanks for the suggestion
Thanks for the roadmap, well needed video ☺️ i have my story and some characters drawn, started reviewing my story again today and will draw the remaining characters soon for my visual novel game ☺️ keep up the great work everyone!
Loved the video as always!
I'm having a similar trajectory as your roadmap. I started by making a very, veeeery small game for mobile, published it, and now I just started making the next game, which is on a whole another scale than the first one, which will be for pc.
I'm also following your advice and making some assets for the unity asset store, my first asset just went live today! And I'm finding it surprisingly fun to make assets.
I really appreciate these videos! They really help me figure what I should be doing at the point that I'm at.
I'm currently making a 3D platformer with a lot of love and original assets, but I have a 2D, 1 level platformer that I never released. I think I'm gonna touch it up and throw it up on itch io for people to at least play and give feedback, and then continue working on my 3D prototype and hopefully sign with a publisher.
This was a great video man, thank you. I've always been so overwhelmed by the idea of making a game so I always start and get excited but then am immediately discouraged by what I actually have to do. I know Unity and have been using it for years but have never created a game without tutorials or anything like that. I really want to make something of my own but I keep second guessing myself and everything, idk :/
I started making my first game with a couple friends and it's coming along well..I started using unity for the first time about 3 months ago and will have a working basic combat demo in about a week and a half. I have no plans to go full time unless the game takes off when we release it. I have a couple small businesses that I run but I still have around 20 hrs a week easy. So I have no reason to go full time but I'm really enjoying learning everything.
Good video. We are overwhelmed by all the things we need to do, so we need to be constantly reminded of how we can organize aour thoughts to stay on track.
Havent released a game yet but I joined a game jam and u were right. I went from not knowing how to make a square move to having a fully animated player sprite with a game play loop in the past few days
I am currently making my first game that will be 5 levels long. I'm starting on level 5. I post about it on my channel, Twitter, and Instagram. I've might have been taking way too long to complete it for a first game but I am proud of what I have done. But it will be done in early August and I think I've learned a lot.
How'd it go?
@@morpheus5302 It's going good, but the boss is taking longer to complete than I thought. But the boss should be done today or tomorrow. I want to keep it a surprise for those who play my game when it is done but I will post the BGMs for the last level on my Twitter and Instagram in a few days.
I released a crappy game on apple store 7 years ago. I'm back for my 2nd game now but only able to squeeze a little bit of time for gamedev every week since my 2nd newborn baby girl needs lot of of attention. Do u hv any hack or ideas on how to gamedev partime?
I'm about to 'graduate' from a course to be an "Applied VR and Game Specialist', this video has golden nuggets that I'm looking forward to sharing with my fellow students. Thanks, Thomas
I love this video, it is quite helpful.
Perhaps you made it and I forgot about it, but can you make a list of publishers or perhaps what a proper email or contact with them would look like?
My first Indie Game that SUCKED is titled "I, W.O.M.A.N." and can now be purchased on Steam. :) I have pretty much followed your advice 1:1, but I have not yet gone full-time. I am making a prototype for an isometric CRPG, currently titled "The Ancient Game", which I will submit to Paradox Interactive's Unbound program. If the game is accepted into the program I'll be at the pitch to publish's step. I'm getting close! Thank you for all the advice, you have been quite helpful on my game dev journey even though I'm an Unreal dev.
honestly this looks really good for a first game and you published it on steam! You can be so proud of yourself, good job
Thank you, that means a lot.
That's a complete recipee of baking my starting career on game dev, I'm going to grab the ingredients right now. Thanks Thomas!
I almost bought a $10 vfx pack from the marketplace that had ripped spritesheets from an FX software that required a $200 liscense to use. Becareful when using assets. Also, be sure to look out for stacked metadata hidden in those texture files as certain images can have location data, author names, ect.
I knew my first game would suck, so I literally made it about shit, so I could joke thats its a shitty game
Would be nice a tutorial on how to 2D aim with the IK like you did in your 2D resident evil remake.
I am quite good at worldbuilding, making cohesive stories and creating interesting characters. I've been a gamer for 15+ years and I truly believe that video games are the ultimate form of art. I've always dreamed of being part of a passionate game dev team, working on a project everyone is excited about, giving life to the worlds I create in my head.
Yesterday I got really inspired by a song and I saw a beautiful tragic story in my head, I immediately wrote everything down: the genre, some game play mechinics, 5 characters with unique affinities, skillsets, personalities, storylines. I wrote an epic ending to the story. I could see the game clearly in my head: the characters, the cutscenes, the gameplay...
However, I know nothing about coding, game engines, 3d modeling, animation, I can't even draw.
This is how I ended up on this channel. You definitely know how to motivate and inspire people, but unfortunately I still can't see myself doing all of these things on my own, and it's hard for me to believe that any publisher would give me a chance to direct a game, since I don't posses any of the skills needed.
Today I spent the whole day searching for online schools that offer game development courses. I don't mind investing some money in my education, but I'm so afraid that I might waist my time, money and effort, and then give up eventually, losing the passion for my project in the process.😔
I feel ya man, so many ideas, but no idea where the best place to start is or where to go to find the right education
@@CeNoPlays After some consideration, I decided to sign up for an online game development course. It covers the basics of programming, C#, Unity, and game design. It starts next Friday and I'm really excited! I understand that it might be very challenging for me, considering the fact that I have 0 knowledge in this field, but I at least have to try. I turn 31 this year, so maybe it's an early sign of a midlife crisis or whatever, but it doesn't matter. We only have one shot at life, and I don't wanna have any regrets when I get old. I don't have any unrealistic expectations, and it's ok if I fail.
So if you have the opportunity, I say go for it! And if not, at least write those ideas down, don't let them disappear, cuz you never know what life has in store for you.
Best wishes!
you could also join a game jam to practice there is one starting tomorrow that lasts 2 weeks.
Cold, we see a video where you fill out the Design Document to show ideas we should consider while making our own.
You say I should pay myself as the first step to determine a budget and timeline, but how much should I be "making" hourly? Like if I'm making 8/hr, and the budget it 10000$, that's 2 months of work (and that's assuming you're working every hour of the day, which is obviously not realistic). So it varies from the amount. So how much should we calculate hourly?
Thanks for this video. I know you always keep harping on about the game design document and releasing a crappy first game, and for good reason too! I still haven't released my first game yet, and it's because I keep forgetting about those two very important points!
I keep wanting making unnecessary improvements instead of focusing on just getting it done. Then I think of another game idea and begin working on that, because the old one starts to feel kind of stale.
So thanks again Thomas, I am going to get that game finished asap. Priority one!
If you join a game jam it really helps! That's how I made my first game!
@@dragontailsb1971 I have been thinking that myself. Game jams seem like a really good thing to up your skills.
GET SUCCESS 100% !!!!!......
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I was working on my first crappy game for the past month and i have all the mechanics done. But i am not sure if the game is done as a whole. It works you can play it but its not polished and there are still some small bugs here and there. What amount of polish would you recomend for the crappy game ? Or should it be just playable.
I’d really love it if you could give a list of the unity assets that you are using. Like I can see you got a dialogue system
I don't know if I am in the right way, I am currently learning coding (both c++ and c#), but I was curious on how the engines work, so started messing around with unity. But I think it went down to bad road, because I started using visual scripting to understand movements and other things, at the same time I am still doing coding :) Fingers crossed that I end up learning these engines with coding.
I finish college didnt get a job i decide to start developing games ( after so many tries I felt this time would work ) I spend time learning am still new at things am learning things step by step, I finished some game that from toturial so I won't count them as my first game, now am planing to creat my firs commercial game, am planning to creat a demo/prototype and looking for a publisher I know it will help a lot making the first game a bad one just to learn how to finish and release games, but I just feel this not the way I should do it, it just think wast of time for me, my worries now, to be honest, is the art in the game, I have one of my friend good at drawing and he is working with me, but most likely I will look for some ppl to work on some art of the game since they will be a lot and my friend has a problem with his hand her might or might not be able to draw a lot, i just hope to make this game right , i dont plan to make the best game in the world i just want to make good game mainly for secure my self finincaly since i dont have a job right now , then just do what ever i want with my next game
I always like all ppl have a dream game, but now I start planning to make a co-op game, the ideas change to the point it is a single-player 2D game and my goal and dream now become to just make a 3d game because it feels like you can do more than what you can do with 2D animation, maybe it will take ages to make my first 3D game who knows, the only thing am sure that am not going to give up XD
I’m starting my own first indie game I give myself 20 months. Ima start with something small instead of having crazy ideas that were meant for a more experienced me. The past 2 months I been developing my 2d/3D art and getting better at coding. But this video is definitely helpful.
unity gang!!!
I've been making "prototypes" for 10 years now, started when I was 12. I have a major project I want to pitch to a publisher but now I'm thinking maybe I should take a month and just make something start to finish before I do my pitch. Just to make sure I actually can finish a project properly (so far I've only "finished" game jam projects).
YES SIR
Assemble!
What if I want to do everything on my own? like Models,Music,Art, etc. I know thats a lot of work but it would just take time am I right?
Also almost all the skill needed to make a game are my hobbies, I do 3d models, music, art for fun and I am coding SQL PHP Python HTML at school.
And since I am so interested in so many activities I think the best in game dev is, all of it is combined, like I use all of what I've learned and will learn.
Eye opening. My first commercial game, I was stressing on how to make it have an impact, but after watching this, it might have been a better idea for it to be a different type of thing on itch or something. I don't know how to make it on my own and the marketing isn't that great. I will get it done though! My second game will be better I believe!
I already have a game that I have finished the core functionality of. Rather simple, and I actually find it fun. Just been too tired to finish it (waking up 4am for work and getting home at 6pm so yeah...). But I guess it's time to finish this!
What are your thoughts on Game maker studio?
Hey Sir Thomas! I making Artifact Knight this year...... you will see it...... Sir!, I learn a lot from you......
you is the Best teacher on this planet Earth.....
I've been working on a somewhat ambitious game since June, most of July I was gone so I didn't make much progress, I've mostly spent time making artwork and sprites and making basic mechanics like camera, movement, and attacks, this is also a 2d btw. People have said that your first game shouldn't be big at all and should be something small. I don't have like any experience with python or C# but I want to make a nice game and I could make small games like pong or some little hack and slash mini game(excluding animations) I want to make something I want to make, nothing less because that's boring to me, I do plan to publish it but I've been having trouble thinking about the future of my project because of people saying your first game can't be to ambitious, I've tuned it down to be linear and have limited enemies and about 3 bosses but still I have this feeling.
This. I hate all these people saying "your first game should suck" I want to make what I want to make. if I don't have the motivation, what is the point.
Is the 2D simple game kit up to date with the new unity version ? I tried the kid from an other video with an older version of unity but could not change the character design cause I don't have Photoshop
Ill see you in 14 weeks when I've completed those Unity courses.
What does a first game look like when your goal is to make games in the vein of Final Fantasy and Octopath Traveler? Those games are typically pretty long form, so what does the "quick and crappy first game" even look like in that situation?
newbie like me should make mini games and simple story first
To the people that want to make games, but haven’t, because they don’t know where to start: this is EXCELLENT advice.
Finishing a game is one of the most important things you can do. It certainly helped me on my game dev journey leading up to releasing my game on Steam. While I taught myself coding, I released a handful for crappy games on itch. That taught me what was needed start to finish for my commercial game
This isn’t mentioned in the video, but a great way to help you make games quickly is getting involved in game jams. Since you may still be learning the game dev process, I wouldn’t recommend a 24-48 hour jam, but maybe something that runs for a week. That way, you can learn to plan out what you need to do during the jam (example: 1 day for the idea/concept, 2 days for programming, 2 days for art, 1 day for music/sound/effects, last day for polish) and submit your game at the end no matter what it looks like. You’ll learn and grow from it for sure and get even better the next time you do it. This will push you to create and finish a game. Obviously, everyone may not agree (and that’s fine!), but it certainly helped me on my game dev journey.
Now get out there and create some epic games!!
Thanks Thomas
I thought I never made a full game but thinking about it, I finished 2 games and learned a lot, I just did not publish them
I am currently working on my 1st indie game and i even have it on steam available for playtest. I am trying to not make it suck, and i think i have done an alright job so far, if anyone wants to try it and send me feedback it would be really appreciated
I made my first game a while ago in school. The game was shit and not just because it was a school project but because I had no clue what I was doing. I had no coding knowledge or any sort of experience making games. On top of this we were expected to make the game in adobe animate, where of course we had to make or own code from scratch and our own assets from scratch. Despite all this I still enjoyed making the game. So yeah, I learned to just have fun with it and creating things. Now I'm working on my second game and getting ready to go to a proper school for this stuff and I couldn't be more excited.
The first game that I finished and released was an awful mess for Ludum Dare once. Dozens of unfinished projects and tech demos later I'd like to say that I'm at least half way through development of my first "real" game. Sure, it's an asteroids clone, but I also have plans for an upgrade system, and with it currency. These are the two big features that I've had in mind since day one, and when they're done, I'll only have the visual part to touch up. Either way, I think I should be done within the month if I'm lucky. I'd also love to port it to mobile and mac.
Well objective completed. My first game was pretty "ehhhh".
For my bachelor project in graphic design I just finisjed my first game ever in unity. Its only the tutorial level since its my topic (the learning experience). I used your 2D Game Kit to make it (but replaced all sprites animations values etc. Its my prototype kinda
Should I now stop with this game which I just released this tutorial level stop with this project (its supposed to become a quite complex online multiplayer 4 vs 4 2 d game With heavy hitting story that focusses on a bunch of political stuff,
And instead get that first bad no og content (judt sprites) game out of my system and than continue on the prototype?
Fyi since i work in an agency focussing on motiongraphics I already did a full branding advertising and motiondesign intros etc. For this game
Thank you so much sir Thomas.
Bold move with the title and thumbnail combo
I have completed my first game like 10 times haha, I am starting to really push for a game that I can publish on steam. Sometimes I get stuck on the prototyping of so many ideas thinking my game isnt fun and its hard to get feedback from friends or family, because they are either just supportive because I made it or do not understand the game because its not finished. Do you have any ways of finding people to help just play my prototypes and help find if the game is fun or not. Not looking for bug reports. Thanks!
Hearing this helps so much. Today I got a mail with a rejection for a masters degree in game design. I finished my bachelor last year in February and still cant find a job in the industry. I was working on a lot of different projects behind the scenes but never actually finished one and this video, after hearing all of what you've just said reminded me to just. finish. a game. and go from there. but its important to actually finish it and release it. I accept your challenge thomas!
Thanks a lot bro 👊
Precise and to the point. 👍
bro how to combind sonic with undrtale
Any word on multiplayer games
Don't.. start out with a course. Don't start out with Unity or Unreal. Don't plan out a game you can't make.. Just learn basic raw programming skills and have fun with it first. From there you will know if you got what it takes or not from a programming aspect.
Adding a game engine is just another layer of complexity.
Asking a youtuber will just result in advertising their course.
Just learn basic programming. 😌
I definitely agree, my first games were 1 week projects and I learned so much in such a short amount of time. All of that experience and feedback helped me so much when working on my larger projects
I would also suggest making more than one game before attempting a commercial release. You really need a lot of experience before tackling an ambitious project like that imo
So save up a big project idea for later and make few small type games first to get overall feel?
@@CreativeSteve69 Yeah that's what I would suggest, or you can test out that idea but with a limited scope and see how it turns out and judge how much more experience you need to make your full game
GET SUCCESS 100% !!!!!......
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You should make a gamejam to force people to release a game
I just released my first game last week. I spent about 70 days total with no coding experience. lots of art experience though. lol
Good job man 💪
@@M1kaTck Thanks dude!
I'm perfectionist and won't let my first game to suck. 😜
If you don't find it fun, why release?
@@jex-the-notebook-guy1002 Indeed. I guess it's because nova days popular advice to pump out quantity, but I don't like it because it encourages flooding the world with crap.
Thomas you are awesome , I like listen to you
what do you mean it should suck? I wanna quit my job after I launch it...
I graduated college as a game developer but I'm working full time as a factory worker (Just some situation I can't avoid) . My goal is to launch a game and quit my job too HAHAHAHA
@@shingofukaya2634 Dude, I used to be a factory worker as well... Good luck with your game
Factory worker game devs unite so we can all quit our jobs
I made a Goku/Pikachu game. It was FUN making a video for it and enjoying creating the game!
lol my budget is 0 dollars 😂My parents won't let me spend even just a hundred rupees on any assets
Indie maker should attend small Video Game Trade show. People like to try free game and give you great feedbacks. They will tell what you should or you should not add. That's what good about it. you listen what the fans want. If fans like it. They'll buy it. They want to make you famous. They don't care. They want to make you famous game developer. Everybody does. ... E3 is biggest video game trade show. Millions people and business leader attend every years. Big names like Sega, Sony, Nintendo, SoftBank, Goldman Each, Wall Street Journal, etc. everyone attends. They are going to question. you does it crash. is your game boring?
I really really am offput by how much this video seems like an ad for your courses, but overall I appreciate the sentiment. But shiiii bro recommending your own product? oof.
Folks. If you start an indie game, and it succeeds you'll go from pasty nerd to mega giga workout Chad.
My first indie game will suck but I will Improve it.
YES new video
I'm bad at coding, how can i learn it for free
Then Google will be your best friend in your coding journey.
So many free tutorials online, the hard part for you is picking which ones are the most helpful to the game you want to make
GET SUCCESS 100% !!!!!......
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No but guys, for real though… Make. Your. GDD.
I have been watching your videos for a long time Thomas and I have to say that the quality has declined
Leets fucking go
I found the title of this miss leading it was about how to get started much more than why you first game should suck...
So I was successful on my first
Yeah, but what if your 2nd indie game sucks... asking for a friend...
Chris hemsworth ? Is that you ?
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
l
I disagree
I don't recommend unity unless you are making 2D. I spent 4 years in college learning unity and when I finally started making my first game for real, I couldn't. The primary reason being that unity is just so outdated compared to unreal. I needed motion warping to make parkour but unitys animation system is so difficult to work with I wasted 4months trying to figure this out. There's no water solution in unity. Gi kinds sucks, no auto Lod, auto culling,etc. All this comes standard in unreal and it's so easy to use. Also if you are a beginner then blueprints node based programming makes it much easier to learn programming than c#. On top of this epic gives you thousands of free animations, environments, quixel assets and other stuff to use commercially to you hears content. Also unreal marketplace has much higher quality assets compared to asset store, go look for you self. I just dont understand why people still recommend unity for beginners. At this point unreal is just a no brainer go to engine.
I have been working on my first game for the last 8 months and getting burned out on it being my "magnum opus" and I really needed to hear this, to put that game on the backburner and get something else simple finished first. Great video, thank you.