100 Gamedev Tips for New & Aspiring Game Developers [100th Episode Special!]

Ask Gamedev

8 Jan 202144:04

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video offers 100 invaluable game development tips from industry professionals and the askgamedev community, covering a wide array of topics from art and engineering to marketing and game design. It emphasizes the importance of marketing from day one, prototyping, managing scope, and seeking feedback. The video encourages new developers to start small, maintain passion, and persist despite challenges, providing practical advice for creating and launching successful games.

Takeaways

🎯 Always consider marketing from the beginning of your game development process, focusing on understanding and tailoring to your target audience.
🛠️ Start with simple, achievable projects like a clone game to learn the basics and build up your skills.
🔬 Use prototyping to test ideas and features before fully developing them to avoid wasting time on unenjoyable elements.
📅 Keep your project scope small and set deadlines for yourself to maintain a sense of accomplishment and progression.
🛑 Avoid over-scoping and maintain a manageable project size to prevent delays and maintain momentum.
🤝 Collaborate with others to share the workload and gain valuable feedback that can improve your game.
🎨 Prioritize creating a strong foundation and simple mechanics first; complexity and depth can be added later.
🔄 Understand that game development is iterative; be prepared to constantly rework and refine your game.
💾 Keep technical debt in mind and write clean, maintainable code to avoid future complications.
🎮 Focus on creating a game that you, as a developer, find fun and engaging to ensure it resonates with players.
📝 Create a design document to help guide your project and keep the team aligned, even if it evolves over time.

Q & A

What is the main advice for new game developers regarding marketing according to Dan Edelman?
-The main advice is to always be thinking about marketing from day one, not by constantly promoting the game, but by considering the game's concept and audience right from the start, and fine-tuning the game to suit that niche audience.
What is a recommended starting point for aspiring game developers who are just beginning?
-Aspiring game developers should start by downloading tools like Unity or Game Maker, and making a clone game or something simple like a balloon fight clone or an asteroids game to get going.
Why is creating a prototype before working on a full game considered valuable?
-Creating a prototype is valuable because it allows developers to test the core mechanics and fun factor of the game without investing too much time in polishing. This can prevent wasting time on features that may eventually be scrapped.
What is the common misconception about being '90 percent done' with a game?
-The common misconception is that when developers think they are 90 percent done, they are actually closer to 50 percent done. This is because many details and finishing touches still need to be added.
Why is it important for game developers to finish their projects, even if they are small?
-Finishing projects is important because it provides developers with the experience of completing the entire development process, including distribution and player feedback, which are crucial for learning and improvement.
What is the significance of working with others in game development, especially for solo developers?
-Working with others is significant because it helps to share the workload, provides diverse perspectives, and prevents the developer from losing drive and focus. It also helps in getting honest feedback and testing the game from different viewpoints.
Why should game developers avoid over-scoping their projects?
-Over-scoping can lead to projects becoming too large and unmanageable, causing delays and potentially leading to the project being abandoned. Keeping the scope small allows for setting achievable deadlines and a sense of progression.
What is the importance of starting with simple and small projects in game development?
-Starting with simple and small projects allows developers to learn the basics and gradually build up their skills. It also helps in managing expectations and preventing burnout from tackling too complex a project too early.
How can game developers ensure they are creating a game that appeals to their target audience?
-Developers should focus on making a game that they themselves are passionate about and then consider who else might share that interest. By fine-tuning the game to cater to that niche audience, the game becomes more appealing to its target market.
What is the role of feedback in the game development process?
-Feedback plays a crucial role as it helps developers understand what players find fun or frustrating in the game. This insight can guide developers to make necessary adjustments and improvements to enhance the overall gaming experience.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Kickstarting Game Development Journey

The video script introduces a special 100th episode dedicated to sharing 100 game development tips from industry professionals and the 'askgamedev' community. Aimed at new and aspiring game developers, the tips cover a wide range of topics including art, engineering, production, marketing, game design, and motivation. The speaker emphasizes the importance of marketing from day one, identifying the target audience, and fine-tuning the game to cater to that niche. The tips are sourced from developers with diverse backgrounds, from game jam participants to those who have created million-seller games, ensuring that the advice is relevant for everyone.

05:00

🛠️ Crafting the Game Development Process

This paragraph delves into practical advice for game development, starting with the suggestion to download tools like Unity or Game Maker and create a clone game as a starting point. It stresses the importance of prototyping, iteration, and avoiding over-scoping. The speaker encourages setting deadlines for small tasks to maintain a sense of accomplishment and progression. Additionally, the paragraph touches on the importance of using tools to automate repetitive tasks and the common misconception that one is almost done with a game when, in reality, much work remains. The advice to finish something, no matter how small, and to learn from the process is highlighted.

10:01

🤝 Collaborating and Learning from Others

The speaker discusses the challenges faced by solo developers and the benefits of collaboration, such as sharing the workload and gaining valuable feedback. The paragraph also addresses the importance of planning special events for games in advance and the wisdom of starting small and strong, allowing complexity and beauty to evolve over time. The advice to underscope games, front-load unknowns, and embrace the iterative nature of software development is underscored. The speaker also shares insights on dealing with scope creep and the value of learning from mistakes.

15:03

🏗️ Building a Solid Game Design Foundation

This section focuses on the importance of game design, starting with the advice to disregard genre conventions to create unique experiences. The speaker encourages designers to enjoy their own games and to plan ahead with prototypes and design documents. The paragraph also discusses the importance of maintaining game tension, dynamic difficulty, and the impact of player feedback on design. The advice to build a proper design pyramid, starting with a clear vision and working down to detailed problem-solving, is highlighted.

20:06

🎨 Enhancing Game Aesthetics and Experience

The paragraph discusses various aspects of game aesthetics, including character design, the use of silhouettes for recognition, and the importance of simplicity in art. It also touches on the use of color palettes, the treatment of imported assets, and the significance of music in setting the game's tone. The speaker advises against cutting corners with music and emphasizes the importance of investing time in finding the right musician or soundtrack for the game.

25:07

🔧 Practical Tips for Game Development and Coding

This section provides practical coding advice for game developers, including the use of input vectors for movement, keeping data and code separate, and the importance of keeping build times low. The speaker also discusses the benefits of using a well-defined coding convention and the pitfalls of technical debt. The paragraph encourages learning common game programming patterns and interfaces for better code structure and the importance of questioning and breaking down problems when features do not work as intended.

30:08

🎵 The Role of Music and Sound in Game Development

While the paragraph is short and does not provide a full transcript, it emphasizes the importance of music in games, suggesting that it is the soul of any game and sets the tone for the player's experience. It implies that music is a memorable feature and should be given due attention during game development.

35:08

📚 Embracing the Full Spectrum of Game Development

The paragraph encourages developers to learn a bit of everything, from programming and graphic design to sound design and marketing. It highlights the benefits of understanding multiple aspects of game development for better communication and quicker iteration. The speaker also stresses the importance of persistence, work-life balance, and the value of talking about one's game development journey with others, even if they may not understand the intricacies of the process.

40:09

🌟 The Power of Persistence and Community in Game Development

This final paragraph wraps up the video script by emphasizing the importance of persistence in game development, especially for solo developers. It shares a personal story of a two-person team in Cuba who, despite numerous challenges, managed to develop their first international game. The speaker encourages developers to start with smaller projects, learn by doing, and not to give up on their dreams. The paragraph concludes with a reminder to enjoy the game development process and to be proud of one's achievements, regardless of external opinions or reviews.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Game Development

Game Development refers to the process of creating a video game from concept to final product. It involves various aspects such as design, programming, art, sound, and production. In the video's context, it is the central theme as the script discusses tips and advice for aspiring game developers, highlighting the importance of understanding different facets of game creation.

💡Marketing

Marketing in the video script is emphasized as a crucial aspect of game development, especially for new developers. It's not just about promoting the game but also understanding the target audience and tailoring the game to meet their needs. The script advises developers to think about marketing from the early stages of game development, which includes identifying the game's audience and making it appealing to them.

💡Prototype

A Prototype in game development is an early sample or model of the game used to test and demonstrate its basic functionality. The script mentions the importance of starting with a prototype to avoid over-investing time in features that might not be fun or work as intended. It's a way to quickly test core mechanics and get feedback before fully developing the game.

💡Scope Creep

Scope Creep refers to the uncontrolled growth or expansion of a project's scope, often leading to delays and increased costs. The script warns against this by advising developers to keep their initial project scope small and manageable. It's a common issue in game development where the initial idea grows beyond the original plan, leading to complications.

💡Indie Game Developer

An Indie Game Developer is an individual or a small team that creates games independently, often without the financial backing of a large publisher. The script provides specific advice for indie developers, such as starting small, managing resources wisely, and leveraging tools to automate repetitive tasks. It underscores the challenges and unique opportunities faced by those working outside traditional game development structures.

💡Game Jam

A Game Jam is a event where game developers create a game from scratch within a short time frame, often ranging from a few hours to a few days. The script mentions game jams as a valuable experience for developers, providing an opportunity to rapidly prototype and learn new skills in a collaborative and time-constrained environment.

💡Technical Debt

Technical Debt in software development refers to the implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead of a better approach that would take longer. The script cautions against incurring technical debt by advising developers to plan their code carefully and consider the long-term implications of their initial design choices.

💡Design Pyramid

The Design Pyramid is a concept in game design that organizes the design process into levels, from the broad vision at the top to the detailed mechanics at the bottom. The script mentions building a proper design pyramid, emphasizing the importance of having a clear vision, high-level design, mid-level systems, and low-level details that all align to create a cohesive game experience.

💡Feedback

Feedback in the context of game development is the process of receiving and incorporating comments and suggestions from players and other stakeholders. The script stresses the importance of getting feedback early and often, as it helps developers understand what players find enjoyable or frustrating, and make necessary adjustments to improve the game.

💡Publishing

Publishing in the video game industry involves the process of preparing a game for release, including marketing, distribution, and sometimes development support. The script discusses the role of publishers and the expectations developers should have, such as not just relying on basic marketing efforts but also leveraging additional support and resources provided by the publisher.

Highlights

Advice for new developers to always think about marketing from day one, focusing on the game's identity and target audience.

Recommendation to start with a simple game or a clone to learn the basics and build up skills.

Emphasis on prototyping first and then iterating, rather than focusing on a polished version initially.

Advice to keep the game's scope small and set deadlines for each task to maintain a sense of accomplishment and progression.

Suggestion to use tools to automate repetitive tasks to save time and resources.

The importance of finishing a game, even if it's small, to gain experience in the full development process.

Encouragement to start small and work up to more complex projects to avoid overwhelming first attempts.

The value of feedback and the need to release early demos to gather player opinions and improve the game.

The necessity of designing games that are fun for the developers themselves, as this passion translates to the player experience.

The recommendation to learn programming even for those focused on game design, as it aids in expressing design intentions.

Advice on keeping build times low to encourage experimentation and quick iteration.

The importance of character design, focusing on recognizable silhouettes and simplicity for effective gameplay.

The suggestion to treat imported assets as final to save time in the long run and maintain consistency.

The need for a well-defined coding convention and standards to avoid technical debt and maintain code quality.

The advice to participate in game jams to build a portfolio and learn new skills.

The importance of starting with a design document and planning ahead to reduce development time.

The recommendation to write tests that play the game automatically to ensure stability and ease the release process.

The emphasis on the iterative nature of game development and the need for constant rework and refinement.

The advice to keep the tension in gameplay ebbing and flowing to maintain player engagement.

The suggestion to learn from mistakes and use them as opportunities for improvement in game design.

The importance of networking and building relationships in the gaming industry to aid in game distribution and promotion.

Transcripts

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Related Tags

Game Development Community Tips AskGameDev Marketing Advice Development Tools Prototyping Scope Management Indie Games Creative Process Game Design Developer Motivation