How To Make A Game Alone (In 2024)
TLDRGavin, the creator of the hit indie horror game Choo Choo Charles, discusses his development process and tools used to build the game solo. He covers conceptualizing and launching the unique idea in just 2 weeks, using Unreal Engine and 2D art tools, sourcing customizable assets, implementing audio with free online libraries, gaining 550k wishlists pre-launch, priorities like marketing in the final weeks, and achieving over 100 million views on launch day. He advises planning thoroughly with a design document and playtesting for accessibility and engagement.
Takeaways
- π Gavin used Unreal Engine 4 & 5 for Choo Choo Charles and Blender for 3D assets
- π¨βπ¨ Gavin created a unique art style by drawing over downloaded textures in Clip Studio Paint
- π The spider train idea came from putting a creepy spin on Thomas the Tank Engine
- π Gavin only spent 2 weeks on initial concepting before building hype with a trailer and Steam page
- π The first month focused on creating marketing materials to gauge interest, not full gameplay details
- π Custom train model allowed specific design needs like walkable perch and small interior
- π§ Most sounds are from freesound.org, edited to match in-game actions
- β° Gavin finishes the full game build 1 month before launch to focus purely on marketing
- π Launch reception exceeded expectations with 100M+ launch day views
- π Peak concurrent players exceeded 4,000
Q & A
What game engine does Gavin use?
-Gavin uses Unreal Engine 4 for Choo Choo Charles and has now moved to Unreal Engine 5.
What tools does Gavin use for 2D art?
-Gavin uses Photoshop for all his 2D art like marketing materials, poster art, and texture art.
How long was the pre-production phase for Choo Choo Charles?
-The pre-production phase for Choo Choo Charles was very fast, around 2 weeks. In that time Gavin conceptualized the core gameplay, characters, and mechanics.
What was Gavin's goal for the first month of development?
-Gavin's goal for the first month was to create a trailer, screenshots, and a Steam page to gauge interest and start gaining wishlists.
What guided Gavin's decision to create a custom train model?
-Gavin created a custom train model because he had specific design needs like a walkable perch for guns and a small interior. He also wanted a specific visual style similar to Thomas the Tank Engine.
Where does Gavin source sounds from?
-Gavin sources most sounds from freesound.org. He also has some custom music created by a musician he hires named Tom Bellingham.
What does Gavin do in the last month before launch?
-In the last month before launch, Gavin focuses solely on marketing - making trailers, videos, press releases etc. The game itself is feature and content complete at this point.
What was Gavin most worried about regarding launch?
-Gavin was most worried about player reception - whether people would like the game and be happy with their purchase.
How many wishlists did Choo Choo Charles have at launch?
-Choo Choo Charles had 550,000 wishlists at launch.
How many concurrent players did Choo Choo Charles peak at?
-Choo Choo Charles peaked at just over 4,000 concurrent players.
Outlines
π Introducing the indie game developer Gavin and his unique horror game Choo Choo Charles
The video introduces Gavin, the solo developer behind the viral indie horror game Choo Choo Charles. It discusses his development process, tools used, pre-production phase, asset workflow, custom 3D modeling, sound design, marketing strategy and successful launch.
π οΈ Rapid pre-production focused on core mechanics rather than specifics
Gavin spent only 2 weeks in pre-production, conceptualizing unique characters, fun gameplay loops, and foundation mechanics like upgradable trains and weapons. He decided specifics like missions and AI functionality would be figured out through development.
π° Building hype and maximizing exposure through strategic marketing
The last month before launch was focused on marketing - making trailers and press releases, getting influencer coverage to build wishlists. This hype machine delivered over 100 million views at launch.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Indie game development
π‘Game mechanics
π‘Virality
π‘Pre-production
π‘Prototyping
π‘Asset stores
π‘Modularity
π‘Sound design
π‘Influencers
π‘Wishlists
Highlights
Used Unreal Engine 4 and 5 for the game, Blender for 3D assets, and Photoshop for 2D art
Spent only 2 weeks on initial concepting and came up with core ideas like spooky trains, driving around in a train, upgrades and customizations
Knew that unique art style and recognizability would help branding and marketing
Took classic nostalgic characters and put them in horror context, decided to make Thomas the Tank Engine spooky
Wanted players to drive around on a train, so created spider-like enemy train for engagement
Focused first month purely on creating trailer, screenshots and Steam page to gauge interest
Created custom modular wooden building pieces for structures to match game's style
Sourced most sound effects from freesound.org, used custom music from hired musician
Launched with 550K wishlists, was mainly concerned about player reception
Tools down a month before launch to focus purely on marketing and building hype
Got 50M views on TikTok at launch, over 100M total views across social media
Peak concurrent players over 4,000 shortly after launch
Joined by over 4,000 students in game development program
Actually published indie developer with experience releasing commercial titles
Great time to start learning and making indie games in the new year
Transcripts
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