1 Year of Learning Game Development In 6 Minutes

Giedzilla

6 Apr 202206:00

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video chronicles the speaker's journey over 10 months learning game development with no prior experience. It details the progress from early failures to later successes, highlighting key learnings like coding behaviors, mobile inputs, optimization, 3D modeling, etc. Six games are shown, improving from a score of 1.5 to 9 out of 10. The speaker humorously promises unrealistic future games, closing by inviting viewers to see how the current game was made.

Takeaways

😊 I started game development out of boredom with no prior experience
🎮 My first small game was a multiplayer hide and seek inspired by Among Us
👾 I gave up twice initially feeling overwhelmed by game dev complexity
📹 I restarted to make games for my own YouTube channel videos
🪄 Completing my first basic combat system felt like real progress
❌ My second game using voice control was my worst due to poor design
📱 I learned mobile development and ads with a tower building game
🌄 My first 3D game took work to grasp materials, lighting and optimization
🚀 I set a personal speed record making a puzzle game for a game jam
�odal My journey proves progress is possible if you stick with game dev

Q & A

What was the first game the narrator made?
-The first game was a multiplayer hide-and-seek game with cute animal avatars similar to Among Us. It had some animations but not much functionality.
Why did the narrator give up on game development the first two times?
-The first time, the narrator was overwhelmed by how much there was to learn. The second time, after losing interest in the multiplayer hide-and-seek game, the narrator gave up because it seemed too difficult.
What motivated the narrator to try again?
-The narrator was bored and decided to start a YouTube channel making videos about game development. This gave a purpose to finish games in order to make videos showcasing them.
How does the narrator rate the voice controlled game and why?
-The narrator rates the voice controlled game a 1 out of 10. It had poor design, insensitive content, and unfun gameplay. The narrator considers it the worst game made so far.
What was the first mobile game about?
-The first mobile game was a tower building platformer focused more on learning new development skills than making an exciting game. It had achievements, particles, and ads.
What were some challenges in developing the 3D game?
-Challenges included learning 3D modeling and textures, manually placing tons of environment models, unoptimized performance and frame rates, and developing inverse kinematics for NPC interactions.
What are some things the narrator learned from the 3D game?
-The narrator learned about textures, materials, shaders, optimization, inverse kinematics, particle systems, visual effects, and bloom rendering.
What was the goal in developing the final puzzle game?
-The goal was to work much faster and learn about non-Euclidean geometry puzzles.
Why does the narrator say there is still 10 months of progress left?
-The video is titled "1 year of progress" but only covers the first 10 months. The narrator jokes they can see the future and will make a game in Microsoft Paint next.
What is the best game the narrator has developed so far and why?
-The narrator rates the 3D game with shops, equipment, boss battles etc. a 7 out of 10 which is the highest rating given. It demonstrates the most game development skills learned so far.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Started learning game development and made first game

The paragraph describes how the author started learning game development out of boredom. He made his first simple game by following tutorials which involved a flashlight killing enemies. He initially found it too difficult and overwhelming but got hooked when he got something working.

05:01

🥱 Tried making multiplayer hide and seek game but lost interest

The author and his programmer friend attempted to make a multiplayer hide and seek game inspired by Among Us. They worked on game assets and coding but lost interest after the first day as they were not invested enough in the project.

👾 Started YouTube channel and made better 2D hack and slash game

After losing interest in game dev initially, the author decided to start a YouTube channel about game dev to motivate himself. He then made a better 2D hack and slash game by understanding the concepts better. He was proud of coding enemy AI by himself without tutorials.

📱 Made mobile tower defense platformer to learn new things

The author decided to make a mobile tower defense platformer game next to learn new things like mobile inputs, achievements etc. He also experimented with particle systems. He put ads in the game to earn some money.

🔨 Tried making 3D swords and sandals style fighting game

The author tried making a 3D fighting game inspired by swords and sandals next. He learned modeling in Blender and about textures, materials and shaders. He also learned optimization, inverse kinematics for NPCs and visual effects.

⚙️ Made puzzle game for game jam focused on weird puzzles

The last game described is a puzzle game made for a game jam focused on weird puzzles and geometry. The author learned to work much faster but didn't spend a full year learning as claimed in the title.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Game development

The main theme of the video is learning game development. The narrator shares his journey over one year of learning to make games from scratch, without any prior experience. We see his progress through several games he builds using different tools and engines like Unity, Blender, and more. Examples of this in the script include his first attempts at opening Unity, coding behaviors, and creating 2D and 3D games.

💡Motivation

A driving force behind the narrator's game development journey is motivation. In the beginning, he was motivated by boredom and curiosity, but later finds more purpose when he starts a YouTube channel. Having an audience and deadline to share his games kept him focused. The script shows how motivation pushed him through challenges like learning 3D modeling in Blender.

💡Iteration

The process of testing, analyzing, and improving is a core theme. The narrator discusses iterating through prototypes and game ideas until completing a project. We also see his skills improve through each game as he applies lessons learned from the last. Examples include rebuilding mechanics, optimizing performance, and progressing from simple 2D to complex 3D games.

💡Unity

Unity is one of the main game engines and development tools used. The script shows the narrator getting started with Unity, learning from tutorials, coding behaviors with it, and creating multiple games using its framework and components. His experience with Unity game development improves from the basic flashlight game to more advanced creations.

💡Persistence

Not giving up despite challenges and setbacks is crucial. The narrator initially loses motivation twice after finding game-making complex. But he persists and puts consistent effort into learning. His persistence pays off with a published mobile game, 3D game with cool mechanics, and rapid puzzle-game prototype.

💡Pixel art

Pixel art is a digital art style used for graphics in some of the narrator's games. He chose it for its simplicity, eased workload, and retro aesthetic. The script shows him enhancing his pixel art skills to include animation, lighting, particles, and improved color palettes.

💡Optimization

Improving game performance by optimizing code and assets is discussed. After encountering low FPS in his 3D game, the narrator researches optimization strategies even though he doesn't apply them yet. This shows an awareness of optimization as a key concept in development.

💡Cross-platform

The narrator builds games for multiple platforms like PC, mobile, and potentially consoles in the future. Transitioning from PC to mobile development helps him better understand inputs, controls, monetization etc. across platforms.

💡Prototyping

Creating simplified game prototypes for testing concepts is shown. Several of the narrator's games start as prototypes before expanding on the better ideas. This allows faster iteration to improve mechanics and complements motivations like his YouTube deadlines.

💡Learning resources

Online learning resources like YouTube tutorials, documentation, and expert channels are referenced frequently. Examples include Brackey's channel where the narrator starts his Unity and C# journey, modeling videos for learning Blender, and optimization strategies to solve performance issues.

Highlights

I had no prior experience in game development when I started

I was overwhelmed at first and gave up quickly, but came back to it months later

I made a basic multiplayer hide and seek game with a friend

I started a YouTube channel to document my learning process

I focused on simple pixel art and mechanics I knew I could finish

My second game was my worst - unfun voice controlled game with messy code

I learned how mobile controls and ads work by making a tower builder

I taught myself 3D modeling and made a basic RPG with shops and quests

The open world was hard with no guide - I placed everything manually

I learned inverse kinematics for better NPC interactions

I fell in love with visual effects like bloom and particle systems

My game jam puzzle game taught me how to develop games very quickly

In 10 months I went from zero experience to completing multiple games

I plan to make a game in Microsoft Paint next

After that I may try making a League of Legends style game

Transcripts

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