Sustainable gamedev

published 2024-07-19
last updated 2024-07-19

Often when I'm making games I get distraught because there are so many possibilities. How can I know what game to make, and how? I see many devs get wrapped up in one project for years, where they get quagmired and sad. Success seems remote in the face of our blank N-dimensional canvas and infinite mechanisms of mind. The goal, then, is to make as much of our art for as long as we can. What are good ways to maintain an enriching practice as an interactive artist?

So far the answer I've found generally seems to be: be nimble, be prolific. Make many games. Too many devs commit too much too early. Don't settle into a big project until a small one resonates. Get silly. Vomit shovelware. Make a poopgame. Have fun with it. Work with niche but tested genres. Re-use your codes and designs in sequels within one genre. Get excited about exploring your creative voice and applying it to simply modest projects, instead of banking everything on a masterpiece. You'll know you're ready for something more when people start asking for it. In the meantime, get some of your freeware in front of real players.

These are some resources I've been using to synthesize a humble, practical, and resilient approach to gamedev. In no particular order:

This is a living document; will update this collection as necessary. If you know a good article that might fit here, send it to me.


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