New game developers here. I am interested in hearing established game developers: what are the 3 biggest (game development) mistakes you have made early in your career and leaned to avoid?
Game Developers: what are the 3 biggest mistakes you made (and learned from?)
- Thread starter Doorknob22
- Start date
- Jun 19, 2019
- 8,282
- 31,185
1) Don't put full video files of approx 500mb each in a game for EACH scene, soon burned the limits of the game and had to early finish it. I know not to do that now....
2) Working hard IN the game and forgetting to work ON the game, by this I mean being so focussed on the game itself that marketing and communication was forgotten, you can have the best game in the world but if no-one knows it exists....Marcus Hopsin said it best: "The best type of marketing is marketing that doesn't feel like marketing, it makes the people feel a part of it...it's why Nike is good at selling kicks, why players are good at getting chicks and mcdonalds owners are super rich". Occasionally stop working on the code or graphics and engage in forums like this one, people become aware and then choose to watch or back you or not.
3) Don't be afraid to fire client backers, I've had backers before that because of $$$ they felt I was suddenly an employee and started to demand things, I've seen games try to pander with votes which ended up annoying people and creating a game with a LOT of different fetishes but no depth to them. I understand being new, wanting to please as many as possible for either the happiness itself or for the $$ but at some point it's YOU people are drawn to, YOU are ultimately the one that makes the decisions, YOU are the one doing the learning, putting into practice, engaging with people and backers and later on hiring and firing contractors, not them. One persons likes will be different to anothers, it goes without saying: "You can't please everyone" so don't chase backers, make them welcome, make them feel like apart of your journey, but don't forget it's YOUR journey.
2) Working hard IN the game and forgetting to work ON the game, by this I mean being so focussed on the game itself that marketing and communication was forgotten, you can have the best game in the world but if no-one knows it exists....Marcus Hopsin said it best: "The best type of marketing is marketing that doesn't feel like marketing, it makes the people feel a part of it...it's why Nike is good at selling kicks, why players are good at getting chicks and mcdonalds owners are super rich". Occasionally stop working on the code or graphics and engage in forums like this one, people become aware and then choose to watch or back you or not.
3) Don't be afraid to fire client backers, I've had backers before that because of $$$ they felt I was suddenly an employee and started to demand things, I've seen games try to pander with votes which ended up annoying people and creating a game with a LOT of different fetishes but no depth to them. I understand being new, wanting to please as many as possible for either the happiness itself or for the $$ but at some point it's YOU people are drawn to, YOU are ultimately the one that makes the decisions, YOU are the one doing the learning, putting into practice, engaging with people and backers and later on hiring and firing contractors, not them. One persons likes will be different to anothers, it goes without saying: "You can't please everyone" so don't chase backers, make them welcome, make them feel like apart of your journey, but don't forget it's YOUR journey.
