I want to make a game, but struggling with a couple of mental hurdles...

[TheLotusProject]

This will be a long one, fair warning:

Hey guys, my name is Micah and I'm a happily engaged guy in my mid 20's. I have a full time career making about $102,000/year before taxes/benefits taken out, and in general I'm happy with my personal life.

BUT.

The last couple of years after college, I've had a really intense drive to create that's been constantly bothering me. It's bothered me to the point of stressing me out, because I have a need to make something...but just...haven't? With that constant nagging in the back of my mind to commit to making something, I like the idea of scaling a business on my own. Taking matters into my own hands financially, and doing what I WANT to do.

So why am I here? Well, to be frank I like sex. I like sexual things, and I don't believe adult games/stories are some untouchable taboo thing. That being said, after playing countless games over the last 4 years from here..I've noticed a few things.

1) There is a severe lack of quality in a lot of the games here. Not to bash devs, they have a skill I don't have. I'm more saying, it feels like some of the devs are making games with 1 hand and their dick in the other. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I'm just saying there is a big gap in quality stories, writing, and art here that could legitimately improve the sexual aspects as well.

2) Like 90% of the games I've playing have been abandoned before there 3rd update. It seems people will pick up development and then drop it for seemingly no reason.

3) The focus being on just the most intense sexual themes possible to drive engagement has done the opposite in my opinion. Smut is more than just the worst possible things you can think of. Erotica is an art form, even if a lot of people hate it. It's possible to make a story first, sex second game here, and it be successful in my opinion.

All of this said, the reason I'm here is this: I want to make a game. I want to make multiple games. I want to bring a level of quality that only a few games have had, and bring my skill of story telling to the erotica side of the internet. It could be mutually beneficial. People are satisfied, and I could turn it into a business like many have before me. There's just a couple of big hurdles I'm trying to get over but am struggling with. I simply lack motivation to learn the necessary skills to pursue this.

I know learning how to code via Ren'py or Unity is absolutely needed, but I've struggled to learn them. I know learning Blender or the Daz3d editor is a must, but I've struggled to learn them. I know what I have to do, but haven't found the resources help it "click" with me. That's all I need. I have the ideas, I have the stories, I have the ability to write compelling narratives, I simply can't get over the bump of "technical ability".

I'm actively seeking answers from players and devs. How can I get passed this, and pursue this career? Advice, criticism, anything will be helpful.

If you stuck around to read, thanks! If you didn't I understand. I look forward to reading potential responses.

 

[kytee]

Well, you've discovered one part of why devs quit after getting into development. Lack of knowledge, lack of skills, and not knowing where to look for said info. As an outsider looking in, shit looks easy til you gotta put pen to paper and get shit done then you realize you're tackling something way larger than you thought.

Renpy you can learn through youtube and reading the official documentation, but most experience comes from just doing and fucking up. Same with Unity, Blender, and Daz but those are entirely different beasts that's going to require several hundred to thousands of hours of commitment each.

 

[Insomnimaniac Games]

TL;DR, "I know I can do it better then everyone else, I've just never done it, nor have any clue how to actually do any of it."

This is what you're saying. I've seen these threads many times, worded much the same way. But regardless, I wish you luck. You're going to need it.

 

[Kadrey]

Stop complaining, start playing

 

[Count Morado]

This will be a long one, fair warning:

Hey guys, my name is Micah and I'm a happily engaged guy in my mid 20's. I have a full time career making about $102,000/year before taxes/benefits taken out, and in general I'm happy with my personal life.

BUT.

The last couple of years after college, I've had a really intense drive to create that's been constantly bothering me. It's bothered me to the point of stressing me out, because I have a need to make something...but just...haven't? With that constant nagging in the back of my mind to commit to making something, I like the idea of scaling a business on my own. Taking matters into my own hands financially, and doing what I WANT to do.

So why am I here? Well, to be frank I like sex. I like sexual things, and I don't believe adult games/stories are some untouchable taboo thing. That being said, after playing countless games over the last 4 years from here..I've noticed a few things.

1) There is a severe lack of quality in a lot of the games here. Not to bash devs, they have a skill I don't have. I'm more saying, it feels like some of the devs are making games with 1 hand and their dick in the other. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I'm just saying there is a big gap in quality stories, writing, and art here that could legitimately improve the sexual aspects as well.

2) Like 90% of the games I've playing have been abandoned before there 3rd update. It seems people will pick up development and then drop it for seemingly no reason.

3) The focus being on just the most intense sexual themes possible to drive engagement has done the opposite in my opinion. Smut is more than just the worst possible things you can think of. Erotica is an art form, even if a lot of people hate it. It's possible to make a story first, sex second game here, and it be successful in my opinion.

All of this said, the reason I'm here is this: I want to make a game. I want to make multiple games. I want to bring a level of quality that only a few games have had, and bring my skill of story telling to the erotica side of the internet. It could be mutually beneficial. People are satisfied, and I could turn it into a business like many have before me. There's just a couple of big hurdles I'm trying to get over but am struggling with. I simply lack motivation to learn the necessary skills to pursue this.

I know learning how to code via Ren'py or Unity is absolutely needed, but I've struggled to learn them. I know learning Blender or the Daz3d editor is a must, but I've struggled to learn them. I know what I have to do, but haven't found the resources help it "click" with me. That's all I need. I have the ideas, I have the stories, I have the ability to write compelling narratives, I simply can't get over the bump of "technical ability".

I'm actively seeking answers from players and devs. How can I get passed this, and pursue this career? Advice, criticism, anything will be helpful.

If you stuck around to read, thanks! If you didn't I understand. I look forward to reading potential responses.

You're engaged. Have you shared your desire about this with your partner?

 

[Multy2k]

Go for it.

My advice to you is stop overthinking it and roll out the production. You are not Vegapunk who had six bodies, thus just get one thing done at a time.

Focus on one title with one main genre and finish it. It is very important for you to finish one before starting another...

Don`t forget to play your own life game though... that one does not have a save and load system...

 

[anne O'nymous]

TL;DR, "I know I can do it better then everyone else, I've just never done it, nor have any clue how to actually do any of it."

And the "I can do it better" is second reason why so many people abandon their game, in top of what kytee already said.
It's one thing to look at your works and think that you did it good. But it's when it turn public, when others than you look at it, that you'll know if it's actually as good as this or not. And most of the time it's the "not" that win.

The third reason being his "I could turn it into a business like many have before me".
Less than 15% of the thousands devs earn at least what he say he already earn. Yet most of them reached this after months, if not years. This while they have to spend money on their game.
He talk about Daz Studio, and to make an interesting game with it, one that could have visuals serving the marvelous stories he said he'll bring us, half his current annual salary will be spent in assets.


Like you, I wish him more success than all those who came with the same kind of speech before him. But for this to happen, for him to not join the list of devs who quit after three updates, he must first approach this like a pure hobby that will cost him a lot, not really bring money home, and that will receive a lot of not so good criticisms.
It's the only way to keep the motivation long enough to finish the game. All those who weren't humble enough count among those who've quit.

 

[Insomnimaniac Games]

~Neatness snip~

I usually try to be as encouraging and helpful as possible, but not this time. It's been two weeks since I've slept more than two hours a night and I'm not having it. OP is REALLY rubbing me the wrong way with thinking they can do better, while also "lacking the motivation" to even learn the most basic of technical skills needed to actually make a game. Even the devs that abandoned their games three updates in put in more effort, because they actually tried.

 

[Scruffles DEV]

This will be a long one, fair warning:

Hey guys, my name is Micah and I'm a happily engaged guy in my mid 20's. I have a full time career making about $102,000/year before taxes/benefits taken out, and in general I'm happy with my personal life.

BUT.

The last couple of years after college, I've had a really intense drive to create that's been constantly bothering me. It's bothered me to the point of stressing me out, because I have a need to make something...but just...haven't? With that constant nagging in the back of my mind to commit to making something, I like the idea of scaling a business on my own. Taking matters into my own hands financially, and doing what I WANT to do.

So why am I here? Well, to be frank I like sex. I like sexual things, and I don't believe adult games/stories are some untouchable taboo thing. That being said, after playing countless games over the last 4 years from here..I've noticed a few things.

1) There is a severe lack of quality in a lot of the games here. Not to bash devs, they have a skill I don't have. I'm more saying, it feels like some of the devs are making games with 1 hand and their dick in the other. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I'm just saying there is a big gap in quality stories, writing, and art here that could legitimately improve the sexual aspects as well.

2) Like 90% of the games I've playing have been abandoned before there 3rd update. It seems people will pick up development and then drop it for seemingly no reason.

3) The focus being on just the most intense sexual themes possible to drive engagement has done the opposite in my opinion. Smut is more than just the worst possible things you can think of. Erotica is an art form, even if a lot of people hate it. It's possible to make a story first, sex second game here, and it be successful in my opinion.

All of this said, the reason I'm here is this: I want to make a game. I want to make multiple games. I want to bring a level of quality that only a few games have had, and bring my skill of story telling to the erotica side of the internet. It could be mutually beneficial. People are satisfied, and I could turn it into a business like many have before me. There's just a couple of big hurdles I'm trying to get over but am struggling with. I simply lack motivation to learn the necessary skills to pursue this.

I know learning how to code via Ren'py or Unity is absolutely needed, but I've struggled to learn them. I know learning Blender or the Daz3d editor is a must, but I've struggled to learn them. I know what I have to do, but haven't found the resources help it "click" with me. That's all I need. I have the ideas, I have the stories, I have the ability to write compelling narratives, I simply can't get over the bump of "technical ability".

I'm actively seeking answers from players and devs. How can I get passed this, and pursue this career? Advice, criticism, anything will be helpful.

If you stuck around to read, thanks! If you didn't I understand. I look forward to reading potential responses.

Weird flex there in the beginning, but okay.

Anyway.

Having jumped into making a massive project headfirst with zero technical knowledge myself, I get that. However, doing is a part of learning. You don't need to be a master at coding. I'm fucking trash at it, and I've been developing for the past three years. Maybe don't be like me and go with a more complicated story/game though. Try something simple and small first, even just as a demo until you get more confident.

Like a small kinetic story. It will help you get to know your tools and play around with them to learn. Also, there are many resources out there that can help with learning as you go. Google and YouTube, and even Reddit can help immensely. I learned a massive chunk from those resources alone, and later by finding and joining dedicated dev communities and Discord servers. It helps to have like-minded people surrounding you, and a lot of them are genuinely and incredibly cool and helpful people.

You don't get better at something without practicing the skills needed for them.

 

[Scruffles DEV]

You're engaged. Have you shared your desire about this with your partner?

I'm married and my wife edits my writing, and loves my ladies.

 

[Trongle]

I know learning how to code via Ren'py or Unity is absolutely needed, but I've struggled to learn them. I know learning Blender or the Daz3d editor is a must, but I've struggled to learn them. I know what I have to do, but haven't found the resources help it "click" with me. That's all I need. I have the ideas, I have the stories, I have the ability to write compelling narratives, I simply can't get over the bump of "technical ability".

I'm actively seeking answers from players and devs. How can I get passed this, and pursue this career? Advice, criticism, anything will be helpful.

If you stuck around to read, thanks! If you didn't I understand. I look forward to reading potential responses.

I'm still pretty new here, but I might have a little advice as well as tell the story of how i got started and maybe that can help too.

Similar to you, I really like sexy games and also think it's a bit of an ocean of garbage at times, haha. That's part of the fun of it for me (I've played like 300+ RPGMaker games I lost count), but yeah, I also wanted to make something that was just as much porn as it is a challenging game. I made a lot of games when I was younger using ClickTeam Fusion, so I only ever scratched the surface of learning how to code, but I've always loved making games. I also drew a lot (3000 pages or so) of comics, so I knew how to write and draw okay.

So basically my skills when starting on this was I was half decent at art, pretty good at writing, and I'd dabbled and studied a lot of game design.

The first thing I did after deciding I was serious about this was look for someone who was looking to team up with someone who needed my skillset, so I went to the forums here and looked at the "artists wanted" post. I found a guy who had a vague idea of a game he wanted to make. He ended up getting busy and we parted ways, I ran with the concepts I'd come up with when talking to him and made a post looking for a coder, I teamed up with my coder and lived happily ever-

Anyways, my advice is, you've got your skillset. You think you're good at writing? Great, find a team that needs a writer. You want to be the visionary? Then build a team yourself. There's lots of people on this site that want to make games, some for the money, some for the love of the game (both for me). No one said you have to do it all alone, and you're already making a hell of a lot more money than I was when i started doing this, haha, you could probably even just hire them.
(though shared % income is sure pretty nice, even if it starts small)

I hope you find a team and make something cool, best of luck!

 

[Count Morado]

I'm married and my wife edits my writing, and loves my ladies.

Congrats, but I wasn't asking you. I was asking OP.

 

[suprisedcrankyface]

I'm married and my wife... loves my ladies.

You have breasts?

There is a severe lack of quality in a lot of the games here.

Right out of the gate you missed the point... these are porn.... games. Not games with porn in them. Every game that gets to caught up in the game aspect goes to shit as either it gets in the way of the porn, or being porn people lose interest once its achieved its purpose. By its very nature it is a discard-able easily consumed medium. That is why there are not extended edition porn movies where there is 10 minutes of banging and 3 hours of dialogue and adventure.

The very best games know what to deliver in just the right amount without wasting effort.

 

[Insomnimaniac Games]

You have breasts?

He had them, but they Detached!

Ba-dum-tss

 

[caLTD]

Because, making games hard.

And making porn games harder.

Because it was no no stiuation, you have to create good game and good porn. Doing two different themes same time,near impossible.

Still there is no porn game, with working mechanics. After some time all of them have internal cheat engine's because game side is sucks.

Plus body, cloth, fluid physics still alpha/beta level, even in DAZ they are still problematic, in real3d near impossible.

It's like porn movies. There no porn movie when you extract the porn and movie still good.


people come for easy money and thats why we got tons of sh*t show even sold in steam...

 

[Hagatagar]

Here an important thing.

Not everybody is made for making games.

Just like not everyone is meant to create art, make music, or play sports. Always keep this in mind.

Many new devs and wanna-be-devs don't want to hear this, but if you find that the struggle becomes too much or the hurdles feel too high, it might be worth asking yourself whether this is really the right thing for you.
Better stop then trying to force something like this.

 

[DigitalDreamer_]

I'v an old thread to gather player expectations; it may provide a pool of ideas for you to start: https://f95zone.to/threads/what-do-you-want-to-see-in-games.58640/post-14241273

 

[Jaike]

This will be a long one, fair warning:

Hey guys, my name is Micah and I'm a happily engaged guy in my mid 20's. I have a full time career making about $102,000/year before taxes/benefits taken out, and in general I'm happy with my personal life.

BUT.

The last couple of years after college, I've had a really intense drive to create that's been constantly bothering me. It's bothered me to the point of stressing me out, because I have a need to make something...but just...haven't? With that constant nagging in the back of my mind to commit to making something, I like the idea of scaling a business on my own. Taking matters into my own hands financially, and doing what I WANT to do.

So why am I here? Well, to be frank I like sex. I like sexual things, and I don't believe adult games/stories are some untouchable taboo thing. That being said, after playing countless games over the last 4 years from here..I've noticed a few things.

1) There is a severe lack of quality in a lot of the games here. Not to bash devs, they have a skill I don't have. I'm more saying, it feels like some of the devs are making games with 1 hand and their dick in the other. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I'm just saying there is a big gap in quality stories, writing, and art here that could legitimately improve the sexual aspects as well.

2) Like 90% of the games I've playing have been abandoned before there 3rd update. It seems people will pick up development and then drop it for seemingly no reason.

3) The focus being on just the most intense sexual themes possible to drive engagement has done the opposite in my opinion. Smut is more than just the worst possible things you can think of. Erotica is an art form, even if a lot of people hate it. It's possible to make a story first, sex second game here, and it be successful in my opinion.

All of this said, the reason I'm here is this: I want to make a game. I want to make multiple games. I want to bring a level of quality that only a few games have had, and bring my skill of story telling to the erotica side of the internet. It could be mutually beneficial. People are satisfied, and I could turn it into a business like many have before me. There's just a couple of big hurdles I'm trying to get over but am struggling with. I simply lack motivation to learn the necessary skills to pursue this.

I know learning how to code via Ren'py or Unity is absolutely needed, but I've struggled to learn them. I know learning Blender or the Daz3d editor is a must, but I've struggled to learn them. I know what I have to do, but haven't found the resources help it "click" with me. That's all I need. I have the ideas, I have the stories, I have the ability to write compelling narratives, I simply can't get over the bump of "technical ability".

I'm actively seeking answers from players and devs. How can I get passed this, and pursue this career? Advice, criticism, anything will be helpful.

If you stuck around to read, thanks! If you didn't I understand. I look forward to reading potential responses.

Hell, that's sure a way to make a 1st impression. Glad you're doing well for yourself tho, and I have the view modesty's overrated anyway...

You got some solid advice to scale back your expectations and start small tho. 1 of the devs here often advises new devs like you to make a small kinetic novel, like with the length of a short story first, complete it, and then maybe make a second simple visual novel. And complete that. Maybe 1 of the 2 will be of enough quality to satisfy you and you can publish it. Hey, that'd be a way to put you way beyond abandoning devs with your 1st release.

And maybe focus on 1 aspect first? From your OP alone I'll believe you can surpass the average dev with the narrative and writing side of business pretty easily, though honestly that's backhanded praise. And many starting DAZ devs make similar mistakes, so who knows? Have a look at this btw. But I'd concentrate on 1 skill set first. And check this section too.

If you want inspiration from some of the better adult stories out there, check this, though I don't fully agree with the selection in the OP it's a place to get started.

Right out of the gate you missed the point... these are porn.... games. Not games with porn in them. Every game that gets to caught up in the game aspect goes to shit as either it gets in the way of the porn, or being porn people lose interest once its achieved its purpose. By its very nature it is a discard-able easily consumed medium. That is why there are not extended edition porn movies where there is 10 minutes of banging and 3 hours of dialogue and adventure.

The very best games know what to deliver in just the right amount without wasting effort.

Wrong. Likely all image sets and most games and comics here are porn, but it's an adult piracy forum. There's room for adult stories with adult action that don't do coombrained porn plots. Yeah there are dumb SUL coomers who whine or get offended by the idea adult stuff exists that isn't porn, but most things on this site get a few dumb whiners. There are a number of games that have success with adult stories that aren't full porn. Besides OP wouldn't want to have the SUL types as his audience anyway.

 

[Insomnimaniac Games]

Yeah there are dumb SUL coomers who whine or get offended by the idea adult stuff exists that isn't porn,

SUL?

 

[Jaike]

SUL?

"Skip until lewd". Especially relevant for the players who "play" VNs like that and then lack the sense to hold back from whining about it...