Motivational tale for indie game developers
My story begins, as in "Alice in Wonderland" - with a dream. I had a dream in which I play a new mobile game - an unusual one, with unfamiliar mechanics. The dream was bright and pleasant. When I woke up, I immediately rushed over with a pencil and paper, and without really coming to my senses, being under the impression of what I saw, I began to draw.
Yes, yes, do not grin! This is not just to be witty - that's how it was! Witness to this is my daughter Katya, to whom I immediately told my dream. She liked the idea, and I immediately set to work. Of course, had breakfast first.
Well, well, for the harsh programmers and game designers who do not believe in fairy tales, I will tell you a bit of background history to make it more understandable and believable. In fact, to my sleep was a long way.
My name is Vitaliy. I am a programmer, artist, game designer. His first game together with a friend released, as a student, back in 1998, under the ZX-Spectrum - the text adventure “Mirror”. But then all the creativity was on order: endless flash sites, flash games, application programs. Certainly interesting, and put the soul, but not his own.
')
Morale one: If you do not build your dream, someone will surely hire you to build your own (hackneyed demotivator, isn’t it).
In the past, in 2014, the year decided to go "free bread". He quit his permanent job, made a demo of the game, and in the spring brought him to DevGamm Moscow'2014. Inspired, the whole summer went deep into the study of Unity, did a working demo version. All this for personal savings.
The result is a technical demo of the game Bogatyrs. Genre: "wall to wall." The closest analogue in mechanics is CastleStorm. By the way, this was not without mysticism: I invented the features of my game in the fall of 2013, and literally in a month “CastleStorm” was released, in which at least half of my ideas were implemented. Since then, I unconditionally believe in the theory of a single information field.
Autumn has come, and with it is time for disappointment. How much I did not try to find a sponsor for the game - all to no avail. He analyzed a lot, read useful articles (including on Habré as well). I came to the conclusion that it is necessary to simplify the project: do not take on highly complex mechanics, soberly assess your capabilities and do what can be realized with small forces. The summer project was put on hold and began a new, simpler one. But the money ran out - I had to look again for a permanent job.
Moral two: Never! I repeat, never give up on the way to your dream!
I will not go into the details of further ordeals. I can only say that in the winter there were again obstacles to the realization of the goals set, and again I changed the project to an even simpler one. But he enlisted the support of two loyal comrades: one wrote music, the other was engaged in the site and copywriting. We were already sick with the idea of ​​a future game.
Spring passed, and on the 1st of June, on the eve of my birthday, I woke up and immediately rushed for a pencil and paper.
That's how it happened, yes.
Actually, I am a very skeptical person, and I don’t believe in any mystic, including dreams, but this situation seemed to me very funny, and I decided to bring it to the end. All the more so because the idea that I had dreamed was just ridiculously simple. And I once again postponed the current project and took up a new one.
Here is what I recorded when I woke up: “Finish the drawing in closed cells, based on the already open parts on the principle of symmetry (axial, radial).”
First of all I made sure that the idea is original. Yes, of course, the mechanics of the game are pictures of child development tests. How they got into my dream - I won’t add Sometimes our consciousness throws up surprises for us: I didn’t think about anything like that before. I have not found a single game with similar mechanics. Moreover, I didn’t even find scans of such images - just a few pieces. Well, if the original - it means you have to do!
It is appropriate to make a lyrical digression. I am writing this article in order to support people who cannot see themselves without a game dev, but are currently in a creative crisis or doubt. I do not approve of the idea of ​​making games just for money. For money there are many other activities. I believe that games are, above all, a manifestation of creativity, and the creativity of multi-faceted and complex. Therefore, I consider the issue of originality of the idea very important.
Unity was chosen as the development platform, because the last two years I wrote on it. Yes, and with cross-platform issues have disappeared. For one month (June), I wrote and debugged the game engine, came up with an interface design, sorting through several options. The game engine provides game cards from 2x2 cells to 5x5 cells. He began to make levels of different sizes, but it soon became clear that it was simply impossible to play cards with a large number of cells on the phones - tired hands. Therefore, for the beginning I stopped only on small - 2x2 cells.
The entire second month (July) spent on the production of four hundred and ninety levels. An AIR level editor was written to automate the process. The drawings came up with the whole team: both the musician and the daughter were involved in the process. It turns out that this is not such a simple matter - to come up with so many tasks!
The first two weeks of August - the last edits of the game and publication in the playmarket. As usual, just before the very last step, there were a million reasons why “it was necessary” to postpone the publication of the project: either the site was left unfinished, the video was not yet, then another 999,998 reasons. But I said to myself: “Enough! It's time to put an end! ”, And with a firm hand pressed“ Submit to publication ”. All the rest is after collecting feedback and updates.
Total - 2.5 months of development. In his spare time from the main work. During this period there were a lot of false paths, avoiding which, it would be possible to reduce the production time to probably one month. But, apparently, these paths had to be passed. From them: doubts about the correctness of the chosen development platform, an attempt to switch from Unity to AS3 (ended with a loss on AS3 tests and a return to Unity); the creation of large levels (3x3, 4x4), which were not effective on the phones; a huge number of "super-duper" ideas, implementing which we would get the perfect game, and so on.
Moral third: Do not be inactive, do not dream in vain, do not get distracted by trifles. Work, work and work again to achieve your goal.
That, in principle, is all that I wanted to tell you.
In my opus, I formulated three truism. But it was they who helped me to finish the project to which I had been walking for so long. At one time, to maintain morale, when faith in one’s own strength and hope of ending was fading, I read many motivating articles and re-took up work. And now I decided to contribute to help those who are on the way.
It’s still too early to talk about any success of the game - publications in the playmarket are only 2 days old. But there is already pride in the finished product - and this is not enough. And also pride from friends, and most importantly - from a daughter. That will be popular when the school goes!
Such is the way of the game: from trial and error, through a dream to a clear formulation of the goal and implementation.
“- And what are these sounds, over there? - Alice asked, nodding at the very secluded thickets of some pretty vegetation on the edge of the garden.
“And these are miracles,” the Cheshire Cat explained indifferently.
“And ... And what are they doing there?” - asked the girl, inevitably blushing.
“As it should be,” the Cat yawned. - Happen ... "
Yes, yes, do not grin! This is not just to be witty - that's how it was! Witness to this is my daughter Katya, to whom I immediately told my dream. She liked the idea, and I immediately set to work. Of course, had breakfast first.
Well, well, for the harsh programmers and game designers who do not believe in fairy tales, I will tell you a bit of background history to make it more understandable and believable. In fact, to my sleep was a long way.
“Either the well was really very deep, or Alice was flying very slowly.”
My name is Vitaliy. I am a programmer, artist, game designer. His first game together with a friend released, as a student, back in 1998, under the ZX-Spectrum - the text adventure “Mirror”. But then all the creativity was on order: endless flash sites, flash games, application programs. Certainly interesting, and put the soul, but not his own.
')
Morale one: If you do not build your dream, someone will surely hire you to build your own (hackneyed demotivator, isn’t it).
In the past, in 2014, the year decided to go "free bread". He quit his permanent job, made a demo of the game, and in the spring brought him to DevGamm Moscow'2014. Inspired, the whole summer went deep into the study of Unity, did a working demo version. All this for personal savings.
The result is a technical demo of the game Bogatyrs. Genre: "wall to wall." The closest analogue in mechanics is CastleStorm. By the way, this was not without mysticism: I invented the features of my game in the fall of 2013, and literally in a month “CastleStorm” was released, in which at least half of my ideas were implemented. Since then, I unconditionally believe in the theory of a single information field.
Autumn has come, and with it is time for disappointment. How much I did not try to find a sponsor for the game - all to no avail. He analyzed a lot, read useful articles (including on Habré as well). I came to the conclusion that it is necessary to simplify the project: do not take on highly complex mechanics, soberly assess your capabilities and do what can be realized with small forces. The summer project was put on hold and began a new, simpler one. But the money ran out - I had to look again for a permanent job.
Moral two: Never! I repeat, never give up on the way to your dream!
I will not go into the details of further ordeals. I can only say that in the winter there were again obstacles to the realization of the goals set, and again I changed the project to an even simpler one. But he enlisted the support of two loyal comrades: one wrote music, the other was engaged in the site and copywriting. We were already sick with the idea of ​​a future game.
Spring passed, and on the 1st of June, on the eve of my birthday, I woke up and immediately rushed for a pencil and paper.
That's how it happened, yes.
Actually, I am a very skeptical person, and I don’t believe in any mystic, including dreams, but this situation seemed to me very funny, and I decided to bring it to the end. All the more so because the idea that I had dreamed was just ridiculously simple. And I once again postponed the current project and took up a new one.
“- Where to start, Your Majesty? - he asked.
“Start at the beginning,” the King answered importantly, “continue until you reach the end.” When you get there, stop it! ”
Here is what I recorded when I woke up: “Finish the drawing in closed cells, based on the already open parts on the principle of symmetry (axial, radial).”
First of all I made sure that the idea is original. Yes, of course, the mechanics of the game are pictures of child development tests. How they got into my dream - I won’t add Sometimes our consciousness throws up surprises for us: I didn’t think about anything like that before. I have not found a single game with similar mechanics. Moreover, I didn’t even find scans of such images - just a few pieces. Well, if the original - it means you have to do!
It is appropriate to make a lyrical digression. I am writing this article in order to support people who cannot see themselves without a game dev, but are currently in a creative crisis or doubt. I do not approve of the idea of ​​making games just for money. For money there are many other activities. I believe that games are, above all, a manifestation of creativity, and the creativity of multi-faceted and complex. Therefore, I consider the issue of originality of the idea very important.
Unity was chosen as the development platform, because the last two years I wrote on it. Yes, and with cross-platform issues have disappeared. For one month (June), I wrote and debugged the game engine, came up with an interface design, sorting through several options. The game engine provides game cards from 2x2 cells to 5x5 cells. He began to make levels of different sizes, but it soon became clear that it was simply impossible to play cards with a large number of cells on the phones - tired hands. Therefore, for the beginning I stopped only on small - 2x2 cells.
The entire second month (July) spent on the production of four hundred and ninety levels. An AIR level editor was written to automate the process. The drawings came up with the whole team: both the musician and the daughter were involved in the process. It turns out that this is not such a simple matter - to come up with so many tasks!
The first two weeks of August - the last edits of the game and publication in the playmarket. As usual, just before the very last step, there were a million reasons why “it was necessary” to postpone the publication of the project: either the site was left unfinished, the video was not yet, then another 999,998 reasons. But I said to myself: “Enough! It's time to put an end! ”, And with a firm hand pressed“ Submit to publication ”. All the rest is after collecting feedback and updates.
Total - 2.5 months of development. In his spare time from the main work. During this period there were a lot of false paths, avoiding which, it would be possible to reduce the production time to probably one month. But, apparently, these paths had to be passed. From them: doubts about the correctness of the chosen development platform, an attempt to switch from Unity to AS3 (ended with a loss on AS3 tests and a return to Unity); the creation of large levels (3x3, 4x4), which were not effective on the phones; a huge number of "super-duper" ideas, implementing which we would get the perfect game, and so on.
Moral third: Do not be inactive, do not dream in vain, do not get distracted by trifles. Work, work and work again to achieve your goal.
That, in principle, is all that I wanted to tell you.
“Why is it that some people like to look for morality everywhere?”
In my opus, I formulated three truism. But it was they who helped me to finish the project to which I had been walking for so long. At one time, to maintain morale, when faith in one’s own strength and hope of ending was fading, I read many motivating articles and re-took up work. And now I decided to contribute to help those who are on the way.
It’s still too early to talk about any success of the game - publications in the playmarket are only 2 days old. But there is already pride in the finished product - and this is not enough. And also pride from friends, and most importantly - from a daughter. That will be popular when the school goes!
Such is the way of the game: from trial and error, through a dream to a clear formulation of the goal and implementation.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/265503/
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