Hello fellow Game Developers,
I've had some pretty rough months recently with life changes, school, etc. I haven't set aside the time to sit down and do what I know I love to do; create video games! Well, I decided to put my big boy pants back on the correct way this time, and I'm ready to dive back in.
I'm still pretty much a n00b at game development, but I have read a wealth of knowledge on video game creation and I think I'm ready to take the plunge once again.
I was just curious if anyone would like to share their advice on the beginning stages of becoming a developer (other than the obvious "start small" comment).
Feel free to tell your story of just starting out and any shortcomings that you had and how you overcame them.
Happy Creating everyone!!!
I have two small but significant pieces of advice. First, know exactly what you want to do. If you don't have a relatively clear focus of what you want, you'll have a difficult time seeing it through. That said, you don't have to know all of the ins and outs and have everything set in stone. Your project is going to naturally warp and shape and evolve; just know the general concepts and what you want it to be.
My second piece of advice, is to never stop. I'm not sure if you're looking at doing the coding, the art, both, etc, but don't let yourself lose momentum. Life is going to get in the way, and it will test you and even break you at times. Those who are willing to stand with determination deserve the rewards for their own completion.
One last segment: I said to do what is passionate to you. I've worked on different projects, some were my own and others belonged to other people. The ones I lacked passion for got kicked aside. One of my favorite things when I played Warcraft, was at the beginning of the game the trolls had a quest titled "Your place in the World." I wanted to carve a name for myself in that virtual world. I wanted to be known. I channel that energy every time I start working on my own project. I'm carving my name in the world. I wish you the best of luck in carving a name for yourself!