Hi. I am trying to become an indie game developer, but I can't seem to finish a game. I always end up getting somewhat bored during the creation process. Are there any types of games that you would recommend? P.S. If the game type is best done with a specific language, you can also state which one, as I know around 8 code languages. I can also use Unity or just pure code.
What you’re missing is not an idea, you’re missing discipline. All forms of art require work to be done before it can be finished, so it’s not surprising you’ve tired yourself out. Train yourself to keep going even in hard times, or take a break. By jumping from project to project, one won’t finish anything ever.
Start small. I can’t stress this enough.
Everyone sees successful games out there, and think they can make the same thing alone. Start by making a very very simple game. It can be a rock-paper-scizzors game, or a pong-clone. It doesn’t need to be fancy, and have 15 different game modes and online play.
When you finish the game, move to a new one, which is slightly different, or a completely new genre. This time a lot of the organizing will be easier to do, so it will be easier to “fit it in your head”.
Working on the same project for months, or even years, can be very tiring, especially if its one of your first projects, which has more chances of not being a hit.
After I read this I decided to try to make the pong clone. I just finished and this is the link. https://zacharym.itch.io/pong-ish
ZacharyM, I would try to make something like "tower defense" game, or something like light version of puzzle game Gardenscapes. There are dozens of projects and genres which are pretty popular nowadays, so I would pay attention to them, and look what exact features people love to interact with. And by the way, if you will have any kind of developing problems, I can suggest you to order some outsourcing dev services and solutions from iLogos.biz game dev studio. I've heard dozens of positive recommendations about this company as a leader in game development. They have really impressive examples of their game dev solutions on their website.
To be honest, I think this is one of the hardest things about making games (or any creative endeavor); Finishing.
I agree with pretty much what everyone else has said. Here are some principles I use in my personal and professional game and creative development.
1. Start Small, Scope Smart: Choose a resonable scope that matches your current skillset. There is ALWAYS more you can add but try your best to limit "scope creep". Try not to add too much more than you originally planned.
2. Mark the Finish line: Define what finishing the project would look like. Have a clear vision of what the finished project looks like. Without that vision it can be hard to really pinpoint when you have actually completed the project
3. Set a Timeline: This has been actually the most helpful tip for us when trying ro complete projects. When you set a hard date when you want to be done and/or release, it really pushes you to finish. That's why game jams are great! They really force you to try and finish something in a set time-limit.
But like a few others have mentioned, discipline is key. Sometimes you're just not going to want to work. It just happens. But pushing through builds discipline and perserverance.
I encourage you watch this GDC talk by the developer of "The First Tree", David Wehle
He touches on how he managed to finish his game. Great principles and practicals.
But you got this! We all start somewhere!
