5 Solo Game Dev Mistakes You MUST Avoid (My Experience!) 

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"DON'T TAKE FUNDING TOO EARLY!" Yeah, I don't think I'll have to worry about being offered funding early, or ever.

I think one problem is also that many game devs are either designers, musicians or programmers which makes it really hard to finish a game all alone because you first have to learn about the other parts of game development.

As a developer 5 years in to a game, frustrated, broken and insecure, thank you. I WILL finish this thing.

That screensaver was too interesting. I couldn't help but focus on it :-D

The best thing to do as a solo dev is to get a normal job first and then work on your game on the side. You will sleep without any stress. There's nothing worse than having no income and betting everything on the game you are making. And for anyone saying that there's not enough time for that, that's also bs. Just organize your time better.

"Emotional mistakes are way more challenging and detrimental than technical mistakes" This applies to a lot in life

Instruction unclear made Half Life 3

I don't have a support group, or even a person who knows me. I've been teaching myself to make a game on and off for years now. There have been times when I didn't have the internet, so I would go out in -40C weather with my cell phone to stand outside coffee shops in order to download some information to take it back home. It's been more than a journey. And now, I'm at a point in my life when I need to step on the gas. I have to do a lot of renovation work on my apartment to find someone to replace me. Making games has always been a fantasy of mine. I've taught myself 3D modeling along with coding. I'm no expert, but I'll push myself until the product is what I consider professional looking enough. My first complete game has to be the remake of Super Mario Bros.. I've worked long and hard... even started doing hand drawings at the beginning. I've got my workflow down, and I'm able now to make sprites into 3D meshes then turn them into code. No external files anymore. Just scripts that run to animate characters and objects. I feel like no one ever believed in me. It's been very lonely for sure. People here, in Canaduh, they just have no ambition. No values or culture. They just get tats and piercings, and not because they're part of something bigger than themselves. They're just lost, and they make up some identity as they go. It's sad, and for me I feel alone with my vision of life. I'm hoping very much that making a video game will open doors and have me meet people who are driven and excited to be alive.

I've watched so many of your videos Thomas, and as my game progresses, Its so crazy how much of what you said in this video is the truth. I just won my first award for my game and I was so proud but then things took a weird turn. Winning this award made me feel like I was in a frenzy! I felt I needed to do 5 million things at once, and felt like the supporters of my game were expecting something of me that was bigger and better. BUT the shocker was, when I went crazy, they all said "Crystal, you need to slow down, you're clearly burnt out and need a break. We love your game but we love you too. Take care of yourself, then come back with a clear mind and rejuvenated body". So thank you for posting this, I thought I was alone and being crazy.

Solo dev here as well , good advice. I’d like to add getting a stand up desk is a great idea. And avoid bundles except for Humble Bundle.

I don’t even create games and I watch these

01:36 #1 Trust your gut 03:27 #2 Sometimes don't trust your gut 05:43 #3 Don't take funding too early 08:45 #4 Waiting Too Long To Seek Funding (Law of Diminishing Returns) 10:49 #5 You work in a panic

Man, this is all too real. Also a solo dev, the other night, I literally walked away from my laptop and sat at the edge of my driveway and meditated. I had to remove myself from everything for even just a couple minutes. It helped me reset. Great advice, man. Always love your videos.

absolutely agree with the "DON'T TAKE FUNDING TOO EARLY!". I ended up having to return the money (that I've already spent) because I was unable to finish the game on time, due to several personal reasons as well as my lack of skills to finish it solo (had a programmer that quit in the middle of the project).

I'm currently both solo game dev and a freelance anime illustrator, but I have difficulties on finding work. I have been trying to get a job, but it is very hard to get a job here, let alone I have many competitions. And because of that, my morale is slowly decreasing. But anyways, thank you for some tips, that encourages me a bit and I hope I can become as successful as you.

Thanks for your advices and insight. It helps a lot to see and hear the experience and learn from it as a solo dev. With the best regards from Germany. Keep up the good work!

That computer on the side with the neverending zoom is eating up all my attention!

"Feature creep is often because you're feeling insecure..." ...wow. I never made that connection.

This was such a helpful video! My roommate and I are working on a game now, and your last point about motivating one another is exactly what we do. Thank you Thomas!

This is like the 6000th vid I’ve watched about gamedev tips, desperately trying to start out as a solo gamedev with ADHD. Mention of keeping a schedule always makes me laugh! 😂🤣

The not trusting your gut is a really important thing I needed to hear. I often start to get excited by things such as wanting to get into dev work or buying a new game but then at night I start doubting and getting anxiety about my choices and wasting time/money

I just recently watched this, this is so inspiring to me! Thank You!

"$100000 is not that much money" Dude, speak for yourself, I could live for a 20-50 years on that lol

this is the definition of honest and deep pieces of advice.thank you Thomas

Dude just got your video on recomendation and it hit me perfect in the moment, at this point Im trying to make my own game and I work as a web dev ,and I have been in a such problem to develop my game, and your videos are truly helping me a lot. Thank you so much for the content.

When I was a teen, I already knew how to code. I tried to accomplish making a game - the whole stuff by myself - and ended up frustrated because I just couldn't achieve the high standard in my head from the A-titles I was playing. Another good advice would be: If you don't get some part right, get yourself HELP! Get yourself people with the right skill for the desired part. And: If something is not as PERFECT as you maybe want and it takes too much time right now, write it down on a list for later revision, and just go ahead.

As a new developer, I was unsure about what I wanted to do. Thanks to your videos I found an interest in game development.

Can't express how thankful I am for this video. Your perspectives and advice is so insightful, unique, heartfelt and meaningful, thanks for the incredible video!

Thank you! I appreciate that you share it publicly these things, it means a lot :) It helps to hear from someone with experience. Stay cool :)

I really love your content men. You give really nice advice. Thank you Thomas!

Thanks, I needed that!

Best video ever honestly. Thank you for the encouraging words you have motivated me. I have been putting it off for years but it has always been there in the back of my mind! The time to create is now! Thanks Thomas your a pretty cool guy.

I love that you’re not an ego-maniac! Very balanced approach to giving advice. Are all the game clips in this video your games? They look awesome! I’m new to gamer world…got my NES robbed from me in 2004, haven’t played since, and just started game dev 11 weeks ago…kinda freaking out at the possibilities!

thanks for the first one. im pretty young for a game dev, and ive always had a little bit of trouble trying not to discontinue games or switch to another game mid development over and over and never finish a game in a million games, kept telling myself “i know u excited to work on dis game but you have to work on this game first so you dont abandon it” even though i started to like another game much more than the other that i used to really want

Damn you're such a champ. 5 years is a massive project!

Great advice. You're a good egg Thomas, wishing all the best success!

Thank you for making this concise and not bloating the video, really appreciated

Great tips. thanks!

I didn't know you made Coma, I only played the flash game when I was a kid but its been stuck in my mind since then.

thanks :) I think the gut things is probably most important for me, followed closely by the funding tips.... I started developing a game and my base idea was to show the difficulties of motherhood combined with a rather idyllic, beautiful world in contrast to that. I swayed off from that path a few times, cause I thought, if people say they like the genetics parts of the game, that I should maybe work more on that...while it IS important part of the game, it was mostly meant as a tool to make players care about their kids. and then I started doubting if this is really the game I wanted to make and feeling guilty about not fulfilling others expectations...wanting to make the game accessable when it is supposed to be hard and unforgiving....when...I need to trust my gut, that the vision I have for the game is MY vision and what made me start it in the first place, it's also likely what's gonna drive me forward. And regarding the funding, I wished I had known/realized that about 2 years ago....when I took funding and it made me even anxious to work, because I was so afraid that I might not do "good enough" work to live up to the fundings value....kind of ironic, because they gave it to me in the first place as a starting business funding, not even related to what exactly I'm making ^^"

finding a group of people to support you is hard man.

I kickstarted Pinstripe because I had faith in you. Love all of your work, man. I truly wish you the best.

Good videos man!

Just found out about your channel, I can relate so much about all this stuff! Keep up the good work.

Going solo is very hard and thank you for pointing right things out. At the same time, I believe the points you mentioned can be used by a small indie team. I am excited about my next game and it's going to be 2.5 D on my upcoming short Luke's Escape! Thanks Thomas :D

Great video Thomas! thx for the information.

For me, the waiting too long for funding thing is more of a stubbornness thing than anything else. Through my whole life, I've approached things from the perspective of "Better to die than sell out". I'd sooner crash and burn than give up even a sliver of control. It has its benefits, but it's a double-edged sword.

I learn so many things from you.... Thank You

Hi 🙋‍♂️ I love the tips! Emotional mistakes are the worst. Sometimes it can be hard to take an element out of your game that you love... even if it doesn't work and is the right thing to do!! 👍❤

Thanx man that's was really helpful.

Amazing video and I literally think my phone is listening to my conversations because this video popped up at the perfect time.

advice is much appreciated. thanks!

Great stuff! I'm solo dev too and I'm entering 6th year of production :)

This video was. A great help tnx!!!!

Thank you for this video

Wow...that was the most romantic way to say "my wife" ever...!

I’m not sure if it was in this video because I watched it a couple nights ago, but the theory you’re thinking of is the “10,000 hour theory” by Malcom Gladwell from his (really good book) “Outliers” which is about the world changers of our time (Bill gates, Beatles, etc). Real reason I’m commenting is I’d really like a video about “Dos/Donts” about asset management in Unity. I’d like to see your thought process and how you keep track of large, dense scenes.

like the progress bar! Clever

Great video, thanks! Now could you please make another one, on the topic of "how and where to find people who would actually care about you and wish you to succeed/how to be attractive enough of a person so that someone will care about you and wish you to succeed"?

Dude thank you so much!

Hey, I'm just a random person who wants to be a game developer one day I clicked on this video not realizing that you made Neversong which is a game that I thought th t was incredible. Thank you so much for making this video and bringing your game into the world

I am making my video game for 5 years now. When you started with that I was in instant like button mode.

Wonderful!!! Those things are really necessary

Thanks this video helped a lot

I loved your content keep it up man

some valuable advice thank you thom

the first mistake is by wanting to make a huge game, the second mistake is by having too many expectations...

1 & 2 are related to the common development concept called a "manifesto". All projects need a manifesto - an ultimate goal or single idea that drives your project.

Probably my favourite theme is "reality is not what it seems"

"Emotional mistakes are always way more challenging and detrimental than technical mistakes." Barely started the video and life changing TED Talk line already

To first one, I think it's often the case for many people in industry. As professional programmer myself, I often have problem with "perfect solution" choice. I was struggling with it for over 2 years in my job, and my private projects. I always seek for best way of making things. It's nothing wrong to seek perfection in work, it's what everyone should do, but I had this problem to the extremes, I couldn't choose right way for now, and was droping my private projects. But then I read one of Uncle Bob books (Robert Martin, one of gang of four in programming industry, he's important figure in dev world, if you don't know him, check out his speaches on YT, totally worth it). He wrote one sentence that changed me: "If you struggle how to do something, just pick something and make it work NOW. It don't need to be perfect, as long as it works it's better than nothing. You always can come back later with better solution and fix this ugly nasty code!".

One of my mistakes was that I dreamed up a game, how it could be an RPG with sandbox elements and things like that for days, then when I got to the modelling part I was so demotivated I stopped there(partly because of the big project, and cause I didnt know where to start/what to do). Now how I solve this is I dont dream too big, only when I think that what I have done is the closest to good, thats when I move on to the next idea/element of the game

tl;dw: 1) be smart, not stupid when necessary 2) be not stupid, be smart when necessary

I had an experience working with a team (it was a school assignment), and I am really more productive when I'm alone. But I think our problem was more organization

Good tips!

I think number 5 can be useful for college/studying as well, might just try it Tnx for the video

Great vid, Thomas. Thank you very much! :) It just made me realize that I have people supporting me and helping me on this game dev endeavor. And that the problem is actually myself. Haha. Got me thinking. Thanks again! :D

Simple tips but I needed to hear them at least from somebody who experienced like what I got to be submitted on my life!

To my fellow solo developers, you might think you are closer to getting a regular software job as your project progresses, and God knows you have the experience and work ethic, but remember: when interviewing you almost have to hide the fact you have a side project or they will develop Consultantitis (fear you will one day leave them).

It's amazing, that you come off like this very wise, and composed and cool dev... and then you left that enormous burp in the video... it took me by surprise, and cracked me up :) well placed comic relief :)

Thanks for the content.

Hi, this is Edison from Brazil and I´d like to say thank you for the good advices.

Very sound advice. Thanks, my dude!

13:22 Why? xD

The real struggle of Game dev is certainly the Emotional aspect. I feel like i'm in this frenzy alot, and sometimes music helps focus. Other times i just need to take a Food break, watch some videos, sleep. Just, taking care of our animal-side, our emotional side.

sometimes I sleep too late like 4AM and sometimes I have so many breaks! really accurate.

Solid points! I'm actively working to use my network of friends more for feedback.

i just experienced panic working and i just said "f it lets jst make this a personal milestone project just to see how far i can make a good game, and also idc if the game doesnt sell well thing is i once made a product i am proud of". it rly changes drastically work wise

Thomas thanks this is valuable.

One of the big issues when people make these videos is the perspective. This person is not a game developer, he's an artist who became a game developer to make his art into a game. So while some of his tips are useful, others are simply based on that perspective, while someone who started as a developer, would approach things differently (i.e expecting and planning for long development times, as any good game, takes time to make) Mind you, I highly enjoy his games but i've always kept in mind that he's an artist first and with that, can forgive any short comings. I'm sure these videos are useful for many people, just make sure to make it clear your background and where the perspective you present, originates from.

I haven’t really been dedicated but I’ll start trying to setting timers and schedules to get a first game together

Don't seek funding with just a trailer, wait until you have a solid demo. That aged well *cough cough* CD Project Red

Very good advice, works on a lot of industries.

"You're worth way more than you think you are." - Damn... As a Solo RPG game developer, this hits hard. T_T I have completed free RPG games inspired by JRPG games like FF and Grandia since 2016, and I just got to finishing my first ever commercial game this year! And it's released on Steam... And what I found is that I sometimes low-ball myself and feel like "nahh, my game won't be worth much anyway." and I forget that I poured so much love and passion into it, that I should have more faith and believe that it can someday be heard or given a chance by people. :( Thank you so much for making this video, Thomas Brush! I really appreciate your game dev channel and tips for us smaller devs. ^_^ To anyone out there who may feel alone in their game deving journey, realize that it isn't true! There will always be communities that are willing to hear you out! :D From Testers, fellow indie game devs and many more... Sometimes luckily, even fans. xD I'm just really dreaming... That someday, my first commercial RPG shall be played by people who love JRPG's. ^_^ And that they can at least see the love and passion I put into them...

I definitely reached that out of energy point with my game, not sure if I want to finish it or not. Funding would help, but with what my game has for content, finding funding might be... challenging. Plus I have so many other ideas. My gut can't be trusted... Sigh. Great video.

I would like a video on how to pitch to publishers. I think that’ll give me a little more confidence on the end game. I think that uncertainty is what’s holding me back right now.

The reason that each and every human is invaluable, is because we are all unique in our own way. That's why our time is so important to others who need our skills, because it saves them theirs of having to learn it themselves.

this is very sensible advise.

WHOA. My next game Neversong comes out on Steam MAY 20th! Wishlist now to snag that tasty launch discount :) store.steampowered.com/app/733210/Neversong_formerly_Once_Upon_A_Coma/