How I Would Start Game Development (If I Started Over) 

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1:04 define the game hook 2:06 define the game loop 3:23 play similar games 4:56 create a prototype 5:35 define the sizes of all mechanics 7:24 create a visual bible 9:02 make a 10 minute demo 11:16 create a team 13:03 use a project management tool 14:37 start a youtube channel

Devs that don't play games, make worse games.

I'm a simple man, I see a Thomas Brush video, I click

Locking in your measurements is such an important and understated thing. Its ridiculously important

Thomas how many effects do you want in the video? Thomas: Yes

I'm trying to get into game design, and your channel is literally the best one I've found. I feel like the topics you make videos about are all the things I didn't, and wouldn't have ever thought about starting this journey. Thank you for what you do Thomas!

Your videos are awesome now, I used to get a little bored from straight and linear paced videos before, glad to have you back as interesting again 🤩

this video is GOLD!!!!! crazy you doing this for free. thank you for sharing knowledge like this you the man

I really like the comedy spin you are adding to the videos. Great work!

Great fun video Thomas, and very helpful... good to see you getting back in your stride with this format .

Thanks for being consistent for so long! Always love hearing your thoughts on game stuff, keeping us smaller or solo devs inspired!

It's nice to demonstrate how helpful RU-vid can be to a indie game dev, but it's also useful to point out that success at something like RU-vid also in part requires a large amount of luck

Thanks a lot for your valuable suggestions

youre not allowed to do this topic again until 2026

This is very helpful, thank you!

This is such a great video. I intend to refer people to it for advice when starting out in game dev.

I'd take that publisher offer. It feels like in that given scenario you have (1) the core mechanics sorted/tuned, (2) the art style established, (3) your workflows established, and (4) really just need to put in the legwork to add the content to finish. A year to do that would be amazing, because you can determine how big your game can be be the amount of time it takes to complete the workflow to add new content (not mechanics).

This is an amazing video! Nice and simple is exactly what my overthinking brain needs. Thank you Thomas!

Some powerful advise here, thanks!

Morning coffee and a notepad for this one, thanks a lot Thomas!

This is the exact type of video I’ve been looking for because it finally made the starting steps click into place for me

This isn't how to start game development. This is how to go into business of making a game designed first and foremost to make money for its stakeholders. Game development is doing something you want because you want to and if people like it, great, and if the don't great. All you care is you made a game because that's the goal to being a successful game developer.

You are my Biggest Motivation Sir.

Ayo, video editing goes hard!

I want to honestly thank you for your videos. I've been disappointed with games lately but I had an epiphany over the last year or so. I come from the film industry one of the first things I learned is: "Don't get attached to anything you work on, its NOT your film." Then I realized its the same with games. These aren't my IP's and I don't fund these projects. If I want to see what I want in games, I have to do it myself. Your videos have been an inspiration to me as well as informing me as to what may lay ahead on this journey. 🙏

Some damn good editing

I hope these call in’s becomes a regular thing on your channel. Could you discuss the topic of game piracy and what can be done to help stop or at least slow down your game from being ripped off. Great stream and thanks for your hard work

About the publishers: It might be worth it for US developers, but outside of US it's really bad. If a publisher takes 40%, so I'm left with 60% gross revenue. Then steam comes in and takes 30% and I assume this cut would be split with the publisher. So I'm left with 45% gross revenue. But then comes in the US withholding tax that cuts away 30%. Some countries have a tax treaty with US to mitigate this, but those who don't are screwed. After all of that I'm left with only 15% net revenue. 40% - publisher 15% - half of steam cut 30% or less - US withholding tax

Cool to see it divided like that: Loop, Hook, Genre, Measurements and Gameplay prototype. It'd be great if you put markers in the video to be able to revisit each one without having to guess around haha.

Props to your video editor. This is at least a couple days worth of work (if not more. ) just to edit in all of the fx and vid cuts,

I struggle with playing games myself. Making the game IS my, "GAME"🎮😭

I get the ten minute demo idea, but I think it's more appropriate to go for a sized demo that fully demonstrates your core gameplay loop(s) (not necessarily all of them). How much effort this will take is one of the things you should consider when figuring out what scope you can handle. +100 on scaling up a team AFTER your polished demo is completed. Game studios struggle with this as it can leave so many people sitting idle burning cash, and that's a tough pill to swallow.

I'm still working on the plot along with my hook. I have the idea but those two are very hard especially if I don't know what will be fun for me to play. I'm not thinking of everyone else at first. I have some skills already, but I'm not completely confident that my stuff will take off as even a demo this year. Still trying to hone the skills so that I don't get anyone thinking I'm not working on it.

I felt that when you couldn't do 10,000*10 at 10:35. As I get older, I can't seem do the simplest math in my head

I would never take a deal from a publisher, period. I don't want a third party telling my to add in monetization features, change creative designs because they are too risky, and have other undue leverage over my ideas because they have invested money into it. Publishers are why gaming has stagnated, none of them want to take risks and want you to maximize money generation. This is why we have mtx, battle passes, cash shops for in-game items, and now ads in games. Developers need to start saying no. Otherwise I fully agree with a lot of the other points in the video. Overall great advice.

Ngl I subscribed bro gg

good content thomas

Ok i every new indie should this, amazing description of how to go from hobbyist to full time

Great vid

I love how he has the same face on his last 5 thumbnails 😂

I play SOME games but I'm one of those people that's been playing mostly the same games for ten years. I's pretty rare I get something new. I like the creative outlet of making more than the entertainment of playing.

Love how the binary converts to "Wishlist Twisted Tower" 🤣

About the part at 3:35 .... what if I don't like games that are in my "similar scope" ? Also, what if similar small games don't really exists ? About the part at 9:01 ... what if it doesn't matter if the demo is just 10 minutes long or few hours because of the work and details it takes to make them would be almost the same ? Btw, I think it would be also not bad to create an own website on which the demo or the final game can be downloaded. No one can tell if Steam will allow the demo or final game on their website, because of many reasons like the monetarisation or the content.

hello this video helps me! im Game Developer and i say what you say is true when you start making games think about the hook and about the loop and so on! im working also on severerel games! now im working on a heros shade because im a sonic fan i make a 2d jump and rund and because im a fan of 2d jump and runs and unerstand the topic of games i alredy have a loop and a hook! this video is great for learning to do something better and learn to make better games as a beginner

I'm not sure I understand the measurements point. I think I'm already doing this, which is by making a mockup scene where I design all of my assets, instead of designing them each in isolation. I've done this mistake in the past and it's caused assets to look much larger than the other assets I've designed. That's how I'm interpreting this point but I could be wrong.

I just got use to pillars and now your giving me hooks.

Does your team work pro bono? If yes, what incentives do you offer them?

Hey congratulations 👏, I've seen this title, didn't know you were in on it, cool, cool. Yup the hook has to have some enticing bait.

3:19 For those who wondering what it says - "Wishlist Twisted Tower"

3. Play similar games: that's what I'm doing. I'm in the making of my own 3D platformer game and I'm playing/trying a lot of platformer games lately to see how others have done it, and to get the feeling of the controls and mechanics and see what is working and what is not (at least for me). I'd like to put out a game that is fun to play.

Cheeky lil "Wishlist Twisted Tower" plug, I see you 😉😂

I have started my own channel. But it feels like another full time job. It is hard to balance my normal job, game dev, and youtube. I usually have to decrease 1 in order to handle another. Thomas, do you have any advice?

I’ve just started getting into making my first game, I played around in unity for like the first 5 days just learning things and the past 2 days i’ve made a first person controller with animations and an attack and terrain, im trying to go for a basic poly dark and darker, but it seems like it’s a lot to bite off for my first week would I be better off learning something else or should i continue trying to add a health system / enemies.

Thanks for the helpful information! Can you give me advice on how to promote indie games on social media? For example, on Twitter, my posts get few views, and I don't understand why this is so?

3rd one seems life saving to me

I would take the offer if it meant you could keep whatever’s left of the 100k investment when the game is done. Steam already takes 30% of the revenue so you really “only” get 60% of the remaining 70%. Unless the game is doing super well it wouldn’t be enough to keep you going full time for long otherwise.

It’s a good video for what it is, but this feels like how to start game development…for your next project. Is there an iteration of this you could do that’s focused on how you would begin game development if you had to learn it from scratch?

I think that making a game is a lot about taking the best from games you liked playing...then you need a lot of fantasy to merge them all in your unique mechanics!

The Bite Me Games shoutout was quite the surprise! BMG x TB crossover soon?

Sir, that's 11 cents... or 6 I can't tell, BUT ITS MORE THAN 2!

I think that the 10 minutes polished demo tip doesnt work for all kind of games. It may work with adventures/platformers where you will spend 98% of your time on polish, graphics and level design.

thx

im trying to make a scary game about a forest, any tips for a newbie?

Scale is so important and underestimated. I imagine many gamers think a game looks weird, yet cannot explain why.. and a good chunk of those would have off scaling.

1. I have 10 years experience living with my own startups and I also wouldn't give up such stake for 100k, but you can get funded in many ways so the point is strong 2. This channel is getting better and better 3. Subscribed.

This is great advice! Amazing gems!

i just signed up!

Your insights align with using the design process: - Empathize: Research user needs - Define: State user needs and problems - Ideate: Challenge assumptions and create ideas - Prototype: Start to create solutions - Test: Try out solutions

2:16 classic meatspin reference

Funny thing you say that I used to play games heaps without guilt but now that I make them and have my ideal game in mind I feel like I'm wasting time when I try play other games (except valhiem with my boyfriend atm) but making my game is still at the back of my mind hha

1:09 Wilhelm scream

Umm, a hook and loop is a fastening system (i.e. Velcro...)... hehe I digress, thanks for the video! 🤭

"With a team of 3 you can compress 3 years of work down to 1 year" This really isn't true in practice. You might shave it down to 2 years, or maybe you can tackle incrementally more scope or higher quality, but 3x the people almost never nets out to 3x less time

10% conversion seems high.

What if you want to make a modern version of a game made when you were a kid? Specifically with online game play

Hey Thomas ,I love your first Idea of your game Father I hope you make it when you finish this, the one think i didn't like about father is the enemy I hope if you make it make the enemy look like wrong turn type enemy. I love the Story of Father so much I just remember it and force to type this comment cheers.

Since you asked for recommendations ... If you're into game dev and not on the Pirate Software Discord, you're missing out.

I almost never play games. With 3 kids and a full time job it is feels nearly impossible to prioritize it over other game dev stuff like - development, socials, market research, etc. However, I know the playing games and studying their design is just as important as these other things. I gotta make this happen!

I love it how the final point basically took a crap on all the previous 9. Wanna be a gamedev? Become a youtuber!

Great advice about standardized resolutions, if many, and a base on measurements for the variables on inputs/timings reactions, U.I., A.I., ect. I made this mistake first time completing a game when I first started. Why it doesn't exists 😂. This isn't too difficult, and most graphically based components are based on resolutions, while the other measurements are working with the logic, physics, emulation or simulation, ect. Which is good to decide atvthe beginning, not just for scalability, but not restricting implementation of features you may decide improve the hook, or loop. I found it helps to keep a sequel in mind, even if imaginary and never intended, but restricts you from making it not scalable.

Haha, "Old man". Dude, you're what...30? Great information, and thank you as always!

I would do it

Dear Thomas, I would like inquire about the potential consequences of losing focus .

Speaking of games can u finish urs I want to play so badly

Thomas look i am not gonna lie i formed a bad opinion about your channel before because i felt like you were milking other people success but this video was amazing i loved it, Thank you

What did the binary text say?🙃

I see first person who didn't mention Jira and Atlassian ecosystem. :D

Anyone have discords I should join for game dev?

OMG BiteMe is featured here

The BiteMe games shout out is based lol

man about playing games I still remember beating hollow knight and the ori series for the first time and it kinda made me sad knowing there's not really that many good metroidvanias (at least the ones I know) so I was like fuck it why not make one myself my real problem is trying to not directly copy off those games dx but we'll see eventually I guess

I would take the deal.

Hook and Loop is basically drug addiction. The reason why someone starts and why someone continues

Feels like I've seen this video a dozen times, just with different titles each time LMAO

Hehehehe, "they love it, they love me, they worship me"

bro theres no way you just did the reference I think you did at 2:12 XD

I don't know what game is showcased in the video but it's too dark and feels undefined because of this.

I would figure out hooks faster if platforms of investment like KickStarted would be available in my country..

Me - Mom I don't know what to tell ya. Thomas told me to play games for the betterment of my future. Mom - You haven't work on your game in a year -_- lol