I'm sure there's no shortage of aspiring game developers who watch this show. Well, it's time to get out there and break into the biz! This time, I'll be talking about what you need to do to get a job making games.
My advice as a game developer, to go along with this, is to not get too hung up on the details or on trying to make your dream project on your first go. Just make something, make it playable, finish it. Doesn't have to be big, doesn't have to be good, just the act of finishing something is a very valuable learning experience. Also, don't just ask for feedback, actually watch people playing the game. Say as little as possible so as not to skew their perspective, and just take notes on how they play. There are SO many things that you'll find this way that people are very unlikely to report because they thought it was intentional or too minor to comment on. Furthermore, and this may sound totally counterintuitive: the people you recruit for feedback don't need to be total strangers. Sure, a stranger might give the most straightforward and honest answer, but honest criticism doesn't always equate to constructive criticism. A friend might be more likely to just say the thing is good without elaborating, but they're also more likely to offer the kinds of suggestions that are actually rooted in a desire to see your work improve. TL;DR: Just make a game!!
As someone who wants to make a story and has seen hundreds of videos about writing stories, character arcs, foreshadowing, etc... I still have a lingering fear that it's not good enough. I hope I can overcome those fears and finish the story, even if it's not as engaging to other people.
Something I'd like to add to this that's been my guiding light ever since I started gamedev; my step father's advice, "make the game you want to play."
@@Dairunt1 You're not gonna like what I'm going to say, but the harsh reality is; your fears will probably never subside. Whether or not you can overcome them will really come down to when you make the choice to confront them. From my own experience (As someone who used to be a perfectionist), it's not that my fears have ever subsided, rather though my own practices I've come to be more patient and courageous. "Be an idiot with confidence!" is the advice I like to share with people. No matter how hard you try, odds are your first works wont be all that great; but bringing yourself to take that first step is still an accomplishment worth smiling about. ^_^
@@Dairunt1 Harsh critisism incoming! Is it your first story? Then its probably going to suck. Its more likely than not going to be true. Just deal with it and make another one. The next one will be better, and so on so forth.
1:22 The "even if your first project mimics something else, it's still a feat of its own" quote is often overlooked, but it's very true (for many other things as well, not just making games). Props to Mr. Sakurai for mentioning it, because as a novice, it's really easy to get discouraged if your first project isn't entirely original.
@@AltimeterAlligator I'm a big fan of the "fix it" approach. I loved the DS Castlevania games, but things in them would annoy me. Like, "the Experience system just makes bosses take longer", "Magic charging slowly over time just encourages waiting in-between rooms", so I tried to make my own take on that gameplay type, trying to find fixes for the things I didn't like, even pulling ideas from other games: No Experience, Making sure bosses don't last over a minute, using a Cuphead-styled system of "damage dealt = magic point"... ... I'm far from finished and currently trying that on another game type I'm more passionate about, but I think it's a fun way to go about it.
a saying experienced writers say to novice writers when they're trying to come up with a story: "what has been said, will be said again. what has been done, will be done again. there is nothing new under the sun." maybe not entirely true yet for video games, for an art form as old and as accessible as writing nowadays, the saying is a sometimes hard to accept reality for aspiring authors. with dozens of novels, poems, fanfictions and other such things that have already been written or are being written at this very moment... it is likely that an idea you thought was original, has already been written a millenia ago, or is something exactly 256 people have also come up with just now. the point of the saying isn't to discourage though. rather it teaches you to focus on your fundamentals rather than get hung up on a pointless detail like originality. the bike has been invented, people have mastered it, don't worry about it and master it yourself. not sure if this is a relatable comparison I can use but Chess. an equally old game. there have been many grandmasters by now and all possible 19 gazillion or so outcomes have already been memorized and are known by many by now, new, old, and deceased alike. in which case, don't get hung up trying to come up with a new strategy. there are none left to be discovered. focus on mastering all known knowledge instead. ... or play a variant.
@@AltimeterAlligator i agree making a game in a genre you love gives you a better appreciation for the hard work and creativity that went in to them when you... straight up make one yourself!
I’m using a similar approach: rebuild the mechanics of an existing game (in my case: Dynasty Warriors), and try to add a twist. Between you and me, my dream project would be a crossover between Warriors-like gameplay and Smash’s gameplay and roster. I specialize in programming, though. Starting from scratch with Unity.
"You will be a fellow professional" I love Sakurai so much. Hyping up anyone who wants to make to a game by saying "You will be on my level" is, in my eyes, extremely compassionate and encouraging. Kinda like this whole channel.
Yeah, you’re missing step 2.5 which is to ask for feedback. I am a software engineer and I’ve met a lot of inexperienced programmers who just code whatever they want to “solve a problem” without asking for feedback and let’s just say you’ll never learn anything either. Those same devs are trapped in the illusion hell known as “expert beginners”
I can't wait for the renaissance of gaming this series of videos will create in a few years. Hopefully Sakurai's wisdom is carried on to the next generation of developers.
There are a lot of development videos like this nothing too crazy there, look at GMTK and others. the thing about sakurai is that he keeps it simple for newcomers and advance developers to know. But yeah, most of his videos covers development on a surface level not saying what he covers are useless but it's been done before.
Eh, I feel like expecting a "renaissance" is rather wishful... I'm sure it's gonna have its share of influence in time, but I wouldn't expect games to become remarkably much better overall just because of this channel. It's a great resource, no doubt, and Sakurai's wealth of knowledge will certainly encourage many developers out there to step up their game, but it is still mostly surface-level information and ultimately it can still only do and reach so much. Still important, of course, but there is no guarantee it'll make a difference for any particular game. That said, I would absolutely love to hear stories down the line of developers making certain key decisions for their games based on the videos on this channel. That'd be awesome.
@@-Noro- This channel gives a lot of information that is useful to people who wants to start with game development and also tips to improve your games if you're already making them. Most other channels talk about their games but here you learn about most of the process with a decent enough level of detail.
I've actually been starting to work on art for the characters of a game all on my own! The encouragement to continue with this path is so incredibly inspiring and heartwarming! I will do you proud, Mr. Sakurai!
I highly recommend WarioWare D.I.Y. to anyone who can get their hands on a copy and is wanting to try making their first games! It's a very easy to understand introduction to game development basics and the fact you're forced to make microgames means you're forced to keep your projects incredibly small, which is a good thing when starting out. Plus, it's just a really fun game!
yes definitely play around with map makers in video games aswell, you can learn so much about game design even from simple stuff like Mario Maker levels.
Honestly great advice that can be applied to not only game design, but literally anything. The first step is always the hardest, but once you take it you can see just how far you'll go!
I gotta say, it's really cool of Sakurai-san to feature Dragonsquat in his videos. There's such a big history of passion and love behind it's history, and yet Dragonsquat is also so underspoken.
"don't worry if you don't meet all of the job requirements they ask for" excellent advice and something I think a lot of young professionals just getting started need to hear
one thing I think is worth pointing out is that it's worth taking more than one try. My first programming course was a disaster and I wasn't sure if it was for me, but after taking a break, tackling some other related subjects, and returning to it with more confidence, I was able to blaze through. Gamedev is likewise hard and there are going to be times when it really beats you down, but if you're passionate about it you'll keep coming back of your own accord. I think what Sakurai means is that if it's a complete disaster and you realize it's just not for you and you hate it, you'll know it faster the sooner you put that real effort in.
It's cold but it's the most important part of the video! It's very much worth trying though just for the experience. Doing a entire game requires a lot of different skills so even if you didn't succeed, you may find a part that you really liked, so you can try another career path like programming, UI/UX, graphics or even PR or QA. And even if you scrap it alltogether and go back to your boring 9-5 office job (I did) you have a different appreciation for games and can enjoy the hobby in new ways.
@@theshinken I acn't even get the boring office job. at least that has decent pay and benefits. i'm still over here in fast food land making min wage with no benefits, no sick days, no insurance, no pto, etc. lmao
@@LilT2o00 I was in that dire situation as well two years ago. I even failed at the min wage job and thought I was a complete failure. Luckily an old friend invited me back to the office. I had to act on it though even with A LOT of self-doubt if I'm good enough for it. In life you need a little luck or help or both to start again from the very bottom, but there's a chance sooner or later. You have to take it though. I hope you'll find that chance.
Just know that being "in the industry" doesn't have to mean "In a big AAA studio" or whatever. You could do things yourself, or with a small team as well. Hell, I'd say even if you only start by making fan games and releasing a bunch of smaller things for free that you're still "in the industry".
it's definitely not something you should decide on a whim though. making games is hard and takes a long time, especially if you are doing all the work alone.
Specifying that it’s ok for a first game to be derivative is just what I needed to hear to encourage me. It really helps take a lot of pressure off, focusing on learning the tools rather than learning them _while_ innovating. :)
I wish Sakurai made these videos several years ago when I first started making games. I probably could have finished a few by now because I wouldn't have gotten sidetracked with other projects and stuff. But this video is good, I recently got back to work on my game and I'm gonna keep trying my hardest until I can achieve this dream: to support myself while making games all about fun
I hear you, man. I've been trying to make a simple multiplayer card game using Unity, but got stuck on a few issues involving the netcode and state synchronization. I had most of the single player mode features working but had to redesign everything for multiplayer, and now I am hitting a brick wall as some of the netcode features do not seem to behave as they are described in the lousy API and documentation. I keep thinking about how much more fun making a single player side-scrolling game would be right now...
@@maverick_loneshark I think Sakurai said he had some ideas that he wanted to do, but when the project proved larger than he could handle, he moved on to another idea. I'm hoping my software allows for online multiplayer, but if it doesn't it'll probably be just sticking with simpler stuff. Have any people online given you tips about the netcoding?
@@isaaccooper862 Usually the best way to connect via RU-vid is for one person to add some form of contact info in their channel's about section. As for the online help with my problems, Unity's Netcode for Game Objects has an official Discord server that I joined shortly after posting my reply. I made a little more progress after digging around through the documentation (part of the problem is the content is fragmented and not as well organized as it could be), but I probably will post questions for any other issues I can't resolve.
"Derivative or not, just making something is a feat of its own." That's helpful advice to any creative person in the world. Even though what you create may be reminiscent to something else that already exists, that fine. Humans are simultaneously similar and different, so keep on creating things you took out of your own time, passion, and care.
A great tip for many people which I don't see enough when it comes to some engines: ALWAYS CHECK THE DOCUMENTATION. While not every piece of software has great documentation, you're more likely to run into one that's easy to understand and that can take you pretty far! And I don't remember if this was said in a previous episode, but don't be afraid to ask around for help using certain functions!
...huh. So, after making a bunch of games, you can use them to boost your resume? AND you don't have to meet all the requirements of a position? Interesting. I've got the games. Been doing it for about 15 years now. The trick now is finding the devs to team up with. ...but seriously, this is very encouraging.
One piece of advice I'd like to add: always write down your game ideas, even if you don't make that game right away. It'll be something you can return to later down the road once you have some experience under your belt.
I think this extends to more than just games. I'm a software engineer, and the thing that really got me started was an internship with Cisco which basically repeatedly went: "We need a prototype for demonstration purposes, this is what it needs to do & here's some general guidelines: figure it out & put it together." In a few months at that internship, I felt like I'd learned nearly as much as the previous few years of uni; it absolutely landed me my first job, because the employer used technologies that I was already familiar with because of all of the prototypes I'd built.
One of the most important things for getting a job is having an example of relevant work, on top of a resume. Having something that your prospective employers can look at or play that clearly demonstrates that you are good at the job you're applying for can sell you much better than just having relevant experience or education; a lot of people who are not great at what they do have relevant experience or a bachelors, but if you can show the employer you're good at your job ahead of time, you can land a job much easier.
The best designer advice I've ever received: "Don't become married to your ideas." Be okay with the fact that what you envisioned may not be the best version of your creation. If you can hold onto that, your idea can shaor itself well over time. 💗
Very often I see people who start a project and promote it everywhere, only to go inactive or abandon it after a few months. Then they come up with something else and the story repeats. IMO it's better to start small and *genuinely commit* to something you can finish, rather than getting too ambitious for your own good and run out of gas after the starting point.
This is probably the best advice anyone can give on this topic. What's really great is that many of the tools you mentioned, like Unreal and Unity, are FREE to use! Unreal 5 doesn't even start taking residuals until after your first million dollars! And I love that you don't discount fan-game creators, either. Whatever gets you started, right?
it's not wrong to copy an idea and change it up slightly, a ton of games like Fortnite have had immense success with it. People will hate on you for that but haters gonna hate.
"Well, at least you might be able to conclude that it's not the right path for you." Honestly Sakurai hit the nail on the head. I love games and think game design is interesting, but me trying to code anything just ends in a disaster. I just don't have the patience for it either. It sucks but I stopped stressing over it soon enough, just isn't meant to be is all
To add onto what Sakurai said, to get the most out of making your own game, see where your shortcomings are as you develop and how to fix them in the future (especially in terms of time management and workflow). Your first games should be a learning experience as much as it is a passion project! However, I found it was easier to get an idea of how the game industry works in general by working in it myself. As such, entry level jobs like Quality Assurance is a great way to learn how the whole process works. Finally, assuming you're not looking to start your own game studio, it might be easier to get your first job if you have contacts in the game industry, so don't hesitate to get yourself out there and make friends and other connections! P.S. : A quick PSA, and that applies for the rest of one's career when starting a game project, watch out for the game's scope! Don't expect to complete in a timely manner an RPG with multiple meaningful choices if you're working on it on your own! Try to set realistic goals to accomplish so you get the most out of your first games.
Sakurai sensei, this is, by far, a life changer, just the motivation news need and coming from one of the best game designers of all time. Thanks a bunch Sakurai, you THE man, god bless you.
1:00 * Boots up Bakin on Steam * Honestly hearing that using maker tools for making games makes me feel, VERY Validated, motivated and a lot more confident.
that's the hardest part, coding can be hard when you begin. Pick an engine or framework or even go engineless. Doesn't matter they're not too different. Just pick it randomly. Doesn't have to be unity or unreal. Your firat game probably won't be a magnum opus, or hyper realistic in a sense it'll be graphically amazing. Even microsoft powerpoint is a nice option for knowing how it feels to make games
@@microdavid7098 Yea learning to code is the biggest hurdle that I have to jump over, but I'm lucky there's so many good resources out there to learn it.
@@microdavid7098 just dont pick gamemaker or construct, those are ass and wont help you longterm. Yes, some games have been made with them but those are the exception.
As someone who's barely just finished their first project, this is great encouragement. It was just a gameplay experiment, and not market ready, but I'm excited to start working on something I can share with the community.
I remember the Iwata-san episode. Since his high school days in Sapporo, Mr. Iwata had been using a function calculator to program games. During his high school days, he bought a programmable calculator with the money he saved from delivering newspapers, and created games such as volleyball and missile shooting. His classmates were amazed at the games, which he created even during class time, and became absorbed in them. Needless to say, this experience led him to join HAL Laboratory, Inc. and led to the development of Nintendo!
I've always wanted to be a game designer/developer ever since I was a child under 10-years-old. As of typing this, I'm 19 (turning 20 next month) and I've self-taught myself so much. I can code good, draw awesomely, make engaging comics, video edit swell, and I can even make okay music currently. As long as I keep trekking along, I'll reach my dream eventually. Perhaps I'll even go beyond my dream and open my own indie business where I make games and more! You, Masahiro Sakurai, have been a big inspiration for me. Thank you! I put so much care into my work and do my best to make everything feel right and stay accurate to what I'm working with. I just wish I didn't have to work alone all the time. I have too many personal projects going on and not really a whole lot of time to get to them all. I guess it's my fault for opening so much, but I just have so many fun ideas constantly flowing through my head. Just wish I could easily share them with the world. (P.S. I have multiple original species, one of which can currently be seen as my channel icon. That's me!)
the confidence here is really refreshing to see, good luck w ur endeavours kiddo but also if you want to find people to work with, definitely try game jams! theyll give you a chance to create a quick game without taking things too seriously, and can give you an idea of whether you work well with certain people (most gamejams have forums or discord servers where you can join or create a team)
I really hope the new generation of people who want to create video games to watch all Sakurai videos. Apart from being really helpful, they are words backed up by one if not the best in the field. If they do take to heart what he says, I'm really looking forward to the future in gaming Even now videogame development/programming schools should highly recommend Sakurai videos
I have an old project made in SmileBasic4, and even though it’s a bunch of spaghetti code now it was very educational and fun. Learning how commands work and how you can use them in fun/efficient ways is really cool, no matter which programming language you’re using.
Thanks so much for discussing this very topic Sakuri. right now I'm learning the programming language python and learning to make my own very small sized games right now. I'm glad you'll be discussing these types of topics in the near future. This channel has been inspiring me to not give up on my dream in my early 30's. :)
This is so far my favourite video from this channel because I ask myself this all the time. "I want to make games, but what exactly do I do?" This video is so helpful. Thank you. You know what, I want to praise this channel in general. I'm a teenager, getting close to leaving school and I know what I want to do: make video games. I was previously on my own with that since my family didn't know much about games and my IT classes at school don't really focus on videogames, but now, I'm able to learn so much about developing a video game. Thank you so much, Mr Sakurai.
It's so clear with how you presented this video that you really care about your message and overall channel. Thank you, Mr. Sakurai, for being such a great inspiration for myself, and for the many others that aspire to be game designers. There aren't many (if at all!) real veterans from the industry that do this kind of stuff, especially ones that have worked on giant games like Kirby and SMASH BROS itself!!! It really means a lot. Thanks for taking your time to advice future game devs, and to make better, and more fun games!!
I don’t normally comment but I just wanted to say thank you Mr Sakurai! I’m a young person making their first game, and just recently hit a roadblock but your videos have been so helpful on enlightening how making games work and how the game industry functions! I really do hope that I can show other people my game even though it’s just one level currently :) Thanks again 😊
OK Sakurai. I've been following your channel since you started and I've looked at games differently. Actually looking at what goes into making them beyond just having fun playing them. I want to make my own game so I'll give this a shot. Thanks for the inspiration and this channel. Let's see what happens.
Another terrific video by Sakurai! Thank you for the words of encouragement. I am actually thinking of creating a fan game, so your words of encouragement mean a lot.
I made a game not long ago that I uploaded to steam called "Anoyo: zero" it was a nes style game. It hasn't been dowloaded much so probably nobody knows it, but this video do helps a lot to feel like we as small creators can keep reaching to be big some day making games people can actually enjoy
Great advice. Here's one thing where a lot of people get stuck: Trying to make their dream game (or a very ambitious game) as their first project. Instead, make something very small, very basic, but complete. Plan a game you think you can make in no more than a month (it'll take longer than you think). Even if you only make one small game like this before diving into an ambitious money-making project, the month you spend on this small project will save you many months on your big project.
I have actually made a bunch of games when I was younger (and they all sucked). With my more mature and little more experienced mind, I am really considering trying to make a game again. That’s one big reason I watch Sakurai, not only am I getting good advice about making games, I am getting inspired to do so.
Creating a video games has become so much more approachable in recent years it's honestly wonderful. We're in a time where talented indie developers can make amazing games that can take risks bigger companies can't make.
It's an engine like any other... Plenty of people will shit on you for using Godot, or Unreal, or for writing your engine in C# instead of C. I've seen it. The best tool is the one that gets your game on store shelves.
When this channel appeared, i was at my lowest point, motivation wise, for making games. Yet at the same time, i continued my programming studies and one of the courses was Unity, and my motivation is up again, i'm making video stuff and also game stuff, making things is great! One thing though, even though i like my ideas and i think that what i do can be special, i also don't feel like entering the gaming industry, back in the day i wouldn't think it twice, but nowadays, at 28 years old, with my career having so many open offers and what not, i'm not sure of taking the risk of living of my games, but its a sure thing that videogames will come from this brain into a computer system near anyone, maybe even on the Wii U, most of my ideas need the instant asymmetric gameplay that only Wii U offers, 10 days more for 10 years.
People might think this is too, "lol just make games", but that's really all there is to it. Make something. I had no programming experience whatsoever, downloaded Godot a year ago... and look at me now, I looked through the source code of a game by a pro with decades of experience and I'm not far behind. I might even be releasing an original tactical RPG next year, we'll see how development goes once the framework is finished. A year of my life was not a high price to pay to get where I am. The barrier to entry is "own a desktop PC", which is getting harder these days, but almost anything you scrap together for even a hundred bucks can be used to develop games using a light engine (Godot 3, older versions of Unity). DO IT.
I am planning to leave my job and to get into the gaming industry, I was thinking of the exact same approach, hearing it from Sakurai san give me more confidence.
I really hope one day I'll be able to make into this industry. I want to make video games simply for people to enjoy and maybe possibly gain something from it. I don't really care about pay I just want to give back to the video game industry for all the help it's assisted me when I needed it most.
Yup, the title of the hypothetical game seen here is absolutely a Dragon Quest nod. There's no denying that. Now, in a similar vein, would the title of the Game Industry game seen earlier in the video be considered a nod to UNDERTALE in some roundabout way? Probably not. That observation aside, I'll definitely need to keep this in mind if I ever become a game developer. Great work once again, Mr. Sakurai!
Right now I'm making my first "big game" just by myself. It's an RPG, but I'm struggling with getting an audience. It's hard when I don't have the resources to pay for advertising. But even if it's never the next indie trend, I'm sure that game will be a nice addition to my portfolio.
I tried to follow this path, never quite finished anything... and still got a job as a designer. I had worked in QA, made some levels in Unreal, and had a lot of anecdotes about my failed projects I could pull out in interviews. A lot of luck and timing involved too, and it took me many years! Really, any design experience helps. It can't even hurt to show off your best Super Mario Maker levels.
I've been wanting to create games since I was 13, I studied software engineering since video game careers were not a thing that time, and now with 30+ years, I've had just 1 opportunity to work in a game company, after having to go back to IT. It's hard to give time to creating games as a hobby, but I know someday I'll get the opportunity to make it a living again. Don't let time stop you!
Hey sakurai, someone on steam made a rivals of aether workshop moveset for fumu from the hoshi no kaabi anime. I hope this shows how people are inspired by your work in more ways in one.
I have a lot of ideas but for now they are big projects which will take an actual team to realise, so brainstorming smaller projects is the way to go now and actually learn programming.
As someone who's done most of what's described in the video, I appreciate the idea that selling a game is something that should take confidence from yourself and others. Long term, it might be better to throw your game at people for free than to try and take on an entire PR challenge that none of the dev process before prepares you for. If your game isn't immediately interesting from a quick glance, it's a hard sell to get people to buy it over the hundreds of other projects that are exactly the same at a quick glance, especially if you do make a derivative work. If you really wanna find projects of pure passion without a monetary incentive, ROM hacks legally aren't allowed to make money, so it's just people working to make something cool. It's a good place to practice practical skills or to find cool ideas.
I've found that every part of game development can have its fun parts. Now to just actually make one. A good thing to remember about making a first game is start small. It can be derivative, 10-minutes long and make the art in Atari games look good by comparison, but the point is that you've made one and can learn and improve the design process. Don't try to sell it for money, obviously. Your first time doing things usually turns out badly.
I wrote a small wall worth of text about the subject, but for some reason the post isn't allowed to go through...(?) If you have never made a game before but wish to try, I recommend picking up an engine (such as Unity, Unreal Engine, Game Maker, Godot, etc.), following a few tutorials, and trying to make a few small demos to figure out which discipline(s) you have an affinity for and which skills you can bring to a development team. Even if you think you are only a programmer or only an artist, you should test out other hats to wear to see if you have any hidden talents you may not have known about! Next, try joining a game dev group and asking if any of the members would be willing to team up with you for a game jam. A game jam is a competition to make a small game over the course of a limited time period. These jams are typically hosted online but there are often in-person events as well. They happen regularly throughout the year, and there is a good chance one is happening right now or starting in a couple weeks. Look into sites like Ludum Dare, Itch Io, and Global Game Jam to see if there are any that interest you.
Your right.... I must go out there and show the people that my writing destroys the walls between worlds and leaves them intact at the same time. And I can't give up just because I can't mix music or create my own tiles..... I will find the light!
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