I am 50 and I feel that I now have the complete skillset to make the game that I really want to make with full freedom. And that’s my big why. So let nothing stop you! Thanks for the vid. Great that there are devs like me … trying to make stuff out of pure passion!
Awesome, I want to chat a bit more about some of the positives and negatives to starting later in life in a future video. What do you think has been the biggest challenge to starting later? What do you think has been your biggest advantage?
@@MichaelGame_DevI felt like it was an advantage starting later in life as I have more life experience and working knowledge. If I were younger I might have a different look and might have more useless risk.
I'm also of a similar vintage :) If I can define starting game development as actually releasing stuff on itch from Gamejams then I started in my 40s. Though like many I've tinkered with game engines for many years. I'll throw my 2p in on your Qs: Q: What do you think has been the biggest challenge to starting later? A: Finding FREE TIME. Q: What do you think has been your biggest advantage? A: All my years of working in software development, though I have to smack myself every now and then when I start over-engineering things or wasting days looking into shiny new frameworks (gamedev is not 'enterprise' or even 'business' dev - at least not as a one person band or small team). I know I can do it as I've solved software challenges in my work life that would have utterly terrified a 20 something me. But as you mention in your video, those self-limiting beliefs still linger :) And there's a difference between being compelled to do something hard at your job, vs having to simply motivate yourself to do it (with gamedev as a hobby at least). And a last comment on 'why'. Obviously there's the money and success aspect but deep down, being a father now, I want to give something back to the gamers of 2024+. And maybe reclaim a bit of my own inner child :)
I am 43 also... for me I come a full circle, did a bit game development during my undergrad and stopped after I got a full time job a software dev.. now I have a lot of free time in my hands
Im 31, and I started my gamedev journey this year and it is a reward all on its own, I am learning so much. Even as a child I don't remember feeling so much joy. I have a few noteworthy ideas for my games, it is likely that they're gonna fail, I'm learning and implementing everything I can to prevent that(its "if you do it, do it right" thing for me), but I am far beyond caring about failure, the journey itself is just that awesome for me, it is hard as a rock to the face(I am studying to be a solo dev after all), but ridiculously exciting 😄
I'm 37 and I also started developing my own games finally this year. cI always wanted to, but never thought, I'd have the time to do so. I started playing around in Unity when suddenly the "thing" happenend and I started learning Godot. I really feel like Godot helped me realize, that I can make a game as a 100% hobbyist and still produce something that's fun. Focusing on making small games before starting big projects and focusing on the main mechanics before making anything else were the two big lessons I learned in the process. Also Trijam helped me thinking more before doing anything. :)
Trijam? Don't think I've heard of that one. Very cool story. I'm the same age. It is really cool to see that all come together with a "hey I can actually do this thing." What type of game are you working on? And totally agree on the small project. That's why I've done a few game jams and am keeping Radiant Bricks smaller scoped. Simple game but with a mechanic twist that I think can make the game interesting and fun.
41 years old software engineer , with lots of years with experience, i just started my first indie game because that was the main reason i started my career , and i have never had the opportunity to work on game dev industry so i will start with an indie game now that i have lots of years in experience and the energy yet. I will create a youtube channel as well to share my experience on this project i am starting.
Awesome. That's one of the reason's I started this one. Having that software engineering background will be a huge help of course. What engine did you go with?
Having a 'why' is not something that's talked about enough. But agreed, it's super important to have a STRONG why to keep you going. Also, if you like challenges, game dev is definitely a good fit for you 😂 Enjoyed this. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for checking it out! I had been intending to launch the channel with this video, but then things happened haha. But that was why as when I searched, I didn't really see anyone talking about the why.
Been in the industry for coming up on 5 years this Fall. Been indie since the beginning. Great start man, you got this. Can't wait to see what you make :)
I turned 40 just a few weeks ago, and I'm currently working as a full-time solo game developer. So, it's definitely one of the options one can consider. Good luck on your gamedev journey!
@@MichaelGame_Dev I'm currently working on moving one of my best idle/incremental games from Flash to Unity so I can release it on iOS and Android. I made a video on my channel talking about the game and how much money it's making: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xUVbQG4_pe0.html
I started playing around with Unity when I was 40 years old. In May 2023 I launched the first game I've ever worked on (and which got a lot larger than I'd planned!) into EA and in April 2024 into 1.0. It had 32,500 Steam wishlists at EA launch, and peaked at over 40K, but sales have been rather disappointing (at around 6000 units across stores) given the wishlists. Still, what a journey that was! I'm now working on the technical part of my second game, and I'm already sooo much more skilled 6 months later! I love doing this!
@@PandemoniumPirateRadio if you worked in software development it's gonna be pretty easy especially if you are retired with tons of money saved/invested.
My grandpa started watercolour painting when he was around 70, and I remember being blown away with his use of perspective, detail, and visual storytelling. It is never too late to hone a craft. The truth is, we are only on this earth for a short while, and whether you know it or not, the more you focus on you creative output, the more it will inspire and bring joy. Get making! It's the meaning of life afterall ;)
I'm in mid-30s starting with game dev. I never thought it was too old for game dev, though... It's fun to have another medium to tell stories and my kids enjoy playing the little games I make from tutorials or testing out different mechanics.
I did a puzzle game for 8 bit Atari back in 1993 when I was 15. My original dream was to make games but my career went into art/film/animation. Last year, at the age of almost 45 I got back, or rather restarted game dev and we're doing a continuation of that Atari game with the same guys as 30 years ago :). The development is going very well (we have a teaser out so far). I also started another, much bigger and more advanced project this year. I haven't felt so fresh in a long time. However, I would lie if I said that it's easy. But let us old-timers keep pushing for our dreams!
I am 33 and I started my game development adventure 1 year ago. It was the best decision I ever made. I always say: We are the youngest we will ever be.
I started learning to how make games recently and im 35. Its never too late to pursue what youve always wanted. In less than two months ive made more progress in my game then i thought i would in 6 months. Wish i started this journey sooner but its never too late.
Having a 'why' isn't something I've thought much about when it comes to game dev. I got started in my early thirties, but stopped for a couple of years. Now I'm back at it in my mid-thirties, and other than the fact that I like a challenge and love coding, I haven't really nailed down why I'm doing game dev. Definitely something to think about, especially as the new year rolls around. Great video!
Absolutely! I try to always look at my why and goals every 6 months or so. I try to keep that in mind for the content I'm making, but also want to keep that in mind for games I'm working on as I move forward. Why did you start in the first place? Why did you stop?
@@MichaelGame_Dev I started simply because I found out that it was a thing and I love coding, so I wanted to try my hand at it. But I hit a wall because I had no real direction.
Makes sense, sounds like me when I tried to start coding the first few times. Maybe you need to figure out a game that you really want to make. Or maybe you should try a game jam sometime? Best of luck figuring it out! If you do find the why, come back and let me know!
At 15, I modded Warcraft3 with zombie & TD games. Tried RPG Maker, then Unity, but struggled with my game's identity. "What kind of game do I want to make?" I decided on one game, and the funny thing is that the game I chose can be created very comfortably in RPG Maker. At first, I wasn't sure if I would go back to using RPG Maker again because I was trying to escape from it because it was always looked down upon as being bad and that even a 2-year-old could make a game with it. But then I remembered a saying that I had once said to a friend, "A beautiful song does not need to be difficult to play." This made me decide to use RPG Maker to develop my first game project for Steam, which started when I was 30 years old, And I hope it will be finished in 1-2 years after this. 😁
Yeah, if RPG Maker is the best tool for your game, use it! Especially if you can really make something awesome with it! What is your biggest challenge using RPG Maker?
@@MichaelGame_Dev Aside from the limited RPG turn base and some missing basic code which is the basic for other engines.😅 I think the biggest challenge of RPGmaker is It got looked down on by a big group of players and developers. Because it's easy to make a game and there are many bad games in the market using RPGmaker. Which also affects the image of other good games or my game. Anyway, I plan to ask RU-vidrs to play and promote my game. I hope it can help.🤷♂
Yeah, I think the RPG Maker stigma is a big one just because of how many bad games are released using it. But like you say, engine shouldn't matter if you make a high quality game!
Great video that covers an important topic. You definitely need to know your why because making games is a hefty task to say the least. I'm in the process of releasing my first game and I'm in my fifties. To be fair, I've been working as a developer for twenty years but there is still lots to learn. The why is definitely important but you're never too old to do what you want. Thanks for sharing.
Nice video! Hope your journey goes to a great destination. I'm 54 working indie on a business app for past 6 years. Still going strong and hoping to ship and sell some this year. I have all the fears about nobody will buy my app etc, etc. But it's a strong app and can help lots of people in their jobs. Best wishes to all you who find yourselves in a similar boat.
This is exactly what I mean - never give up! Your only limitations are in your mind! Everything is possible! It's a great and very inspiring video. Wishing you the best of luck on your game development journey, my friend!
Thanks so much, yes, I do believe there's a lot to getting past those self-limiting beliefs. Stop telling yourself why you can't do something and start telling yourself why you can. Are you working on a game? Very cool channel btw. You're answering some interesting questions! I will have to find time to check some of your videos out!
@@MichaelGame_Dev Thank you for your kind words about the channel! Currently, I'm exploring an idea to test its fun factor. Feel free to explore the videos whenever you have time. I hope you find them interesting!
39 (and a half) and just working on my first proper game release now after learning for the last couple years. Hooray for middle aged gamedev gang! I like the idea of having a proper "why" and it's definitely helpful for learning, your point about finding it difficult to get into the concepts of coding without a particular goal project definitely mirrors my own experience. However, my "why" is a bit more basic and it's the same as why I learned to knit or do origami. I just love making cool stuff. Simple as that :D
That can be a great one in and of itself. I see your working on a city builder, that's cool. Why did you pick that genre? One of your favorites? Edit: Got to watch. Interesting concept for sure. Makes sense about trying to really keep it minimalist. Art is an area I definitely want to improve!
@@MichaelGame_Dev Yeah art is definitely not my strong point, I was a web developer for about 15 years before starting this, but I figure the best way to get better at something is to challenge yourself. We'll see how that goes! I'm a simple woman, I like city builders, that's as far as that thought process went. Figuring out how to make it work within the constraints is all a part of the fun! And if it doesn't work out, well I have a lot of failed knitting projects that never get worn as well. I'll live ;)
37 here and having been pouring every wakeing moment not working my 8-4 and taking care of my daughter learning UE5 for the past year. I've coded since 97 but game dev is a whole new ball game. Very happy I went with unreal though. I highly suggest it over the other 2 which makes u start from scratch unreal has a clear laid out path to go down when looking at its example projects like lyra and the newer game animation sample project.
I have started and stopped learning to program many times with many different languages. It never leads anywhere because I don't have a real reason to learn, other than general curiosity. I get through the first few projects and get bored with the tutorials and just stop. I had thought I would put some real effort into learning to program as a new venture after getting sick and being unable to continue my corporate career. I have tried but had a very difficult time due to ongoing medical issues and also not being motivated enough to really get into it. I have zero interest in game development and envy people who do since it can be an end in itself, whereas most kinds of programming don't lead to something as gratifying as that. The only real motivations I have are the possibility of earning money and being annoyed that I haven't been able to make myself do it. But enough about my issues. Congrats on taking the plunge and I hope it all works out for you.
I hope you can figure out your path forward! The game dev stuff is making me think about a mobile app, which I usually have no interest in. Having a project in mind is just so helpful for getting past that initial hump and into learning the parts you want to learn.
i just turned 24, and entered the new year with a new desire and goal to make games, and as i was watching some videos about mistakes, what to do, what not to do, etc, someone said he's 20 and was doing it for 4 or 5 years i guess, and i had a feeling that "yeah, i should have started when i was 15 or so", but i keep telling myself "the sooner i start the better". ironically i can't even get started, because i only have a borrowed laptop that is old, outdated and underperforming by even it's own standards, and getting to a point where i could start would be a challenge in itself, and would take an uncertain amount of time. then making the small games for practice and learning would take a lot of time too, because i already know that i shouldn't start with the big dream game idea, which would take years probably, especially if we look at it's genre. my motivation came from figuring out the "why?". because it's a game i loved as a child, loved it's story when i grew up, and the "best version" never existed, and i realized that if i'm not gonna make it, no one will make it
Awesome! Not sure on the specs of the laptop, but Godot is very light resource wise. If you haven't looked at it yet, it's worth checking out. In the meantime, are you comfortable with code in general? If not, consider looking up scratch.mit.edu/ this can help with getting the logic of programming. Additionally, Harvard has CS50x available for free that is a general overview of programming and a follow up class about game dev. While not game dev specifically, it would work on putting you on the right track. Do you have any ideas for smaller projects so far?
@@MichaelGame_Dev first of all, sorry for the long comment, i'm not good at summarizing... specs of the laptop don't really matter, i tried to use a mod for Heroes of Might & Magic 5 and ever since it's performance decreased drastically. like, it could run HM&M5 flawless, now it can only run HM&M3 and videos longer than one and a half hour cause youtube to completely freeze. i was considering to try Godot when i get there, they say it's good for turn based stuff. i know nothing about coding and programming so far, and i saw recommendations of Scratch and Gdevelop already as a good start for beginners, i'm just not sure if this laptop could run them in it's current state. for the smaller projects, my first thought was that they should contribute towards the big project, so i learn with them what i need to know for it. the big goal is a game like Heroes of Might & Magic, one of my favorite game series, and my introduction to the fantasy genre. so yeah, it is a big thing, especially to make it alone, it's kind of a mix of multiple types of games: turn based combat strategy, turn based adventure map crawler rpg, and turn based city building. i figured making a small thing for each of these first would be fine, but maybe i have to start even smaller, but i definitely want to learn turn based because it will be everywhere. i have smaller fiction ideas, like a turn based version of Diablo for the adventure map crawler-rpg, maybe some Red Alert inspired thing for the turn based strategy game, and a sci-fi colony builder for the city building aspect, just for diversity. but maybe even these will be too big for a start. it also depends on how much i can simplify them
Got ya. Scratch is a website, you run it all via browser. It'll help you get programming logic down as that's a big part of it. And yes, Construct, Gdevelop and I think to a lesser extent gamemaker all allow for ways to not need to write code. Heck UE5 has blueprint that does that (though it's probably the heaviest game engine out there). That being said, there will be some limitations you run into at least with Gdevelop, construct and gamemaker without actually getting into code. You may also want to see if RPG maker can make those types of games.
Am a 33 year old man who is starting to work on game development after many years of research on what's the best media to show my world and characters, turned out animation or comics are not really my stuff although I learned to make animations and drawings in the process, working on the game turned out to be relaxing, fun and easy, I think there is no age to start game development, once you fully realized you want to start doing games at 40s or 50s I say why not???
This makes me feel better. I'm starting to learn how to make games now - I'm 34. I know literally nothing about coding aside from learning some basic HTML code to pimp out my Xanga page when I was in middle school. So this will be an adventure, to say the least. But I love video games, and I loved making my webpage back in the day, so I think I'll enjoy this.
Nice. Do you have some ideas about what types of games you want to make? I've been thinking a lot about beginners to programming and game dev, so feel free to reach out, I may be able to give some tips. I also plan to start development streams here on YT and on Twitch as I go. I need to get more on a set schedule for them!
I'm in my late 30s. Been doing game dev since the 90s. I don't think it's ever too late to start game dev. For the vast majority it's just a hobby that doesn't make any money.
I am 31 and dabbled in programming and game dev for a while but never found anything that kept me motivated. And tbh it is on its own really motivating to see others that start their journey as well, because I often feel like "I should have started earlier" or " This is far too late now" and so on. And while I would love for it to go about a bit faster (I am super slow when it comes to programming) I am still motivated enough to keep going
@@MichaelGame_DevMy head mainly xD Programming doesn't come to me naturally and I am having quite a hard time with it. Usually I am more on the art side of things. But as long as I can keep myself motivated with a goal I am getting there. Just a tad slower than others :)
I got ya. I'm curious, did you see my latest video? I am wondering if this could help you out. It really helped me start having some stuff click in. One of my problems, is I felt like I kept things to abstract, so going through that exercise really helped me cement things a bit more strongly in my head.
It´s NEVER to late... you got the rest of your life! And... ill think one realy important thing is as an "older" Game Dev (in Age) that you can better organize and allready got a basic in your live (hopefully XD ).
Yeah, I think an advantages for older beginner game devs will be a video at some point. It does provide certain advantages but also some disadvantages as well.
I'm getting close to age 40 and I really want to start to learn coding and 3D modeling so I can develop a game (even for personal use / fun). I've been messing with Blender a lot (I have around 240 - 400 hours on Blender, but that's a span of many, MANY years), but would be starting from scratch with coding. I feel that I'm far too late to the party, but the experience may eventually land me a new job if I decide to pursue it. I think the biggest challenge of starting late is that your brain cannot soak up information as fast as when you were younger, so a problem a 20 something can solve does take a lot longer for people our age and older. I don't see an advantage of starting late unless you have previous programming or modeling experience. I'm up for the challenge though, so I'll see what happens. I'll sub to your channel and thanks for the content!
Right on man. I'm in the same boat. I've been a professional developer for the past 5 years, bbut I want to get better. SO I started learning programming recently and its been a blast. I'm still a scrub , but it's all apart of the process. Subscribed to the channel. I"m lookin forward to seeing where this channel goes! I"m thinking of doing the same thing myself. I just need more content/skills to show lol
Awesome. I am debating looking at Harvard's CS50x. I suspect there's some basics I may not know. What type of resources are you finding to learn programming?
I am 30. Thank you for sharing. I enjoy hearing everyone's stories whether they are thinking of game dev, doing it or have shipped a game. And I agree the AAA companies have focused more on diversity and cinematics rather than fun, quality game play. And I 100% agree on games being shipped out before they are ready. Which I blame Patreon and kickstarter. They birthed the model of pay for a promise rather than pay for an already made and tested game. But I see this as a good thing for indies. People are looking for indies now more than ever. Personally I started game dev cuz I got laid off. I am a 3D digital artist. My job was making 3D art for an insurance company. I started as an intern and worked my way to a full time employee with good pay, flexible schedule and bosses that don't breathe down my neck. If that job was a gaming company then it would of been perfect. But it wasn't. And I was doing everything on my own. So that last couple years I haven't been sleeping, I have been burned out, I have just been dreading waking up and going to work cuz I did not like the work anymore. And the only reason I think I liked it to begin with was because it was new and I saw it as a stepping stone to working in an actual game studio. But I have like 3 interviews under my belt so not like I am going to get one of those jobs any time soon. SO I figured I might as well go for it. I have been working on a game on the side for many years now. If you look at my dev logs, I was on number 4 when I got canned. That much took my years of procrastinating. So about a couple months of actual work. But the beginning is the hardest hurdle I faced so far. Once you get a character in the game, running around on some platforms then it gets a lot easier. I think that is because I have something to play with rather than having nothing. So logically I figured I will take some time off having a job, get my health back in order, work on a project I actually have fun doing, get the first level done which will be my first demo and go from there. I have money in stock so if I run out of savings, I have time to look for a job. I have no friends, no girlfriend, no kids, no responsibilities or commitments. I live in an RV and enjoy it. This is the best time for me to try this. And I am ok with failing. Cuz the demo will be just as good as working on portfolio pieces if not better.
I'm 35 and I started working on my dream game 4 years ago. I've created little game prototypes before but now I'm all in on this big project. After launch I will definitely focus on making smaller games. 😅
I'm 35 and after years of telling myself I would make a game; I'm finally taking the leap. My only problem is, I don't know how to code (yet). I plan on making a smaller project with RPG Maker before moving on to something more complex as I learn and grow. Unity is probably the engine I will end up using in the long haul. I've wanted to make an RPG since I was 8 or 9. I love the lore that's in many fictional worlds and I hope this fascination will lend itself to creating games with passion for others to enjoy someday. Awesome video!
Depending on where you are in coding, looking at something like Scratch may be worthwhile. Getting some of that logic can be very helpful. RPG Maker could be a solid starting point, I haven't used it in a long time. I think one downside you may face is the resources available for it, not sure how the tutorial scene is for it now. Unity could be a good engine for that. It really depends on your goals like, 2d/3d, what type of RPG, etc. There are so many great options out there. Also, if you want to do a bit more than rpg maker, consider looking at GDevelop and Game Maker. I haven't used them, but I believe they give you visual scripting tools. I'm really interested in seeing how Unreal's blueprint system works!
Man, I have almost 43 and started like a year ago, this is overwelming but I'm motivated, and I know I will not doing the next COD, but I will be happy with what I want to do , the important part is to have a clear goal and accurated to the knowledge, either way this will be frustrating AF.
37 and just starting, but just as you explain here. The why is super important. Specially after certain age. For me, is all about creating the games I always dreamt of, and getting away from current threandings that doesn't resonate with me at all.
I'm 37, being playing around with Unreal for video-making for a couple of years now to the point I'm kind of familiar with blueprints. Right now thinking of start learning C++ for game development, even though I'm quite discouraged by the rise of AI rather than my age.
What was the reason for you to start to learning C++ ? Many Unreal experts says that blueprints work better and C++ scripts can work wrong even if they worked fine before.
whats up man im 41 and i just got over the hurdle of only making demos and prototypes for fun over the past 30 years. now i have two games in development. one already has a demo up and one is almost to the demo phase and its only been about 3 months that ive been coding every day (except burnout days).
Nice video! I can relate to almost everything you said... honestly I have more than one "why" and to be fair some of them are so intimate that I wouldn't tell them easily.. but for the less intimate, I think the major "why"s are two: the first is that I think that being an indie game dev is the perfect job for my personality. Basically there's nothing that I don't like about this job and my personal dream is to go full time one day (like many people, for sure..).. The second why is that I just think that if someone has the talent and is a good planner and maybe has a bit of good taste for art and game feel, there are a lot of money to be made. I know that this last point might sound a bit too optimistic, but I don't believe in luck. I believe in the right mix of "things" and honestly there's not a single reason why a product, being it a videogame or anything else, might fail if everything has been done properly... by the way, I'm 35!
Makes sense. As long as you have a strong reason, that'll be a big help. The big trick with having the right product, is you have to find ways to get people to notice it. That seems to be one of the biggest things. Have you started your game yet? if so, what type of game?
@@MichaelGame_Dev probably making your product to be noticed by the right people is the trickiest part of the big scheme, but none the less, it IS part of the plan. I think that what makes it so difficult is that for what I see, especially on RU-vid, people think that making the game is a separate thing from marketing it properly... but if you think about it as a "product" and not just a "video game", you should realize that marketing the game is just another feature, like adding a mechanics or a shader or whatever might makes your game more appealing... what's the difference, in relation to the end goal, between, let's say, adding a grappling mechanin and making a trailer for the game? basically nothing, they're just two thing that are part of the game, they both take time and expertise to be made and both aim at the only one thing that matters: selling the game/product... Aniway, I have two projects that I'm working on, one is called Mechanical Gods, and I've made a video on my channel about it (and I also have the Steam page up), but I had to put it in pause because this year for me a lot of things happened (new baby and new job) and I was in the middle of a burnout, so burnout + life = a brake must be made! Now I'm working on another game that I picked up in order to learn Godot since I wanted to switch away from Unity and I needed something less difficult to handle. At the end of this project the plan is to rethink Mechanical Gods on the new engine and move on from there...
Totally makes sense on the marketing! And yes, that's a lot of change! It makes sense to take a break. Hopefully the Godot project goes well and you can figure out the right engine for Mechanical Gods!
I started Game Dev when I was 40... I don't think I had the drive or need to tell my specific story when I was in my 30's or 20's. My main challenge at an older age is that I have to prioritize my physical health and I can't let my self just game dev for hours on end without getting up and moving around. And, I prioritize my relationships over the need to constantly work on my game.
I'm the same position like you do, I'm starting from my 30's and their nothing wrong with that.. early from my childhood days I'm fascinating on how fun to create a machine that can order to do what we think... But the most important thin, why I don't go to school with this programming at my university days is because I need to learn something that most people don't know about because learning coding people can learn it too... I need something like persuasion, marketing, why people like to play game.. that's the most important thing to learn
@@MichaelGame_Dev My daughter. I started making small games, or enough of a game, to wow her. When I got a SteamDeck we were browsing around and she asked, “Are you going to put your games e on here too?” Kind of hit me deep that I didn’t have any finished products. It’s a retro platformer heavily inspired by Super Mario World and Bzzzt, our 2 favorite games to play together. Nothing too complicated, but fun for kids.
Freedom and happiness. thats what making a game for 3 hours a day except sunday will be for me. Before I had those motives I was not even able to start booting up the PC. No more attachments to imaginary outcomes.
46 and just jumped into game dev. In reallity, I been toying with it since I was 15. But I spent all my energy on work as backend Java developer until now.
Yeah, if i was doing dev for my day job, it would definitely make it tough to start it now. But naturally, you're going to have a lot of development knowledge that will be a huge help getting started. Have you picked an engine yet? What type of game are you working on?
@@MichaelGame_DevAs a software engineer since 25years.. I code my own 🤣.. going to code a small game for Playstation Portable. Even started a small YT channel for it 😅
Nice! I saw a video not too long ago arguing that coding an engine isn't hard. But I think they are overestimating the level of code needed to create a successful game.
@@MichaelGame_DevIt all depends on what you expect as output. Would I advice people to code thier own engine.. not if they want to finish a actual game 😂. But as a learning experience, hell yes!
Nice video. Subbed. Always like checking out game dev's stories. I became a solo dev because I tried for about 20 years to break into the industry as a games tester / level designer but never got hired. Started making a game in my mid 30's and am now in my late 30's. Oof. Time has flown by since starting this. I also used rpg maker back in the good ol days haha...
@@MichaelGame_Dev Currently working on a twin stick shoot em' up called Crystal comet which will be coming to steam. I used to make a lot of levels using worldcraft/ hammer level editor. Plus some other softwares (I wanted to be a level designer). Made an RPG with RPG maker but it got stolen by ransomware. Was just a kid who never backed things up in those days. Learned my lesson aha.
I'm 37 now and I have been doing 3D CGI stuff (in 3dsMax mostly and then Blender) since age 17 and I'm also a gamer of both games on a 2D screen and VR gaming but only now everything clicked into place for me to have enough reasons to start developing my own game using UE5, so far it's pretty fun and a cool experience to build and develop a game it seems, I'm only a beginner but I can already tell that, at least form the small amount of progress I did so far within a month or two since I started learning it.
Awesome. I'm trying to explore 3d now, video on my game going from 2d to 3d soon. I feel like learning 3d is basically a whole other world. The lingo needed sometimes just to ask the right question to get info is difficult! Slowly but surely, I'm getting there.
@@MichaelGame_Dev I see, cool, don't give up on the 3D aspect of game developing (of other 3D modelling programs), you can do it but you just have to put your mind into it and keep learning until you get it and get used to how it all works in these programs, Blender can be a good start since it's free and overall a good one, good luck learning 3D.
@@MrRandomPlays_1987 Yeah, that's the plan. I've been prototyping, so my needs have been minimal so far, a few models. But I'm at the end of it. I have to look at things like scaling my objects together properly, potentially some texturing. Seeing how texturing + materials work in Godot.
What a nicely paced and nicely made video. I just wonder the how as well: What is your background? Someone that was a Software enginner will have a much easier time to get into it than someone that was in sales or so.
Absolutely, in the future I want to talk about the different type of beginner game devs. My day job is in IT, but I'm not a developer. I've had a good mind for code logic, but it took a while to feel like I actually had the right mindset to code. It was only in the last few years that code really started to click for me. But, I'm really good at solving problems. Are you looking to get into game dev?
@@MichaelGame_Dev Sounds interesting. I always like to hear peoples background, especially in something like gamedev because they come from everywhere I feel like. Definetely thought about it, since I am a theatrekid(love writing and acting) that went into CS, so I feel quite dissatisfied with what I do in college where creativity doesnt matter much if at all and making games could combine these two things quite well.
When it comes to game dev, you've got lots of areas to work on! If your game has a story, you've got that, the art, the overall game design, plus the code. Not to mention all the other areas like marketing. Making games will give you a lot of different areas that you could focus on!
@@MichaelGame_Dev | My first game will be a single player version of Eve Online, something like the amazing Astrox Imperium. I played Eve from 2003 till 2017 and I had a break till summer of 2023. After that I want to make something similar to Satisfactory, a game that I love and I make videos at my YT channel.
@@AdjointGaming Really cool. I have heard of Eve, it always seemed like one of those games that was just a bit too in-depth for me to even try to start. Just glanced at Satisfactory, seems like a really interesting concept. I may have to check it out! Also seems like it would be a good one, though tough to put your own spin on.
@@MichaelGame_Dev My initial thought was to start with Satisfactory but another YT indies advised me to start with Eve one because Satisfactory has TOO many moving objects and a lot of building so that would make my life very difficult (specially for my 1st game). Unfortunately, no matter what lessons I take there are always SO many basic things missing from them. I am a bit sceptical on how it will go. Too many basic things missing :(
I'm starting this year, I already have some knowledge across a variety of areas in software dev using C# and am familiar with Unity as that is what got me into coding so I have purchased a few courses in game dev that covers 2D and 3D games. I aim to learn the basics and make a very tiny game that I will release as my first game just to gain experience the cycle of releasing and maintaining a game, then my next project will be a multiplayer game to grasp network experience and my third game will just be a bigger game that has replayability on a grander scale with some interesting mechanics to really test my creativity. I would expand on my knowledge and continue my journey full time hopefully funded by the success of those projects, but that is just a theory.........a Gaaame theeeeory
Awesome sounds like a solid plan. One thing you may want to consider is doing some game jams. What type of game are you thinking for your tiny project?
Oh something similar to an escape room game I guess just so I can experience the full cycle of releasing a game without too much to chew, then I will make a 2D platformer targeting that niche area and speedrunners for replayability and virality, then I will create a Duke Nukem experience @@MichaelGame_Dev
I started about a year ago because I love games and game development, I don't even play games anymore, just make stuff in unreal engine then put it together with other stuff I made, honestly I love unreal engine because a lot of things on unity and godot that would take hours, I can do in 5 minutes, if that, but hope it works out for you, all are incredible engines I can't say I've ever found a bad one
39 here. Just about to start my game dev journey by going back to college to get myself a degree. (Literally tommorow) Have a family to provide for so need options.
design yourself a banner, a profile pic, and you are set for a succesful carreer in youtube. Image is important though so take care of those. Your video content is fantastic
Much appreciated. Yes, it's definitely on my list to do. Graphic design is not my strong point, have been focused on making worthwhile content first and finding someone to help with thumbnails as I work on getting better at them. As far as the channel, that's next on my list!
I became a developer because it's easier to promote games than books. That being said, because I'm insane, I put my books on Steam too. And I'm in the process of trying to get a tool onto Steam that would allow other authors to do the same... assuming Steam gives me the greenlight.
So true. It's actually one of the few movies I watch on a regular basis. I didn't bother seeing it when it came out. Picked up a copy years later when my interest grew. It was so much better than I thought it could be. I do like that I took one of the most lowkey scenes in the movie for this video.
Now working with Godot, it all started from just playing games, learned how to mod games, learned how to make 3D graphics, learned how to design games, tested a bunch of game engines and lastly learned how to code games with Godot, so far my main work engine, started the journey on my late teen years and even now I am still learning new things, the challenge is part of the fun in making games. Now it's never too late to do it, just try to have small finished projects first before tackling something bigger, also don't be afraid to reach out for the community of your engine of choice when you need help, people always are there to lend a hand.
@@MichaelGame_Dev Currently on my channel doing a tutorial series on a RTS project in Godot, but I also plan to make third and first person games in the future after the RTS series has been finished, I am really happy working with Godot, started using it when version 3.1 was released, it has come a long way since then,
Nice, RTS games aren't really my jam, but I will definitely have to check out your channel. I suspect some of the functionality you talk about for that I could potentially see about translating to another type of game. And yes, I started messing with Godot sometime around 3.2ish I think? I didn't really dig in until later though. Have mostly used Godot 4+. It has definitely come a long way!
I'm 40s... Still programming new idea for game. Video Games Business is bigger than Hollywood and Super Bowl. Let the money rain for new idea. We don't have time to vacation, spending luxury good, driving super fast cars, etc. game Dev usually inhered billions or million to their children. Either start a company or create video game company or develop new graphics card or game console or controller, etc.
QOTD: Well, I am a geeky artist with a degree in CS and a gen-xer. Computers and art have always been my wheelhouse and I am trying to wrangle a great outlet for those two things.
Also, triple A games are failing because of the high demand for battle passes and cosmetic sales for the shareholders. The full focus isnt making the game good anymore, its how much money can you make in its life cycle.
This fact should put all worries to rest: Notch (Markus Persson) was 32 years old when he created Minecraft. Minecraft is now the highest selling game of all time.
I'm 37 and yeah I'm getting into gamedev for yes I have game ideas BUT mostly I really want to understand Unreal so I can make films. overall I do want to challenege myself I've always said I couldn't and that had to stop and now is the absolute best time and I have no excuse.
Awesome! I'll be very curious what you think of Unreal. I played around with it a tiny bit recently. It's really cool to see how powerful it is. What do you think your first project will be? Have you started? And yes, a big part of it is getting out of our own way at times.
I am 22 and I started my first RU-vid channel for game art when I was around 19. Then at the age of 20 I started my current channel named Kozmobot Games, and this is probably the most successful attempt I have ever had in having a RU-vid channel that will have everything I am creating in my free time.
@@MichaelGame_Dev I have been a fan of video games since early childhood and I was always interested in game making process and how games are made in general. I also have a plan to release new games in 2024, into both Android and iOS platforms, but there will also be some games that will be set on some price points for customers.
Really cool. I have an idea for a small mobile project that I want to prototype at some point and then just test it out on my phone for a bit. But it's more about trying to gamify something.
I've been a developer for 19y and now I'm going hardcore in game development why ? Think like this :Do you want your dream job ?And thinks of something that you are willing to do for free and do and get paid in the end even if it takes a long time.
Absolutely. I'm not a dev in my day job. Game dev may not ever make enough to be my full time thing, but it'll definitely help me improve my programming which opens all kinds of doors. For your side, I imagine it's a creative outlet and it's the same for me too!
@@MichaelGame_Dev yeah, but i can't tell which one :-D it's a newly released game that was or is still in development for 4 years. i was quite interested and at some point they went another way i didn't like. dev takes suggestions but laughed at my suggestions. so i took it personally and started making my own version of that game but better, lol. sounds childish but at least i have now a purpose :D and it kind of makes fun actually working serious on a game :D
My limiting belief has always been that I would need to bring an artist (maybe multiple...) and a composer and all that onboard because I can't do that sort of stuff myself. Coding is already not that easy for me.
It's definitely tough to get going. Personally, I would pick a skill and focus on that. Try to find a friend to help you with the other parts. Then as you get further into it, maybe you start looking at other skills to add.
I have one particular idea for a game that I want to create, but I don't really want to get into game dev. I just want that one game to become a reality. If I enjoy the process enough, and I suppose I might given that I like programming well enough and am using RayLib instead of an actual game engine, that who knows, I might make more, if I've got any other ideas. If I only make one game, then I'd be fine with that, especially if I enjoy my own game and like playing it. If other people like it and play it, then that's cool too, but I've long ago realized that I don't really care what other people's opinions are because most people have the wrong one about everything.
Nice. I hope you get your game made. What type of game is it? I haven't messed with RayLib, I'll likely use an engine for most of my projects. But as I get better at programming, who knows.
@@MichaelGame_Dev Perhaps I've been watching too much GMTK, but even though I've had an idea of where I want it to go and how I want the gameplay to be a tactical RPG, I may change that as time goes on. I haven't entirely thought out how I want the story to progress, and as I flesh it out more, I may decide that another style of gameplay would fit more than what I had originally thought up. I was thinking that I'd have a world map that shrunk towns as you walked away from them and grew them as you approached, so that by the time you walked into a town it would be full scale with your character, but I'm not sure if that would be disorienting or not. Or should the map be full scale from the start instead of proportional like the earlier RPG's were. I just don't know yet.
Haha, I understand how that goes. One of the big things is to prototype stuff and just make sure it actually works like you think, and possibly even get some feedback. The idea of the city changing size is interesting, I can see it working out or like you say being a bit disorienting. Sounds like an interesting idea to try though!
if you add a blur, spin, or transition that agressive visually every 10 seconds or less, you should consider not making a video but just a regular audio with a fixed image.
