Why You're Not Making Progress In Game Dev 

I just had a conversation with my wife about this. I told her I was dealing with some very strong emotions of not being able to keep working because I felt all alone and judged by people who only saw me post things every few months with little to no visible progress. I'm doing everything with this project except the music which is being done by one of my musically inclined brothers. I tried getting someone else to have a meeting with me (online or IRL) for brainstorming certain aspects and for a while, they were doing that. Now it seems they don't want any part of it at all. That cuts deep because in my mind, I know this person, and I know they're a really intelligent individual with tastes similar to mine and that they are very good at objective thinking as well. It makes me feel like the project isn't going to do well with it's intended audience when something like that happens. (It's going to be a game geared toward more mature individuals, not really young kids). I told my wife about this, and she told me that it's mine. It's my vision. It's my project. It's my business I'm trying to build from the bottom up. She said not to worry about people judging me about lack of updates because they're not the ones working their butts off to try and make this happen. They're not the ones trying to make a business for themselves out of this. They're not trying to leave the typical labor job to pursue their own endeavors. They're out there being life's spectators. Working that 9-5, often living paycheck to paycheck, with nowhere else to seemingly look toward for the future. So in this conversation with her, I learned that I do have someone...her. She's looking to me to make this happen. She's being supportive as well as she can while I do this. She believes I can do this even when I can't. Another thing that was brought up was that every job I've been to, when I tell them what I want to do with my life, they always ask me why the hell I'm even there if that's the direction I want to go with my life...why a person "as smart as I am" would ever be in a factory...or a truck driving business...or fast food...etc. These people also believe(d) in me even though I just couldn't see myself bringing something this big to fruition. So yeah, I really love your videos and how encouraging they are. Even when I feel all alone, desperate, with no way out, and buried under a 5 ton scrap heap, whenever you upload a video that's uplifting, it really helps out a lot. This "face to face" really is invaluable. Thank you.

There are many people wanting to make a game, but only ones with enough fortitude can finish it.

Being an indie developer alone is depressing for me, but I still do it because it’s what I wanted to do for a long time.

To everyone reading this including Tim. Sometimes you just need a little break. The more demanding your project, the more intense the thing you are trying to do and more grand it is the more it will drain you. We all wish we could just flip a switch and learn a new language, commit to a diet, or do any number of things like finish a game. It is not that simple, not for anyone. We all burn out, accept it. If we were robots we would be incapable of making a game. So take solace in the fact you are falible and human. Take a break, do some jumping jacks, eat some quality food, get some sun. Be healthy for a bit, you need to be in good health to take on the grind of gamedev.

Lack of motivation and momentum is just so real. Many times not only that but I also get overwhelmed at all the work I have to do or should be doing. Even if it's updating an already successful game where I know it will make me more money, I still get in the pits and can't get moving. That said, I'm happy to see that during this pandemic my games are being played and enjoyed by people all over the world more then ever. This helps to be a little fuel for me to keep on going.

I'm binge watching your vids while working, thank you for sharing your experiences and insights, GOD bless you.

Good video Tim, it really resonated with me. Keep going, keep the faith, work hard, don't stop, push you self as hard as you possibly can, press your mind past the lows, push through them, you can definately do it! You have what it takes for sure. 👍👍👍 The smooth(er) sailing of space awaits!

I keep loosing courage but hearing you say “the world needs indie games” really have my idea purpose. I appreciate your real DTE approach to this.

if you want to progress better : first : decrease your social network communication ( RU-vid, twitch, discord, ...) second : have at least 20 to 40 books ( based on your needs ) and put them in a daily reading schedule third : have a second job ( part-time ) fourth : workout at least twice a week for 1 hour under the sunlight fifth : increase your knowledge in other science fields sixth : prepare yourself for other projects ( unrelated to game dev ) in your career seventh : be optimistic about the future eighth : let the time to solve some problems ninth : sleep 8 hours in nights and wake up around 7 AM and again sleep for about 3 hours from 4 to 7 PM tenth : listen to music, watch movies and series, play games, watch documentaries, go on a trip, ... and during these activities have a notebook with yourself and write whatever ideas you can get from them in it ...

Being a depressive wanabee indie gamedev who is floundering in a boring dayjob ... This rings bells. I can only hope someday I'll get the momentum. I won't hit the bottom of the bank account, but I'm seriously mining my sanity. So that ain't no perfect solution either. But it pays bills, including psychologist ... Thanks for talking about it and not making a taboo out of it. Support to all folks stuck in these kind of situations.

I think nearly all of indie devs and entrepreneurs who working with small team or alone is feels that before. I’m totally understanding this situation, I had experienced before too. Idk who reading this but, My advice is; Trust yourself. You don’t have to be same like today you been, always hope is in there, in your heart. Love you all developing community. Take care!

lol So relatable. Those bank account checks. Life is a comedic disaster sometimes. Thanks for sharing these real stories. I've been wrestling through those mid-project blues for ages now while working on my first commercial and multi-year game. It's been a long, hard road and I've def made mistakes from inexperience. It didn't have to be this difficult, but experience is learned by doing. And that's why I'm going to push through, publish my first commercial game, and keep on making games but with experience behind them. Let's be multi-game developers!

i feel you brother .. making games for years and yet to even finish a gamejam due to my shiny object syndrome you've mentioned previously. You have some great accomplishments under your belt mate so don't be too hard on your self, just have to soldier on ride the ups and downs until you figure out a way to to be in that golden mind frame (for lack of better words) more often i guess. Anyways thanks for vids been watchin your channel for age's and your raw honesty makes it a notch above every other indy dev channel tbh . *realizes i'm ramboling on* lol ..wish you nothing but good fortune my friend. peace

Working on a Doom mod for 6 years. Six fucking years (Technically first 3-4 on-and-off years involved redesign and starting from scratch. Only released a 3 map demo in April last year). This is due to lack of direction. Doom mod, improve/learn UE4 blueprints, back to Doom mod, back to learning UE4 C++, Doom mod, Improve 3D modelling skills, improve texturing, play games, watch movies, get ideas for Doom mod, scrap a lot of maps due to inconsistent style. Lie down, try not to cry, cry a lot. I've now returned to the mod again (of course everything from the demo was scrapped yet again though kept a few ideas and assets). If I don't pull up my socks, this might very well be another Duke Nukem Forever situation.

Phew, I know man. For me it feels like running across a bed of hot coals. The short sprint across is fine and you can persevere, but as you look onward you see a sea of it, which become an ocean of it. You keep moving trying to push through but then you start to succumb and end up in the very place you speak about. It just sucks. Then for a short time I'm just stuck not knowing how to move forward, fear of failure, not knowing the right direction to take, etc. Then you get tried of being in this place and you flex and burst through taking with you those experiences you gain from the last time, each time with a little bit more momentum, a little bit more wisdom (applied knowledge) and you are able to get a little bit further. You will get stuck again and again until eventually you get to your end goals. It just seems to be the way it is. Those that we hear/read about are the ones that just kept moving and push through until the end. The thing we must remember is that the "end" is just an artificial boundary we set for ourselves. What now after we reach it? We can not see past what we don't understand and we must have an enlightened mind. Change comes about through your experiences you have and those experiences from the choices we make. It's all about the journey (the tapestry upon which we learn and grow) and the choice & experience (the mechanism that drives the journey, moving life forward). So it seems as if it's just part of the "equation of life" and we have to continually solve it in order to move forward.

I feel ya tim. I keep getting distracted and discouraged. I am 8 months in on a game and man is it tough to stay on point. Keep it up man. Gonna get back to work.

Great video Tim. I am having issues with progress right now on my flagship title. With Covid and having young ones it caused a big delay, and at times getting back into it is causing this crippling and paralyzing anxiety. Yet, once I start doing it, I get hooked obsessed the rest of the night. Then, the next day rinse and repeat. Not 100% the same as feeling stuck when you are actually actively working on it, but I'm sure we've all felt this way! It probably stems for me from "Am I really going to make such a difference in this little of available time?" instead of me taking it an hour at a time like I did earlier this year. Anyways, keep on doing your thing!

I made the mistake of trying to create my masterpiece doing my first game, but also told myself I wouldn't give up. It's a long process, but I try to take it bites at a time. I feel accomplished if i complete at least one or two tasks per day. I try to look at is as a bunch of games within the game that I have to complete.

Impractical Jokers ... Popular show so popular I got Sal's face as my avatar! What many don't know is all the "failures" they had before they did IJ. The key to their success was finding that niche where they just shinned! They're comedians but they're not the best or worse there is and in fact I would consider each one mediocre. But for some reason when they come together and just be themselves in their show man it is magic. I LOVE IMPRACTICAL JOKERS! They did spin off projects after getting famous and most of them failed. It was because the formula was not their niche. Think about musicians they have a genre they excel in but they can't do as well singing any song in any genre but when they stay in their lane, their niche they do so well and people love them for it. What I'm saying is I think you will find your niche in game development. It could be a style you develop that people love, it could be a game play genre that you will excel in where people just gravitate to your personal take or it could be advertisement like maybe you would love to run a publishing company just for indi developers. When you find your niche you would know and that's your space, your frictionless momentum you where looking for.

Bro, I like the gas part :-) That, was haaalarious! Keep trucking man.

What a video Tim. I'm passing for a hard time, but even thoug, i've lauched my first game. It was not a success but I don't care! I'm working on my second, an then on the third, the fourth, until I can hire a team and maintain bigger projects. I always wanted to work as a game developer, and now that I can I WILL NOT GIVE UP! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. You really don't know how helpful it is for us.

This video is just what I needed Tim. Same goes for the stories in the comments. Thanks everyone!

I think there is some kind of philosophically question in the room for every "artist". If you are not succesful for what ever reason, while going full time for your thing or at least are willing to accept cutbacks in your life, where you have to decide if you are still keep trying/doing or if you take a break or change prioritys. Everyone has to answer this question for them self. I am in this situation now too. I kinda tried too long to make several "companys" work as well. There is a fair chance if I keep going like this that I will loose too much, not to say everything. So I feel like I am forced to go a safer road for the moment (nobody knows how long "moment" is). But at the same time you are forced to leave your track and invest time in things you don't want to. That is a very frustrating feeling. Because it feels like, if you can not do it in full time, how the hell are you supposed to be succesful with just 1/4 of your time. This is a weird situation, but in my case I think I got lucky, that I have a person keep telling me that I have to alter the course, even when it does not feel like beeing lucky because its not the thing I want to hear, even if a small rational part of my mind knows it is some kind of "the best" (what ever this is). I hope for everyone who can relate a little to what I was saying that you guys stay focused but still are able to see the line. I have been told the line is where you are making heavy cutbacks of the basics in your life for a thing that is not in your control for most of the time. And this is again, where the philosophically point of view kicks in. You all know people who talks big time just about this spot, to go beyond that, only that does make a succesful person. In my opinion, to follow this advice could lead to tremendous damage sometimes. Good luck and health to all of you.

Some people will say I am overstepping this but I say this with 100% seriousness. The story of Tim Ruswick will be one of the greatest success stories in indie dev. He doesn't even know. Mark me

Jesus, that's crazy. Glad things got better.

I find it hard to get momentum when I don't no what direction to move in. I'm a bit stuck in multipotentiality. But I have time. Yeet.

We believe in you!

morty, i turned myself into a game dev. I'M GAME DEV RIIIIIICK!

You’re my favorite RU-vidr to listen to talk

Have been moving to a new place past week. Could not do any gamedev. So i cant wait to pick up speed again next week!

Your videos are always motivational. Thank you.

Get to work! #FinishIt

great videos man

I am stcuk now after i learned alot of godot basics, so far i consider myself i learned the basics that enables me to build whatever logic i need, who needs more than signals groups collision and autoloads to build anything, but i have no idea where to start

The relation is real, bro. Thanks for the video, Tim.

I feel ya brother

completes your dev circle, and "think outside of the box"

Hey Tim, you have a video where you talk about Just In Time knowledge as opposed to Just In Case knowledge. I need to reference it but I can not find it anywhere. Do you by chance remember what video it is? I have no context for when you posted it :(

4:00 i feel the fucking same it's a bitch trying to run a company not to menchen a solo game company just wanting to not worry about work or any bills this day and age is forced debt slavery

I'm in the same boat except that my knowledge of c# is very low. I can find youtube channels to get that knowledge for example; how to do inventory system in unity or mecnaim, etc. I feel stuck bc I don't want to watch the tutorials and basically copy and paste their work. Ive asked several of these channels and they say to just change some of the code to show i worked on it on my own. I havent even finish one game on my own. I buy books for unity and c# all the time. I feel like I start over and over. I can diet successfully before being able to finish one game.

I need to gain the momentum

Thanks, Tim. That was a good video

You are in the last 20%. You are so close, keep going.

dam you pritey much spoke about my life just now!!

You can't because gas is expensive... LOL great video man

My biggest problem when it comes to progress is I run into a problem i cant solve, I leave the alone for a couple days, focus on something else in the game until i come up with solutions. It works but when its a problem must be done inorder to move on...its LIKE AAAAHHHHH!!!! then I feel like shit 😂. (I don't even know how to contextualized my problem 😂😂) If anybody has an idea about how to manipulate a layer so that i can zoom in on a tilemap in construct 2. That would be appreciated😁😁

I've been feeling like that the past week, I was doing dailys for a while and doing a lot of self help stuff (which I believe in btw) but now i haven't shared anything for a week and just want to do simple stuff like go out for walks around the neighborhood and binge watch RadBrad play games like The Last Of Us 2 and Borderlands 3, now I'm trying to figure out why I've been losing my mojo.

Please use my patreon subscription for sandwiches as often as possible. Just think of me when you order your sandwich, and then make them add black pepper to enforce our par asocial relationship.

If you feel like your not making progress, have you tried buying stuff? Always makes me feel I'm making progress.

Hi Tim! Nice beard, thanks for your share.

Because I am f*ck*ng lazy and call it CRUNCH P.s.: Been there, did that. Not gonna think about this time yet. P.p.s.: You're doing good. Following for like a year or two. P.p.p.s.: It's because, even if it looks like for some, we're not working in a comfort zone.

plus, edmund did not do it alone

My tip: Experiment first. Set a deadline of max of a week and then you need to have a finished prototype!

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y didn't u eat the dog? problem solved

Post Malone makes games?