Starting my own Game Development Studio

[EmotionEngine]

Main Goal:
Start my own game indie (small) development studio.
- Create a Hit Game or one that sells decently well
- Hire staff, design and develop another more complicated game (<- This is neverending)

How?
- Before coming back to join this forum I spent hours upon hours learning the C# programming language and a little bit of Unity. Enough to get me started. I figured I just needed to start or I'll enter the tutorial hell loop or "action faking".
- I'll have no staff. I'll be the Programmer, Designer, Artist & Animator. I'll need to hire a music composer for some music down the road. Mostly everything you see I'll do by hand.

My Tools
I purchased a new Acer Nitro 5 Laptop. *Upgraded the RAM to 32 GB.* (It works perfectly using the tools below and has enough horse power for development)
I purchased a Gaomon PD1650 to draw 2D sprites
I bought a license for Aseprite to draw the draw sprites. (It's like Photoshop/Paint but built specifically for the pixel art style and 2D animation.)
I bought a license for Pyxel Edit to do 2d sprite tile sheets. I may not use it but just draw big scrolling backgrounds for this first game.
A free personal license of Unity. If I make a game that gets a $100,000 in revenue then you'll have to pay.

First Project:
A Top down space shooter game like Space Invaders, Ikaruga, and Raiden IV. (Edit: This first project is practice and I'm not selling it.)

I'll post update here in a few minutes of what I did so far.

 

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[EmotionEngine]

First Project:
A retro top down 2D Space Shooter

Behind the Scenes:
I haven't made any design documentation yet and kind of just exploring. I will lay out level designs and scenarios once I actually get a working prototype of a single level. This will take a long time since I'm doing everything alone.

- Fighter Design
All art is by hand. I created a Space Fighter based on modified design of F-22. Took a couple hours or so. Drawing using pixel art style is pretty intense. I limit my palette to about 5 colors per object and 256x256 pixels. Pixel art is all about working with limitations. Many games limit way further than that, like 32x32 pixels or less for objects.


Laser


- Animation
Completed space fighter with animation I'll use when the player turns. I'll reverse it for turning right. I've never animated outside a flipbook or two as a kid, but it's quite difficult. 2D animation requires you to redraw object. I now have even more respect for people like Chuck Jones, Don Bluth, and Glen Keane.
View attachment 62148704288__0B4EC8DC-505D-444D-93FC-6CAD2148E7EB.MOV














This Update
1. Gameplay: Player can move and fire laser.
2. Enemy disappears after taking some damage. (There is a bug though where he dies in 2 shots instead of 4. Need to work that out. I believe it's due to the collision box around the enemy.)
Much work needs to be done. As of last week the player can move the fighter left and right (without proper animation yet) and shoot the laser and destroy an enemy. Here is video of that without visual effects etc.

View attachment fightershooter1.mp4













All of this will be a good learning experience even if I do fail.
More updates to come down the road. It won't be consistent unfortunately.

Next Update (Hopefully)
1. Enemy fire moves and fires at player.
2. Spawn multiple enemies for the player to fight.
3. Enemy fire can take a few hits before being destroyed.

 

[EmotionEngine]

Games are tough business. Good luck!

It sure is. I've worked in game development for nearly 20 years and have seen multi-million dollar businesses fail. Everyone is doing e-commerce and I decided to do something within my wheelhouse.

This is my first attempt at working on my own stuff. Taught myself how to code and do art because it's not my day job within the industry.

I'll be positive about it though. No one thought Stardew Valley would sell 10 million copies either.

 

[Ravens_Shadow]

Games are tough business. Good luck!

 

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[EmotionEngine]

I thought it would be better for me to plan out the development of my game at a high level. Real game studios do this and in greater detail for large projects. ("It's the little things that causes the big things." -MJ DeMarco)

*note this is the style of game I'm going for: Super Star Soldier <- click

 

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[eTox]

In mobile games you either have:
1. $1M upfront investment
2. A versatile team of 5-10 creative developers (artists, programmers, user acquisition and gamedesigners)
3. At least 1 year of time
Or you have nothing.

There is no "I'll make a couple grand to survive". It's not even a red ocean. It's F*cking lava.

Just like any business there are costs of acquisition and they aren't in your favor. The algorithms on platform don't push you forward. Nothing helps you.

What works now is getting a great IP and testing massive amounts of potential game creatives through FB. What ever get's the cheapest CPI (and cheapest I mean ~$3-5 per install) then it's what gets created.

All of you fools on FLF thinking you know shit just by faking action. It cost me 5 years, personal and family bankruptcy, over $100k lost. Just to open my eyes to what other people were telling me. Mind you: I am a software developer, I have great art skills, I know paid user acquisition, I studied in depth game design and I've managed a remote team of devs...

People never learn from others mistakes... never.

Take a real problem you can solve right now, solve it and market it better.

Games are great, but come back when you have the above 3 things in your pocket to lose.

 

[Guest-5ty5s4]

How do you test market fit / demand for an entertainment product like games?
Do you have a plan for advertising and promotion?
I love game development (I've dabbled in Unity for years for fun) but it's one of those things where you can spend years "building" and then find out you don't have something at the end that anyone wants to buy.
If you can overcome or solve that, then you have a fantastic business that you're highly motivated to work on!

 

[EmotionEngine]

How do you test market fit / demand for an entertainment product like games?
Do you have a plan for advertising and promotion?
I love game development (I've dabbled in Unity for years for fun) but it's one of those things where you can spend years "building" and then find out you don't have something at the end that anyone wants to buy.
If you can overcome or solve that, then you have a fantastic business that you're highly motivated to work on!

I’m not in it to get money immediately or fast. I’m doing this to learn the workflow. This space shooter isn’t the one I plan on selling.

I wasn’t clear in my prior post but this is the order I want to go in.

First Project: Learn Unity (Throw Away Game)

Second Project: Design and Develop game I want to eventually sell.

Third Project: Develop Another Game to sell with small staff (an Indie Game Studio)

Second and Third Project will be a game that the market wants. RPG, Sim, Adventure, Casino Game. Those are projects I hope to succeed.

 

[PapaGang]

HEY.
If you're committed, which it seems you are, build that shit. Don't listen to "market is overcrowded" bullshit. It was "overcrowded" when Notch started building his stuff. If there is one thing you can bank on, it is the voracious appetite Americans have for distraction and fantasy. Overcrowded? It's like saying "the music and video market is overcrowded, so why bother making music and movies?"

I for one love what you are doing and admire anyone dedicated enough to learn how to build games and make it a life. C# is no joke.

BTW my kid produces music and just finished a course in designing sound and music for video games. He's got some stuff on Bandcamp and Spotify. If you need help there, just let me know and I can at least give you his contact info.

Best of luck man I'm pulling for you.

 

[EmotionEngine]

Update (8/14/21)

Big pivot. I had an idea for a smaller game while I was making dinner the other day. This project is small in scope and something that requires less art, design and code. I'll still keep all my work on the other project in my Github repository. This will allow me to actually get something done much quicker and let the market react. Then I'll be able to assess reaction and adjust. The goal is to have this done by December 2021 or earlier.

• Shelved prior project.
• Game idea drawn out in my sketch pad.
• Created new Unity Project
• Created new Private Github Repository for this project
• Art: Player and main enemy sprites completed.
• Art: A Prop sprite completed. (This and the above item will require some animation work)

New Project Completion Rate: 2% (estimate)

 

[EmotionEngine]

What's yours going to have that those three don't? Why should I play yours and not those?

The other three don't matter. I'm using them only for reference and cloning aspects.

Why? Here is a quote from one of the worlds most successful programmer:



I will be the only one playing this game. This project is only practice so that I can learn the development framework and dive into how C# is used with the engine for scripting. I outlined this further post #9.

Learning programming isn't like reading a book/video on dropshipping and then execute immediately. Learning the object oriented programming paradigm can take weeks and months and putting it into proper use takes even longer.

What makes this who endeavor tricky is that I'm learning game design, art/animation with this using other programs. I'm a one man game studio. Game development studios (including indie) usually have more than 5 people and each has a separate discpline whether thats focusing on engineering, design, or art. Many of AAA games have hundreds of people and can have over 50 people modifying the source code alone.

 

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[BellaPippin]

The other three don't matter.

No one but me will be playing this game. This project is only practice so that I can learn the development framework and dive into how C# is used with the engine for scripting. I outlined this further post #9.

Learning programming isn't like reading a book/video on dropshipping and then execute immediately. Learning the object oriented programming paradigm can take weeks and months and putting it into proper use takes even longer.

What makes this who endeavor tricky is that I'm learning game design, art/animation with this using other programs. I'm a one man game studio. Game development studios (including indie) usually have more than 5 people and each has a separate discpline whether thats focusing on engineering, design, or art. Many of AAA games have hundreds of people and can have over 50 people modifying the source code alone.

Ah ok. I thought you were going to release it as well. A friend of mine made an indie called Trials of Azra, that one is on Steam. It was a two man thing, took them 2-3 years I think, they worked full time from my friend's garage-made-office room. You should check it out; it's like a metroidvania type game so it has a lot of levels/enemies. I think that took most of the time.
He's doing the same thing now again, but on the side of his job. This one will be only him. If you want an intro maybe you guys can bounce ideas off each other, let me know. For the record he's in London rn.

 

[Andreas Thiel]

I never told anyone to piss off. The thread is mostly of people telling me what NOT to do.

I figure I'll do what I want and there's nothing wrong with that, right? We're all going to be okay.

Like I said earlier, I'll be posting here much less.

Hope you change your mind about posting less. I can see how this is uncomfortable, but you will do fine if you
a) either keep telling people that you mostly want to journal while you figure things out / prove a point and are not looking for feedback
b) or engage in a less defensive way and show that there is more substance than we suspect over time

Forget about details like comments in code ... you will probably change the way you do things 100 times in the near future ... but you might want to take the comments about priorities seriously and come up with a high level plan and do the math. How many hours do you want to invest in each skill? Where do you want to be 2 years from now regarding each skill? When do you want / need to hit the market? ... think: Tesla Master Plan 1 & 2.

 

[EmotionEngine]

Update (8/4/2021)
-The player is able to move the player left and right and the player sprites direction is now fixed via code. No extra art was needed.
- Animation: Idle animation is completed, implemented and working during gameplay. You can see the player breathe when standing idle.
- The player is able to fire their base weapon. (A laser gun) Lasers shoot across the screen in the direction faced and then I implemented code to destroy the objects on timer to save memory.
- Animation: Sprinting animation hooked up and implemented.
- Animation: Base weapon firing animation and projectile implemented and working.

Pushing commit to private Github repository.

Completion Rate: 3.5% (estimate)

Note:
Decided to invest money into a well-respected and reviewed art course to improve skill while I do this. Very affordable and not even $1k. This should improve my 2D skills as I go.

 

[EmotionEngine]

Update (10/11/21)

- Finished sprite art for all game objects. Only a few animations remain such as character states.

To Do:
I started writing the game logic but ran into a hurdle as I tried to mentally wrap my head around how the game would execute. I couldn't really describe my problem but after googling my frustration I ran into information on topic called "design patterns".

"A design pattern is a general repeatable solution to a commonly occurring problem in software design. A design pattern isn't a finished design that can be transformed directly into code. It is a description or template for how to solve a problem that can be used in many different situations."

So now I may have set myself back a little as I learn about design patterns for Unity. This should allow my code to be more readable, perform better and scale more easily as features are added.

Project Completion Rate: 10% (estimate)

 

[BellaPippin]

A Top down space shooter game like Space Invaders, Ikaruga, and Raiden IV.

What's yours going to have that those three don't? Why should I play yours and not those?

 

[eTox]

Games are definitely a tough one. Good luck!

I'd suggest:

- f2p bible
- mobilefreetoplay
- dev2dev
- gamemakers yt channel

If I was starting all of this again I'd focus on opening my eyes and looking really hard into what this business actually entails, unless you want the games to be your hobby

 

[srodrigo]

Your journey reminds me a lot of mine a year and a half ago. I actually made a space shooter similar to Space Invaders but with puzzle mechanics. It took me a month working full time 6-7 days a week. That was the first game I released and was great fun and learning. I really encourage you to carry on with your plan, as game dev is technically challenging and, as you say, it's good to break the ice first with smaller games.

What I'm doing now is to try to make a game a week, to get better at game design, as it's very unlikely to make a good game that you can make money with if you haven't designed a good amount first. It's going to be challenging as I work full-time on a different thing, but 10-15 hours a week should be enough to make a tinny game or prototype I can ship and learn from. I'm going to do this for a few months before I get into any serious project.

Best of luck. I'll be following your thread.

EDIT: Grammar

 

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[Redwolf]

You should consider releasing it on the app stores for free so you can understand the entire process including customer feedback/complaints/compliments/tip jar? Dealing with app stores can be a chore, from what I hear.

p.s. I was a AAA game dev for over 6 years as a 3d environment artist. Now I write C# WPF (MVC-ish, not MVVM = kill myself) and Fat Free Framework PHP for my photography business software.

 

[lowtek]

Update (9/19/2020)

• Enemy fighter is now instantiated and comes down toward the players location. In programming terms: Used C# to make object become visible by giving the variable data to store in memory. The variable is created prior in the SpawnManagement.cs file. The object instantiates at run-time.

Issues:
Having a difficult time with creating enemy waves to produce multiple enemies moving in different patterns. I also have yet to have the enemy fire back at the player. More to come later.

A peek inside the source code:
View attachment 34937

Video Result
View attachment 34935

Some constructive feedback on your coding:

You've written the code with a clear and consistent naming scheme, so I can tell what everything is doing just by reading it (and I don't even know C#).

This means that none of the code you have there needs a comment. It's just wasting your time to write them and it doesn't tell anybody anything useful. The presence of the comments is just visual noise that makes it harder to read what is going on.

The purpose of comments is so that you can comeback to the code later and understand the thought process behind the design of the software. Comments should be used sparingly and should give context as to why something was done the way it was, not what it was doing. This is because well written code will be obvious (as yours is), except at branch points where you have the choice of doing something one way or another. It is at those points that you should drop a comment: "Have to do it X way otherwise we get a bug in Y function".

I won't say to stay away from indie game development, because I think one can make a dent there with the right concept and execution, but I will say to perhaps partner up with someone to do the art. Programming and artistic skills are rarely found in the same person, and trying to do both is just going to exponentially increase your development time. Decide which one you are better at, and find another amateur to partner up with for some early projects and quick wins. If you're dead set on doing the programming, then try to find some free texture packs out there (they exist) and just use those as placeholders. There's no real point in reinventing the art for space invaders when you can just use simple block sprites, or free aliens drawn by some other aspiring artist.

 

[EmotionEngine]

Update (7/27/2021)
[Had a busy month and a half at my rat race job. Now that I have more time I've begun full production on this game. ]

What is it? 2D Action Platformer Game
Inspirations: Metroid, Gunstar Heroes

- Design Document 95% Complete - 2 Pages - Design Pillars, Features, Input Devices, Gameplay Mechanics, Story etc. (Just need to outline milestones and dates)
- Art: Base player sprite finished and is now in the engine. (Sci-fi character)
- Animation: Idle animation for player sprite completed and is now in the engine.
- Coding: The player can move left and right. Unfortunately they always face the same direction. Will fix very soon.

Completion Rate: 2% (estimate)

Notes:
I know a few composers in game industry. I may ask (and pay) for them to write the music or I will learn chip-tune music style myself. I've found the software.

 

[EmotionEngine]

Update (03/26/2021)

I'm still working on my idea for launch next year and learning more and more about game design, coding and my game engine. It's more than likely I may just launch it while working.

Yesterday performance evaluations finished up and I got a overwhelmingly positive review. I was informed I'm getting promoted with a very large pay increase putting me in six-figures-land for the first time in my life. They kind of got me in a Cypher-like moment to return to the Matrix. lol

It's much more easier to get off the script when your company treats you poorly etc. Mine hasn't even before this.



There will be less updates this year but I hope to explode with my project in 10-11 months. I'm not idle in the meantime and anyone who knows me knows that.

 

[LordGanon]

Damn you. With all this work on my new business, I totally neglected my Unity project (being a Viking themed Speedball clone for mobile). Now I gotta make time for that.

 

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[EmotionEngine]

Update (9/19/2020)

• Enemy fighter is now instantiated and comes down toward the players location. In programming terms: Used C# to make object become visible by giving the variable data to store in memory. The variable is created prior in the SpawnManagement.cs file. The object instantiates at run-time.

Issues:
Having a difficult time with creating enemy waves to produce multiple enemies moving in different patterns. I also have yet to have the enemy fire back at the player. More to come later.

A peek inside the source code:


Video Result:
View attachment enemy_movement.mp4

 

[EmotionEngine]

This seems like a good way to learn, but the main thing I gathered from TMF was that “building” is less important than “finishing” and/or selling. I guess if this is a hobby, that’s different. But it does not sound like a business.

You're not building software in one go, sorry. You can't go from not knowing any frameworks or languages to building something competitive immediately.

I've been in the game industry for nearly 20 years for my day job and I know this for a FACT. Even Zuckerberg knew a web stack before making Facebook and he did other websites before that. John Carmack developed other software including a Mario 3 clone before developing Wolfenstien and Doom.

I created this thread mostly keep accountable to the process, outlined in Post #9.

 

[EmotionEngine]

Is the idea to have "patterned" behavior like Space Invaders, where each level plays out in essentially the same pattern each time, other than the player's input?

Are you designing/coding each level in Unity? Or do you have a file format for them (or the ability to export one), a YAML or human-readable plain text that can be loaded, perhaps even at runtime, to add a level to the game?

A nice tight "level file" format might make level designs quicker in the long run. Plus you could generate levels by algorithm, add levels for players without a software update, or open up modding.

Same pattern for both levels. The background/world won't matter since it will be a scrolling loop. I'll go deeper on future projects. This one won't be for sale, but the next ones probably will.

 

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[srodrigo]

Mmm I'm sorry if I sound like the bad guy, but indie game is such a over crowded market, ( every week ten indie games are published on steam ), too much competitors, I think you are trying to make fit your love with videogames whit the fastlane road, be honest with yourself and analyze the options objectively, Good luck .

10 indie games published on Steam every week is an over crowded market? What do you call writing books, making music, etc., then?

 

[Andreas Thiel]

I would love to simply bash the naysayers, but I feel a disturbance in the force as well.

You have great sources of inspiration and are pragmatic about things, but some of the red flags:
- Spending hours on a sprite for the project. I'd feel better if you'd just worry about the code aspects and render simple quads first ... or concentrate on asset creation.
- You have been in the industry for 20 years ... as something. But no relevant experience with programming or asset creation!? Somehow the terminology you use seems amateurish at times.
- No concrete plans for the first commercial projects (many genres are on the table ... but maybe you just don't want to reveal too much?). I am worried about motivation / drive. How much does the desire to create something awesome really burn?
- The list of tasks for the sandbox project seemed somewhat naive. It is not that you can't do it, but you probably have some knowledge which gives you a false sense of security.
- A lot of interests. Mostly a good sign, but there should be clearer priorities.
- You seem to follow tutorials without getting to the bottom of things. Just learning about the high level challenges won't get you to a point where you can tackle the more difficult challenges.

I sure hope we can watch how you conquer all those challenges. I might be wrong and read something into the posts that isn't there.

Just my opinion:
- The simple project idea is probably a good one. Don't go from sandbox project directly to the RPG game. Think flappy bird first. Gamedev communities suggest: text adventure game, then clone Tetris, then Breakout, then a scroller etc.
- To get the indie marketing right, get involved in the community game early. Follow indies and think about what kind of project it would take to get followers / likes.

 

[EmotionEngine]

Some constructive feedback on your coding:

You've written the code with a clear and consistent naming scheme, so I can tell what everything is doing just by reading it (and I don't even know C#).

This means that none of the code you have there needs a comment. It's just wasting your time to write them and it doesn't tell anybody anything useful. The presence of the comments is just visual noise that makes it harder to read what is going on.

The purpose of comments can differ from individuals. I use them like bookmarks at times and others not. One engineer says if your code is written well, you won't need comments. Others say the opposite and I know quite a few game engineers in games. One specifically told me the amount I have learned in a short period time even shames some of the people he has interviewed and loves my dedication. I have over 2500 hours of logged (kanban) hours of learning in a few years. A rarity by most individuals who aren't blowing time on Netflix.

The purpose of comments is so that you can comeback to the code later and understand the thought process behind the design of the software. Comments should be used sparingly and should give context as to why something was done the way it was, not what it was doing. This is because well written code will be obvious (as yours is), except at branch points where you have the choice of doing something one way or another. It is at those points that you should drop a comment: "Have to do it X way otherwise we get a bug in Y function".

Thanks I do know that. You can't determine everything I've written in a screenshot for an application that is spread across multiple files.

I won't say to stay away from indie game development, because I think one can make a dent there with the right concept and execution, but I will say to perhaps partner up with someone to do the art.

I'd rather learn enough art to create most of my own assets and have full ownership, even if it takes some time. I don't want to buy assets or use too many free ones.

Programming and artistic skills are rarely found in the same person,

Not true. I know a few artists who learned to code and have built things from scripts in Maya to their own games.

and trying to do both is just going to exponentially increase your development time.

Time I gladly spend. Most tasks of value take time.

Decide which one you are better at, and find another amateur to partner up with for some early projects and quick wins. If you're dead set on doing the programming, then try to find some free texture packs out there (they exist)

I already mentioned in a previous post I used www.poliigon.com I guess I was too stupid to figure that out.

and just use those as placeholders. There's no real point in reinventing the art for space invaders when you can just use simple block sprites, or free aliens drawn by some other aspiring artist.

I'm not creating "space invaders" for the sake of making it, nor is the first application meant to be sold but used for learning. I actually posted my intentions multiple times in responses. Unsure why the first thing I've posted must be something I'm making money on ASAP. Not even Unscripted supports rushing into things quickly for the sake of a dollar. It accounts for learning and MJ even mentions "Udemy" in the book. Something of this scope takes time.

 

[csalvato]

The purpose of comments can differ from individuals. I use them like bookmarks at times and others not. One engineer says if your code is written well, you won't need comments. Others say the opposite and I know quite a few game engineers in games. One specifically told me the amount I have learned in a short period time even shames some of the people he has interviewed and loves my dedication. I have over 2500 hours of logged (kanban) hours of learning in a few years. A rarity by most individuals who aren't blowing time on Netflix.

Thanks I do know that. You can't determine everything I've written in a screenshot for an application that is spread across multiple files.

I'd rather learn enough art to create most of my own assets and have full ownership, even if it takes some time. I don't want to buy assets or use too many free ones.


Not true. I know a few artists who learned to code and have built things from scripts in Maya to their own games.

Time I gladly spend. Most tasks of value take time.

I already mentioned in a previous post I used www.poliigon.com I guess I was too stupid to figure that out.

I'm not creating "space invaders" for the sake of making it, nor is the first application meant to be sold but used for learning. I actually posted my intentions multiple times in responses. Unsure why the first thing I've posted must be something I'm making money on ASAP. Not even Unscripted supports rushing into things quickly for the sake of a dollar. It accounts for learning and MJ even mentions "Udemy" in the book. Something of this scope takes time.

Lol @lowtek it appears he doesn’t want your opinion