Do you find game development fun?

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by Xapped, Oct 10, 2011.

  1. Xapped

    Xapped Well-Known Member

    Oct 12, 2010
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    Personally, sometimes I feel it's a grind (especially when starting on a new project). I tend to lose motivation and procrastinate. It's different from before when I was excited and wanted to add features to my game and stuff.

    It's not a case of having nothing on screen, more of "this is like a boring job".

    What are your experiences? Should I look for something else?
     
  2. kohjingyu

    kohjingyu Well-Known Member

    Mar 20, 2009
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    Student/Developer
    Singapore
    I definitely find it fun. It's more of a hobby than a job though, seeing as I'm still in school.

    It might become a grind after a while, but it's an inverted bell curve. Starting and ends are always fun, but the middle may not be the best experience.
     
  3. Moonjump

    Moonjump Well-Known Member

    May 17, 2010
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    Lincoln, UK
    There is a lot of grind in game development, but there are also really enjoyable moments.

    For example I was struggling for more than a week with programming a number of different game elements that were dependant on each other. I didn't know where to start, but I'm now working my way through them and had a great moment last night when I had something new moving around the screen and looked better than I was expecting.

    Only you can answer the question of if you should look for something else, but if you are not enjoying it at all, the answer is probably yes. If you are still in the early stages of learning and it still feels too much, then it will get better, but you need to find at least something to make it enjoyable otherwise you will never get to the point where it feels like everything is coming together.
     
  4. Aztlan.Games

    Aztlan.Games Well-Known Member

    I find that development is a very rewarding activity. Despite being creative throughout development itstelf, it is very enjoyable to see a project bear fruit when it is finally released on the App Store.

    I have managed to minimize grinding by doing a lot of offline planning for my projects. So sometimes it boils down to working my way through a todo-list and every item that I check and mark "done" is a tiny reward in itself.
     
  5. executionunit

    executionunit Member

    Jul 20, 2010
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    Indie Game Develoepr
    London, UK
    After many many years of this I find the whole process a complete grind until I get feedback from people, then I get to see how amazing (or not) my work is.

    The thing that keeps me going is I'm stubborn, almost every element of making a game has some fun element but most of it is grind and when someone says they liked playing my game it's the biggest rush you could have.

    I spent a few years making websites for myself and clients. It's a lot easier, quicker and instantly rewarding. It lacks any serious endeavour though so I went back to making games.
     
  6. ImStrapped

    ImStrapped Well-Known Member

    Mar 1, 2011
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    I think we have different stages. Fun, boring then fun again! But overall, game development is a blast for us...everytime! Seeing those ideas come to life, OMG is it exciting. But then again, there are some draggy, boring and even frustrating days. I refuse to believe that no one else has 'em at one point or another.
     
  7. rou

    rou Active Member

    Oct 10, 2011
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    Lead programmer @ Gamebrausch
    Hamburg, Germany
    Short answer: Yes.

    Long answer: It depends ;)

    I am currently working with a very small group of people on some iOS games. Actually our core team is just me (as the coder) and a colleague (graphics artist). We develop the ideas together and since we have a pretty similar sense of humor, we often have very creative and entertaining sessions. In addition to that, we work pretty focussed. So there is little overhead and you barely ever have discussions - that's what usually happens when too many people are in charge at the same time. So yeah, I'm having a great time. Hey, two weeks ago we actually made a C64-look retro game in 48 hours, just because we wanted to. Now that was fun! :) Okay, okay, sometimes you get frustrated over something as in every job, but in general I enjoy what I do. I just hope that we will actually earn enough money with it to be able to go on. Otherwise I'd have to go back into a dull job as I used to do.

    rou
     
  8. headcaseGames

    headcaseGames Well-Known Member

    Jun 26, 2009
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    Mobile Game Developer
    Hollywood, CA
    ha, good topic!

    Yes, I find this extremely enjoyable, through most parts of the process. but like some have said, there can certainly be times when it is a drag. And there can be times when you wish it was only a drag! I've had experiences where things have happened which have truly made me want to tear all of my hair out - never enough to throw in the towel, but arrrgh yeah.

    Overall, I enjoyed working in big studio development for several years but that started getting really demoralizing as time wore on. I just really like being able to trust my own instincts/call the shots when I am producing personal projects, and it is extremely gratifying when good things happen (features, satisfied reviews, etc). Now if I can somehow turn it around and make a living doing it then there will be nothing left to complain about--
     
  9. Xapped

    Xapped Well-Known Member

    Oct 12, 2010
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    #9 Xapped, Oct 11, 2011
    Last edited: Oct 11, 2011
    Thank for the responses! I find it enjoyable when I finish my game and see people playing it / leaving comments, but not really when making it. Especially when all you are doing is making stuff move and clickable and make it trigger more stuff.

    ("extremely enjoyable"? You'd rather make games compared to playing something?)
     
  10. mr.Ugly

    mr.Ugly Well-Known Member

    Dec 1, 2009
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    Berlin, Germany
    in the end its work.. no matter what job .. there is always times that are boring and dragging no matter..

    but if its too dragging and to annoying rather search for something else..

    having some alternatives at your disposal is always good in life.. :)
     
  11. headcaseGames

    headcaseGames Well-Known Member

    Jun 26, 2009
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    Mobile Game Developer
    Hollywood, CA
    oh hell ya. I've played enough games by now (crappy statement, more like "I've played enough of what's being done already, waiting for something drastically different/novel") and the challenge/problem-solving of development is more like a "game" to me..

    To tell you the truth I hardly play much of anything at all anymore, barely have purchased 10 games between 360/PS3/Wii this gen, and probably pick up ~20 iOS titles a year, 5 of which might actually "stick" with me.
     
  12. mr.Ugly

    mr.Ugly Well-Known Member

    Dec 1, 2009
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    Berlin, Germany
    thoose are pretty low numbers.. 10 games across 3 platforms that are around 5 years old.. thats actualy pretty much nothing.. you missed alot of good games..

    and itunes tells me i have 600+ games o_O not that i remember many of them..
    alot of noise in the big iOS sea
     
  13. headcaseGames

    headcaseGames Well-Known Member

    Jun 26, 2009
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    Mobile Game Developer
    Hollywood, CA
    I didn't say that games aren't good, just not enough to get me personally excited to shell out anymore like they used to. I don't play FPS, I don't play strategy games, I could give two craps about 3D open world games :p I think the only console games I've "really enjoyed" in the past few years were Portal & Uncharted (first of both). When I worked in console I'd usually pick up games relevant to what I worked on, otherwise I just kind of stick with the old-school stuff.

    On iOS, all I play is my own game and Drop7 for the most part, with the odd other game that might come in and captivate me here and there. I just prefer to actually make stuff I guess.
     
  14. Xapped

    Xapped Well-Known Member

    Oct 12, 2010
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    That's still playing games :p
     
  15. headcaseGames

    headcaseGames Well-Known Member

    Jun 26, 2009
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    Mobile Game Developer
    Hollywood, CA
    I didn't say "I never ever play games" - just not with the same rabid insatiable ferocity that I used to
     
  16. BravadoWaffle

    BravadoWaffle Well-Known Member

    Sep 25, 2010
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    Game Designer
    I find myself in the same situation. I hardly play games either anymore. I find that there aren't that many that captivate me like they used to. I do find that the old school games are what appeal to me as well. Games with more fun and less flash. More creativity and less violence as a crutch.

    Last game I actually played to the end and enjoyed was Portal.

    Game development is my way of rediscovering what I love about games and making games I actually want to play. I certainly hope that with the new iOS 5 update, we get to see a lot more online turn based games that you can play with friends. Those are right up my alley.
     
  17. Ovogame

    Ovogame Well-Known Member

    Sep 25, 2010
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    Game Developer
    Morestel, France
    I have been a pro game dev all my life (I'm 40 now) and I can't see myself doing anything else. I'm as exited now than I was 26 years ago when I started learning programming. But, the true is that game creation is a long process and there are always time when I get depress or tired about a game. My longuest (solo indie) game was Anka (15 months full time), you do need a lot of strenght to carry own working like that on your own. Usually, I spend a lot of time (too much actually) thinking about my next project (I start a lot of small prototype that I can cancel if I need too). I'm currently in that process and this is really scary to see the weeks goes by and not having settled on my new game. But I think it is the best solution because when I really start a new project for real, it actually end-up being released (and I do enjoy very much making progress on the game). To conclude, yes do find development fun, but that because I am spending a lot of time being sure that I am working on the right game (I like making it and I think it will succeed).

    JC
     
  18. Luke Kellett

    Luke Kellett Well-Known Member

    Jun 7, 2011
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    Indie iPhone Game Developer
    Melbourne, Australia
    Me too!! Until my Xbox suffered the 3 red rings of death :-(

    I think working like this is what makes all the difference for a number of reasons:
    • Breaking things down to their smallest possible taks, makes them quicker to finish and thus quicker to get a win!
    • Without a good list of prioritised tasks, it's too easy to loose track of the project scope and run into the dreaded scope creap
    • If everything is planned out well, you have the whole picture and it's easy to see whats done, whats left

    Personally I break these tasks down the agile way into stories, iterations and releases. Essentially grouping the tasks into deliverable/testable versions of the game.

    So this way it doesn't take months to get something out to your testers. It's all about efficiency here, you gotta keep the momentum. Because if you loose it then it gets harder to get going again. Do it a few times and you've got some serious issues with your project!

    Oh and to answer the original question, do I find game development fun? Hell yeah! It's a buzz, and sure beats writing financial software!!!
     
  19. rou

    rou Active Member

    Oct 10, 2011
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    Lead programmer @ Gamebrausch
    Hamburg, Germany
    I find a lot of motivation in that as well - the feedback I mean. A lot of the work in our last project was done in a hacker's space where we could actually test our ideas, prototypes and later the game itself with several people. Sometimes we had a whole crowd around us who just enjoyed our ideas. That gave me a lot of energy and I felt conformed that what I do is not completely senseless. If only the sales numbers would tell the same ;)

    Of course! Everyone does. Sometimes I don't have any motivation to do anything. But then I just don't. I am free in managing my time of work, so if I have a bad day, I do something else like spend the day with my family or my dog :) Working without any fun or motivation is rarely ever productive. I take the time off and the next day I get twice as much done. That's kind of my philosophy. But that also means that sometimes you go to bed for five minutes just to get back up because you have a great idea and stay up half the night writing it down :) Still so much better than a regular 9 to 5.

    rou
     
  20. mr.Ugly

    mr.Ugly Well-Known Member

    Dec 1, 2009
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    Berlin, Germany
    well sounds like a very narrow view on games in general..

    and definatly missing alot of gems coming and going on various platforms..

    that excitement about game released fades over time is normal and is part of age and shifting interest.. we are not teenies more going completly bonkers over the release of game x or y..

    but loosing interest in general gaming actualy is a bad sign for every game designer..

    its like a cook stopping to try out new stuff and just eating his own shallow food and sticking to his ancient receipts..

    no one forces one to beat every game but i can't see a serious designer can not be interested to play other games.. again i rather see that as a bad sign..

    there is so much more variety in games nowerdays than there ever was before and that surely not because the hundreds retro clone

    nostalgia is a nice way to fog memories of boring and dull gameplay.. and to turn them into something special, not because they where from a design standpoint but because you made them something special for yourself

    reminds me of the rush to buy all my old favourites on virtual console when they came out.. just to be reminded more than once that some things should be rather left in the past, where the memories can shine..

    @luke:

    some good tips. breaking down your design & work into smaller bits allows you to just be more flexible.. and if neccessary , leave some features, content etc. out.. slimming down is not always a bad choice.
     

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