Here is some advice from someone who made many games, find an old game you really liked, and see if there is anything like it released. If not you have your dream game with potential of success. Honestly guys, it's very hard to force yourself to make something because it's the right genre, or a popular topic. It is much easier to work on a game that you feel like is missing from the market.
It's not fair at 4:30 to compare these successful games with all the other ones because what they do and what everyone else does isn't the same thing, so we shouldn't expect the same result. Stardew was an okay game with a great music while keeping every other part of it at least passable, in the farming sim niche which was (and still is) lacking games of above average quality. Whereas what the newer "developers" make is some 2D or 3D platformer that is absolutely horrendous in every aspect, terrible graphics, no sound, barebones UI, extremely simple level design and so on. And then they blame it on marketing or something when their game doesn't get any kind of traction when it never had a reason to, in a completely oversaturated genre where they can't even make one part of the game passable. Again, it's misleading to compare successful games with all the other ones when they're not doing the same thing to begin with. We're not saying "you should expect your first job to be terrible, not everyone is a doctor or whatever" when not everyone is even trying to be a doctor, so in this case it's quite obvious that we get different results when we do different things, so why isn't that the same with games?
Very good advice. I wanted him to say, "If you want to make money, focus on building your team." If you have an idea you love, see if you can get help making it. Especially from people with complementary talents. A team of 2 will typically make a product that is much more than twice as good, and much more quickly. And more help is better, up to a point. You probably have to agree to some kind of revenue-sharing, but a product that is twice as good should make more than twice the money. I think the reasons there are a lot of poor games out there that don't sell is 1) it's a poor idea to star with, and 2) not high enough quality because it's made by a team of 1-2. And if nobody wants to work on your game, that might tell you something about the idea as well.
From what I've seen on forums over the past several years, professionals usually don't work for free, and if they're paid, they'll work even if they don't like the idea. Some non-professionals may work on other people's ideas for free, just for the sake of interacting with others and building relations, until they get bored. I agree about 1), most ideas suck, I have over 100 ideas and only few of them I feel have potential for big success. About 2), the quality problem is not because of the size of the team, but because of the skills of the team. Gamvedev is a very complex matter, requiring a whole bag of skills, each of which requires years of study and practice.
Let's not forget the one thing that has been miscommunicated and everything you don't have to have a studio to do any of this. You can very well do it by yourself or with a group of people and pay them or give them a small cut of the sales and that's it. No one has to go into debt you may not have you don't have to lose a business a studio and lose everything to a giant corporation like EA or Ubisoft or something like that. Everything you make can be 100% yours.
Every genre that you got passion or understand lot is better starting point than something that bores you or a genre that you have never played. The biggest problem could be the high cost of animations, detailed 3d models, voice actors, music, ... etc. To coordinate all that could be at the beginning overwhelming for most beginners. A good advise, take paper and write down your concept and all assets that would be needed for the project. Draw a storyboard like filmmakers do with scenes and dialoges. Ask friends what they think about the story (it's like reading a comic), change boring parts till your storyboard is good. After that you can start to make your game that is mostly storydriven. ^^
is it doable? ive been struggling with this forever. "small scope with fun game loop" at this point i would literally pay someone a good chunk of money to give me a great idea. if someone had told me to make mini metro before it came out, that advice alone would be worth thousands of dollars at least if i knew it was advice to be heeded
You do realize the fallacy in your reasoning. The solution to competing against the 18000 games released on steam in 2024 is NOT to release more small crappy games. 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️instead focus on finding your genre and carve out a niche by delivering quality over quantity. Can't do it without money? Yeah guess what - that is how business works. I am so tired of everyone & their grandmother defining themselves as game devs and releasing shovelware like its candy and then the industry complains its "hard to be seen". And then they all make youtube videos explaining how to be succesful at releasing [5] shovelware games per year to make 30k in sales.
They're not saying release garbage, they're saying to make smaller, shorter games that don't take as much time to develop and thus are less risky and less likely to bankrupt your studio
@@dobrx6199 Smaller games have more competition and it's much easier for another developer to remake the game in a better way. It's just a matter of time before someone watching this channel goes "oh you made Unicycle Pizza Time in a month, well I can make it much better in two months and advertise to the same audience". There's more risk when it comes to competition, but is less risky if the developers aren't confident in their ability to see a large project through to the end and actually make it fun/marketable. It's not as cut and dry as you're saying.
@@dobrx6199 it is called shovelware. I have been watching their videos and others like them for a while and often the advice they and others give is dreadful.
@@dobrx6199 although that is 100% true it seems like an unexpected boon that the game did so well in the japanese market. even BMG admit they hadnt anticipated it.
Here is some advice from someone who made many games, find an old game you really liked, and see if there is anything like it released. If not you have your dream game with potential of success. Honestly guys, it's very hard to force yourself to make something because it's the right genre, or a popular topic. It is much easier to work on a game that you feel like is missing from the market.
It's been cool to see your journey and learn along side you with my own studio. I think small games might be the move, low risk and fast learning.
My favourite Belgians return once again
Good advice, more new devs need to hear this lol
It's not fair at 4:30 to compare these successful games with all the other ones because what they do and what everyone else does isn't the same thing, so we shouldn't expect the same result. Stardew was an okay game with a great music while keeping every other part of it at least passable, in the farming sim niche which was (and still is) lacking games of above average quality.
Whereas what the newer "developers" make is some 2D or 3D platformer that is absolutely horrendous in every aspect, terrible graphics, no sound, barebones UI, extremely simple level design and so on. And then they blame it on marketing or something when their game doesn't get any kind of traction when it never had a reason to, in a completely oversaturated genre where they can't even make one part of the game passable.
Again, it's misleading to compare successful games with all the other ones when they're not doing the same thing to begin with. We're not saying "you should expect your first job to be terrible, not everyone is a doctor or whatever" when not everyone is even trying to be a doctor, so in this case it's quite obvious that we get different results when we do different things, so why isn't that the same with games?
So what I take from this is I should email Markiplier about my nsfw platformer game?
So, looking at my notes: "Open World Stardew Valley", did I get that right?
Very good advice. I wanted him to say, "If you want to make money, focus on building your team." If you have an idea you love, see if you can get help making it. Especially from people with complementary talents. A team of 2 will typically make a product that is much more than twice as good, and much more quickly. And more help is better, up to a point. You probably have to agree to some kind of revenue-sharing, but a product that is twice as good should make more than twice the money. I think the reasons there are a lot of poor games out there that don't sell is 1) it's a poor idea to star with, and 2) not high enough quality because it's made by a team of 1-2.
And if nobody wants to work on your game, that might tell you something about the idea as well.
From what I've seen on forums over the past several years, professionals usually don't work for free, and if they're paid, they'll work even if they don't like the idea. Some non-professionals may work on other people's ideas for free, just for the sake of interacting with others and building relations, until they get bored. I agree about 1), most ideas suck, I have over 100 ideas and only few of them I feel have potential for big success. About 2), the quality problem is not because of the size of the team, but because of the skills of the team. Gamvedev is a very complex matter, requiring a whole bag of skills, each of which requires years of study and practice.
Let's not forget the one thing that has been miscommunicated and everything you don't have to have a studio to do any of this.
You can very well do it by yourself or with a group of people and pay them or give them a small cut of the sales and that's it. No one has to go into debt you may not have you don't have to lose a business a studio and lose everything to a giant corporation like EA or Ubisoft or something like that. Everything you make can be 100% yours.
Focus on games about fountains. That's my 2 cents
😂
⛲️
For visual novels or interactive movie games like her story, immortality , until dawn how to validate them
Are they good genres to start with ?
Every genre that you got passion or understand lot is better starting point than something that bores you or a genre that you have never played.
The biggest problem could be the high cost of animations, detailed 3d models, voice actors, music, ... etc. To coordinate all that could be at the beginning overwhelming for most beginners.
A good advise, take paper and write down your concept and all assets that would be needed for the project. Draw a storyboard like filmmakers do with scenes and dialoges. Ask friends what they think about the story (it's like reading a comic), change boring parts till your storyboard is good. After that you can start to make your game that is mostly storydriven. ^^
you make it easy and less stressful. small games it is the way
So the key is to make small scope, Fun games with a unique hook. Sounds quite doable especially when your start out
Thanks for the advice, good sir
is it doable? ive been struggling with this forever. "small scope with fun game loop"
at this point i would literally pay someone a good chunk of money to give me a great idea. if someone had told me to make mini metro before it came out, that advice alone would be worth thousands of dollars at least if i knew it was advice to be heeded
Great video! Love your material :)
Always look forward to your uploads! ❤ hope you guys had a good holiday season, can’t wait to watch this video
It's okay to think LARGE but aim for a Small or optimized work load. Generally, Thinking small is just shying away from making appealing games.
You do realize the fallacy in your reasoning.
The solution to competing against the 18000 games released on steam in 2024 is NOT to release more small crappy games. 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️instead focus on finding your genre and carve out a niche by delivering quality over quantity.
Can't do it without money? Yeah guess what - that is how business works.
I am so tired of everyone & their grandmother defining themselves as game devs and releasing shovelware like its candy and then the industry complains its "hard to be seen". And then they all make youtube videos explaining how to be succesful at releasing [5] shovelware games per year to make 30k in sales.
They're not saying release garbage, they're saying to make smaller, shorter games that don't take as much time to develop and thus are less risky and less likely to bankrupt your studio
@@dobrx6199 Smaller games have more competition and it's much easier for another developer to remake the game in a better way. It's just a matter of time before someone watching this channel goes "oh you made Unicycle Pizza Time in a month, well I can make it much better in two months and advertise to the same audience". There's more risk when it comes to competition, but is less risky if the developers aren't confident in their ability to see a large project through to the end and actually make it fun/marketable. It's not as cut and dry as you're saying.
@@dobrx6199 it is called shovelware. I have been watching their videos and others like them for a while and often the advice they and others give is dreadful.
“Magnus Opera”
Hmm, maybe I will make some games in 2025.
Sounds realistic. :)
3:25 I unintentionally clicked off xD
First
you offer your services as a game coach when you have never, ever had success of any kind?
They made 15k from a game they made in a month, pretty sure that was a success
@@dobrx6199 although that is 100% true it seems like an unexpected boon that the game did so well in the japanese market. even BMG admit they hadnt anticipated it.