You're doing great!!! Most important thing is to get to a playable version ASAP! Strip out everything that you don't need for now (quests, day/night, upgradable items, etc.). Then get the demo out there and add one thing at a time... while collecting feedback every step of the way!!
I teach Video Game Design for high school students. In 9 minutes, you summarized perfectly what it takes a lot of them months of frustration to realize - most of us just aren't ready for our magnum opus... yet. This video will be a definite share with them each time they're about to start their projects. Thank you for sharing in such a personal way!
That's so cool!! I'm really glad you found value in this video, and I hope your students do too! I think it's something that no one is fully immune to, but being aware of it really helps. I appreciate you sharing! 🙌
Decades old ludologist here. All video games have a hierarchy, developers push the boundaries a little more with each one. Pong can be made into Breakout with a little extra work. Breakout can be made into Space invaders with a little extra work. Space invaders can be made into Berzerk with a little extra work. The game you demonstrated at the start of the video is similar to Berzerk. Alan Mcneil (1980) The game I make after Berzerk is something called Time Pilot. Time Pilot is essentially the final test game you make to learn the engine and use a test environment for higher abstractions without wasting time making test projects. Keep the original and an extra copy for those tests. Keep up the good work, you are on the right track mate.
Brilliant video. I think the answer is that game devs always overscope, you just start getting a better idea of what you can cut out when you have to. I hope these smaller learning projects help you learn that too.
Thank you!! True, I think over time, I'll start to get a better idea of my limits, but it's good to know that overscoping is something that happens to all game devs 😂🙌
Oh wow, I love the design and care you put into this video - it’s the first of yours I’ve seen and I’m a big fan. I’m pretty new to game dev but have been a programmer for a long time, and I run into scope creep with almost everything I do :D PS Thank you for adding real subtitles!
Feature creep is something that every dev/studio experience regularly. Best way to deal with it is to have a priority roadmap and have deadlines when certain stages needs to be done. That way the features that didn’t get implemented before the deadline will be cut out. If you don’t then you will end up the same as No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 where you promise more and more features but don’t take into consideration of the time it takes to implement them and make them work properly.
good luck on your journey dude! to you, and anyone else who's trying to learn game development, game jams are a great place to start. the short time period forces you to scope small, and some jams have discord servers where you can team up and learn from more experienced developers. they're a lot of fun :)
Yep, this sums up a lot. Much more than overscope/feature bloat. I'm not even sure if you fully realize just how many different problems you overscoped into this very vid based on how new you are to this entire process. You tackled scope, imposter syndrome, the challenges of learning new tools/nodes, and so much more. Games, particularly 3D (and especially AAA,) are the product of multiple, life-long careers. There's the organizer that does the docs, the engineers that speak in binary, the artists - ranging from textures to models to music to UI/UX, lawyers to keep it all legal, and producers to fund the damn thing. Indie devs have to take on ALL of those responsibilities. Before you've even opened an editor you've bitten off more than you can chew. The key to success is chewing away at one small, bite sized, problem at a time. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk. Keep up the good work 👍
Yes!! I think that sums everything up perfectly! I think that's something that I'm slowly learning every day, and I'll probably continue to learn and re-learn for years to come 😂
I think I saw all the comments and there is something missing. The shape of a 3D model is called a mesh. The things that move them is called Bones and all the bones in a model is called a rig. A mesh is attached to bones through Weight painting. The colour of the mesh is called *albedo* and can be solid colours or textures. To use textures you have to "UV unwrap", which is the process of making your model lay flat so you can draw on it. There is a lot more that I didn't cover but hopefully this should at least get you going in the right direction. Also people use the capsule because it handles stairs and hills decently enough.
This is so touching. I think what is needed most here is a growth mindset. That is so important for motivation and learning. Start with something small and easy. Then improve from there. The space shooter game in this video is very basic. Good job with that. You can build from there. Focus on making yourself grow. Do things one step at a time. Baby steps is also important for motivation and learning. Think of using growth mindset and baby steps as a way to level up as a game designer. It is not realistic for a beginner to make some big grand AAA game. That is like trying to get a small child to learn calculus when they are barely learning 123s. So go easy on yourself and do what you can. Good luck. :)
Funnily, I overscope, a lot. And I haven't even made a game yet. Rpg with many cities, cutscenes, and a grand story. That sounds like me. Maybe I must lower my scope. Glad to hear i'm not the only one that do it. This video may literally change my life. Didn't have a specific goal in mind despite having a ocen of ideas i would like to dump. Thanks a lot to make a mistake which help people like me to not do the mistake. Thank you greenLIGHTdev
@@GreenLightDev and i would like to let you know that I am learning basic programming right now. This task takes a lot of patience. Can I know how much of programming you learned before starting gamedev?
Nahh, you don't get to come in here and turn game dev into a cinematic masterpiece... HOW, how does your video look, feel and sound so good... all the animations, how does one learn this because my videos can't even compete
this ones awesome...me and my school friend both are full on committed making one ourselves with a hugeeee ass scope ( and panics do come in small waves and tides) your video made me smile in this time...thanks a bunch and god speed brother!!
There's a few things I've picked up about Game Dev over the years, some you've mentioned here. Like, when you 1st start out, you wanna keep things small, just to figure things out. Don't rush into trying to make your "dream game" early on, take your time to build up to it. "You don't fight the Final Boss at Level 1." (Well, not typically, anyway.😅) Try for something simpler, like an arcade game, instead of an RPG for example. (RPGs are more difficult than you may think and need much more time/resources to pull off.) Try to keep your early projects down to something you can make in less than a month. (You wouldn't wanna be stuck on something for months just to give up and throw it away do you?) It doesn't need to be the prettiest or have amazing music either, it just needs to be _yours._ As long as you're learning from whatever happens then you're doing good. When you're thinking up a new game, make a Game Design Document for it too. It can help keep you focused and avoid randomly adding in like 3 new systems part way into it n' such. (Though, just because you put something in the GDD don't feel like you _have to_ use that idea either. Maybe you've created some of the game but that idea doesn't seem to "fit" with what you have so far, or you've been building that idea but it isn't working out for whatever reason? Don't be afraid to just cut it entirely. You could always save it for a future project.) Something else to keep in mind, "GEL.". (Game>Engine>Language, in that order.) Start by figuring out what kind of Game you want to make. (Like, 2D or 3D. Platformer or Racing, etc.) Then look into what Game Engine would be a good fit for something like that. (2D platformer? That's Gamemaker. -- 3D racing? Try Unreal, or Godot. -- Visual Novel? Go for Ren'py.) After that look for whatever Coding Language that Engine uses or supports and learn from there.
Here's a suggestion for any new game devs - don't start planning with genres, themes or narratives. Game dev should always start with a core mechanic that is fun. They begin as "toys" which are expanded out into games and if that core mechanuc is fun then the game will be fun. If that core mechanic has many uses then your game will have depth. The phrase "easy to learn, difficult to master" is rooted in this principle. Also by aiming to build a genre or even having an aesthetic you immediately begin to introduce problems as you'll be forced to discard good solutions to a gameplay problem because it doesn't fit the genre or aesthetic. You've all played games where gameplay elements didn't seem to mesh very well or the mechanic itself seems very forced for the setting or genre of the game. This is a consequence of working within these restrictions and for new developers you need to avoid that because it takes experience to foresee far enough along the development process to plan ways around them.
I spent many many years never finishing projects, but they're hobby projects and they're just for fun - and I was having fun. I started in the last two years of high school, all through uni and until I got to work making little hobby things that were never finished. A few years into working full-time I finally found an idea was exactly what I wanted to do. I'm now 6 years in, and this jumbo project will take at least another 10. There's a huge focus on finishing games these days and not just doing what you enioy. If you're having fun, then you're not doing it "wrong". And once the game is done(ish) it'll be a unique, new and grand vision, which I'm very excited for. Don't just follow trends and don't lock yourself into one style of doing things, just have fun and enjoy yourself 😊
I think the key is breaking down not specific ideas into the most specific deliverables. Then making a calculation. Then you have to decide if making the project is feasible, if so, how. Depending on that answer, you break it down to a minimum viable product. Then you go onto the development phase which starts with prototyping.
I’m in the middle of an overscoping crisis as well. My very first game I wanted procedurally generated worlds and items, that’s a terrible idea for a first game, even seasoned game devs think it’s hard to do. Now my worlds are handcrafted and items are placed manually, which is way more manageable. I still think my game is way too ambitious for a first timer, but I’ve done so much that I’d hate to put it to the side and do other stuff.
Yeah figuring out how not to over scope seems like a skill in itself. That's great to hear that it sounds like you're making progress on the game you're working on though, even if it means dialing back some of those initial ideas. That can be difficult, but necessary at the same time, so that alone is a win 👍
“What should the story be” Take a tip from a D&D Dungeon Master; Just make it about hunting a vampire and work from there. Lmao But that’s kinda what I do; take a story and simplify it. Cue Lord Of The Rings in a Box
My first game is going to be a huge one! But my solution to not be overwhelmed, is to take one mechanic and make a standalone prototype about that and then take code and knowledge from all those and put it back into the "main" project. At least that has helped me keep the motivation and passion going.:)
I feel this way too much! I have a huge ambitious idea of a game I wanna make that's a cross between a turn based strategy akin to X-Com and an action platformer; something I don't believe has been done yet. The will game have hub worlds/bases, conquest mechanics to claim new bases, an epic story, beautiful sprite-work and animations in a pixelated 3d world, fun characters, character interactions and dialogue, interesting lore, a simple con-lang (made up language), RPG mechanics, a unique mechanic tied to this called "corruption", alternate endings based on how you play through the story, a New Game + with an alternate story and interactions, yadda yadda yadda. As for what I've made... 1 sprite/character design for 1 character, a little bit of lore, a few character interactions and mechanic ideas. I haven't even learned how to use Godot yet.
That idea sounds sick!! The good thing is that it sounds like you have a clear step 1, which is to start learning Godot. From there, you can take small steps to learn simple things that will bring you closer to the end goal of making your dream game. From one overscoper to another, you got this 🙌
Literally me. I’m fighting my own battle trying to fill in the gaps from overscoping. I’ve made my scope too big that everything keeps getting even bigger.
Small correction in your description. You are in fact a game dev the second you decide to learn to make games and begin on your journey to learn it. Also I am not finding you discord link in the description.
Thank you! I suppose there's a feeling of imposter syndrome, knowing that I still have a lot to learn, but I appreciate that! 🙏 Here's the link to the discord :) discord.gg/zcNjeUQTPP
I used Unity for a decade and still made the switch. Unity has dozens of features I'll never actually use. It's basically bloatware and it isn't actually free. So many concepts are directly translated 1:1. Really you just need to spend some time appending some new definitions to terms you learned with Unity. Like a Scene in Godot is both a Scene and a Prefab in Unity for example.
How to convince my friend who constantly keeps overscoping to watch this? He will see the title and never click on it. I always feel like the "no-fun" police because I always have to tell him "No that's not possible. No that one isn't too. Maybe lets keep focus on the core?" and stuff alike. He never finished a project he started because he always get so overwhelmed (understandably). He needs to watch this video! But how?
great video! it seems that you've already figured this out but I'll still share my thoughts: to answer the title, the simple answer is: they do! way too often in fact. although a big thing that does make it easier to for devs to work on massive projects is having more experience. for example I've been making games for over 5 years now and only now am I confident that I'm ready to make a proper releasable game. working on smaller projects and game jams (which I would highly recommend) are a great way of getting a better understanding of everything including the entire game development process and where your limits are. its also worth mentioning that its usually a good idea to not stick so strongly to one idea as soon as it comes to your head. the best method I've learnt is to come up with a few loose ideas and then prototype the best one(s), seeing if it is actually any fun. then AFTER you have found an idea that you have proven to be fun with a reasonable scope, you should complete a GDD. oh and one last thing - setting deadlines can be a great way to reel back the scope, as devs can often work on games for 2-3 times longer than they expect wow I said a lot lmao thanks for reading if u read this
This is really great advice!! I feel like what you said about coming up with a few loose ideas and prototyping the best ones could especially help. Plus at that point, it's easier to know whether the idea seems fun, through messing around with the prototype. I really appreciate the tips!! 🙏🙏
Overscope, by all means. Dump everything out onto the page, every single detail. Then re-read it all, and write a single sentence that defines the game. Delete the rest of your scope and go from there. If you have a really easy time coming up with ideas and a hard time limiting your scope, use your natural skill to your advantage. Don't get hung up on trying to do it the same way as everyone else. The point is to express yourself through the logically structured art of development. What that looks like is up to you. Edit: Subscribed. I love watching people learn and grow in the world of programming. May you be cursed with the same overwhelming passion for code that I have.
I had a project that went way too big. I spent a month implementing 10% of the mechanics with no gameplay and then I realised that I would never finish the game. Then I threw it into the “have potential” pile of projects for another day.
That's good that you didn't throw the idea away completely. I still have that original idea with 6 skills and 3 major cities, but that's now an idea that I can work towards. It gives me motivation to keep learning 👍
@@GreenLightDevsomething I found useful is to stick to a vision and nothing else. My brain would randomly come up with finished gameplay screenshots for a game idea I was thinking of, and I try to remember a few interesting screenshots in my brain and just make that thing.
Good question, I think what I was trying to do was do both at the same time, when I probably should've focused more on the gameplay first, and the story second. I come from a background in videography, so this idea of story second didn't come natural to me
what do you use to get those funny bouncy text pop ups like at 1:04 where you put "rpg elements" on screen I can only imagine this is some separate program that you recorded but I have no idea how video editors work
ever game dev needs to overscope. If you havnt overscoped once then idk what your doing! Ive gone through multiple sessions with calling my friends for over an hour planning a game. Them it just doesnt happen. But the important thing is to learn from it every tiem!
Are you my clone or something like that? Like, honestly... pretty much everything in this video is the exact same thing that happens inside my head cuz I still haven't learnt anything with how to make a game, but I always dream of a game then I start making it too big in my head, then I start telling myself that I could never do that... So I guess I've been stuck on the same spot for a long time now.
It's tough getting past that mental block for sure! Just gotta start with something small, begin learning the absolute basics, and start building up from there. I definitely started too ambitious with my idea, but I'm finding that setting up limitations for myself really helps because it forces me to keep my ideas in check. Don't give up! 🙌
@@GreenLightDev Thank you so much for answering 🥰. I really hope that this is the year that I finally make a change and start learning. In fact, I wanted to ask something. In a SMART Target, you need to set a time for how long are you going to be making an effort to achieve that target. So I wanted to know: how much time is realistic to set for yourself to learn the very basics of game development?
@rhikke07 That depends on your definition of the basics. I would suggest try making something like Pong--something that's already a simple idea at its core. That will allow you to learn how to create objects, how to make them move, and how to make them collide with each other. Starting with recreating a simple game that's already made could be a good way to give yourself restrictions so it doesn't get too overwhelming, because you know how it's supposed to look and play. Once you have that, you can either move on to another game, or choose to expand the Pong game even further 🙌
Overscope? No such thing. Trying to do everything at once is a different thing than having everything planned you would like. I wonder if this video is confusing the two. Yep. 2:19 is not an issue. Comes down to how to tackle it. You are trying to do everything at once instead of in steps. Some people will tell you to make smaller games before you attempt a game you want to make. That's one way you could do it, but this means putting much time and effort into aspects you may never use. My preferred method is learn as you go. What do I need to implement? Find various means of achieving this goal. Test them all out. Use the one that works best. I think it is important to know exactly what you want first before sitting down to code, draw, animate, etc. Work out each part of the game in as much detail as needed: items, terrain, characters, story, mathematics to systems, databases, story boards, images, etc. It will save a lot of headache down the line with a clear direction laid out for you. You'll need to learn the various aspects of handling different aspects depending who else you have helping out. Solo, you'll need to learn a lot, everything to put it bluntly. Coding is only one aspect. There's sound, animation, modelling, etc. Each of these can be touhced upon when you need them. 6:30 Nope. Part of the creative process. You can go over concepts as many times as you need to add/remove/adjust details. It's a matter of starting somewhere, collecting everything, and putting it all together to form a cohesive whole. 8:15 That's got nothing to do with the subject matter you began with! You started the video with wanting to make a specific game with more than you currently understand how to do, then shifted the entire focus to you were making games to learn game development. Well no crap you don't need to make a complex game to learn. You don't even need to make games to learn various skills that game devs use. It is entirely possible to learn various skills by wanting to make a bigger game. Still, you shifted the focus of the video to irrelevance.
You're doing great!!! Most important thing is to get to a playable version ASAP! Strip out everything that you don't need for now (quests, day/night, upgradable items, etc.). Then get the demo out there and add one thing at a time... while collecting feedback every step of the way!!
You're right about that! One thing at a time 👍🙏
I teach Video Game Design for high school students. In 9 minutes, you summarized perfectly what it takes a lot of them months of frustration to realize - most of us just aren't ready for our magnum opus... yet. This video will be a definite share with them each time they're about to start their projects. Thank you for sharing in such a personal way!
That's so cool!! I'm really glad you found value in this video, and I hope your students do too! I think it's something that no one is fully immune to, but being aware of it really helps. I appreciate you sharing! 🙌
I loved this, actually got 'the feels' at the end! lets go man, I'm in Subbed
Decades old ludologist here.
All video games have a hierarchy, developers push the boundaries a little more with each one.
Pong can be made into Breakout with a little extra work.
Breakout can be made into Space invaders with a little extra work.
Space invaders can be made into Berzerk with a little extra work.
The game you demonstrated at the start of the video is similar to Berzerk. Alan Mcneil (1980)
The game I make after Berzerk is something called Time Pilot.
Time Pilot is essentially the final test game you make to learn the engine and use a test environment for higher abstractions without wasting time making test projects. Keep the original and an extra copy for those tests.
Keep up the good work, you are on the right track mate.
Okay but this is peak background gameplay
new shorts gameplay right there
Brilliant video. I think the answer is that game devs always overscope, you just start getting a better idea of what you can cut out when you have to. I hope these smaller learning projects help you learn that too.
Thank you!! True, I think over time, I'll start to get a better idea of my limits, but it's good to know that overscoping is something that happens to all game devs 😂🙌
Oh wow, I love the design and care you put into this video - it’s the first of yours I’ve seen and I’m a big fan. I’m pretty new to game dev but have been a programmer for a long time, and I run into scope creep with almost everything I do :D
PS Thank you for adding real subtitles!
I'm really glad you enjoyed it!! I really appreciate the kind words! 🙏🙏
So that's why subtitles are so accurate
Feature creep is something that every dev/studio experience regularly. Best way to deal with it is to have a priority roadmap and have deadlines when certain stages needs to be done. That way the features that didn’t get implemented before the deadline will be cut out.
If you don’t then you will end up the same as No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 where you promise more and more features but don’t take into consideration of the time it takes to implement them and make them work properly.
good luck on your journey dude! to you, and anyone else who's trying to learn game development, game jams are a great place to start. the short time period forces you to scope small, and some jams have discord servers where you can team up and learn from more experienced developers. they're a lot of fun :)
Awesome video! I just started the journey myself, and this video couldn't have come at a better time!
Yep, this sums up a lot. Much more than overscope/feature bloat.
I'm not even sure if you fully realize just how many different problems you overscoped into this very vid based on how new you are to this entire process.
You tackled scope, imposter syndrome, the challenges of learning new tools/nodes, and so much more.
Games, particularly 3D (and especially AAA,) are the product of multiple, life-long careers. There's the organizer that does the docs, the engineers that speak in binary, the artists - ranging from textures to models to music to UI/UX, lawyers to keep it all legal, and producers to fund the damn thing.
Indie devs have to take on ALL of those responsibilities. Before you've even opened an editor you've bitten off more than you can chew.
The key to success is chewing away at one small, bite sized, problem at a time. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk. Keep up the good work 👍
Yes!! I think that sums everything up perfectly! I think that's something that I'm slowly learning every day, and I'll probably continue to learn and re-learn for years to come 😂
one of the best youtuber/gamedev your efforts are amazing!!!
Thank you so much! 🙏🙏
I think I saw all the comments and there is something missing.
The shape of a 3D model is called a mesh.
The things that move them is called Bones and all the bones in a model is called a rig.
A mesh is attached to bones through Weight painting.
The colour of the mesh is called *albedo* and can be solid colours or textures.
To use textures you have to "UV unwrap", which is the process of making your model lay flat so you can draw on it.
There is a lot more that I didn't cover but hopefully this should at least get you going in the right direction.
Also people use the capsule because it handles stairs and hills decently enough.
Gold mine of info! I really appreciate the jump start, that really does help clear some things up. Thank you!! 🙏🙏
@@GreenLightDev No problems dude, looking forward to the next video.
This is so touching. I think what is needed most here is a growth mindset. That is so important for motivation and learning. Start with something small and easy. Then improve from there. The space shooter game in this video is very basic. Good job with that. You can build from there. Focus on making yourself grow. Do things one step at a time. Baby steps is also important for motivation and learning. Think of using growth mindset and baby steps as a way to level up as a game designer. It is not realistic for a beginner to make some big grand AAA game. That is like trying to get a small child to learn calculus when they are barely learning 123s. So go easy on yourself and do what you can. Good luck. :)
this is really inspiring, im rooting for you Keep it up!!!
Funnily, I overscope, a lot. And I haven't even made a game yet. Rpg with many cities, cutscenes, and a grand story. That sounds like me. Maybe I must lower my scope. Glad to hear i'm not the only one that do it. This video may literally change my life. Didn't have a specific goal in mind despite having a ocen of ideas i would like to dump. Thanks a lot to make a mistake which help people like me to not do the mistake. Thank you greenLIGHTdev
I'm glad this video helped!! Trying not to over scope is difficult, but it's helpful knowing that everyone experiences it in some way 👍
@@GreenLightDev and i would like to let you know that I am learning basic programming right now. This task takes a lot of patience. Can I know how much of programming you learned before starting gamedev?
ok brooo! I clicked because of the title, but the style of this video is amazing!
Nahh, you don't get to come in here and turn game dev into a cinematic masterpiece... HOW, how does your video look, feel and sound so good... all the animations, how does one learn this because my videos can't even compete
Thank you very much for the kind words!! They take time, so that really means a lot! 😁🙏🙏
this ones awesome...me and my school friend both are full on committed making one ourselves with a hugeeee ass scope ( and panics do come in small waves and tides)
your video made me smile in this time...thanks a bunch and god speed brother!!
There's a few things I've picked up about Game Dev over the years, some you've mentioned here.
Like, when you 1st start out, you wanna keep things small, just to figure things out.
Don't rush into trying to make your "dream game" early on, take your time to build up to it.
"You don't fight the Final Boss at Level 1." (Well, not typically, anyway.😅)
Try for something simpler, like an arcade game, instead of an RPG for example.
(RPGs are more difficult than you may think and need much more time/resources to pull off.)
Try to keep your early projects down to something you can make in less than a month.
(You wouldn't wanna be stuck on something for months just to give up and throw it away do you?)
It doesn't need to be the prettiest or have amazing music either, it just needs to be _yours._
As long as you're learning from whatever happens then you're doing good.
When you're thinking up a new game, make a Game Design Document for it too.
It can help keep you focused and avoid randomly adding in like 3 new systems part way into it n' such.
(Though, just because you put something in the GDD don't feel like you _have to_ use that idea either.
Maybe you've created some of the game but that idea doesn't seem to "fit" with what you have so far,
or you've been building that idea but it isn't working out for whatever reason?
Don't be afraid to just cut it entirely. You could always save it for a future project.)
Something else to keep in mind, "GEL.". (Game>Engine>Language, in that order.)
Start by figuring out what kind of Game you want to make. (Like, 2D or 3D. Platformer or Racing, etc.)
Then look into what Game Engine would be a good fit for something like that.
(2D platformer? That's Gamemaker. -- 3D racing? Try Unreal, or Godot. -- Visual Novel? Go for Ren'py.)
After that look for whatever Coding Language that Engine uses or supports and learn from there.
Really great advice right here!! Thanks a lot for the tips!! 🙏🙌
Underated
Here's a suggestion for any new game devs - don't start planning with genres, themes or narratives.
Game dev should always start with a core mechanic that is fun. They begin as "toys" which are expanded out into games and if that core mechanuc is fun then the game will be fun. If that core mechanic has many uses then your game will have depth. The phrase "easy to learn, difficult to master" is rooted in this principle.
Also by aiming to build a genre or even having an aesthetic you immediately begin to introduce problems as you'll be forced to discard good solutions to a gameplay problem because it doesn't fit the genre or aesthetic. You've all played games where gameplay elements didn't seem to mesh very well or the mechanic itself seems very forced for the setting or genre of the game. This is a consequence of working within these restrictions and for new developers you need to avoid that because it takes experience to foresee far enough along the development process to plan ways around them.
I love this, and it makes a ton of sense. I really appreciate the advice 🙏🙏
Helping algorithm don't mind me
Much appreciated 🙏🙏
This is the first video of yours I am watching, but sign me up on the journey. Subbed and looking forward for more, cheers!
Glad to have you! 🙌
I spent many many years never finishing projects, but they're hobby projects and they're just for fun - and I was having fun.
I started in the last two years of high school, all through uni and until I got to work making little hobby things that were never finished.
A few years into working full-time I finally found an idea was exactly what I wanted to do. I'm now 6 years in, and this jumbo project will take at least another 10.
There's a huge focus on finishing games these days and not just doing what you enioy. If you're having fun, then you're not doing it "wrong".
And once the game is done(ish) it'll be a unique, new and grand vision, which I'm very excited for.
Don't just follow trends and don't lock yourself into one style of doing things, just have fun and enjoy yourself 😊
It's good to know I'm not alone in all of these issues. People don't often talk about gamedev pitfalls that aren't related to actual programming skill
You're not alone for sure!! Reminders of this are always nice to be aware of 👌
I think the key is breaking down not specific ideas into the most specific deliverables. Then making a calculation. Then you have to decide if making the project is feasible, if so, how. Depending on that answer, you break it down to a minimum viable product. Then you go onto the development phase which starts with prototyping.
That part about breaking it down into a minimum viable project seems key. Definitely something I want to work on!
Good quality content, subbed.
I’m in the middle of an overscoping crisis as well. My very first game I wanted procedurally generated worlds and items, that’s a terrible idea for a first game, even seasoned game devs think it’s hard to do. Now my worlds are handcrafted and items are placed manually, which is way more manageable. I still think my game is way too ambitious for a first timer, but I’ve done so much that I’d hate to put it to the side and do other stuff.
Yeah figuring out how not to over scope seems like a skill in itself. That's great to hear that it sounds like you're making progress on the game you're working on though, even if it means dialing back some of those initial ideas. That can be difficult, but necessary at the same time, so that alone is a win 👍
@@GreenLightDev i agree, and i cant wait to see how your future projects looks! Your first one was super cool and helped inspire me!
That's awesome to hear!! Thank you, I'm glad you liked it! 🙏🙏
Good question
Still learning 😅
@@GreenLightDev We all are
“What should the story be”
Take a tip from a D&D Dungeon Master; Just make it about hunting a vampire and work from there. Lmao
But that’s kinda what I do; take a story and simplify it. Cue Lord Of The Rings in a Box
Where were you a month ago 😂 haha good advice for next time 🙏😂
My first game is going to be a huge one! But my solution to not be overwhelmed, is to take one mechanic and make a standalone prototype about that and then take code and knowledge from all those and put it back into the "main" project. At least that has helped me keep the motivation and passion going.:)
That's a smart approach! Then everything can potentially get used in the main project 👌
I feel this way too much!
I have a huge ambitious idea of a game I wanna make that's a cross between a turn based strategy akin to X-Com and an action platformer; something I don't believe has been done yet. The will game have hub worlds/bases, conquest mechanics to claim new bases, an epic story, beautiful sprite-work and animations in a pixelated 3d world, fun characters, character interactions and dialogue, interesting lore, a simple con-lang (made up language), RPG mechanics, a unique mechanic tied to this called "corruption", alternate endings based on how you play through the story, a New Game + with an alternate story and interactions, yadda yadda yadda.
As for what I've made... 1 sprite/character design for 1 character, a little bit of lore, a few character interactions and mechanic ideas. I haven't even learned how to use Godot yet.
That idea sounds sick!! The good thing is that it sounds like you have a clear step 1, which is to start learning Godot. From there, you can take small steps to learn simple things that will bring you closer to the end goal of making your dream game. From one overscoper to another, you got this 🙌
Great video, very valuable
Glad you enjoyed!
The next chapter begins 🍿
And so it begins 😂🙌
Literally me. I’m fighting my own battle trying to fill in the gaps from overscoping. I’ve made my scope too big that everything keeps getting even bigger.
I learned better about classes in Godot instead of what was used to be taught at my school.
Small correction in your description. You are in fact a game dev the second you decide to learn to make games and begin on your journey to learn it. Also I am not finding you discord link in the description.
Thank you! I suppose there's a feeling of imposter syndrome, knowing that I still have a lot to learn, but I appreciate that! 🙏 Here's the link to the discord :)
discord.gg/zcNjeUQTPP
5:00 this was literally me when intried Godot, after knowing unity Well, No thank you i'll Stick to unity for now
Haha I love it after learning more about what each node does, but it does take time!
kinda same, but i love how fast is godot so im gonna try atleast
I used Unity for a decade and still made the switch. Unity has dozens of features I'll never actually use. It's basically bloatware and it isn't actually free.
So many concepts are directly translated 1:1. Really you just need to spend some time appending some new definitions to terms you learned with Unity.
Like a Scene in Godot is both a Scene and a Prefab in Unity for example.
You Vedio Editing skills are good as well.
Thank you! 🙏
4:52 that would be called a sprite 3D, my good sir
That tetris remix is such a bop
How to convince my friend who constantly keeps overscoping to watch this? He will see the title and never click on it. I always feel like the "no-fun" police because I always have to tell him "No that's not possible. No that one isn't too. Maybe lets keep focus on the core?" and stuff alike. He never finished a project he started because he always get so overwhelmed (understandably). He needs to watch this video! But how?
great video!
it seems that you've already figured this out but I'll still share my thoughts: to answer the title, the simple answer is: they do! way too often in fact. although a big thing that does make it easier to for devs to work on massive projects is having more experience. for example I've been making games for over 5 years now and only now am I confident that I'm ready to make a proper releasable game. working on smaller projects and game jams (which I would highly recommend) are a great way of getting a better understanding of everything including the entire game development process and where your limits are. its also worth mentioning that its usually a good idea to not stick so strongly to one idea as soon as it comes to your head. the best method I've learnt is to come up with a few loose ideas and then prototype the best one(s), seeing if it is actually any fun. then AFTER you have found an idea that you have proven to be fun with a reasonable scope, you should complete a GDD. oh and one last thing - setting deadlines can be a great way to reel back the scope, as devs can often work on games for 2-3 times longer than they expect
wow I said a lot lmao thanks for reading if u read this
This is really great advice!! I feel like what you said about coming up with a few loose ideas and prototyping the best ones could especially help. Plus at that point, it's easier to know whether the idea seems fun, through messing around with the prototype. I really appreciate the tips!! 🙏🙏
I am learning godot and I have the issue of over scoping. It is hard not to do this when I have such a wild imaginations
me to a fault I constantly overscope and then those ideas go into a book to Frankenstein into something else later down the road
That's a good idea to recycle them so they don't go to waste!
Overscope, by all means. Dump everything out onto the page, every single detail. Then re-read it all, and write a single sentence that defines the game. Delete the rest of your scope and go from there.
If you have a really easy time coming up with ideas and a hard time limiting your scope, use your natural skill to your advantage. Don't get hung up on trying to do it the same way as everyone else. The point is to express yourself through the logically structured art of development. What that looks like is up to you.
Edit: Subscribed. I love watching people learn and grow in the world of programming. May you be cursed with the same overwhelming passion for code that I have.
Maaaan just reading that got me pumped 🔥🔥
I had a project that went way too big. I spent a month implementing 10% of the mechanics with no gameplay and then I realised that I would never finish the game. Then I threw it into the “have potential” pile of projects for another day.
That's good that you didn't throw the idea away completely. I still have that original idea with 6 skills and 3 major cities, but that's now an idea that I can work towards. It gives me motivation to keep learning 👍
@@GreenLightDevsomething I found useful is to stick to a vision and nothing else. My brain would randomly come up with finished gameplay screenshots for a game idea I was thinking of, and I try to remember a few interesting screenshots in my brain and just make that thing.
What is the main idea or mechanic of your next game? Do you want to make a game or tell a story??
Good question, I think what I was trying to do was do both at the same time, when I probably should've focused more on the gameplay first, and the story second. I come from a background in videography, so this idea of story second didn't come natural to me
Can one play the background game some were and also W video
Glad you liked it!! Also you can play the little game I made here:
greenlightdev.itch.io/xscape-the-shape
@ thanks Man
what do you use to get those funny bouncy text pop ups like at 1:04 where you put "rpg elements" on screen
I can only imagine this is some separate program that you recorded but I have no idea how video editors work
I use a program called After Effects for the text animations. It's great for 2D animations like that, and also a lot more 👍
ever game dev needs to overscope. If you havnt overscoped once then idk what your doing! Ive gone through multiple sessions with calling my friends for over an hour planning a game. Them it just doesnt happen. But the important thing is to learn from it every tiem!
This makes sense, especially because how are we going to know where our limits are if we don't test them out every once in a while 😂
Bro I'm use to make 3d games, i had thecsame experience and i read the manual first, it's not you, it's godot ass interface 😂
Hahaha I'm glad I'm not the only one 😂
relatable 😂😂😂. spends months on getting a progress bar to work.
Sounds about right 😂
Are you my clone or something like that? Like, honestly... pretty much everything in this video is the exact same thing that happens inside my head cuz I still haven't learnt anything with how to make a game, but I always dream of a game then I start making it too big in my head, then I start telling myself that I could never do that... So I guess I've been stuck on the same spot for a long time now.
It's tough getting past that mental block for sure! Just gotta start with something small, begin learning the absolute basics, and start building up from there. I definitely started too ambitious with my idea, but I'm finding that setting up limitations for myself really helps because it forces me to keep my ideas in check. Don't give up! 🙌
@@GreenLightDev Thank you so much for answering 🥰.
I really hope that this is the year that I finally make a change and start learning.
In fact, I wanted to ask something. In a SMART Target, you need to set a time for how long are you going to be making an effort to achieve that target. So I wanted to know: how much time is realistic to set for yourself to learn the very basics of game development?
@rhikke07 That depends on your definition of the basics. I would suggest try making something like Pong--something that's already a simple idea at its core. That will allow you to learn how to create objects, how to make them move, and how to make them collide with each other. Starting with recreating a simple game that's already made could be a good way to give yourself restrictions so it doesn't get too overwhelming, because you know how it's supposed to look and play. Once you have that, you can either move on to another game, or choose to expand the Pong game even further 🙌
@ Once again, thank you so much for you help. I really appreciate it!
@rhikke07 For sure!! Good luck on your game! 🙌🙌
you got 1 subb when the SUPER X appear lol
Overscope?
No such thing.
Trying to do everything at once is a different thing than having everything planned you would like.
I wonder if this video is confusing the two.
Yep. 2:19 is not an issue. Comes down to how to tackle it. You are trying to do everything at once instead of in steps. Some people will tell you to make smaller games before you attempt a game you want to make. That's one way you could do it, but this means putting much time and effort into aspects you may never use. My preferred method is learn as you go. What do I need to implement? Find various means of achieving this goal. Test them all out. Use the one that works best.
I think it is important to know exactly what you want first before sitting down to code, draw, animate, etc.
Work out each part of the game in as much detail as needed: items, terrain, characters, story, mathematics to systems, databases, story boards, images, etc. It will save a lot of headache down the line with a clear direction laid out for you. You'll need to learn the various aspects of handling different aspects depending who else you have helping out. Solo, you'll need to learn a lot, everything to put it bluntly. Coding is only one aspect. There's sound, animation, modelling, etc. Each of these can be touhced upon when you need them.
6:30 Nope. Part of the creative process. You can go over concepts as many times as you need to add/remove/adjust details. It's a matter of starting somewhere, collecting everything, and putting it all together to form a cohesive whole.
8:15 That's got nothing to do with the subject matter you began with! You started the video with wanting to make a specific game with more than you currently understand how to do, then shifted the entire focus to you were making games to learn game development. Well no crap you don't need to make a complex game to learn. You don't even need to make games to learn various skills that game devs use. It is entirely possible to learn various skills by wanting to make a bigger game. Still, you shifted the focus of the video to irrelevance.
You sound like goddis
Nife
Lol