nicognito
Member
My question is simple, maybe already asked... I was wondering, when you're a solo developer, what is your "drive", the things that keep you motivated to work or complete your video game? (love of video game, game as art, financial revenue, delighting gamers, learning, being famous... ?). I feel like hearing your stories could keep me motivated.
Some context:
I'm new to Game Maker, got my GMS 2 license a few weeks ago, and somehow I already feel discouraged by the language and the development tool I'm a software engineer by day (I've been used to more robust languages and better IDEs, which explain partly why I feel a bit discouraged by GMS ), but I love video games since I was a kid and I always dreamed about making my own game... I've seen completed/work-in-progress games on this forum, and I'm amazed by what people accomplished: even if by some standards, I would say some games looked not great or bad, I'm not even sure I would be able to achieve a third of what people did (this is the big part that discourages me).
Almost 9 years ago when I was at work, I had a simple, crazy, stupid idea for a video game, yet somehow amazing, at least to me... I made a prototype in JavaScript+HTML5, and it was... just a prototype (I was learning JavaScript at the time at work). Six years later, about the time Apple released the Swift language for iOS, there were some big financial issues with my family, and somehow, I felt I had to work again on my game, rewriting it completely in Swift + SpriteKit, thinking I could help my family if the game was a hit (yes, it was silly, but when in a bad emotional state, you're not rational at all )... In a month, I made my new prototype based on the same stupid idea, and it was a cool prototype this time, which impressed some of my friends at work and even my little brother who is also a gamer... And then I gave up again. Three years later (nowadays), I'm starting it again, but with Game Maker this time, hoping game development would be easier or more portable to other platforms. I chose it, because I loved Spelunky, Hotline Miami, and of course Hyper light drifter, and I knew they were developed with GMS. My game is not of that level at all, but I think the idea in it is crazy enough that if realized properly, people could really talk about it (in a good way or bad way). Anyway as a solo developer, I want to make my own game, one that people will like and which will delight them. But I don't know if I have the strength or motivation to finish it... (If I do, be sure that I will share the work-in-progress here )
Thanks for reading.
Some context:
I'm new to Game Maker, got my GMS 2 license a few weeks ago, and somehow I already feel discouraged by the language and the development tool I'm a software engineer by day (I've been used to more robust languages and better IDEs, which explain partly why I feel a bit discouraged by GMS ), but I love video games since I was a kid and I always dreamed about making my own game... I've seen completed/work-in-progress games on this forum, and I'm amazed by what people accomplished: even if by some standards, I would say some games looked not great or bad, I'm not even sure I would be able to achieve a third of what people did (this is the big part that discourages me).
Almost 9 years ago when I was at work, I had a simple, crazy, stupid idea for a video game, yet somehow amazing, at least to me... I made a prototype in JavaScript+HTML5, and it was... just a prototype (I was learning JavaScript at the time at work). Six years later, about the time Apple released the Swift language for iOS, there were some big financial issues with my family, and somehow, I felt I had to work again on my game, rewriting it completely in Swift + SpriteKit, thinking I could help my family if the game was a hit (yes, it was silly, but when in a bad emotional state, you're not rational at all )... In a month, I made my new prototype based on the same stupid idea, and it was a cool prototype this time, which impressed some of my friends at work and even my little brother who is also a gamer... And then I gave up again. Three years later (nowadays), I'm starting it again, but with Game Maker this time, hoping game development would be easier or more portable to other platforms. I chose it, because I loved Spelunky, Hotline Miami, and of course Hyper light drifter, and I knew they were developed with GMS. My game is not of that level at all, but I think the idea in it is crazy enough that if realized properly, people could really talk about it (in a good way or bad way). Anyway as a solo developer, I want to make my own game, one that people will like and which will delight them. But I don't know if I have the strength or motivation to finish it... (If I do, be sure that I will share the work-in-progress here )
Thanks for reading.