I have something to say... Harsh truths and Honesty | Indie Game Dev

Instead of selling the house, couldn’t you just rent it out indefinitely forever?

Game development is hard! I always start a project and follow some tutorials trying to learn because I'm not a coder or an artist, so I get dicuraged everytime. I know it takes time to learn this stuff, but my brain goes haywire everytime. Where do I get my art - will I ever understand coding - will my idea even work or be fun. It truly sucks when you have game ideas and can't do anything about it. I'll keep trying, do my best to push down the negatives that run around my head, and hopefuly make a game some day.

It looks like you guys will get it done, and hope you accomplish your goals.

For views, maybe get someone to market the game

For the game dev, publish and release the parts that are finished.while you finish more sections of the game you can add to it?

Idk just ideas, good luck!

The sounds effects in the video are very loud and cover your voice. But thanks for the video and for sharing your experience and thoughts.

i am so proud of you and your wife and to exist in the same space as you. i know for a fact that you two will blow up, not only do you deserve it for the shear work you’re putting in, but for helping the competition around you selflessly and for pure love of the craft.

i love you both, and i am so utterly impressed with your honesty about the matter. you inspire me.

this podcast (on the website) is the only thing that literally keeps me going in this industry lmao

man i get motivated by the most negative things

Hello in the future, to the past you, but you're also now in the future...

Anyway, here's a reminder that when you posted this video, you had 608 subscribers. You now have almost 13,000. Nice work, way to keep it up!

Watching this video 2023-Nov 2-Thu and you have 20x your subscribers. Congrats. Very interesting that you shared your story.

608 subscribers in 8 months. Try 78 subscribers in one year of grueling work. I'm insane and I'm essentially making a AAA game on my own, and I've gotten very little support. But you know what? F***k it. Nothing great comes easily.

I'm actually someone who's got less of a problem about "not thinking I'm making as much progress as someone else" and more of an even stupider problem that I'm literally not even in the same playing field because I can't stop making excuses to even START my goals as a game dev. I'm perpetually in the planning stages because my brain is so afraid of not getting it all right the first time and to that effect, it just means I now have over 20 "planned out" game concepts and yet not a single one have I truly started developing because I don't know which one would be "best" for my first one.

Will I choose something overly ambitious and immediately burn myself out because it takes me too much time for too little effort? Will I choose something that I mechanically underestimate and create a fear in myself that videogame development was never meant for me? Or will I create something that I put a lot of effort into the narrative of and end up the butt of all jokes when it turns out my writing capabilities don't come close to how I envisioned them and every character and interaction is just hated on?

All of these things I KNOW wont ever matter if I don't actually START my journey for real instead of just thinking about the "what ifs" and I've known that for more than half my life now, yet I've become my biggest obstacle in telling myself that it'll be better this way, that I wont get hurt if I just continue to work my crappy retail job and experience the same things day to day...

Videos like this are important to me because although it's just clear that people like yourself and others are just plainly harder workers than myself, it also reminds me that doing anything at all towards my dream isn't a waste of time and that at some point, if I keep going, I'll be WITH you guys, making those same struggles of thinking I'm not working hard ENOUGH rather than just not working hard at all, and that'll be growth because it's the hurdle I promise I'll break out from.

Hey Brandon!
I've began the same journey 2 month ago. I think the worst for me is being overwhelmed by the sheer number of hats i must put on. I do really love it though even if it affects my quality of sleep . And i have to be wary of these negative thoughts that keep pushing in.

In the end, it is our choice we made and this is our life, so no matter how hard, we are born for this ;) One foot in front of the other, keeping the focus, remembering to breath, this is the way!

Brother look you’re at 10k now. One year from recording. Well done.

now got 10k subs + me, keep up guys !!!

And look at you now at the end of 2023 with over 12k subscribers and a big support community. You’re doing great man, it’s motivating to me who started the game development journey back in January. I work 35-40 hours a week as a soda merchandiser. It’s exhausting work but it pays the bills and pays for my college as well as helps me save for my wedding next August. I used to have a higher up position in the company but I gave it up to pursue my passions. I’ve been working on a game called Drakenforge since January and April is when I decided to also pursue my bachelors in IT with a focus in game development. I’m busy almost every moment of the day with little to no social life just like you, but I still make time for my fiancé and for my animals (I have a needy husky, 2 cats always getting into shit, and a snake who is the pickiest eater) Even though I’m barely passed the foundation stage of my game (NPC collision, dialogue, environment interaction) all the assets are handcrafted and seeing this is like a beacon of hope out of my own crippling anxiety of this. I would love to just quit my job and do this full time to get ahead, but unfortunately we require food and shelter to live and my parents would kill me if they had to live with all my animals 😂. I wish you luck, anyone else who is doing this luck, and myself luck. I’ll see you guys on the other side ❤

Everything worthwhile in life is hard.

you need to be aware that results will come, hard work and patience

listening to post mortem of solo game devs they have that ability to just shove something in, even if it's not perfect or will produce a bug or two... for me i need everything pixel perfect 😂😂

"maybe I'll feel confident showing this weeks build" 😂😂

Your game reminded me of Hollow Knight, & I just put it into my wishlist on steam, hopefully that helps out a bit

Hi, Brandon.
Very glad to hear your story. I am also a game dev who quit from a game company which isn't fitting my target anymore. Because there is a world in my brain, banging my head and asking to be born.
But I am not as determined as you are. My family would become homeless if I didn't take another coding job. So I have to squeeze my spare time to do my own game, which is quite depressing for slow progress.😢
Anyway, I really wish you good luck.

Just got recommended this video.

Respect for taking the exciting hard road and letting us know your story/struggles.

I'm currently a software developer, but ideally want to do game dev full time.

I'm too sacred to just take the deep plunge like you did and hoping I can opt to get a game development job instead. However it's been tough to secure an interview without professional experience in games industry.

Anyway I'll keep chugging along making short demos until my portfolio is enough to inpress my way into a job haha.

It's good to listen to the voice of reason. If you suppress it for too long you can end up in some serious trouble.

I just subscribed! Sorry for your loss. I hope the best for you. Keep going!

As someone who is dealing with those same feelings right now, I REALLY appreciate this video. It makes me feel a little less alone in these hard times between making money and actually enjoying life.

"We're All Game Beginners" by professor Krystian Majewski covers the personal and mental struggles/effects of gamedev.

I'm beginning this journey too after a similar situation (though still haven't sold my house... yet). Most of my life has been an erratic dissapointment so I feel that it has prepared me somewhat for what I'm about to do.

G.R.I.T. is needed to make a game, you have the same issues I have as well. We must keep going.
Guts to take the risks it takes to see your art come to life. Resilience when failures inevitably happen and the ability to bounce back. Integrity in sticking to your goals. Tenacity to on your vision to see it through.

It's okay to be nobody. Most of us die as nobody.

I currently work in a call center full time and work on my game between calls. I have been working on it for about 7 months and just got steam approved. I had a son last year and my wife had to quit her job to take care of him since daycare is so expensive. I am the sole income in my house (and I don't make much). I recently put some money into my game for some assistance with some stubborn bugs I am having. I am very happy with my game so far but it also makes me feel sick sometimes. I am already struggling financially and the prospect of putting any money into something that may not make that money back is terrifying even though its a very minor amount. I can only imagine being in your exact situation.

Your game looks fantastic and I wish you all the luck in the world. You certainly aren't the only one to have these thoughts or feelings

i believe in u man keep up the hard work it will pay off

I am developing my first VR game and I am way over schedule. The pressure is real... Keep going 🙏💪

In a similar boat. Appreciate the optimistic but realistic message. Good luck!

Hats off !

Been 8 months and looks like you're picking up 👍

Wishing you all the best with developing your game and YT channel!

I'm sure someone else has told you this, but I'm watching this video 8 months later. Y'all currently have 10.6K subscribers and this video has 28K views. Huge shout out to y'all for sticking with this and channel and with Veil of Maia! I'm wishlisted and I'm hoping for all the best!

Hi, your Steam page have some problems. If you are reading the comments, reply and I'll list them.

Dear past Brandon. Congrats on having over 10k subs at the time of my writing this.

Great vid, thanks for sharing your experiences

Thank you

Thank you

Just play games instead. There is already WAY too many incredible games ALREADY MADE, and theres no point making more unless your idea is just that good (it isn't). Nearly all of you indie game devs, you do not know where the various peaks are, because you havent played the games that did those aspects the best. Its actually insane how many games Ive not heard of for years, just blow me away after I realise they exist. Stop making games just to add onto this already enormously impressive pile, start playing them. Do some easy job instead because literally nobody is benefitting from yall going the hard way.

The fact that your channel has over 10k subs after mere months of the publication of this video speaks for itself.

Almost 10k subs now. Have a sub!

Watching this in August 2023 and you have thousands of subscribers and this video has over 20k views. Congratulations! Keep going!

I came across this video by searching “being a solo game dev log” and you had a juicy thumbnail. Really enjoyed the message of the video. I’m always fascinated and moved when hear about people going all in on something they love and why. Just a minor thing, at times it felt like you were about to start repeating yourself but you were doing a stream of thoughts kind of thing so all good 😊 . I was invested in your mad lad story so I saw the video to the end. You came across relatable and genuine. Lastly, I really appreciate the editing/sound design for keeping my tiny attention span going. Hope this help! Your glow up is any day now 😊

I just put my notice in at my soul sucking job. I have exactly 1 years worth of money. I have been tinkering with game dev for a while.... I am going for it. I hope that you find the success you are looking for.

This was extremely encouraging for me. (Currently at 2.3k subs & just went full-time)
Keep it up!