Finding time, energy and motivation to do gamedev is easier when the barrier to entry is lower. So everything that keeps the barrier low is helpful. I try to keep my project working and maintainable so i can just do any small task immediately. That is far less of a barrier than knowing that you left the project in a state of massively broken and it will take hours of painful concentrated work to get it to run again. I document for myself and leave breadcrumbs everywhere ( just comment // Todo: here's something and it's part of the task list in visual studio ). It's also easier to do the next step when you're in the flow. Starting after doing nothing for a week is harder than starting when it's the 7th day in a row. I know from my dayjob that projects are so much easier when they are current in the mind, so it helps to keep them current. A few minutes each day help.

The hardest part is trying to keep myself motivated. After working, chores and taking care of the kids there’s very little motivation leftover to work on my game.

I agree. I've made that excuse so many times in the past saying that I don't have time and waste it on KZread or other time wasters. I may not always have that "few hours" each day, but those minutes add up on either your goals or more of nothing. Consistency is key, like others have said about atomic habits. It's nice being able to look through my it history for example and see all the commits, all of the "bricks" that are slowly stacking on top of each other for what I want to achieve. If what we wanted in life was easy, everyone would be doing it. Fun is necessary, but so is discipline for myself.

One of the hardest things for me is that I am mentally exhausted from my day job, and have physical time for game dev but lost the spark to do more work when I finally get home.

@nsgames24

9 ай бұрын

Honestly, that's very relatable. I have found some ways around that, but it does take discipline.

@liquideggproduct7547

9 ай бұрын

It is difficult. If you can swing it, having a large break in between job and game dev helps. Goal is to have 90 minutes at the end of the day (60 min dev, 30 minutes winding down before sleep)

lol duuuuuuuude. 3:30 when talking about time management. PREACH. Once I realized how much time I wasted on useless things, I found so much time. I have people ask me all the time how I get so much done, and I explain this to them. I love how you phrased it, and I'm totally stealing it for when people ask me lol.

Being realistic is a valuable life skill

I’m the kind of person that desperately need to schedule things. I usually schedule certain evening of the week for certain things, I make time for games, chores, and game dev. Recently I went so far as to do game dev work for at least 5 minutes every day. This could be looking through my kanban, searching for assets, planning, or obviously developing. Some days I spent as little as 15 minutes, but it was at least something. It eventually became a habit and I did this every day before I did any other of my interests. The 5 minute barrier is so easy to break through that starting was never a problem, and once you’ve started it was just natural to keep going. I rarely spent under an hour, and I averaged 12 hours a week. However, after 95 consecutive evenings of this I felt like I needed a break. So now I’m holding up for a month, and will continue every day for at least 5 minutes, two months at a time, the end another 1 month break. I think this will work for me. I need to schedule both work time, and play time. Or it will only ever be play time.

As of making this comment, I work at a job full-time every day of the week except on Wednesdays and Thursdays. On my work days, I don’t get off until the end of the day, and there are many days where the only thing that I want to do when I go home is go to bed. A lot of my game dev happens on my laptop (pixel art, game engine, looking at resources for help, etc.) and I've been making an effort to expand that on my phone / tablet when I'm not at home with things like making music, writing a script, editing the story for my game, learning to draw, etc.)

Listen to this man. I lost my family last week my balance was wrong and I didn't saw it fast enough. Now she is with another man. I gain a lot of free time but it doesn't feel right to use it for game dev anymore. Great video I hope it'll help someone.

The reality if you have a family is youre going to need a spouse who can shoulder the responsibilities you’ll be dropping to you want to make any reasonable progress. While making time can be somewhat easy, making enough time to accomplish anything is a whole different story.

THIS is the content I subscribed for. Thanks, I need a reality check from time to time XD.

Great video. A few years ago I found time for dev but I'm still struggling to keep up with it, especially when making game dev videos. I think the idea of flexibility is under appreciated and this video has reminded me to keep that in the back of my mind each day.

Thanks for the video. For me the biggest issue is that I did not treat gamedev as my responsibility. It has always been a side activity. So this mid hack helps tremendously

Great video, thanks for the advice!

Thanks for the vids. Making a Japanese learning game being married with 3 kids, and I don’t eat, exercise, study or spend enough time with those I love anymore. I have “Elon Musk” motivation and that’s the person I am, all in or don’t even try. A balance is surely the way to go as gamedev is a long journey, not a sprint. I hope I (and all of you out there) find a healthy balance - L

For me personally I can only work in the night on my game after my wife and kids went to sleep. That affects my health because I don't get enough sleep but with a full time job and spending the rest of the day with my family I don't find any other time. I want to start with some fitness training to have more energy during the day

Thanks dude, this is helpful.

Good video. Work-life balance is super important, and the implication is that things take a longer time. So I would advise people to keep their day job, or find a part time job, while doing their first game on the side as a dedicated hobby. Keeping procrastination at a minimum is also a good habit to build on.

that acceptance tip is hard to do when caught up in the emotions! Had to take a while but started working on things a bit of a time and hope the ball stays rolling :)

Good stuff Brandon.

My first son Will Be born in january so nap - coding is gonna be a reality soon 😂

i've been dealing with this for a while now so this is super helpful to know its possible. Looking into getting a travel sized laptop for using during downtime where I don't have access to a computer which will be helpful. My most valuable skill is achieving 1 thing every development session. no matter how small it needs to result in 1 thing so in the long run I can achieve more. Thank you for this video =)

This is what I needed to hear.

Very solid advice.

Great video, man!

Good video, good advice.

I took a brake for 6 months and feel like i forgot everything in construct 3. Now im scares to hop back in

🖖

@sasquatchbgames

9 ай бұрын

Hey thanks so much for the support!

Finding balance is definitely not a skill I have, if I did I probably wouldn't have wasted 4 years of my life at a job I hated and never made any progress towards my game dev goals. I'm making some progress now, but not enough personally.

First. 😊

second

Third lol

First

You are a youtuber not a game dev. Until you have released a game or two maybe lay off trying to tell people how it is as a game developer. You are a youtuber.

Jokes on you, game devs don't have a life 💀