Thanks for watching guys! What about you? What would you do differently if you started over? ► Learn how to become a full time game dev, free: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-how-to-make-six-figures ► Enroll in my 3D workshop, free!: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-15-minute-3D-game ► Make your game instantly beautiful with my free workbook: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-instant-beauty-color-workbook ► Get my 2D game kit, free: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-2D-game-kit ► Join my 2D character workshop, free: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-2d-character-art-workshop ► Wishlist Twisted Tower: store.steampowered.com/app/1575990/Twisted_Tower/ ► Learn how to make money as a KZreadr: www.fulltimegamedev.com/opt-in-indie-game-income-workshop

@Mutedthjop

2 ай бұрын

Is sale eneded ? I have tried to enroll bu there is no OFF

1:04 define the game hook 2:06 define the game loop 3:23 play similar games 4:56 create a prototype 5:35 define the sizes of all mechanics 7:24 create a visual bible 9:02 make a 10 minute demo 11:16 create a team 13:03 use a project management tool 14:37 start a youtube channel

@ismistdev

2 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@TRUFANATIC

2 ай бұрын

thx bro

@drugsforhugs7106

Ай бұрын

Thank you sir

Devs that don't play games, make worse games.

@FunbobbyJ

2 ай бұрын

True! But... Devs that can't stop playing games never finish and release a game. I've heard multiple developers in interviews say they had to shun new games for two years in order to finish their own. There's always a balance there.

@mainak08

2 ай бұрын

​@@FunbobbyJ True i have played more than 20 games but only have made 7 projects

@mortache

Ай бұрын

​@@FunbobbyJyeah but sometimes seeing some new way of making a game can open great new avenues for you to make your game, instead of being stuck in the past for years. Like a new inventory management system or xp progression system that is far more intuitive and popular

@mortache

Ай бұрын

​@@FunbobbyJsometimes you just get lost in your own thought process, and seeing a new thing might make you go "damn I didn't think of it that way"

@pygmalioninvenus6057

Ай бұрын

unless they are gay or black or female

Locking in your measurements is such an important and understated thing. Its ridiculously important

@johnsysays

2 ай бұрын

A beginner isn't going to lock in anything especially in writing. That's something they have to figure out as they go, not sure how Thomas didn't mention that

@MikeGemi

2 ай бұрын

@@johnsysays When im saying locking in your measurements I mean the actual scaling of your assets and world compared to the size of your character. As for locking in writing I dont think people really do that. A lot of the time a story will change and evolve from the original idea

@ChrisCypher

Ай бұрын

Noob question, but I'm curious about this point. Does that mean there are people who use disproportionately sized assets and try to fix later rather than immediately making sure they're the right size relative to everything else? Or is it more a "this looks correct visually" but numerically is 50% larger than what it would be in real life relative to everything else which could cause..I dunno.. physics or translation issues? I thought some games have to cheat the sizes of certain things so that they appear "correctly."

@MikeGemi

Ай бұрын

@@ChrisCypher I would say both. Its just not being aware of the units compared to the player and the world. And you are right games will for sure make things certain sizes to give an illusion of how it should look. More of what im saying for example would be you make a sword thats 300 units tall when the character is 100 units

@ChrisCypher

Ай бұрын

@@MikeGemi I see. thanks for the explanation!

Love how the binary converts to "Wishlist Twisted Tower" 🤣

Developer of the game seen at 2:00 (Pushing It! With Sisyphus) here, haha I didn't expect to see my own game in a Thomas Brush video! Guess I've finally made it as a game developer

Your videos are awesome now, I used to get a little bored from straight and linear paced videos before, glad to have you back as interesting again 🤩

I'm trying to get into game design, and your channel is literally the best one I've found. I feel like the topics you make videos about are all the things I didn't, and wouldn't have ever thought about starting this journey. Thank you for what you do Thomas!

@jakethecake3657

2 ай бұрын

God speed and good luck!

@MG-bm6dw

2 ай бұрын

@@jakethecake3657 Thank you, I appreciate it!

I really like the comedy spin you are adding to the videos. Great work!

Great fun video Thomas, and very helpful... good to see you getting back in your stride with this format .

Thomas how many effects do you want in the video? Thomas: Yes

It's nice to demonstrate how helpful KZread can be to a indie game dev, but it's also useful to point out that success at something like KZread also in part requires a large amount of luck

I'm a simple man, I see a Thomas Brush video, I click

@alanburns9466

2 ай бұрын

Hm. I must concur my good man. Quite a cultured ol chap you are.

@Diego_2.34

2 ай бұрын

Same here 😂❤

@Jadebones

Ай бұрын

Good job, simple.

Thanks for being consistent for so long! Always love hearing your thoughts on game stuff, keeping us smaller or solo devs inspired!

youre not allowed to do this topic again until 2026

good job putting all those information together. I feel like now I know where to go or at least where to see. Thank you.

This is such a great video. I intend to refer people to it for advice when starting out in game dev.

this video is GOLD!!!!! crazy you doing this for free. thank you for sharing knowledge like this you the man

@DrDemolition

2 ай бұрын

not free at all, he gets plenty of money from youtube haha :D

@arnesso92

2 ай бұрын

@@DrDemolitionnot plenty, few cents / view ( and he has to pay others as well :D

@DrDemolition

2 ай бұрын

trust me, i know - these aren't yt shorts we're talking about, it racks up very fast for videos above 8 minutes ​@@arnesso92

@user-lw8bk5hb5u

Ай бұрын

@@DrDemolition if it's free for the viewer, it doesn't matter how much money he gets from youtube, it's free :D

I'd take that publisher offer. It feels like in that given scenario you have (1) the core mechanics sorted/tuned, (2) the art style established, (3) your workflows established, and (4) really just need to put in the legwork to add the content to finish. A year to do that would be amazing, because you can determine how big your game can be be the amount of time it takes to complete the workflow to add new content (not mechanics).

@3dartninja

2 ай бұрын

I think thats the way to do it for sure. This is exactly what im trying to and what I messed up building my first two games which I never completed. I finally know enough and took the time to build out this type of polished loop of the game and its almost ready to just be filled with content which is predictable for me as an artist. It was neat to see it written out exactly lol

@misteriwa

2 ай бұрын

I think I'm in a very similar situation. It feels amazing to design a core foundation and polish it with modular items. Building the bulk of the levels is then very easy by comparison!

The Bite Me Games shoutout was quite the surprise! BMG x TB crossover soon?

Thanks a lot for your valuable suggestions

This is an amazing video! Nice and simple is exactly what my overthinking brain needs. Thank you Thomas!

This is very helpful, thank you!

Props to your video editor. This is at least a couple days worth of work (if not more. ) just to edit in all of the fx and vid cuts,

I was very blessed to start in game modding when it was becoming popular. You learn a lot of about these pitfalls early on, and in manageable chunks. I also ended up paying for and using Click-up. I tried them all, and Gantt charting dependencies of assets is a must for me. You spend extra time flushing that out, it will pay big.

This was really insightful, thank you.

You are my Biggest Motivation Sir.

Morning coffee and a notepad for this one, thanks a lot Thomas!

This is the exact type of video I’ve been looking for because it finally made the starting steps click into place for me

Ayo, video editing goes hard!

Some powerful advise here, thanks!

Cool to see it divided like that: Loop, Hook, Genre, Measurements and Gameplay prototype. It'd be great if you put markers in the video to be able to revisit each one without having to guess around haha.

I want to honestly thank you for your videos. I've been disappointed with games lately but I had an epiphany over the last year or so. I come from the film industry one of the first things I learned is: "Don't get attached to anything you work on, its NOT your film." Then I realized its the same with games. These aren't my IP's and I don't fund these projects. If I want to see what I want in games, I have to do it myself. Your videos have been an inspiration to me as well as informing me as to what may lay ahead on this journey. 🙏

I hope these call in’s becomes a regular thing on your channel. Could you discuss the topic of game piracy and what can be done to help stop or at least slow down your game from being ripped off. Great stream and thanks for your hard work

Some damn good editing

This is one of the Top 10 videos on KZread. The man is telling you how to do it. You literally just have to do it now.

Something good that will help you with the visual side is mock up screenshots, put together scenes in-game, photoshop whatever, just to put everything on the screen and see how it all meshes together

I get the ten minute demo idea, but I think it's more appropriate to go for a sized demo that fully demonstrates your core gameplay loop(s) (not necessarily all of them). How much effort this will take is one of the things you should consider when figuring out what scope you can handle. +100 on scaling up a team AFTER your polished demo is completed. Game studios struggle with this as it can leave so many people sitting idle burning cash, and that's a tough pill to swallow.

I'm still working on the plot along with my hook. I have the idea but those two are very hard especially if I don't know what will be fun for me to play. I'm not thinking of everyone else at first. I have some skills already, but I'm not completely confident that my stuff will take off as even a demo this year. Still trying to hone the skills so that I don't get anyone thinking I'm not working on it.

This isn't how to start game development. This is how to go into business of making a game designed first and foremost to make money for its stakeholders. Game development is doing something you want because you want to and if people like it, great, and if the don't great. All you care is you made a game because that's the goal to being a successful game developer.

@thereseemstobeenanerror1219

Ай бұрын

No

Ok i every new indie should this, amazing description of how to go from hobbyist to full time

About the part at 3:35 .... what if I don't like games that are in my "similar scope" ? Also, what if similar small games don't really exists ? About the part at 9:01 ... what if it doesn't matter if the demo is just 10 minutes long or few hours because of the work and details it takes to make them would be almost the same ? Btw, I think it would be also not bad to create an own website on which the demo or the final game can be downloaded. No one can tell if Steam will allow the demo or final game on their website, because of many reasons like the monetarisation or the content.

I love how he has the same face on his last 5 thumbnails 😂

good content thomas

0:10 What a coincidence. Yesterday I was watching his (bite me game channel) Same video and other 2 3 recent videos. And today I searched for your video 😮 you both are amazing 😊❤ thank you

hello this video helps me! im Game Developer and i say what you say is true when you start making games think about the hook and about the loop and so on! im working also on severerel games! now im working on a heros shade because im a sonic fan i make a 2d jump and rund and because im a fan of 2d jump and runs and unerstand the topic of games i alredy have a loop and a hook! this video is great for learning to do something better and learn to make better games as a beginner

Ngl I subscribed bro gg

Hey congratulations 👏, I've seen this title, didn't know you were in on it, cool, cool. Yup the hook has to have some enticing bait.

Its so hard playing games the deeper you get into developing your game. Makes me so jealous and feel like im wasting my time playing others' games while im supposed to be shipping my game and have others play my games instead

I'm not sure I understand the measurements point. I think I'm already doing this, which is by making a mockup scene where I design all of my assets, instead of designing them each in isolation. I've done this mistake in the past and it's caused assets to look much larger than the other assets I've designed. That's how I'm interpreting this point but I could be wrong.

So how does one make a game and now what’s engaging and fun to play if one does not play them?

I play SOME games but I'm one of those people that's been playing mostly the same games for ten years. I's pretty rare I get something new. I like the creative outlet of making more than the entertainment of playing.

I think that making a game is a lot about taking the best from games you liked playing...then you need a lot of fantasy to merge them all in your unique mechanics!

Cheeky lil "Wishlist Twisted Tower" plug, I see you 😉😂

Thanks for the helpful information! Can you give me advice on how to promote indie games on social media? For example, on Twitter, my posts get few views, and I don't understand why this is so?

Great vid

I have started my own channel. But it feels like another full time job. It is hard to balance my normal job, game dev, and youtube. I usually have to decrease 1 in order to handle another. Thomas, do you have any advice?

@Acromata

2 ай бұрын

decreasing one to handle the other is the way to go, don't stress over it is the biggest tip. you can't do all 3 at once, expect to neglect one, just don't neglect it for too long

@AndrewMaksymBrainNectar

2 ай бұрын

I'm struggling too lol! 😅

@srsherman7

2 ай бұрын

@nanopunkgames same struggle here.. I would suggest for the YT focus on shorts.. shorts bring in a lot of views and potentially build an audience for when you have the time to put together a full dev log vid.. 🤷‍♂️ that's what I'm going to start focusing on with my game dev channel

I’ve just started getting into making my first game, I played around in unity for like the first 5 days just learning things and the past 2 days i’ve made a first person controller with animations and an attack and terrain, im trying to go for a basic poly dark and darker, but it seems like it’s a lot to bite off for my first week would I be better off learning something else or should i continue trying to add a health system / enemies.

@collincrow.

2 ай бұрын

for my ideal simple game to get under my portfolio i would like to have like inventory a main menu and the character to have a smooth attacking system against my enemy and I don’t know how achievable that is for me, I’ve been abusing chat got to fix my code while learning and it’s rough 😂

I just got use to pillars and now your giving me hooks.

Does your team work pro bono? If yes, what incentives do you offer them?

I struggle with playing games myself. Making the game IS my, "GAME"🎮😭

@AndrewMaksymBrainNectar

2 ай бұрын

Lol I can't game as much as I used to. Need to use that Time and focus for making art and studying.

3. Play similar games: that's what I'm doing. I'm in the making of my own 3D platformer game and I'm playing/trying a lot of platformer games lately to see how others have done it, and to get the feeling of the controls and mechanics and see what is working and what is not (at least for me). I'd like to put out a game that is fun to play.

Since you asked for recommendations ... If you're into game dev and not on the Pirate Software Discord, you're missing out.

3rd one seems life saving to me

It’s a good video for what it is, but this feels like how to start game development…for your next project. Is there an iteration of this you could do that’s focused on how you would begin game development if you had to learn it from scratch?

Funny thing you say that I used to play games heaps without guilt but now that I make them and have my ideal game in mind I feel like I'm wasting time when I try play other games (except valhiem with my boyfriend atm) but making my game is still at the back of my mind hha

How talk a lot about marketing, creating a brand, youtube and social medias. Could you make a video similar to that with tips and recommendations but about youtube, or something like twitter, instagram etc. If you know, you know how little many of indie devs know about marketing. And thank you for this video, great as always!

I felt that when you couldn't do 10,000*10 at 10:35. As I get older, I can't seem do the simplest math in my head

im trying to make a scary game about a forest, any tips for a newbie?

Scale is so important and underestimated. I imagine many gamers think a game looks weird, yet cannot explain why.. and a good chunk of those would have off scaling.

1. I have 10 years experience living with my own startups and I also wouldn't give up such stake for 100k, but you can get funded in many ways so the point is strong 2. This channel is getting better and better 3. Subscribed.

I would take the offer if it meant you could keep whatever’s left of the 100k investment when the game is done. Steam already takes 30% of the revenue so you really “only” get 60% of the remaining 70%. Unless the game is doing super well it wouldn’t be enough to keep you going full time for long otherwise.

Your insights align with using the design process: - Empathize: Research user needs - Define: State user needs and problems - Ideate: Challenge assumptions and create ideas - Prototype: Start to create solutions - Test: Try out solutions

i just signed up!

3:19 For those who wondering what it says - "Wishlist Twisted Tower"

2:16 classic meatspin reference

Hi there! so after watching your video i have got to say in terms of Hooks i have that all figured out after all i am using a game formula that i know works because it was Popular for a game that WAS in development but then dropped by the Publisher for unknown reasons. The community LOVED the game and it was vary polished and has all of us going threw withdrawal 7 years later! and i am even going to expand on that formula improving said Hooks. I am struggling to find the means to MAKE the game... the style of game does not have much in terms of tutorials for its basic style on the engine i wish to use. I could use a mentor or some sort of lessons or tutorials that are more hands on... taking classes are so expensive and at times redundant and fake... i have been ripped off before -_-

What if you want to make a modern version of a game made when you were a kid? Specifically with online game play

I actually have a really great idea for a game. I got the world figured out, i got the setting, the hooks, the loop. I just dont have money for actually making it, and im not great at design.

I almost never play games. With 3 kids and a full time job it is feels nearly impossible to prioritize it over other game dev stuff like - development, socials, market research, etc. However, I know the playing games and studying their design is just as important as these other things. I gotta make this happen!

@ultimatecombatsportspb

2 ай бұрын

I’ve been watching game play more than playing it myself. 1. I don’t have to buy every game I see. 2. I can get the highlights. Maybe it’s not the same. But I’m like you, I don’t have time😅

@shonmacklin9613

2 ай бұрын

I'm making a 2d metroidvania. I lost 2 months of dev time when Prince of Persia released. I was hooked but I got a good idea on what I needed playing this game. I am satisfied. But I will only watch gamelay on other similar games.

@MarioCola

2 ай бұрын

I think you missed the point, but that's the catch: playing games is actually the most valuable form of market research. Make this switch, you're loosing a lot of time (my two cents, for what it's worth)

I think that the 10 minutes polished demo tip doesnt work for all kind of games. It may work with adventures/platformers where you will spend 98% of your time on polish, graphics and level design.

About the publishers: It might be worth it for US developers, but outside of US it's really bad. If a publisher takes 40%, so I'm left with 60% gross revenue. Then steam comes in and takes 30% and I assume this cut would be split with the publisher. So I'm left with 45% gross revenue. But then comes in the US withholding tax that cuts away 30%. Some countries have a tax treaty with US to mitigate this, but those who don't are screwed. After all of that I'm left with only 15% net revenue. 40% - publisher 15% - half of steam cut 30% or less - US withholding tax

@studiologixgames

2 ай бұрын

the publisher is meant to take 40% of your revenue after expenses from steam and possibly the tax fee, this is a recommended style for a lot of devs

@veeper

2 ай бұрын

I'm not sure why this is upvoted. This changes absolutely nothing. You take a deal with a publisher because you think you'll earn more money with a publisher than without one. Or because you want to take less risk. US tax withholding is not a factor in this equation. Also if anyone knows what to do with regards to US tax withholding it's probably the publisher.

@oainsh

2 ай бұрын

Your revenue is what you get from Steam in your account and it's already -30%.

Umm, a hook and loop is a fastening system (i.e. Velcro...)... hehe I digress, thanks for the video! 🤭

Hey Thomas ,I love your first Idea of your game Father I hope you make it when you finish this, the one think i didn't like about father is the enemy I hope if you make it make the enemy look like wrong turn type enemy. I love the Story of Father so much I just remember it and force to type this comment cheers.

This is great advice! Amazing gems!

The first rule of making indie mmos being "dont" makes me wanna devote my life to making one just to prove everyone wrong aint gonna lie 😂.

Anyone have discords I should join for game dev?

What did the binary text say?🙃

Sir, that's 11 cents... or 6 I can't tell, BUT ITS MORE THAN 2!

Speaking of games can u finish urs I want to play so badly

"With a team of 3 you can compress 3 years of work down to 1 year" This really isn't true in practice. You might shave it down to 2 years, or maybe you can tackle incrementally more scope or higher quality, but 3x the people almost never nets out to 3x less time

Great advice about standardized resolutions, if many, and a base on measurements for the variables on inputs/timings reactions, U.I., A.I., ect. I made this mistake first time completing a game when I first started. Why it doesn't exists 😂. This isn't too difficult, and most graphically based components are based on resolutions, while the other measurements are working with the logic, physics, emulation or simulation, ect. Which is good to decide atvthe beginning, not just for scalability, but not restricting implementation of features you may decide improve the hook, or loop. I found it helps to keep a sequel in mind, even if imaginary and never intended, but restricts you from making it not scalable.

Haha, "Old man". Dude, you're what...30? Great information, and thank you as always!

OMG BiteMe is featured here

1:09 Wilhelm scream

thx

Hook and Loop is basically drug addiction. The reason why someone starts and why someone continues

I would do it

man about playing games I still remember beating hollow knight and the ori series for the first time and it kinda made me sad knowing there's not really that many good metroidvanias (at least the ones I know) so I was like fuck it why not make one myself my real problem is trying to not directly copy off those games dx but we'll see eventually I guess

I see first person who didn't mention Jira and Atlassian ecosystem. :D