The Tools I Use For Full Time Indie Game Development

Summary

In this video, an experienced indie game developer shares the tools and workflow they use to build games like *Gunforged*. From the free and flexible Godot engine to the versatile VS Code IDE, the developer highlights essential software for game creation, project management, and marketing. Tools like ClickUp, GitHub, Aseprite, and DaVinci Resolve help streamline development and organization, while platforms like Fiverr and Itch.io offer resources for music and sound. The video also covers hardware recommendations for optimizing game development and content creation, offering valuable insights for aspiring indie developers.

Takeaways

• 😀 Godot is a free, open-source game engine with a flexible node system, ideal for both beginners and advanced users. It allows quick scene composition and scalability for game development.
• 😀 VS Code is a highly customizable IDE with numerous extensions, making it a great choice for game development, especially for C# with Godot.
• 😀 Obsidian is a powerful note-taking tool that uses Markdown and allows for easy organization, offering full control over your notes without cloud dependencies.
• 😀 ClickUp is a versatile project management tool, offering Kanban boards, customizable lists, and forms for player feedback or bug reports, helping keep projects organized.
• 😀 Git and GitHub provide version control, allowing for safe code management with commits and easy rollback, making it essential for every game developer.
• 😀 ChatGPT is useful for generating specific code and solving technical issues, such as writing complex shaders or algorithms, saving time in development.
• 😀 Aseprite is the go-to tool for pixel art, featuring sprite creation, animation tools, a layer system, and various export formats, all for a reasonable price.
• 😀 Sound effects can be sourced from the GDC Sonniss audio bundles, which are free and comprehensive, as well as itch.io for additional free or paid packs.
• 😀 For music, FreePD.com offers public domain tracks, while hiring composers on Fiverr or Upwork can elevate the game's identity with original scores.
• 😀 DaVinci Resolve is a powerful video editing tool for devlogs and YouTube content, offering both free and premium versions for video production needs.
• 😀 OBS is an excellent tool for screen recording and live streaming, while Lossless Cut and HandBrake help with cutting and compressing video for social media sharing.

Q & A

What made the author feel comfortable taking the leap into full-time indie game development?

The author felt comfortable because they had settled into a productive set of tools and workflow, which allowed them to be highly efficient in their game development process.

Why does the author use Godot for game development?

The author uses Godot because it is free, open-source, MIT-licensed, easy to use, and offers a balance of out-of-the-box functionality and flexibility. It also has an intuitive node system and a scripting language, GDScript, that is easy to pick up.

What scripting languages does the author use for their game Gunforged?

For Gunforged, the author uses C# as the scripting language with Godot, which requires an external IDE like VS Code.

Why does the author prefer VS Code over other IDEs?

The author prefers VS Code because it is free, highly customizable, and has a wealth of extensions, including features like TodoTree for tracking tasks and support for multiple programming languages, including C#.

What is the author's recommendation for organizing thoughts and project plans?

For organizing thoughts and project plans, the author recommends using Obsidian, a free note-taking app that allows for Markdown editing, gives you ownership over your notes, and offers community plugins for enhanced functionality.

What tool does the author recommend for larger game development projects or team collaboration?

For larger projects or team collaboration, the author recommends ClickUp, a versatile project management tool with features like customizability in task lists, feedback collection via forms, and task triaging.

What is Git and why is it essential for game development?

Git is a version control system that allows developers to track changes in their code over time. It is essential for game development as it helps manage project versions, facilitates error recovery, and ensures that work is safely backed up on platforms like GitHub.

What is Aseprite used for, and why is it favored by the author?

Aseprite is a pixel art tool used by the author to create sprites and animations for their games. The author favors it for its user-friendly features, such as layers for non-destructive editing, sprite animation capabilities, and a variety of export options.

How does the author source sound effects and music for their games?

For sound effects, the author uses the GDC Sonniss audio bundles, UltraSearch for organizing them, and itch.io. For music, the author often hires composers from platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, though they also use Beepbox for simple, budget-friendly music creation.

What tools does the author use for video content creation and social media marketing?

For video content creation, the author uses DaVinci Resolve for long-form videos and OBS for screen recordings. They also use tools like HandBrake and Lossless Cut to process and resize videos for social media sharing.