10 Steps To Making a Successful Game

Summary

This video outlines 10 steps to indie game success based on Vlad Marquis' book 'Game Dev.' It covers mindset, pre-production research, keeping expenses low, development basics, iterative design, not rushing releases, understanding business and law, marketing, and post-launch strategies. The story of Marquis' journey from Belarus to a successful game developer underscores the importance of action and responsibility.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The importance of mindset and taking action is emphasized, likening each action to a free lottery ticket that increases chances of success.
• 🔍 Pre-production involves extensive research on trends, competitors, and successful game strategies to set realistic expectations for your project.
• 💰 It's almost inevitable to spend some money on game development; the key is to keep expenses as low as possible to increase profitability.
• 🛠 Don't rush to quit your job; maintaining employment during the initial release phase can mitigate financial risks.
• 🎮 Familiarize yourself with game design basics and focus on one core mechanic to create a game that is easy to learn but difficult to master.
• 🔄 Use iterative design by prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining to improve the game continuously.
• 🕒 Patience is crucial in game development; don't rush the release and ensure the final product is polished and complete.
• 📚 As a game developer, you're also a business person, so understanding business and legal aspects is essential for success.
• 📢 Marketing and PR are vital; building a community on social media and providing value through entertainment or information is key to gaining followers.
• 📈 Learn to pitch your game effectively to publishers and the press with a concise and captivating description.
• 🌐 Consider both self-publishing and working with publishers, weighing the benefits and services each offers for your specific needs.

Q & A

What is the book 'Game Dev' by Vlad Marquis about?

The book 'Game Dev' by Vlad Marquis is about the author's journey from a challenging personal background to creating a successful indie game called 'Dark'. It also provides steps and insights on how to make a first indie game successful.

What is the importance of mindset in game development according to the book?

The book emphasizes the importance of mindset in game development by highlighting the idea that every action taken is like a free lottery ticket, increasing the chances of success. It encourages taking responsibility and not blaming circumstances.

Why is pre-production a crucial step in game development?

Pre-production is crucial because it involves researching current trends, competitors, and understanding what works for other games and companies. This research helps in planning the scope, marketability, and core elements of your game, saving time and resources later on.

What advice does the book give regarding spending money on game development?

The book advises to keep expenses as low as possible, as it's easier than raising money and makes it easier to achieve profitability. It also suggests considering various funding options like Patreon, grants, personal loans, crowdfunding, publishers, and investors.

Why is it recommended not to quit your job immediately when starting game development?

It's recommended not to quit your job immediately because it's wise to have a stable income while you're in the early stages of game development. The book suggests keeping your job until the game is released and has proven to be profitable.

What is the iterative design process in game development?

The iterative design process involves creating a quick prototype, testing it, analyzing its effectiveness, refining it, and repeating this cycle. It's a continuous loop of improvement based on feedback and testing.

Why is it important not to rush the release of a game?

It's important not to rush the release because the final 10% of development can significantly impact the game's quality and success. Taking the time to polish and ensure everything works well can make the difference between a successful game and a failed one.

What role does a game developer play in the business aspect of game creation?

A game developer also acts as a business person, needing to understand business and law basics. This includes registering a company, possibly getting a lawyer for legal agreements, and setting up contracts to prevent disputes.

How important is marketing and PR in the success of an indie game?

Marketing and PR are crucial for an indie game's success. Building a community, especially on social media, providing value through entertainment or information, and creating compelling marketing materials are all essential for attracting and maintaining an audience.

What are some strategies for maintaining and increasing sales after a game's launch?

Strategies include offering gradual discounts, updating the game, creating DLC, staying active on social media, entering competitions, giving away prizes, considering porting to other platforms, and possibly selling merchandise or creating bundles.

What should a game developer consider when planning their next game after launch?

A game developer should consider leveraging the resources and audience they've built, using existing scripts or player bases, and building momentum to go faster with each new project without starting from scratch every time.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Overcoming Adversity to Achieve Indie Game Success

The introduction tells the story of Vlad Marquis, the creator of the indie game 'Dark', who overcame significant personal and financial challenges to succeed in the gaming industry. Despite being born in poverty in Belarus, dealing with his parents' high-profile divorce, and suffering from severe stuttering, Vlad pursued a career in music in the United States, earning a full scholarship at Juilliard. Eventually, he shifted his focus to game development, leading to the creation of his first successful indie game within just three and a half years. His journey highlights the importance of mindset and taking proactive action in life, emphasizing that anyone can achieve their goals regardless of their circumstances. The paragraph concludes by encouraging aspiring game developers to research current trends, competitors, and budgets during the pre-production phase to set realistic expectations and plan effectively for their own projects.

05:00

💡 Effective Game Development and Marketing Strategies

The second paragraph discusses key strategies for game development and marketing. It highlights the importance of keeping expenses low to increase profitability and advises against quitting a job prematurely. The author suggests exploring funding options like Patreon, grants, crowdfunding, and publishers, but cautions to carefully evaluate publishing deals. Development should be enjoyable and focused on one core mechanic to ensure the game is easy to learn and difficult to master. Iterative design, involving prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining, is recommended. The paragraph emphasizes the need for business and legal knowledge, including setting up contracts and understanding marketing and PR. Building a community on social media by providing value is crucial, as is creating high-quality marketing materials like trailers. Effective pitching to publishers and the press is essential. Distribution, especially on PC, is relatively straightforward, but partnering with a publisher can offer additional services. However, self-publishing allows for more creative and business control. Finally, the paragraph advises against rushing the release and stresses the importance of preparing for launch with a strategic plan to maximize visibility and sales.

10:02

🗓️ Strategic Planning and Post-Launch Activities

This paragraph focuses on the steps needed for a successful game launch and post-launch activities. It emphasizes the importance of setting up a store page early to accumulate wishlists, especially on platforms like Steam, and advises against announcing a release date until the game is fully finished. The timing of the release should avoid major events like E3 or Steam sales. Prior preparation for launch day is crucial, including having marketing materials, social media posts, newsletters, and a detailed plan ready. Reaching out to the press about three weeks before launch and requesting an embargo can help maximize launch day traffic. Post-launch, developers should focus on addressing bugs, celebrating achievements, and remaining active in the community. Strategies for maintaining momentum include gradually increasing discounts, updating the game, releasing DLC, engaging on social media, and exploring opportunities like competitions, giveaways, and ports to other platforms. Developers should leverage existing resources for future projects and aim to build momentum creatively and commercially.

🧦 Engaging the Community with Humor and Incentives

The final paragraph takes a more lighthearted approach, discussing a 'sock reveal' promised by the content creator upon reaching a certain number of wishlists on Steam. This humorous incentive highlights the importance of engaging with the community and creating fun interactions to boost wishlist numbers. The paragraph concludes with the content creator teasing a 'garbage reveal' for a future wishlist milestone, emphasizing playful engagement with fans and encouraging more wishlists to reach the next goal.

Keywords

💡Indie Game

An 'Indie Game' refers to a video game that is typically created by individuals or small teams without the financial support of a large publisher. In the video, the theme revolves around the journey of creating a successful indie game, as exemplified by the creator of 'Dark', who started from humble beginnings and achieved success through perseverance and creativity.

💡Mindset

The term 'Mindset' in the context of the video refers to the mental attitude or perspective one holds towards their goals and challenges. It is emphasized as a key factor in the success of an indie game developer, as it dictates the approach to taking action and overcoming obstacles, as illustrated by the story of the creator who overcame personal hardships.

💡Pre-production

Pre-production is the initial phase of game development where research, planning, and design take place before any actual game development begins. The video mentions it as a crucial step where one should understand market trends and competition, which sets the foundation for a project's direction and feasibility.

💡Scope

In the video, 'Scope' pertains to the scale and extent of the game project. It is important to define the scope to manage expectations and resources effectively. The script suggests considering the game's marketability and core features during the pre-production phase.

💡Iterative Design

'Iterative Design' is a process of repeated cycles of prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining a game design. The video highlights this approach as essential for game development, allowing developers to gradually improve their game based on feedback and testing results.

💡Marketing

Marketing in the video is about promoting the game to build a community and generate interest. It involves creating marketing materials and engaging with potential players on social media, which is crucial for an indie game's visibility and success.

💡Prototyping

Prototyping in game development is the creation of a basic, working model of the game to test and demonstrate its core mechanics. The video script emphasizes the importance of prototyping as part of the iterative design process to ensure the game is both enjoyable and functional.

💡Business and Law

The video mentions 'Business and Law' as necessary knowledge areas for a game developer, especially when it comes to contracts, licensing, and legal agreements. This is important for protecting intellectual property and establishing clear working relationships with partners or employees.

💡Community Building

'Community Building' in the context of the video refers to the process of creating and nurturing a group of followers or fans who are interested in the game. It is vital for indie developers as it helps in spreading the word, gathering feedback, and generating support for the game.

💡Pitch

A 'Pitch' in the video is a concise and compelling description of the game designed to attract the interest of publishers, press, or potential players. It is essential for promoting the game and securing support or funding during development.

💡Post-Launch

The term 'Post-Launch' refers to the period after the game has been released to the public. The video discusses the importance of continued engagement with the game, such as updates, discounts, and maintaining relevance, to sustain sales and player interest.

Highlights

Importance of mindset and taking action in game development.

Vlad Marquis' background and motivation for creating the indie game 'Dark'.

The necessity of pre-production research for understanding market trends and competition.

Minimizing expenses to increase profitability in game development.

Advice on not rushing to quit a job during the early stages of game development.

Iterative design process in game development involving prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining.

The significance of not rushing the game release to ensure polish and quality.

Understanding business and legal aspects as a game developer.

Importance of building a community and marketing for a successful indie game.

Creating effective marketing materials like trailers and screenshots for game promotion.

Pitching a game effectively to publishers and the press.

Considerations for self-publishing versus working with a publisher.

Preparing for a game launch, including setting up a store page and managing release dates.

Strategies for post-launch activities to maintain momentum and sales.

Learning from the first game development experience to inform future projects.

The role of 'Game Dev' by Vlad Marquis as a valuable resource for beginners in game development.

Humorous sock reveal as a promise to the audience for reaching 10,000 Steam wish lists.

Transcripts

here are 10 steps to making your first

indie game successful based on this book

game dev by vlad marquis the creator of

the indie game dark if you're currently

working on your first game or if you

think about making one

keep watching because it's book summary

time

imagine being born in belarus surrounded

by poverty

being able to escape to poland without

knowing the language your parents end up

having a horrible divorce that makes

headlines in the local newspapers and

because of that you develop some severe

stuttering you are completely bankrupt

you can't put any food on the table you

have no heating in winter

because that is exactly the situation

ludd found himself in i think i've been

making games in easy mode all this time

holy hell that's

insane he decided he wanted to become a

music composer who went to the united

states

and managed to get a full scholarship at

the juilliard school which seems to be

one of the most prestigious

music schools in new york basically

there he started his career as a

musician and then eventually decided he

wanted to get into game dev without

knowing anything about game development

just three and a half years later he

released his first

successful indie game dark

[Music]

that story really shows the importance

of mindset

the most important thing about mindset

is taking action like every action you

take works like a free lottery ticket

the more lottery tickets you have the

bigger your chances of winning you need

to take responsibility of your life you

need to stop the excuses

don't blame your circumstances if blood

managed to do it so can you once you're

ready to start making games the first

step

is pre-production that is the point

where you put in a lot of

effort to research what are current

trends what are your competitors doing

look up some other games

some other companies like what works for

them how many people worked on each game

what was the budget for their games that

should give you a rough idea for what to

expect for your own projects there are

so many things to think about like the

scope of your game the marketability the

hook

is the something people will want to

share what is the core emotion of your

game how long do you want to be the

genre what are your personal strengths

in other words think and do your

research before you get started it will

save you a lot of time later on

unfortunately it's almost impossible to

make a game without spending any sort of

money you'll almost definitely have to

spend at

least a little bit of money the best

thing you can do is to keep your

expenses as low as possible because that

is easier than raising money and also it

will make it easier to

make a profitable game because the less

money you spend the

less money you need to make in order to

be profitable don't rush to quit your

job don't take that risk it makes sense

to keep your job at the release for a

while okay and then there are a couple

of

other ways you can try to get some money

for your game for example patreon you

can try to get a grant or personal loans

crowdfunding publishers investors just

be a little bit careful when signing

with a publisher because not all of them

have your best interest in mind so make

sure you're getting a good deal before

you move ahead with that if you're

wondering how to get a publisher in the

first place i can only recommend this

gdc talk i'll put a link in the

description

development this is the core part of

course all of the information and

all of the tools you need to make games

nowadays are freely available online all

you gotta do is put in the work but also

you need to make sure the process stays

enjoyable for you because let's face it

it's not enjoyable you're gonna quit

very soon get familiar with some game

design basics like focus on one core

game mechanic don't spread your focus

too much on too many different things

try to make a game that is easy to learn

and difficult to master

game design is a very wide and complex

topic i recommend you educate yourself

one channel where you can do that is

channel of mark brown has some excellent

videos i have a couple of videos on that

as well the way you should make and

design a game is using

iterative design that means you try

something out you make a quick prototype

of something then you see how it works

right you test it you analyze it and

then you refine it and you

repeat that process over and over again

should also let other people test the

game of course so prototyping testing

analyzing refining

repeat don't rush the release when your

game is like 90

done you really want to take your time

to put in those

last ten percent which can take a long

time but it's absolutely worth it you

want to make sure everything

works and make sure everything feels

nice and is polished

like those last ten percent can be the

difference between a success and a

failure so don't rush the release

business

as a game developer you're also a

business person now

if you want it or not you have to get

familiar with business and law at the

very least a little bit sooner or later

you probably want to register company

for your game and it just makes sense to

get a lawyer at some point as well for

the end user license agreement for the

privacy policy or the non-disclosure

agreements in case you want to hire any

freelancers you can get some help for

setting up the work for hire contracts

et cetera et cetera when it's about

money

arguments can easily arise stop those

arguments from happening

early on by setting the work

relationship into stone with a contract

when working together i remember being

pretty scared of all of that stuff but

then when when i finally got into it it

was actually not that difficult so just

do it once again it's all about taking

action nowadays unfortunately

making a good game is not enough as well

you also need to worry about

marketing and pr you need to build a

community the best place to do that

nowadays is on social media of course

and if you want to build a following on

social media you need to provide value

in the form of entertainment or in the

form of information just

promoting your own stuff and expecting

it to work

not a good plan at the very least for

building an audience you have to set up

some

really good marketing materials

screenshots gifs text

and of course most importantly a good

trailer good video footage of your game

check out the

video on how to make a good game trailer

by mark brown absolute must-watch for

every game developer and of course

making good marketing material is a lot

easier if you have a good looking game

having good marketing material is of

course essential for

selling your game and another one of the

really important things you need to do

is you need to learn how to pitch your

game to publishers to the press

nice two-sentence pitch about your game

it needs to really

catch and hook people if somebody asks

you what kind of game are you making

gotta have a really good answer already

basically williamson is a fast paced

platformer

about snail

distribution nowadays is likely

extremely easy especially on pc a little

harder on consoles but pc and mobile

pretty straightforward it can still make

sense to get a publisher because they

can provide a lot of services all

publishers provide different kinds of

services they can provide feedback

funding

quality assurance which basically

professional testing they can send your

game to conventions and awards you can

use their existing customer base they

can handle distribution and reporting to

other platforms they can help you with

localization

and community management it can still

make sense to just self-publish your

game though because that will allow you

to develop your own skills build your

own audience you'll have more control

both creatively as well as over your

business

and of course it's also a little bit

less back and forth which can also speed

up the development process a little bit

so basically you'll just have to decide

yourself which route you want to go both

is very valid prepare for

launch you don't want to be unprepared

for launch the most important thing is

that you set up your store page early so

you can start collecting a lot of wish

lists especially on steam be careful

about announcing a release date if this

is the first time you make a game right

make sure it's 100

finished before you do that all to be

smart in big brain

about when you want your release date to

be don't release during e3

or during a steam sale if possible no no

no and then just create everything

you'll need for launch beforehand

because launching a game is very

stressful you want to have everything

you need

ready when it's time to launch the game

reach out to press about three weeks

before you launch your game also give

them an embargo date which is basically

just you

asking them the friendly way to please

not publish their reviews before your

game's out and that way you'll get

more traffic on launch day if your game

managed to build a lot of momentum it

makes sense to get help for launch a

couple of people that just look through

the comments make sure game is working

fine for everybody because you'll be

very busy on launch day

most likely for launch you want to have

a step-by-step

plan ready of all of the things you want

to do on launch day

all of the social media posts best

prepare them beforehand the steam

announcement you want to have the

newsletter ready you want to send out to

your email list in case you have an

email list if you want to do a live

stream so just having a nice to-do list

i feel like for launch day it makes a

lot of sense wanna look out for bugs of

course make sure all of those stupid

packs are fixed but also breathe

celebrate you've done it congratulations

whatever happens

happens if the game doesn't sell as well

as you expected that's just the way it

is actually nowadays can still

happen quite frequently that sales

numbers still go up after launch while

usual usually a sales number looks

nowadays it happens more and more often

that

the sales really spike a few days after

your launch day because word of mouth is

a really strong factor nowadays what's

next because there's still a lot you can

do

after launch for example you can

gradually increase discounts

pretty much all games do this they start

out with small discounts like 10

15 20 and gradually work their way up

try to keep your game relevant by

updating it by

making some dlc perhaps even stay active

on social media

enter competitions do some giveaways

maybe even host your own little contest

think about parting your game to other

platforms maybe think about selling some

merch or doing some bundles and by doing

all of that by staying active you can

definitely make sure

the sales numbers don't drop off too

quickly be smart about the next game you

wanna make

make sure you leverage the resources

you've built for example by making a

game that allows you to use the same

scripts that you've already written or

by using the same player base you

already have creatively speaking you can

do whatever you want but in the best

case scenario of course you want to

build up some momentum

go faster and faster and you don't want

to start completely from scratch every

single time i really feel like this is

the best game development book for

beginners i've ever read link is in the

description go check it out it is a

piece of art

i'm not sponsored i really just like the

book

[Music]

i kind of knew you'd mess that up right

before the end

[Music]

stop we need to do something really

quick because in the last video i forgot

something very important

sock reveal in case you don't know what

zog reveals i basically

promised you that when we reached 10 000

wish lists on steam

i would do a sock reveal i didn't do a

sock reveal because i thought

you probably don't want to see sock

reveal apparently you do want to see

sock reveals or

here we go so this is my sock draw

yeah there are not a lot of socks in

there main reason for that is because

i don't really put my clothes into the

shelf anymore and for lazy to do that

um i think it has some holes

so here we go here's another sock i

don't have one hole yeah

already

if you wish to produce nail whoa that

sock as well no

it cannot be no

oh yeah this one has a massive hole okay

listen to me

at twenty thousand wishlists we will do

garbage reveal i will show you my

garbage bin

we just gotta reach 10k more wishlists

the wishlist now

we'll get there very quickly glossberry

what do you think about people who

haven't

wishlisted will you snail yet

i wouldn't go that far