JulieWilhelmine said:

• What made you decide to create your game? Did you start out with the idea of what you wanted to make, or knew you wanted to make something and then found out what it would be?

I've been interested in game development for nearly thirty years. The most I ever created was a pong clone, but I've had my dream game or franchise idea since 1997, but I'll elaborate on why I never made it on your last bullet point.

JulieWilhelmine said:

• Did you start out alone? Joined or created a team? What's your take on working alone or with others?

I've always been a loner cause any time I trusted someone I got stabbed in the back. For example, I teamed up with a guy back around 2007 and quickly found out he stole everything and claimed it as his own work. He quickly disappeared from all the forums I knew him on when the truth came out. Thankfully what we teamed up to make never moved forward so nothing lost.

JulieWilhelmine said:

• What is your best experience with game dev so far? And what is your worst?

I actually no longer consider myself a programmer nor a game dev. I sadly found the wrong groups starting out and instead of “can't solve this, let's help you out" I got “can't solve this, you have no business being here.” This forum is exempt from this analysis, but I have noticed over recent years that a lot of “beginner welcome” forums and sites have suddenly adopted an elitist attitude and instead of helping beginners, they attack or take stack overflow's approach of “that's been asked to death, learn to google” with the argument that it teaches self-reliance, which would be true assuming the beginner knows enough terminology for what they are wanting to do.

What is sad is a lot of developers were fast to knock down ideas. I recall my dream project since 1997 was to make a RPG that combined elements of 3 of my favorite RPGs [Final Fantasy, Suikoden, and Shining Force], but when I stated it, all anyone saw was “I want to make the next FF/Suikoden/Shining Force” and got met with “give it up now, you'll never succeed”. Depression set in and I've never made anything beyond the pong clone.

• What made you decide to create your game? Did you start out with the idea of what you wanted to make, or knew you wanted to make something and then found out what it would be?

It's both most of the time; when I wanted to do something new, and when I just want to make something I ever wanted to make. Usually the latter is when I'm lazy and I got to produce something with barely enough energy left to develop.

• Did you start out alone? Joined or created a team? What's your take on working alone or with others?

Created a team, but now alone. Maybe it's just because it works for me alone, currently.

I'd say working with others would be best if you got them more or less right to you, professionally. The game can go as big as the team's capability. The downside is this is more on management than game development itself. People come and go for whatever reasons in whatever ways, and you have to be ready on when to say no before they take advantage of you/your work or simply having a miscommunication that destroys partnership/friendship. It's best when you already know what you're doing and pick specialized partners according to what you need. You feel great, they feel great, ship sets sail.

Being a loner means the product scale is limited, so the scope of work must stay within the capability of myself, in terms of delivering a product timely. However, your mind is free. A true hobbyist moment. I'm enjoying it.

• What is your best experience with game dev so far? And what is your worst?

The best experience? When actual random gamers like my games and share it to a social media. I feel great when I deliver, and people actually play my games. More especially when they like it, even more when it earns for a living. It's just that simple.

The worst? Hard to say really, nothing feels that bad I had to say anything worse. Maybe I'm just that ignorant to myself.

I have to agree with the above posts, I've been on this forum for a LONG time, and when I first read the original post, I got that same ‘warning’ sense.

However, I don't mind sharing my experiences.

I always wanted to make games as far back as I can remember, as a kid I would constantly try to make board games, with old cardboard boxes, marbles, and coins.

When I learned to program in the 80's on an apple //c, a whole world opened before me. The sky was the limit (well, maybe the RAM was)

Made tons of little games throughout the years, but none really sold.

Eventually met a woman, who had great ideas but no experience with game making.

We worked together and created a really fun RP game.

That was the best of times, all the fans, merch in stores, we felt like celebrities.

Then some fans started to get stalky, trying to find our addresses, phone numbers, social media, etc…

That was probably the worst experience, really creepy, and a bit scary, considering my partner and I have kids.

But all in all, its been a great ride, I would encourage anyone to just DO

Most people will sit and plan and have ideas, and talk about it, and play games that they want to remake, etc.., but they never actually START, they never just get in there and CODE.

Sometimes you just need to start walking the path even if you aren't sure where it will lead you.

SelethD said:

Sometimes you just need to start walking the path even if you aren't sure where it will lead you.

Ha, ha, That's like most of my projects.

TDGperson said:

I'm a newcomer to this forum too and I'm shocked that this is how you treat newcomers. I also see that a mod has agreed with you.

I suppose we all make mistakes.

@JulieWilhelmine Of course everyone has their own approach, and you really have to work in the way that is best for you.

Don't think I am against planning, or trying to discourage it, planning is necessary to some degree.

I guess I have just seen too many people get stuck in the creative phase and never really move past that point.

The planning is however, by far the most fun part for me when working on any project. I get to play with all my grid paper, fancy pens, whiteboard, etc :P