Game development’s pretty tricky. Not only are games hard to make, but the circumstances of how your game develops can differ. There’s no one-size-fits-all sage advice that can solve all your woes.

Even so, a few guidelines and checklists to remember never hurt anyone. These practical tips are designed to keep you focused on your work. They’ll keep you grounded and ready for whatever problems may arise, and are a reliable baseline of tips to remember.

DO Follow Your Passion

Game development is for the long-haul, especially if you’re going indie, or working with a team. If you’re serious about it, go into development for the passion and love for gaming. It’ll keep you motivated and in high spirits, and give you the inspiration needed to excel in your work.

Courtesy of Andrew Neel

DON’T Overwork Yourself

While it is important to follow your passion, don’t go and overwork yourself and burn out. Learn how to pace your work, take it slow and steady, and save your energy for when you need it. Game development is for the long haul, and burning out early from exhaustion is going to help no one.

DO Plan Out Your Priorities 

Consistency is key, and having an idea of your current day’s task will smoothen out your workflow. Plan out your work week, and you’ll see yourself being able to tackle your tasks as they come. After all, when your work doesn’t catch you off guard, you’ll always be aware and ready of the things you need to do to get the job done.

DON’T Go Over Your Finances

Whether you’re leading your own company, or working under someone else, game development can get expensive, especially if you’re after the latest updates and the newest programs you can use. Whatever you do, always keep your budget in mind. The last thing you’ll want to do is run out of money.

Courtesy of Campaign Creators

DO Research Popular Trends

Trends are popular for a reason! Do your research, and find out what people love about the games in the market. Understanding just exactly why these games are successful could be the key to making a new hit game.

DON’T Follow Trends Blindly

While trends are useful, don’t just blindly follow what everyone else is doing. Over-saturating genres can be dangerous, and copying popular trends isn’t a guarantee that you’ll hit it big. Worse, you might even scare off potential audiences if you seem too derivative of bigger, more popular brands! Research your trends yes, but don’t just copy what they do without a good reason.

DO Cater To Your Audience

When you’ve settled on making something, identify the type of fans you’re catering to. Are they retro fans? Do they love strategy, action, or RPG tropes? If you know your audience, you know the kind of game you’re making, and you know exactly what gets them excited.

Courtesy of Melanie Deziel

DON’T Patronize Their Intelligence

When you are catering to your audiences though, remember NOT to patronize them. The last thing you want to do is to come off looking condescending. Your fans are your equals, and making them like you’re looking down on them will only breed hostility and resentment towards your products. If you want them to think well of you, approach them as equals, and listen to their concerns and queries.

DO Coordinate And Compromise

Game development is a tough job. While there are stories of single man development teams, coordinating with others will make things much easier. To this end, learn how to compromise and understand the circumstances and limitations of the people you’re working with. You’re not going to mesh with everyone, but learning how to compromise, and working with each other’s limitations will make your job easier.

Courtesy of Sebastian Herrmann

DON’T Micromanage Others

That said, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re going to want to give people you work with some space. While coordination is key, watching over their shoulders and constantly telling them what to do will only lead to friction and resentment. Learn how to give them the benefit of the doubt, and trust that they’ll be able to do their work.

These are simply a few of the Dos and Don’ts you’ll want to keep in mind when you’re starting game development. It’s not going to be an easy ride, but hopefully, these tips will help pave the way to your success.

If you’re in need of more references regarding game development, feel free to drop by the Mega Cat LinkedIn. We’re more than happy to help get aspiring game developers on their feet. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Mega Cat newsletter, and learn every game dev trick in the book!