I built my first original video game in 42 days
How I started the unlikely path of game dev and met amazing fellow builders
Hi there! It’s been a while!
Usually I have an article coming up every month. However, this time, it’s been 2.5 months since my last piece. What happened?
Well, a lot. And I mean it.
Currently I’m sitting in a broken train stuck in Palo Alto, California (aka Silicon Valley) for 1.5 hours.
That’s right. I am, or by the time you read this have been, in California. My first time in the USA. The motive? The 3-day in-real-life event and finale of season 5 of the program called nights & weekends by buildspace in San Francisco.
Essentially you turn your idea - whether it be software, hardware, AI, art, music, game dev or anything else - into reality in 6 weeks.
And for some reason I chose to make a video game. Well, kind of, it came pretty spontaneously.
Literally hours before the kickoff I decided "I kinda feel like making a game now" and followed a tutorial. Et voilà. By the time they started the kickoff livestream I already had a pretty good-looking level to play.
When I applied for the program I thought I'd continue with my YouTube videos or make an app for one of my ideas. But nah, I just straight up went for a video game.
To be honest, it's kinda funny now when I think about it. In my previous article I was questioning whether I'd find "the thing" that fulfills me, like some kind of purpose, something I was meant to do. I alluded to the Japanese concept of Ikigai which basically means finding something that you love, you are good at, the world needs and you can make a living out of.
Although making videos is something I generally enjoy it is not always the case. Sometimes I feel stuck with the kind of video projects I do. Losing traction doesn't help either.
And now, there's something new I can turn to. Game Development. It's strange, it's different. But perhaps that's what I needed. To get closer to "that thing".
You see, I enjoy and appreciate the art of video games ever since I was a kid. Being a game designer was actually one of my childhood dreams. But not before long I discarded the idea for being impractical.
Isn't it funny how many of us let go of those dreamy ideas we had as kids when we grow up?
Anyways, not to say I regret any of my choices or that I suddenly have found my true passion or something. It's just that this feels like a new beginning. A new chance to ignite the passion in my heart again and bring a project further along than I ever had.
Besides, in the end I’ll still do what I’ve always been doing: filming/documenting the journey. Cinematic devlogs incoming? Also, game development is so much more than what one might think at first. There is the art and visual design to think about, then there’s also problem solving with code, and what about sound design? Or the gameplay mechanics? Gamification? What kind of story do you want to tell and how do you convey the emotions? It may just be the perfect playground for the generalist.
I know this all may sound naive. After all, haven’t I started many other projects before just to only let it stagnate?
True, ngl, this had been a pretty bad habit of mine. Then again, I never had the tools I have now. I was never taught what it really takes to develop a project further and further, and what really counts in the pursuit. Neither have I ever met so many other builders who are in the same shoes as I am. I thought I was just a weirdo.
But no, there are many out there who dare to dream and put things out there. Some may be further in their journey, some may still be figuring things out. But they all want to build something they can be proud of. And best of all, I can just talk to them, bounce off ideas, get feedback or even become friends.
Truly, the community buildspace has created is something special and I am so glad I took this bet on myself to participate and try.
70,000 ideas started. 2,000 stuck until the very end. 1,000 of them showed up in real life.
The culmination of all the hard work cannot be missed. I made a little video that catches the vibe. Click on the button below to watch. Enjoy!
And if you wanna know more about the game and what I did to make it happen in 42 days, watch the video below.
Just 6 weeks ago I opened my new Instagram account to document my journey. With 0 followers to start I now got 209 followers. I’m truly happy and pumped to see all this support!
I’ll continue to push myself and keep the good stuff coming.
So please, if you do vibe with this and want to follow my journey as a creative, I’d appreciate a follow on my Instagram.
If you wanna play the game, follow the link in my profile bio. Desktop version recommended. If you wanna play on the mobile it’s possible too, but don’t talk to the cat, it’s not yet fully fixed as of writing hehe
Let me know what you think about all this. Feedback and suggestions much appreciated!
Stay tuned!