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Some of you may remember me, I used to post a lot of blogs, but I haven't been active for a while. Life after college has been busy and fulfilling, so I do not often find myself at my computer with any free time. In fact, now really isn't free time, I would consider this "procrastination because the tool I am working with hates me" time.
Anyway, blah, blah, I got my degree in Mechanical Engineering, became an Industrial Design Engineer contractor, got a full time job as a System and Design Engineer, decided code was cooler and switched to the Software team as a Software Development Engineer.
At that point, I realized that I could make video games instead of play them, said "screw it" and set out to become a full time game developer (I've been working part time on some projects and lending a hand to a few local studios). In general, the fact I had an Engineering degree and not a CS degree made the super competitive game development scene a little difficult to edge in to as a programmer. After some self reflection, I realized two things: 1) I love programming, but I love doing so much more and 2) large game studios really love specialists, while I'm a generalist.
At first, my approach was to study C++ hardcore and start making smaller games using that. I had previously made numerous games using JavaScript and I was having a decent time with C++. I was considering building a game engine from the ground up to understand all of the little quirky things that game engines do, knowing that it would greatly enhance my understanding and worth as a game programmer. Then, after attending a few conferences, I realized that I don't WANT to be a low level super hardcore game programmer. It's cool stuff, it's cool stuff that I could do, but it's not really what I want to do.
In comes my crazy idea to make my own game.
So, that's what I'm doing, I'm working on making my own game.
And, boy, is it crazy. I decided to make it in Unity, an engine I have never used before that uses a language that I've never programmed with (I decided to go the full C# route instead of using JS scripts). I've been meeting amazing people, learning way more about businesses than I ever thought that I would and have smashed my face on my desk in frustration more than a few times. But I haven't ever felt so happy doing work.
So here, I am, hiding from recruiter phone calls offering me jobs that pay more money than I'd need so I can sit in front of my computer and work on a game that might not ever produce a cent for me... and I love it.
 
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Great read from a CS major who wants to work in game development! Keep following your passion! 
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When can we start pre-ordering the game?
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Spain177 Posts
I feel somewhat similar at work -- like it's ok and I can handle it but it's not fulfilling. I'd gratefully take a year to start my own project, be it a videogame or whatever similar. I'd be smashing my hands in frustration like 20 times a day, but I'd LOVE it.
Good luck with the game!
Edit: Those are some nice cats you live with
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Russian Federation4050 Posts
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1001 YEARS KESPAJAIL22272 Posts
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What kind of game are you making? What type of game utilizes the unity engine the best? Hopefully it won't suck and you aren't making a huge mistake that you'll regret for the rest of your life
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It sounds like you've found something to captivate your attention and that no matter if you're successful with your game creation or not you'll have learned a lot from it and still have steady work in any case.
Best of luck and I hope the engine doesn't frustrate you into oblivion!
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One tip is to focus on design before you start the actual coding. Figure out WHAT you want to make before just sitting down and ending up twiddling your thumbs after a while.
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On October 01 2014 09:40 Chairman Ray wrote:
When can we start pre-ordering the game?
Ahaha, whenever I start my Kickstarter. I'd give it a few months.
On October 03 2014 02:33 SCC-Just wrote:
What kind of game are you making? What type of game utilizes the unity engine the best? Hopefully it won't suck and you aren't making a huge mistake that you'll regret for the rest of your life
Ahaha, if it sucks and I'm making a huge mistake, I'll still be learning the Unity engine, which will help put me on track for developing more games. All it would show me is that I'm not meant to be a designer!
As for the game, here's the gist of it for now:
Potions is an adventure crafting game that emphasizes strategic decision making in when, how and whether to engage with enemies. You play as a small girl who wishes to become a potion master. In order to do this, she must learn to craft high level potions, made with rare ingredients.
There are two core sections of the gameplay, one is combining ingredients to craft potions, either by using recipes already learned or by experimenting with ingredients, and the other is the harvesting of the ingredients themselves. You can enter various procedurally generated biomes where you can cut down grass/shrubs to collect seeds, find rare flowers, and encounter and fight monsters! However, as a small girl, the only method you have to battle monsters is with your potions! Thus, fighting monsters you do not need ingredients from quickly depletes your resources and sends you back to farming lower level ingredients. This encourages more strategy behind engaging in combat, unlike many games where the way to be most successful is to clear all of the monsters in an area.
On October 07 2014 23:59 3FFA wrote:
One tip is to focus on design before you start the actual coding. Figure out WHAT you want to make before just sitting down and ending up twiddling your thumbs after a while.
Good advice. I've been doing it that way both for the gameplay and for the architecture. :D Luckily, I've had this game idea in my head for almost an entire year before I started working on it, so I've thought about it a ton!
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moktira
Ireland1545 Posts
That actually sounds like quite a compelling idea for a game. A criticism I often have with with games in the fantasy setting is there is too much killing or hack 'n slash.
Have you played "The Legend of Kyrandia 2: The Hand of Fate"? It's a humorous adventure game in which you collect ingredients for potions that you use to solve puzzles. It's also one of the few 90s adventure games with a female protagonist. Might be worth checking it out if you're not familiar with it anyway.
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EPT
