Is Daily Devlog Still Worth It in 2024?

Is Daily Devlog Still Worth It in 2024?

Daily devlogs used to be the gold standard. But in 2024, is that relentless pace still the best way to build a community around your game? It’s a tough question with no easy answers.

The pros are clear: consistent content keeps you top-of-mind, fosters accountability, and provides valuable marketing exposure. The cons? Burnout is real. The time sink can cripple development. And striving for daily perfection can lead to stagnation.

So, what’s the solution? It’s about finding a sustainable strategy that aligns with your goals and avoids the pitfalls of daily grind.

Implementing Player Movement: A Devlog Story

Let’s walk through a common game development milestone: implementing player movement. Imagine you’re building a 2D platformer. Your goal: Get the player moving smoothly across the screen.

Day 1 might involve setting up basic WASD controls. Day 2, adding jumping. Day 3, implementing collision detection. This could be a daily devlog series.

But let’s be honest: Are these granular updates engaging? Probably not. Do they highlight your skills or vision? Maybe not.

A more effective approach is to focus on the milestone of “functional player movement.” Over a week, you might experiment with different movement styles, grapple with physics issues, and refine the controls until they feel just right.

Then, that’s your devlog content.

Setting Realistic Devlog Goals

Here’s the key: Align your devlog with your development milestones. Instead of “daily updates,” aim for “milestone updates.”

What constitutes a milestone? Something significant that showcases progress: a new feature implemented, a level designed, a challenging bug squashed.

Ask yourself: What can I show that’s genuinely interesting and demonstrates the value of my game?

Choosing the Right Platforms

Where should you share these milestone updates? It depends on your game and target audience.

• Twitter is great for quick updates, GIFs, and engaging with other developers.
• YouTube is perfect for showcasing gameplay, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes content.
• Blogs (like this one!) offer a space for more in-depth reflections, technical breakdowns, and long-form storytelling.
• Discord is great for interacting with your community, soliciting feedback, and hosting discussions.

Don’t spread yourself too thin. Pick one or two platforms that you can consistently manage.

Engaging Content Without Perfection

Forget perfection. Embrace progress. Your audience wants to see the journey, not a polished product.

Share your challenges. Explain your thought process. Show the ugly first drafts. People connect with authenticity.

Instead of a sterile list of features, create a narrative. What problems did you face? What solutions did you discover? What did you learn?

Learning from Devlog Successes (and Failures)

Successful devlogs often showcase personality and problem-solving. They’re not afraid to be vulnerable and transparent.

Unsuccessful devlogs tend to be dry, repetitive, and lacking in clear goals. They often fall into the trap of documenting everything without filtering for interesting content.

Learn from others’ mistakes. Analyze what resonates with you as a consumer of devlog content.

Balancing Consistency and Sustainability

Consistency is important, but not at the expense of your sanity. Find a rhythm that works for you.

Maybe it’s weekly updates. Maybe it’s bi-weekly. The key is to be realistic about what you can maintain without burning out.

Protect your development time. Don’t let devlogging consume all your energy.

Repurposing Your Devlog Content

Get the most out of your efforts by repurposing content. Turn a blog post into a series of tweets. Create a YouTube video based on a devlog entry.

This is how you maximize your reach and build a strong online presence without overextending yourself.

Back to Player Movement: A Compelling Devlog

Let’s revisit our player movement example. Instead of daily updates, you create a single, compelling devlog entry after a week of work.

You start with a short video showcasing the final movement system. Then, you delve into the challenges you faced: collision issues, finicky animations, balancing jump height.

You explain your solutions: using raycasts for precise collision detection, implementing state machines for smooth animations, and tweaking variables until the movement feels perfect.

You end with a call for feedback, asking your audience what they think of the new movement system.

Creating content like this helps you connect with your audience, showcases your skills, and builds excitement for your game.

To keep track of these rapid improvements, and ensure that you keep to a milestone focussed approach, you can document your game’s journey [/journal]. Doing so will help you organize your thoughts, track your progress, and provide invaluable material for future devlog entries. A well-maintained journal is a goldmine of stories, challenges, and solutions just waiting to be shared.