Indie Devs: Ruthlessly Cut Features for a Killer Core Loop

Alright, indie devs, listen up! We need to talk about focus. About ruthlessly cutting features. About shipping a killer core loop instead of a bloated, buggy mess. Are you ready to hear some hard truths? Because I’m about to drop some.

The Indie Dev’s Dilemma: Feature Frenzy vs. Focused Fun

We’ve all been there. Staring at that blank canvas of a game, dreaming of features. Procedural generation! A crafting system deeper than the Mariana Trench! A branching narrative with a thousand endings! It’s intoxicating, isn’t it?

But here’s the cold, hard reality: chasing all the features is a surefire path to burnout, feature creep, and, ultimately, an unfinished game that nobody will ever play.

The 80/20 Rule: Your New Best Friend

Pareto’s principle, the 80/20 rule, applies PERFECTLY to game development. 80% of your game’s appeal comes from 20% of its features. Identify that 20% and OBSESS over it.

Think of Stardew Valley. Sure, it has farming, fishing, mining, relationships, and combat. But the CORE loop, the thing that keeps people hooked for hundreds of hours, is the simple act of planting, watering, and harvesting. Everything else is icing on the cake.

Kill Your Darlings: A Necessary Evil

“Kill your darlings” is writing advice, but it’s golden for game devs too. That feature you’re so proud of, the one you’ve poured weeks into? If it doesn’t directly enhance the core loop, if it’s technically challenging, and if it risks delaying your launch… axe it. No mercy.

I know, it hurts. But think of it this way: you’re not deleting it, you’re deferring it. Maybe it’ll make it into a post-launch update. Maybe not. But right now, it’s a liability.

Scope Creep: The Silent Killer

Scope creep is insidious. It starts small, with “just one more feature.” Then another. And another. Before you know it, you’re years behind schedule, your budget’s blown, and your game is a Frankenstein’s monster of half-finished ideas.

How do you fight it? With a laser-like focus on your core loop and an unwavering commitment to saying “no.” Every time you consider adding a new feature, ask yourself: “Does this absolutely essential to the core experience? Or am I just adding fluff?”

The Case for a Polished Core

A polished core is worth more than a thousand half-baked features. Players are FAR more forgiving of a game that’s simple but fun than one that’s complex but buggy. Think about Among Us. Simple graphics, simple gameplay, but incredibly polished and addictive.

Focus on making that core loop as tight, satisfying, and bug-free as possible. Invest in playtesting. Get feedback. Iterate. Polish until it shines.

The Technical Debt Trap

Chasing complex features often leads to technical debt. Quick fixes, hacks, and kludges that get the job done now but will come back to haunt you later. Technical debt accumulates interest. It slows you down. It makes your code harder to maintain.

Prioritize clean, maintainable code over flashy, complex features. You’ll thank yourself in the long run.

Examples of Feature Abandonment Done Right

• Factorio: Originally intended to have a much more extensive story and RPG elements. The developers wisely cut these to focus on the core factory-building loop.
• Darkest Dungeon: The developers initially planned for a more complex crafting system. They realized it was detracting from the core gameplay loop of dungeon crawling and character management, so they simplified it.
• Celeste: The story is impactful, but the core challenge of platforming is what drives the game. Extra mechanics were smartly avoided to hone this core gameplay loop.

The Dangers of “Feature Parity”

Don’t fall into the trap of trying to match the feature set of AAA games. You’re an indie developer. You don’t have the resources. You can’t compete on quantity.

Compete on quality. Compete on originality. Compete on heart.

How to Identify and Eliminate Unnecessary Features

1. Define Your Core Loop: What’s the fundamental activity that players will be doing over and over again? What makes it fun and engaging?
2. Create a Feature List: Brainstorm all the features you think you want in your game.
3. Categorize Features: Divide your features into “Essential,” “Nice-to-Have,” and “Fluff.”
4. Ruthlessly Cut "Fluff": Any feature that doesn’t directly enhance the core loop gets the axe.
5. Re-evaluate “Nice-to-Have” Features: Can you implement them quickly and easily without compromising the core loop or delaying your launch? If not, defer them.
6. Prioritize Polish: Focus all your remaining time and energy on polishing the “Essential” features.
7. Get Feedback: Show your game to players early and often. Pay attention to what they actually enjoy, not what they say they want.
8. Be Prepared to Kill More Darlings: Even after launch, you may need to cut features that aren’t working or that are causing problems.

Step-by-Step: Cutting a Feature

Let’s say you’ve decided to cut that procedural weapon generation system you were working on. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Document the Feature: Write down everything the feature was supposed to do. Why did you want it? What problems was it supposed to solve?
2. Assess the Impact: How will removing the feature affect the rest of the game? Will you need to make any adjustments?
3. Remove the Code: Carefully remove all the code related to the feature. Be sure to back up your project first!
4. Update Your Design Documents: Remove any references to the feature from your design documents.
5. Communicate the Change: Let your team (if you have one) know that the feature has been cut.
6. Don’t Look Back: Once you’ve made the decision, stick with it. Don’t second-guess yourself.

Case Study: “Project Starfall”

Let’s imagine an indie dev team working on “Project Starfall,” a space exploration game. They initially planned for:

• Procedurally generated planets with unique ecosystems.
• A complex crafting system with hundreds of items.
• A branching narrative with multiple endings.
• Space combat with customizable ships.
• Base building on planets.

After a year of development, they were behind schedule and the game was a buggy mess. They realized they had to make some tough choices.

They decided to:

• Simplify the planet generation. Focus on a smaller number of planet types with hand-crafted elements.
• Cut the crafting system entirely. Replace it with a simple resource gathering and trading system.
• Reduce the number of endings. Focus on a single, well-written narrative.
• Simplify the space combat. Make it more arcade-style and less simulation-based.
• Defer base building to a post-launch update (maybe).

The result? They shipped a polished, fun space exploration game that was well-received by players.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Falling in Love with Features: Don’t get too attached to your ideas. Be willing to kill them if they’re not working.
• Ignoring Feedback: Listen to what players are saying. They’ll tell you what’s fun and what’s not.
• Being Afraid to Cut: It’s scary to remove features, but it’s often the best thing you can do.
• Not Planning Ahead: Plan your features carefully before you start developing them. This will help you avoid scope creep.
• Underestimating the Time Required: Everything takes longer than you think it will. Be realistic about your timelines.

The Payoff: A Successful Launch

Cutting features is painful, but it’s worth it. By focusing on a polished core loop, you’ll increase your chances of a successful launch and positive player reception.

Remember: it’s better to ship a small, polished gem than a large, unfinished turd.

Actionable Insights: Start Cutting Today

Don’t wait until you’re years behind schedule to start cutting features. Start today. Review your feature list. Identify the “fluff.” And be ruthless. Your game will thank you for it.

Conclusion: Embrace the Power of “No”

The ability to say “no” is one of the most important skills for any indie developer. Say “no” to unnecessary features. Say “no” to scope creep. Say “no” to anything that threatens your core loop or your launch date.

Embrace the power of “no,” and you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful indie game. Now go forth and make something amazing… something focused.

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