Solo Game Dev: Start Small, Finish Strong

Solo game development offers unparalleled creative freedom but demands rigorous discipline. Many aspiring developers, especially students, fall into the trap of over-scoping their first project.

Your initial goal should be to ship a complete, albeit small, game. This builds confidence and provides a tangible portfolio piece, which is crucial for showcasing your skills.

Avoid the ‘dream game’ fallacy early on. That massive open-world RPG will almost certainly remain unfinished if it’s your first attempt. Instead, aim for a game that can be completed within a few weeks or months.

Start with a clear, concise game design document. This isn’t just for teams; it’s a roadmap for your solo journey. A tool like Blueprint can help you structure your ideas into a professional GDD quickly, ensuring you have a solid plan from the start.

Focus on core mechanics first. Get one central gameplay loop feeling good before adding layers of complexity. This iterative approach helps validate your concept early.

Asset management is another common hurdle. Don’t spend weeks creating every single sprite or 3D model from scratch. Leverage existing asset libraries. Wayline’s Strafekit offers a wide range of royalty-free assets, allowing you to focus on development rather than asset creation.

Time management is paramount for solo devs. Dedicate specific blocks of time to development and stick to them. Treat your development schedule like a client meeting you cannot miss.

Break down large tasks into smaller, manageable chunks. This makes progress feel more achievable and prevents burnout. Celebrate small victories to maintain motivation.

Learn to say ‘no’ to feature creep. Every additional feature adds development time, testing requirements, and potential bugs. Prioritize essential features and defer others for post-launch updates.

User interface and experience are often overlooked by solo developers. A clunky UI can ruin an otherwise great game. Spend time on intuitive controls and clear visual feedback.

Testing your game thoroughly is non-negotiable. Play your game repeatedly, and ask friends or family for feedback. Be open to criticism and use it to improve your game.

Don’t neglect the technical aspects. Version control is essential, even for solo projects. Learn Git and use it consistently to save yourself from potential data loss and headaches.

Marketing starts long before launch. Build a presence online and share your progress. Platforms like Devpage allow you to showcase your work in one centralized location, whether your game is on Steam, itch.io, or other stores.

Engage with other developers. Online communities offer support, feedback, and learning opportunities. You don’t have to navigate this journey entirely alone.

Understand that your first few games might not be commercial successes, and that’s okay. Each completed project is a learning experience that makes you a better developer.

The most important advice is to finish what you start. A small, complete game is infinitely more valuable than a sprawling, unfinished magnum opus.

For more insights into the indie development process, check out other articles on the Wayline Blog.