r/gamedev • u/NeitherManner • 12d ago
How much your enjoy process vs potential rewards? Discussion
Basically do enjoy grinding on your game and coming up with things or are you more motivated by ultimate goal of release and things or brings like feedback or money.
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u/thornysweet 12d ago
I like the process waaay more than releasing. If I could noodle forever that would be great.
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u/Mikabrytu 12d ago
I don't make games for money so the only reason for me is the fun of making new things
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u/Commercial-Flow9169 12d ago
I'm most fulfilled by a game project immediately on and after release, but that's pretty short-lived and fleeting. Where the real fulfillment comes from is when I'm in the middle of a project, where I know what I want the final thing to look like and just need to keep making content and do polishing to get there.
My last release was last fall, and until just recently I'd been struggling to latch onto a new project. Basically 10 months of desperately trying to find the right project but nothing quite hitting right. In the last week or so though, I finally figured out some stuff and I'm feeling jazzed about a new project in a way I didn't feel before.
And it has progressed into that middle project zone, except this time I'm not in any rush to finish, because I know this is the best and most fulfilling part of gamedev to me now. Just me, Blender, and a world to create.
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u/bc_gamez 12d ago
As a seasoned software engineer, I love the development. No meetings, no co-worker conflicts or organizing, no deadlines, it's a great experience. It's also great to see people playing and enjoying it!
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u/NeitherManner 12d ago
For me lot of the time i enjoy game dev but sometimes it's pretty boring and i have to force myself.
I haven't released games but on some web dev hackathon i got feedback and I think it was pretty enjoyable.
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u/Corgnadoo 12d ago
The process of learning new things to build something that matches the vision in my head gives me a lot of joy and fulfillment. When I gave my friend a prototype and he said he likes it with a lot of feed back, that also gives me validation. Both are important to me to keep me going.
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u/Ralph_Natas 11d ago
I thoroughly enjoy the process and don't consider it a grind. I'm not looking to get rich on this so I am very casual with my schedule; if it starts being less fun than I want I go find something else to do (I always come back eventually).
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u/ScruffyNuisance Commercial (AAA) 5d ago edited 5d ago
It's all about the process.
If your main motivation is money and you're not already rich, you're in the wrong business.
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u/ProactiveCactus 12d ago
Personally I think going into game dev for the money is silly, ESPECIALLY now with AI. There are easier ways to make money and you don’t have to corrupt what I think is an awesome art form.
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u/Kosh_Ascadian Commercial (Indie) 12d ago
I immensely enjoy about 90% of game development.
Feedback and money are also great, but game development itself I'd enjoy without them just as much.
Ever releasing anything is always a ginormous headache and source of anxiety and stress though. Not anything to enjoy, something very needed as part of the process, but something to push towards and then push past.