How I Finished My Indie Game (Even When I Hated It)

When working on The First Tree, I was working a busy full-time job and taking care of a new baby. A lot of people asked how I did it, so I boiled it down into 3 tips on how to stay motivated during development. Hope it helps you finish your game!
This is a excerpt from my online school Game Dev Unlocked, where I teach people how to start, finish, and market their indie games. If you like this video, you'll probably like the school! Learn more at www.gamedevunlocked.com
Check out my wife's paper-cut art: / elisewehle
Follow me on Twitter: / davidwehle

[@aaronstaes1317]

Wow, the quote "Never have a 0% day" really impacted me

[@wuntum]

same here

[@princessthyemis]

yeah! That's incredible!!

[@natefoldan]

That is the key right there. The most important advice, not only just for game development, but for anything you want to accomplish in life.

[@why_tho_]

Yeah, I felt that.

[@jorgefield6772]

With ya there... Opened my on business 1 year and a half ago and there are some days in which i would just like to stay at home and play video games, but i drag myself to the office and keep on working!

[@FahadAyaz]

"Never have a 0% day" - I'm going to get a poster printed with this to remind myself :)

[@vijaytk8977]

My phone wallpaper, because whenever i'm idle, i spend time with my phone in my hands.

[@pixrogue8928]

That is what very important for me !

[@scheve1994]

Yep, one of the things to keep in mind is that making a start is the biggest hurdle. Just start doing something productive and you'll get some form of mileage out of it. Hold yourself accountable for only the simplest step, say: "I'm gonna do five minutes of work", and you'll often wind up doing over 30 minutes instead. If you have a bad day and you don't do as much as you wanted, at least you did something and kept that habit going.

[@scheve1994]

@Atur Sams I fully understand this point of view but not every single viewer watching this video is working their dream job (or necessarily dreams about making games). Many of them probably come here to find some form of inspiration.

[@mr.awesome5109]

Time for photoshop (so that it actually looks impressive to get you to actually do it)

[@uheartbeast]

I wish I'd been able to watch this video when I first started gamedev. I've learned many of these lessons myself but it has taken me years. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad I found your channel.

[@dmspuddy]

Your videos helped me learn GameMaker Studio 2 HeartBeast! Thank you so much

[@wash99]

I love your channel you helped me alot

[@ayansyed4586]

You got me into game dev with your Godot action RPG series. I would never have come so far without you

[@prasannakumar5813]

HeartBeast you are awesome. Godot rpg series is a gem. Thanks

[@TheBruvioli]

Thanks for the godot tutorials on your channel! Really helped me and the community to build awesome games on godot!

[@jamiepine]

really needed that today, thank you. i must play your game, it looks beautiful

[@a.dshanmugam8723]

Good

[@theeternal6890]

same hre bruh

[@ekoprasetyo5006]

your video "How Making Indie Games Changed My Life" really hit me so hard, 5 year from now on i will make my own video titled "How David KZbin Video Changed My Life".. Sorry for bad english

[@nothingiseverperfect]

WE BELIEVE IN U BRO

[@juttupoligadu6180]

That's very nice. Also, don't apologize for your English. It says you can at least one language more than the rest of us who can speak only English.

[@acrilly]

@@juttupoligadu6180 That's a really nice conclusion!

[@xeon2509]

7 months had passed, any updates?

[@ekoprasetyo5006]

@@xeon2509 yeah a but just a little bit, im more inti business, investing, and animation these day 😂, after 5 years from my first comment maybe i make my own video for this comment 🤣

[@codinginflow]

Love it. It's hard to stay motivated no matter what you do.

[@herohunter5961]

Yeah

[@lovelife8360]

Not If U Own And Control Ur Own Mind

[@codinginflow]

@@lovelife8360 Who is "You"?

[@lovelife8360]

@@codinginflow I Am The Mind. But Most People Don't Control There Mind 100% . If Yes They Can Do Anything They Don't Like To Do And They Will Control Their Feelings Energy Motivation And More And Sorry For My Bad English. I'm Not American

[@codinginflow]

@@lovelife8360 But the mind is not a single thing. It's one large process made up of many many small sub-processes. There is no one in control of "your" mind

[@storatus]

Wow, I am 80% finished with my mobile app. I started the project almost a year ago, but I never gave up. When I had a day job, I continued every night like you did. Now I quit my job and I am dedicating full time to it and I have never been so close to finish it. You just motivated me to go the last miles. Thank You !

[@sumitharsh]

What kind of app will it be?

[@storatus]

Sumit Harsh it‘s going to be a marketplace for videogames, where you can buy and sell games.

[@Soloman274]

80% == 40% 😏

[@sumitharsh]

@@storatus hmmmm can u also build an app uhhh more like a community for developers and they would post their own games and apps for mobile pc and other platforms. This way they would be free from copyright issues(if they had to create some unofficial ports and related stuff) and they would also get free beta testers. It would be heaven for people who are more into individual projects more than those which r distributed publicly and are based on some huge company. I can hardly find any unofficial port or any individual fan made game so yea that app would help a lot. And i hope that the app you are currently working on be successful

[@dimitrioskitsikidis]

@@Soloman274 40% == Prototype 😏

[@dreamer097]

It's not about motivation (external/chance/finite), it's about discipline (internal/deliberate/generative). But the key to discipline is to understand that procrastination isn't a matter of attention - it's a matter of emotion. When presented with a task you know you should do, you assign it huge importance, and because of that you naturally hesitate, which your emotional mind interprets as yet another failure to follow through, which triggers self-hatred, which leads to denial and avoidance - ie procrastination. This then creates a feedback loop where self-hatred, avoidance, and inflated importance/urgency all spiral out of control. Effective discipline comes down to breaking the task down into its actual components and looking at them realistically by removing your emotional self-image from the equation. For example, the first step in working on your game is usually to open the project file... Does that have anything to do with that one time you were too nervous to say hi to your 6th grade crush? Of course not, but your emotional mind lumps all your failures into one pile deep in your subconscious when constructing your self-image. So you have to separate your self-image from the task. You CAN open the project file. Opening the project file says nothing about who you are as a person. Think of it this way, if you saw someone getting in their car, as far as you knew they were simply someone getting in their car, therefore you couldn't make any conclusions about them as a gym goer, right? In the same way, opening the project file says nothing about who you are as a game developer. Okay, project file is open, what's next? Whatever it is, it has a first step as well. Taking that step also says nothing about who you are. The task is the task. The steps are the steps. Get out of your head and focus on what you actually have to do. Be honest with yourself about your ability to do each step. The task is the task. Remove your self-image. Live in the moment. Do the thing. Let yourself feel AFTER doing the thing so that what you feel is good and accomplished. The best thing you can do when motivation strikes is to write out all your tasks and organize them by priority and difficulty. That way when you have to rely on discipline you know where to start, or if boredom is your obstacle for the day then you know where you can shift your energy. Consistent small chunks of progress beats huge occasional bursts every time. Make the day's goal small and more often than not you'll find that the accomplishment itself produces more motivation. If you really need a break for a day, make that day's goal writing down tomorrow's goal. One sentence - boom - you can call the day a success. If you've read this far, I have a challenge for you to demonstrate the presence of your emotional mind. Do 10 squats right now. Go ahead, I'll do them too... It's such a small challenge it might even come off as condescending or pointless. "Eh, nice try random youtube commment, but I'll pass." Hear me out, the point isn't the squats themselves - the squats are a placeholder for all tasks. The point here is being present and mindful of your capacity for discipline when presented with a task. No point in getting out of your chair right now and doing some squats? Well, "there's no point in finishing this stupid game that no one will want to play anyways," says your emotional brain 2 months from now when you're trying to work on your game. How will you face that voice later on if you can't face it right now? Get up and do the squats right now. Already did them at the start of this paragraph? Do 10 more. Game development is repetitive, too. Discipline is a muscle. When you start working out, you're not going to jump right into 200lb squats. You're going to slowly build up your strength by doing small, easy tasks and incrementing the resistance until eventually you don't even have to think about it. Doing ten squats is like opening the project file. Moving your cursor to the search window and typing in "pathfinding algorithm tutorial" is like opening the project file. Copying some lines of code is like searching for pathfinding algorithm tutorial. The task is the task. The steps are the steps. Break it down. Don't feel. Do. Then keep going.

[@Zio2177]

Great comment do you recommend any book. Relating to the emotional side of losing motivation.

[@dreamer097]

@@Zio2177 all the above was gleaned from personal experience so I'd be happy to elaborate if you wanted to chat - but two books in this vein that I can recommend are Your Own Worst Enemy and The Slight Edge.

[@Zio2177]

@@dreamer097 Thank you my friend. With the current situation (covid) I feel lost. But I will read those books and I will continue working to be better. Your name reminds me of great quote. All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. Don't feel. Do.

[@edwardvandermeer7455]

Thanks. Made me do 20 squats. Gonna go make a list pf tasks after my breakfast

[@dreamer097]

@@edwardvandermeer7455 hell yea, man!

[@TonsOfHunStudios]

Great tips! Never having a 0% day is so good, even if it's literally 5 minutes a day it is still progress. That's an interesting point about motivation being finite too, and that even if you are super motivated and excited at the start, by the end it may be completely gone and time to move on.

[@k-smith]

I appreciate how genuine your videos are, brother. You’re very inspiring

[@dquinnster47]

Congratulations on finishing your game, and thank you for posting this video. I needed a pep talk.

[@itdoesanimation]

Dude your channel has me in tears in a good way. It is hard to finish something especially when the vision for it is so strong. Hard not to be a perfectionist. But this Channel gives me hope.

[@TheProphecy64]

Great job david! Your strict schedule to keep motivated with your work, kids and wife are amazing! keep it up bro!

[@PixelArchitect]

Your story is very inspiring and helped me get mentally prepared for my own game dev journey. Wish you the best in your future endeavors!

[@itshuskai]

I'm not even a programmer but every time i watch your videos it inspires me to keep working on my music, you seem very enthusiastic about your work no matter how hard it is, thanks for the encouraging words

[@Joshuahendrix]

Man I love your work, having your postmortem and insight have helped me move forward as a developer. Keep up the great work!

[@appdeveloperacademy7648]

Awesome! Do you have links to your game? What are you using to develop it? Thanks.

[@davidmills47]

I really like what you say man, appreciate the vids. I'm an indie dev, been doing it a decade and some of the tougher things regarding game dev you describe, it's kinda like hearing what I always felt but didn't really know how to say. Keep up the good work man!

[@olayinkabamilosin1457]

You are so inspirational!! When I watch your videos I feel like I can do anything

[@mesolagic]

Thank you for sharing man. You're videos are very inspiring and I really like how you talk about the truth of indie gamedevelopment. Sometimes the truth is harsh, but you make it as peaceful as possible and your tips help me out tremendously! I actually started working on my game about a week before I discovered your channel, almost feels like a sign!

[@kasin4444]

Glad that I found your channel. Tbh I'm not working on indie game, but I know I could use the tip you provided for content creating! Thanks a bunch for sharing all of them!

[@sealwithawkwardness3951]

I want the “Never have a 0% day” as a poster. I’ve been learning game dev every day for 2 weeks now for at least an hour with that saying in mind

[@DreamFireNostalgia]

Why have i not subscribed sooner. You are an inspiration sir. Never stop creating!

[@Gabriel-wp7qk]

this video actually made me stand up and keep going with my day, thanks Man. Congrats for everything

[@DylanPlayzz87]

I have been working on a game and am still working on it right now. I didn't think any of this would be possible. But watching how you went through it and how you did things. I gets my hopes up and I want to work on making games for a good long while. Thank you for all the insperation

[@fgxraven]

Amazing content! I really love such people like you who keep their passion and share this to others Very kind and helpful words Wish you all indie devs out there all the best Be blessed

[@poorsuk]

Thank you for your Vlog about whole progress that you've experienced!

[@noji01x65]

Ive been dabbling in Gamedev every now and then because its my true passion getting more serious lately. I can relate very well, many unfinished projects and people seem to be commonly struggling in that regard. Your story really inspired me, the performance of your game is astonishing and i hope one day i can follow your footsteps.

[@outerstudios830]

You have inspired me so much!!! Since i found you and your game i have found something Great and plan to tell a story with and ending rather then a large project with no ending!! :) Thank you

[@nichegames9590]

Couldn't agree with you more. Motivation comes and goes for me. Right now it's on and I think it will carry me through my first game.

[@Gigotis]

I’ve literally just started learning game development with Unity. Your videos are so motivating. It shows that it’s an achievable goal, thank you so much for your videos!!

[@emerymarks7139]

What a fantastically genuine video on the subject.

[@zero_otr]

So inspiring and your videos gives me motivation. Thank you

[@curiouskid1547]

Superb tip. I will start soon on my project. Guys like you give us inspiration.

[@snookandrew]

These are great tips, thanks for sharing. As someone with kids and a full time job it’s good to see that it’s possible to get your side project out in front of people. Congrats

[@alexisbarrette7652]

This is very motivating, especially right after putting up my first devlog. Thanks for the tips man!

[@heshmobster]

I loved it man .... Never thought Id like a game like this but it's really really relaxing playing the game ... The sounds the music the landscapes .... Beautiful game and thank you for your hard work

[@noodle-eater]

This video is really come on the right time. Now I just get bored and not motivated again to finish my game, I work on my daily job as tools programmer and start working on it around 8 - 10 pm. but lately I just pretty lazy to work on it, because of I am not good with art even I already finish the base mechanics. Then I decide to finish this game even is it only a single small level. Thank you :) your video is pretty inspiring

[@sodarocketstudios]

I have been following the advice of never having a zero percent day. It really helps build good habits. I have also been making devlogs, which take away some of the time I could spend working on games, but they help me stay motivated since I know there are people waiting to see the progress I made. The devlogs also force me to acknowledge everything I have accomplished so far and every small victory helps to keep me going. Thanks for all the advice and inspiration!

[@pozzisoft6155]

David, I can't even express in words the impact your story had on me a few months back. I am trying to get through releasing our flagship strategy game, but I am married and we both have full time jobs and two children. Your story was the first that resonated with me 100%. I forget where the talk was, but you were explaining about how not everything had to be perfect. It was okay to cut some corners or use some existing assets. Afterall, you are one person! The checklist of similarities between the two of us was striking....and every time I feel like the game won't release, I come back to your story and it helps me realize if 10 hours a week can make that happen, I can follow suit. Good luck on what you are currently working on! New sub here! :)

[@MattKander]

This is really inspiring. I was worried about how much time i'll have to work on my game - I have no kids, no dependents and the only regular commitment I have is the gym. Thanks for sharing, 10 hours a week doesn't seem so bad after all.

[@scotchtapeworm3755]

For reals. you always hear about how you gotta GRIND GRIND GRIND on your goals, and sacrifice so much. Is it even worth it? 10 hours a day seems very dooable while still working full time, and enjoying friends and family on the weekends.

[@noji01x65]

It all comes down to your creativity, you can create a great game in 1 day if you have the right ideas. The possibilities are endless and you get better by every game or simulation you finish.

[@hiufuxthevideographer9877]

I am Terra- Forming Cyber Space, Creating Technology, and Redirecting Human Psychological Pathways.... kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHi7Z2qeYqmXnbM

[@sabdieljaredguzmanmendoza3805]

your video is sooooooo uplifting, sometimes I know what do I have to do in order to keep on doing my game nevertheless tireness or boriness have sttoped me. After watching this I'm gonna carry on working in that project

[@Vasilisa7727]

Man, it's so inspirational! I love my dev job but you've put a seed of a game developer in my soul =) Appreciate it!

[@ThousandAnt]

Great video David! Appreciate your sharing your experience. Also the production on these is really high quality, I'm impressed :)

[@leandro_damasceno]

Great content! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@grain649]

thank u bro, u gave me a tonz of help. i'm a high schooler in south korea and i really struggled to make a game that is something so great , big or something that i can't handle easily until now but now i should go back to the day when i released a school project game.

[@RlizEJ]

I’m glad you did finish it, I loved The First Tree!

[@smiletechgamerzone]

Thanks a lot for this video.. It's very inspirational.. the way you speak it really makes me motivated. I m a independent game developer with less coding knowledge. I started with website designing and then to Android apps and now I'm here creating games in unity - currently working on a fps game for mobile. Also you are really correct when you say complete your game first and then you can think about on expanding the games to audience.. thank u it really helps..

[@nnss2440]

Thx so much for giving motivation!!!!!Im 17 and only going in university but already learnt c++ and python with a lot of books and video lessons + was going in it school one year ago.I was wanting to go in game dev company in half year so im studying now for it.But now i have bigger motivation to do that and i have motivation to start learn how to work with unity

[@parvatiprabhu56]

Your videos are really motivating. Really I avoid watching 1 hour long videos but your videos are really amazing 😍

[@natasales8007]

I needed this today, thanks

[@prateekpanwar646]

This video came again when I needed it most

[@samgebhardt5135]

Watched all your videos.. THANKS! I've been in game production for years. This is my number one problem..bouncing around. Amazing that you latched onto this idea. Huge.. keep the good content coming!

[@moroch]

Thanks. This video helped me feel a bit better in a very rough week.

[@appdeveloperacademy7648]

Great videos and real good insight. We all go through this. Its good to see how you deal with it!

[@snoffels3949]

Love the Explosions in the sky shirt :D I am a young fullstack developer from germany. Knowing what developing software is like and honestly im seriously impressed you made a game without coding. It would me drive crazy to do everything with this graphical interface haha But honestly, cool stuff buddy! Love to hear more from you

[@sasanakbari5215]

Wow man! You are a hero! Even though I haven't played your game and probably won't (Because of my time limitations), but your story and words made my day! Thanks, you earned a subscriber! 👍😊

[@barklegneeshetu8048]

Thank you KZbin for recommending this channel, you are a true inspiration Bro! You got an new fan and Subscriber!

[@ludologian]

Thanks we need a reminder from time to time, it's showed up at good timing because I kinda burned out but I love game dev, I thought to take a little bit of a break then come back, but this motivate me to finish what I start and get free week as reward , just found this channel and subscribed

[@RudhinMenon]

Thanks for sharing your very valuable experience with us 🙏

[@maxhouseman3129]

Good tips! I do it the same with my projects. Because I have my part time job (engineering/software dev), my studies and a drone research project. A few weeks ago I had to think about a strategy, that I can accomplish all three things. So I started to use windows of time at one day and have never a 0% day. Now I feel more effective and did finish a few milestones which I am proud of.

[@wardenpataski2882]

this is relatable for another project at different field as well. Thank you for the advice

[@peterepiscopo]

I'm a musician struggling to remain motivated to finish my first EP. This video really helped. If the process is no longer fun, that doesn't mean you should put it to rest.

[@rollsfrost3419]

I've been making my first game since 2018. While I'm genuinely happy for every successful indie dev like you, I constantly struggle with life because of this. All my friends are doing great jobs and again, I'm so happy for them. While I'm keeping my head straight most of the time, there's a part of me that fears whether I'll be left out. The feeling of falling apart is just making me depressing everyday. And again, I'm very happy for you! Congrats on your journey :)

[@rollsfrost3419]

Good point! Thank you

[@deepsygaming2710]

Thank you so much for giving the direction and guidance... I will start working on my channel too. I stopped as I lacked motivation. But thank you !

[@BKing007]

Amazing work my dude ❤️

[@PimpNick1980]

Thank you for your wisdom and insight. You’re truly a good game developer and your experience gives me the inspiration I need to push through development. Thank you again, I hope to meet you one day at an indie convention.

[@MatthewTaylor86]

These videos are great, man, especially the 0% tip. I'm just about to release my first game, these tips are very useful! There's always something more I wanna add, but I just need to get it done!

[@harisaran1752]

Such insightful video , thanks

[@ChrisBraibant]

Thank you for sharing your experience in the game dev field. It's always a pleasure to follow like-minded people.

[@nmflight42]

wait, I found this game a year and a half ago, and I loved it so much. Now I know the story behind it, this is great!

[@warrenography]

I just discovered your channel, and I love it; this speaks to me as I've been working on a feature animation for over 5 years now... and soon I'm going to start releasing it as a web series. Your experiences parallel my own in many ways. I have even considered creating a mini game as part of the promotional fun. thanks!

[@isto_inc]

I can tell you went to film school. Your shots are on point, your lighting is great and the editing is top notch. Nice stuff my dude

[@MacroBlastApe]

Bro, why are so inspiring..? All these videos and I feel like I can actually work again, but better.

[@bottledducky9610]

your videos inspire me to create a game aaaaa!! love your videos

[@benjamintchang3923]

Good video! Motivation is hard for me. Not as a game dev, just in general (although I’d like to learn). But it’s true that like you said, the things we are attempting, we’ve done before. And that there is a point to it-to make people smile, to share an important moment, etc.

[@falseman4496]

You are breathtaking! And thanks for this free assets pack!

[@fatalblue]

I just finished and released my first little game about 2 weeks ago and this was one of two the main principles I stood on to get through it. I wasn't perfectly consistent, there were some days I didn't do anything but for the most part I stuck to it even if it was just 30min. It's actually a principle I'd already been using in some areas in my life before I started my project or even found this video but to have the idea compacted into words so simply was amazing esp in relations to my own game project!

[@CorporateGamer]

I just bought this game after following your story. Great inspiration mate

[@InkAirplane]

I really needed this. I'm not a Game Developer, but I'm an aspiring animator, and I have so much trouble staying motivated on projects that I'm doing. Thank you for this video, it helped a lot

[@altnoranbilisimteknolojile51]

Great game... And thank you for your inspiration! Thank you man!

[@smarthustle7063]

Damn this is so inspiration, no excuses. My key take away never have a 0% day, it's so profound to me.

[@ypanos]

Hi your video gave me so much motivation I am in the exact same place as you. Daytime job kids family. I believe that start with something small and keep a. schedule are the most important things. Very good advices!!

[@tarutso]

Thanks so much for this meaningful insight

[@dominiquedc2179]

Many thanks for this "behind the scenes" video !

[@SparkTFS]

I think your words have just brought a new light into my mind. Thanks.

[@GabrielZang]

Wow, very inspiring and same track here, thanks for sharing! I'm also on a full time job and with 3 kids, but I've been working pretty much the same schedule, and I can also confirm it works! 1 to 1.5 hours minimum a day might not sound that much, but it makes a whole lot of difference. You have to give up some fun for some time, but it pays off. Now, after 10 years and looking back, I finally hit the milestones I had been dreaming of since I was a child: I won an international board game design contest a few years ago, and now two feature movies are on their way, one being shot in the US, and another in Europe, and this last, based on my books. All that from a 3rd world country on the other side of the world, so... if you really, really, REALLY want it, YOU CAN MAKE IT! I totally second Dave here, it's all about LOVE, DISCIPLINE and HARD WORK! Kudos!

[@gametesterindonesia]

my favorit youtube chanel, thanks David for your motivation

[@NickyDekker89]

The First Tree def made me cry! You sir, are an inspiration to us all.

[@joytukhisha3841]

Love you man. Just respect!!!

[@deadlyharpo4542]

Great video. Great shirt! Even greater band!!

[@falseknight4371]

Thanks for your wisdom and strength man.

[@ezwalduzumaki3161]

you motivate me alot. youve that which i also want l8r in life. family and working for yourself. peace and freedom and even hapiness all combined. amazing man

[@marcusmeyer3266]

I really like how your videos are inspiring

[@lastroundval]

You inspire me so much. Thank you :)

[@appdeveloperacademy7648]

Never have a 0% day.

[@franklinsena2843]

wow!! never have 0% day, that is so important, and love your game idea.

[@bhavyamarora]

great story , loved your content BTW

[@gokullatha4078]

such a good motivator

[@RickyWiild]

Thanks for your message dude, I needed to hear this. I had been making progress but I allowed for some 0% days. I like the idea of doing a little something each day, regardless of motivation. No 0% days, that'll stick with me. Those 0% days can become a slippery slope leading to another unfinished project.

[@memy4460]

HI Dave. I am starting currently my path to becoming something like you. I appriciate the help you provide. And as a token of my appriciation, I just bought your game.And subbed of course.

[@davistalhone9482]

So much good advice here - I think it's inspiration that makes all creators dive into, well, anything. But it can tricky to keep the flame burning bright.