Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#1

Post by YesBox » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 12:30 PM UTC

Hey HN,

I'm a full time game developer fifteen months into creating my city builder game. It's a lonely journey so I put together a very small group of other solo game developers.

We meet up every week (currently Tuesday nights, EST) to relate to the struggle, hang out, and sometimes rotate one person who presents for the night (they can teach or talk about anything game dev related, including their game). It's been a success and motivating for all involved. There's also a second group that meets on Thursday's, but this group is currently full. There's about 10 total people on the Discord server.

I'm looking to add 2 people to the group who can commit to weekly meetups. You must be working on your game full time. Must be serious about finishing/releasing your game.

About the group:

We are late 20s - 30s and serious about releasing our respective games. We are pretty open and honest with each other, and will question each other/provide feedback freely.

About our games:

My game: Metropolis 1998

Person #2 Game: Basketball GM

Person #3 Games: 9001 and It Usually Ends In Nuclear War

Other people's game on the server who can publicly share:

Drift

Reisha Falls

Email is in profile

Re: Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#2

Post by qprofyeh » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 2:13 PM UTC

For all developers who are curious about the solo gamedev lifestyle business, I’m sure there are many, what are the basic economics that can make it work? (Other than money saved at MAANG.)

Re: Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#3

Post by quaintdev » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 2:23 PM UTC

qprofyeh wrote: post #2

For all developers who are curious about the solo gamedev lifestyle business, I’m sure there are many, what are the basic economics that can make it work? (Other than money saved at MAANG.)

The fact that this is on front page with just 1 comment indicates there are not many solo game developers

Re: Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#4

Post by adanto6840 » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 2:23 PM UTC

I started a small "no-name" studio to build games handful of years ago. Built and released two games thus far -- SimAirport & SimCasino.

I'd potentially be interested, my email is in profile if you'd like to reach out. :)

Re: Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#5

Post by rafael09ed » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 2:27 PM UTC

quaintdev wrote: post #3

qprofyeh wrote: post #2

For all developers who are curious about the solo gamedev lifestyle business, I’m sure there are many, what are the basic economics that can make it work? (Other than money saved at MAANG.)

The fact that this is on front page with just 1 comment indicates there are not many solo game developers

On hacker news

Re: Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#6

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 2:28 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#7

Post by ChicagoBoy11 » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 2:30 PM UTC

adanto6840 wrote: post #4

I started a small "no-name" studio to build games handful of years ago. Built and released two games thus far -- SimAirport & SimCasino. I'd potentially be interested, my email is in profile if you'd like to reach out. :)

I just took a peak at SimAirport... just insane. As someone whose coding has amount to little else but a few small webapps here and there, it completely and utterly boggles my mind that a single person would be able to accomplish something like that. I was aware of the RollerCoaster Tycoon person, but I figured that was an abherration. Completely amazing and awe-inspiring. How on Earth do you get going on something like this?!?!

Re: Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#8

Post by opyate » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 2:32 PM UTC

quaintdev wrote: post #3

qprofyeh wrote: post #2

For all developers who are curious about the solo gamedev lifestyle business, I’m sure there are many, what are the basic economics that can make it work? (Other than money saved at MAANG.)

The fact that this is on front page with just 1 comment indicates there are not many solo game developers

Perhaps folks aren't putting their hands up, because they're not all full time, and don't necessarily want to join a community on Discord.

Re: Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#9

Post by YesBox » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 2:34 PM UTC

qprofyeh wrote: post #2

For all developers who are curious about the solo gamedev lifestyle business, I’m sure there are many, what are the basic economics that can make it work? (Other than money saved at MAANG.)

You need money saved (for yourself and for contractors), and publishers wont be interested in you until you are well into development (unless you have previous experience releasing something). So you're on your own until you can catch the attention of a publisher, assuming you want to work with one.

I didnt start receiving publishing offers until 13 months after I started development (and notably, when I started adding serious art to the game).

Re: Ask HN: Any solo game developers here?

#10

Post by capableweb » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 2:38 PM UTC

adanto6840 wrote: post #4

I started a small "no-name" studio to build games handful of years ago. Built and released two games thus far -- SimAirport & SimCasino. I'd potentially be interested, my email is in profile if you'd like to reach out. :)

Funny to come across you here! I've played lots of SimAirport since something like 2017 I think, somewhere around the initial version available on Steam. Thanks a lot for providing countless of fun hours managing an airport :)