The Ups and Downs of A Game Creator?

Do you still remember the first game that you have ever played, when you were a kid? I still vividly do and it helped shaped me into who I am now - a game creator.

Hey there! My name's David and I'm the guy who started WhiteSponge, the fun-loving family of game crafters. As you might have guessed, instead of an update on Starsss, today's blog post will be focusing on the ups and downs of being a game creator.

As it will be from my personal experience and perspective, it may or may not be the same for everyone else. Let's start with the ups of being a game developer.

The Ups
Now in my perspective, it is a huge plus point when you can create and move things just by inputting commands (writing code) through your computer. Many modern game engines, such as Unity3D or Unreal, bring that one step further by allowing you to drag and drop visual elements on the spot.

Having the ability to create something from nothing empowers you. Remember when you were playing a new game and was creating a new character? What were you feeling then? That same feeling of excitement is what I always feel, whenever I add something new to a game.

Games are also made to be played. If you know of a game creator/developer who didn't want his or her game played by you, please inform me. In my honest opinion, the only way to make better games is to keep making them and getting feedback from people who have played them.

And why do I need to improve and be better at making games? Because if I see that you are having a great time playing the game that I have made, then it's all worth it. While success may mean different things to many people, that is what it means to me.

The Downs
On the other hand, it can get pretty damaging for a game creator/developer, both mentally and physically. Imagine if you put a game out there but no one just seems to like it. Does it chip away at your self-confidence?

While it affected me slightly when I first started making games, I have since learnt to take it as a way to improve and make better games. If you are a game creator/developer, remember to not give up what you are doing, If you are not, be nice to one.

Making games also require a huge amount of effort and time. To understand it better, here is a simple breakdown of what makes a game.

While each of the 3 elements seem separate, additional time is needed to integrate them via coding/scripting. Not to mention that you would also need to market or share the word about your game. Now imagine just a few guys/gals devoting their time to those elements - wouldn't the rest of their lives be affected?

That's right. Game creators, developers and designers do usually sacrifice other parts of their lives for the games they make. Some neglect their health and sit in front of their computer all day in order to churn out that hugely demanded feature. Others, like me, miss out on their social lives and can be seen as missing in action by their family and friends.

Don't get me wrong. While not everyone understands this fact, it is definitely worth it as the ups outweigh the downs (at least for me).

At the End
Did you perhaps get a better understanding of the ups and downs of game creators, developers and designers?

Remember that this came from my personal experience and perspective, so don't go assuming that every game creator, developer or designer is the same.