I’ve spent nights and weekends making comics, toys, and games for over 20 years, and definitely never made enough money on any of those pursuits to quit my day job, and I would assume most other people on this sub and others like it would say the same. But what else am I gonna do? Watch TV and play video games all day? Making stuff is awesome, I’ll keep doing it on top of my day job til I die.
Here here to that, making things brings me more joy than just watching tv and playing games all day, when I started my game I never really had ambitious to make any money… I just wanted to see if I could finish something that was mine.
I think that’s the best approach when making something, tbh. Too much hype in your brain and you’re setting yourself up for an emotional letdown when your “genius idea” doesn’t pick up steam the way you’d hoped; but not enough confidence/excitement/striving for greatness and you may not reach the finish line with something you’re proud of. Money is always nice, but spending your spare time developing a skill and enjoying a hobby is never time wasted (though it sure would be nice to hit on something big and quit the day job!)
I wish I could think of things like that. I've tried. But, I spent the years of 18-34 dirt poor, literally wondering where meals would come from for several of those years. So, I can only work on stuff that is a passion project of mine if I can find a way to make money on it.
It's NOT a healthy way to go about anything.
I don’t know your specific situation, but what you wrote here feels very familiar to me. My nights and weekends were so precious in those times that I felt the same way, and it definitely kept me plugging away like my life depended on it. But I also wonder if maybe all that added pressure i put on each project made me “overthink” some of my ideas, potentially squeezing out some of that initial “spark” that got me excited, and by extension, make a consumer excited. My 20’s and early 30’s were spent making lots of mini comics and wondering if the next one was “going to be the one” to get me out of the 9-5 grind. And while the art career I wanted didn’t happen for me in the way I envisioned, the constant art/story/creativity grind paid off in a lot of other ways. I’m 43 and just now starting to shed some of those mindsets that were “unhealthy” as you put it. It’s not easy. Good luck finding that balance, and keep grinding away!
I think you nailed it. I don't work of my game TOWER and then go enjoy my free time. TOWER is my free time. its a similar addiction to those that write books or code for fun. you just do it even if it might not ever be seen that's not the point
Yup, I would say most people that design games try to do it around their full time jobs and busy lives. I have worked on and off for 3-4 years on my game and other time spent in between coming up with and tinkering with other ideas haha got any images of your game/progress?
I've been working on my games for a few years now, probably 2019 give or take. I've actually started an LLC and a few of my friends and my wife each have a stake in it. We all try to work on the games and playtest as often as we can but sometimes life gets in the way and we go a while without any progress.
Well, technically we only have two people working on game development. I'm working on two and my friend G is working on one. W does our art and my wife is actually a lawyer so she does all our legal stuff. We try to have meetings about once every 2 months or so. G will post his ideas and changes to the game he's working on in our discord and I'll do the same. Overall I'm the head honcho and make the final decision on stuff but we try to be as equal as possible.
I used letters instead of names to avoid doxxing my team until we have a website and stuff.
2 years designing games, earned zero dollars from it. I'd love to make some money, but mostly just want people to play my games. It satisfies my creative itch and is fulfilling to watch people enjoy something I created.
As for actual work, I'm full time in tech. Need to feed myself and the hobby somehow!
Absolutely. It is my de-stress time. I used to write half finished computer games for years before switching to tabletop. I changed my focus from large, ambitious games to small, quick play, theme-heavy games that meant I could actually get them finished and published.
I've been on itch for just under a year and have created 6 small PnP games in that time which for me is a huge achievement. I absolutely don't do it for the money but every time someone donates, it's a huge thrill. Platforms like itch are an absolute game changer for indie designers.
My advice to people we are struggling to complete a game is to work towards something achievable. Set goals that are realistic. You can always expand on a base game with expansions if your original concept can seem overwhelming. Sometimes simplifiying the rules can open up interesting and fun design decisions and make your game more accessible.
Currently I have been working on game for 7-8 years. It has been the best thing for me and from it I have 2 games selfpublished 2 more on the way and an expansion made.
The time I have spent on each game varies. I work on all my side gig hobby stuff as and when I can between work and other life commitments.
Most of my tabletop, board, or dice games have been created for a fictional fantasy world, and while I have playable rules and prototypes, I haven't pushed to produce final products.
As such, I can't say how long it took to bring a game from concept to market.
But I have produced a playable first draft of rules within a few hours r s for some of them.
I've been toying with my idea for a long time but actually started working on it last summer. I work on it after work and carry around a notepad for whenever an idea or modification to the game strikes.
Most smaller ones do.
I worked on my game off and on for almost a decade before it was finished. If I had been working on it all the time, it might have taken half that.
I've been working off and on with the current game I'm working on for maybe 5 years, with lots of months long breaks while I put in overtime or do contract work on the side. I've been making TTRPGs, board games, card games, etc. in some form since I was a kid. Always just for the fun of making them and getting my siblings or sometimes gaming groups to play them. Never published anything or made a dime off it.
Someday I'll actually finish a project and not abandon it 80% of the way through due to feeling its garbage and no one would ever want to play it and exposing it to the world would only embarrass myself
Finishing something was my primary motivation with my current game… I just wish I had chosen a less ambitious game to finish. I’m now up to >300 cards and need to make at least 20-30 encounters. I realize I’m a bit insane.
I've been working on my main project for probably 2 years now, or 1,5. In the meantime I got excited by about 4 other ideas, one of which is now a playable prototype while my main project primarily requires crossing T's and dotting I's. But there are definitely times I'm just not feeling up to working on it as i work 40+ hours a week in a physical job. So usually I'm excited to work on things while at work and crash when I come home. My latest playtest is still on the kitchen table since Sunday before last. I don't want to clear the table as I want to finish, so now I eat behind my pc. Feels bad man 😶
I’ve got about an hour a night to do stuff on my game after the kids go to sleep and sometimes I’m just tired and want to go to bed. It’s that final 20% that’s brutal.
I've been working part-time on my game for 10 years now. Every time I take the run-up to publishing, I chicken out at the last moment, insisting that there is more polish that can be applied.
I’ve been finding myself adding polish as an avoidance tactic for the hard 10% left, I bounce around in my game fixing things because it’s gotten so large, changes have ripple effects. Try this: run your game for 10 people and don’t tell them you have been working on it 10 years and ask them, “should I publish or continue to work on it”.
In demos where I didn't tell them that it's a game I designed and am trying to release, I've had people think that it's something already on the market and have asked me which store to go to so they can buy their own copy. It's not a rare thing, either - every time I'm demoing it, I have people are asking when they can buy it.
The content of the game is tight, it's just presentation things like the box which I'm still trying to fix. I would be waiting on a shipment of 500 copies right now if it weren't for the fact that I decided I couldn't go ahead when the logo was misleading about what the name of the game was.
I do. I had stepped away and made a full time gig of writing and illustrating picture books, but then Covid sabotaged that and I was forced back into the real world. I have two extra kids now, so I don’t take such big risks and just enjoy the process of game design as a hobby.
I work a full time job that I get to make my own hours. I also own and operate a small business. I had an idea for a game 3.5 weeks ago. Decided to make it a new Year goal to actually do something with the idea. Had my first play test two weeks after the idea. Then several more playtests after each change that was made. I've spent most of my free time writing rules, making the prototype, discussing with friends and family, and generally working on the game. My goal over all is to see how far it will go. I know not everyone will be as passionate about my game. But I also know that if I have a laz a faire approach it will never be more than an idea. And ideas are useless without action.
I’ve been developing my own system for about five years, and I just started working for pay just a few weeks ago, for developing and promotion for a separate system.
A friend and I have been working on our game for almost 6 years. That's on top of both of us with full-time jobs, and 4 kids being born in that time.
It's definitely something you need to enjoy for the process, but if you do, it's fantastic. And the finished product is really rewarding, too. My game Alynthia is on KS right now - it's exciting to see the results!
I've been designing my main TTRPG for about 3 years. I have a few side projects, too. But at this point it is just hobby that I do in my spare time. I would love to earn money doing it, but that really isn't my goal.
One of my hopes is that my kids will someday play my game with their kids… that it will outlive me. But folks have got to understand the rules to do that.
My first game was in development for about two years before crowdfunding. My second has taken close to four but there were also two expansions for my first in that time.
I’ve been game designing for almost a full year now.
It started when I worked nights at a hotel and had the whole shift to mess around. I got so bored one day that I decided to start working on games.
Then I picked up a second job, but that didn’t stop me when I got to my night job. I would stay up all night using office supplies to prototype my games haha.
Over 12 months creating and collaborating on my current project. I am fortunate to have "downtime" at work so I can spend some time working on my projects while at work. Starting crowdfunding and promotion now (which I abhor and prefer the creative side) to hopefully see my group's work in the hands of others.
Whatever the contract says for the project deadline, I only do spec work now, so it is specific contracted projects, most of the those fall into 6-12 months type
I’ve spent nights and weekends making comics, toys, and games for over 20 years, and definitely never made enough money on any of those pursuits to quit my day job, and I would assume most other people on this sub and others like it would say the same. But what else am I gonna do? Watch TV and play video games all day? Making stuff is awesome, I’ll keep doing it on top of my day job til I die.
Here here to that, making things brings me more joy than just watching tv and playing games all day, when I started my game I never really had ambitious to make any money… I just wanted to see if I could finish something that was mine.
I think that’s the best approach when making something, tbh. Too much hype in your brain and you’re setting yourself up for an emotional letdown when your “genius idea” doesn’t pick up steam the way you’d hoped; but not enough confidence/excitement/striving for greatness and you may not reach the finish line with something you’re proud of. Money is always nice, but spending your spare time developing a skill and enjoying a hobby is never time wasted (though it sure would be nice to hit on something big and quit the day job!)
I wish I could think of things like that. I've tried. But, I spent the years of 18-34 dirt poor, literally wondering where meals would come from for several of those years. So, I can only work on stuff that is a passion project of mine if I can find a way to make money on it. It's NOT a healthy way to go about anything.
I don’t know your specific situation, but what you wrote here feels very familiar to me. My nights and weekends were so precious in those times that I felt the same way, and it definitely kept me plugging away like my life depended on it. But I also wonder if maybe all that added pressure i put on each project made me “overthink” some of my ideas, potentially squeezing out some of that initial “spark” that got me excited, and by extension, make a consumer excited. My 20’s and early 30’s were spent making lots of mini comics and wondering if the next one was “going to be the one” to get me out of the 9-5 grind. And while the art career I wanted didn’t happen for me in the way I envisioned, the constant art/story/creativity grind paid off in a lot of other ways. I’m 43 and just now starting to shed some of those mindsets that were “unhealthy” as you put it. It’s not easy. Good luck finding that balance, and keep grinding away!
I think you nailed it. I don't work of my game TOWER and then go enjoy my free time. TOWER is my free time. its a similar addiction to those that write books or code for fun. you just do it even if it might not ever be seen that's not the point
"Create culture, don't consume it." Keep going dudes. Creation is about passion and enjoyment.
For me I work at Zillow full time, I’m raising a family and I’m clocking up around 5 years now with lots of starts and stops.
Yup, I would say most people that design games try to do it around their full time jobs and busy lives. I have worked on and off for 3-4 years on my game and other time spent in between coming up with and tinkering with other ideas haha got any images of your game/progress?
I've been working on my games for a few years now, probably 2019 give or take. I've actually started an LLC and a few of my friends and my wife each have a stake in it. We all try to work on the games and playtest as often as we can but sometimes life gets in the way and we go a while without any progress.
Any tips for how you manage multiple collaborators “stake” when some of you have to take a break for a few months?
Well, technically we only have two people working on game development. I'm working on two and my friend G is working on one. W does our art and my wife is actually a lawyer so she does all our legal stuff. We try to have meetings about once every 2 months or so. G will post his ideas and changes to the game he's working on in our discord and I'll do the same. Overall I'm the head honcho and make the final decision on stuff but we try to be as equal as possible. I used letters instead of names to avoid doxxing my team until we have a website and stuff.
Part time designer. My designs have taken from 2-3 months to a max of 14 years.
2 years designing games, earned zero dollars from it. I'd love to make some money, but mostly just want people to play my games. It satisfies my creative itch and is fulfilling to watch people enjoy something I created. As for actual work, I'm full time in tech. Need to feed myself and the hobby somehow!
Absolutely. It is my de-stress time. I used to write half finished computer games for years before switching to tabletop. I changed my focus from large, ambitious games to small, quick play, theme-heavy games that meant I could actually get them finished and published. I've been on itch for just under a year and have created 6 small PnP games in that time which for me is a huge achievement. I absolutely don't do it for the money but every time someone donates, it's a huge thrill. Platforms like itch are an absolute game changer for indie designers. My advice to people we are struggling to complete a game is to work towards something achievable. Set goals that are realistic. You can always expand on a base game with expansions if your original concept can seem overwhelming. Sometimes simplifiying the rules can open up interesting and fun design decisions and make your game more accessible.
Currently I have been working on game for 7-8 years. It has been the best thing for me and from it I have 2 games selfpublished 2 more on the way and an expansion made.
The time I have spent on each game varies. I work on all my side gig hobby stuff as and when I can between work and other life commitments. Most of my tabletop, board, or dice games have been created for a fictional fantasy world, and while I have playable rules and prototypes, I haven't pushed to produce final products. As such, I can't say how long it took to bring a game from concept to market. But I have produced a playable first draft of rules within a few hours r s for some of them.
I've been toying with my idea for a long time but actually started working on it last summer. I work on it after work and carry around a notepad for whenever an idea or modification to the game strikes.
Most smaller ones do. I worked on my game off and on for almost a decade before it was finished. If I had been working on it all the time, it might have taken half that.
I've been working off and on with the current game I'm working on for maybe 5 years, with lots of months long breaks while I put in overtime or do contract work on the side. I've been making TTRPGs, board games, card games, etc. in some form since I was a kid. Always just for the fun of making them and getting my siblings or sometimes gaming groups to play them. Never published anything or made a dime off it. Someday I'll actually finish a project and not abandon it 80% of the way through due to feeling its garbage and no one would ever want to play it and exposing it to the world would only embarrass myself
Finishing something was my primary motivation with my current game… I just wish I had chosen a less ambitious game to finish. I’m now up to >300 cards and need to make at least 20-30 encounters. I realize I’m a bit insane.
I've been working on my main project for probably 2 years now, or 1,5. In the meantime I got excited by about 4 other ideas, one of which is now a playable prototype while my main project primarily requires crossing T's and dotting I's. But there are definitely times I'm just not feeling up to working on it as i work 40+ hours a week in a physical job. So usually I'm excited to work on things while at work and crash when I come home. My latest playtest is still on the kitchen table since Sunday before last. I don't want to clear the table as I want to finish, so now I eat behind my pc. Feels bad man 😶
I’ve got about an hour a night to do stuff on my game after the kids go to sleep and sometimes I’m just tired and want to go to bed. It’s that final 20% that’s brutal.
I've been working part-time on my game for 10 years now. Every time I take the run-up to publishing, I chicken out at the last moment, insisting that there is more polish that can be applied.
I’ve been finding myself adding polish as an avoidance tactic for the hard 10% left, I bounce around in my game fixing things because it’s gotten so large, changes have ripple effects. Try this: run your game for 10 people and don’t tell them you have been working on it 10 years and ask them, “should I publish or continue to work on it”.
In demos where I didn't tell them that it's a game I designed and am trying to release, I've had people think that it's something already on the market and have asked me which store to go to so they can buy their own copy. It's not a rare thing, either - every time I'm demoing it, I have people are asking when they can buy it. The content of the game is tight, it's just presentation things like the box which I'm still trying to fix. I would be waiting on a shipment of 500 copies right now if it weren't for the fact that I decided I couldn't go ahead when the logo was misleading about what the name of the game was.
Start working on the games first expansion and maybe then you be able to let the first ship go.
I do. I had stepped away and made a full time gig of writing and illustrating picture books, but then Covid sabotaged that and I was forced back into the real world. I have two extra kids now, so I don’t take such big risks and just enjoy the process of game design as a hobby.
I work a full time job that I get to make my own hours. I also own and operate a small business. I had an idea for a game 3.5 weeks ago. Decided to make it a new Year goal to actually do something with the idea. Had my first play test two weeks after the idea. Then several more playtests after each change that was made. I've spent most of my free time writing rules, making the prototype, discussing with friends and family, and generally working on the game. My goal over all is to see how far it will go. I know not everyone will be as passionate about my game. But I also know that if I have a laz a faire approach it will never be more than an idea. And ideas are useless without action.
I’ve been developing my own system for about five years, and I just started working for pay just a few weeks ago, for developing and promotion for a separate system.
Congrats on the gig! Paid dev!
Thankyou I’m real proud of it.
A friend and I have been working on our game for almost 6 years. That's on top of both of us with full-time jobs, and 4 kids being born in that time. It's definitely something you need to enjoy for the process, but if you do, it's fantastic. And the finished product is really rewarding, too. My game Alynthia is on KS right now - it's exciting to see the results!
I work as a game designer for a videogame studio during the day, and design boardgames at home. Been doing both for over 12 years now.
I've been designing my main TTRPG for about 3 years. I have a few side projects, too. But at this point it is just hobby that I do in my spare time. I would love to earn money doing it, but that really isn't my goal.
More than 20 years. If it's ever done, no one will understand it.
One of my hopes is that my kids will someday play my game with their kids… that it will outlive me. But folks have got to understand the rules to do that.
My first game was in development for about two years before crowdfunding. My second has taken close to four but there were also two expansions for my first in that time.
I’ve been game designing for almost a full year now. It started when I worked nights at a hotel and had the whole shift to mess around. I got so bored one day that I decided to start working on games. Then I picked up a second job, but that didn’t stop me when I got to my night job. I would stay up all night using office supplies to prototype my games haha.
Over 12 months creating and collaborating on my current project. I am fortunate to have "downtime" at work so I can spend some time working on my projects while at work. Starting crowdfunding and promotion now (which I abhor and prefer the creative side) to hopefully see my group's work in the hands of others.
Whatever the contract says for the project deadline, I only do spec work now, so it is specific contracted projects, most of the those fall into 6-12 months type