Solo Game Development + Travel

I return at last

    For those of you who know me, (which at this point is the majority of people who would stop to read this) then you know that I have been out of the country for approximately 3 months.  In this post I wish to share my experience of trying to upkeep a solo-run hobby game dev studio from abroad.  These days, I think that most young creatives have desires to travel and pursue their art, so I will share my experience to those who may be concerned about the possibilities and difficulties.

The Premise, and What Happened..

    So, I was travelling for work moving various locations with various amounts of Wi-Fi available to me.  This is due to a constant change of location and the nature of my day job.  I also neglected to pack my computer which has all of my projects and Unity installed on it (stupid I know).  This first point is a mistake that I know I will not make again, as I purchased a smaller, more lightweight, "drifter" laptop from which I was able to do simple dev-related tasks, such as programming, or simple artwork considering I use Aseprite for all of my game artwork.  HOWEVER, the one thing I completely overlooked (which I believe solo-devs CONSTANTLY overlook..) was marketing and reaching out to any sort of audience I had built.  This is generally the downfall of solo-devs, and I am true to the stereotype.  I didn't even think to make some blog posts (low tech demand) while I was overseas, which would have been a great use of my free time.

    To continue the self-criticism, before leaving for this trip, I had been developing my next big project, one that I was really getting to be proud of, and very excited about.  I am not saying that the motivation died once I left home soil, but I certainly know that I will have to revisit the scope and scale of the project I was working on.  I think personally that I am not at a point where I want to spend multiple years developing a "dream project."  I think that I am more suited in my current situation to live the "game dev dream" through developing realistic, creatively fulfilling projects.  This is a learning point I think someone may need to hear.  It is very easy to be somewhat delusional in your creative pursuits when you are beginning or getting your foot in the door.  Lofty aspirations of "changing the game" will abound (and in no way do I wish do dissuade any readers from dreaming big).  BUT, developing big projects can be soul crushing, and more often than not, big projects never see a release date.  ESPECIALLY from solo developers.

    To provide some light in my 2 paragraphs of negative rambling; what I mean to say is this:  You, developer, do not need to tell all of your stories in one shot.  You can piece your magnum opus together through snippets.  Everybody has an incredible story to tell, or an experience to create, so I would compel you to tell and/or create it, just at a reasonable pace.  Life is experienced story-to-story, so why not allow your game dev pursuits to follow a similar pattern?  Just my 2 cents.

What YOU Can Learn From My Experiences

    So, after my ramblings and personal misgivings, I will come to the point with some tips that anybody reading can take with them on their next trip.

1.  Keep your passion alive

    This should go without saying, but remember the work you did to get where you are.  Even if the place you are is exciting and you don't want to return to reality, a few minutes here and there to post a picture or send a tweet really won't kill you.  What you release doesn't even have to be pertinent to your game dev projects.  People like to see you be a real person, (especially as a solo-dev), so share your life!  To your level of comfortability of course.

2. Don't put pressure on yourself

    You are in an exciting new place, you don't need to write out a weekly planner for how much time you will devote to your project or solo-dev career.  If you are more than a hobbyist or creative and are seeking to go full time with solo-development, then maybe you should go into it with some sort of plan.  However, for me, I use game development as a means to express myself, and could care less about long term success, so allowing myself to enjoy the places I have to go for work is healthier for my overall mental state.

3. Don't jeopardize experiences

    This point flows into those previous, but I came away from my time overseas with new perspectives on my position in the world.  I came away from it learning a lot about myself, and where I want to be, what I can do in my life.  If I tucked myself away and spent all of my time trying to debug code I would have missed some real growing opportunity.  Furthermore, I came away with new ideas for experiences I can create.  There is no better inspiration than life experiences, so don't forget about the world around you, and you will surely be better for it.

In Closing...

I realize a lot of this reads like a personal anecdote of a one-time trip.  I apologize for that if that's not what you were looking for.  Sometimes I feel embarrassed or uneasy putting so much of myself out there for someone to read about, but I promise it's not for vanity's sake.  I am just a solo developer, so it's easy to constantly feel alone in the pursuits of creating something I am proud of.  I would compel other solo developers to search to try to make dev friends (I have still failed in this pursuit), tell their personal stories of their journey, and make the most of the time we all spend in pursuit of creative expression.  Thanks again for reading.  Hopefully talk soon.

JP