Introduction: Since my childhood, the dream of creating my own game has lingered in my mind. However, the lack of knowledge and resources held me back. As a teenager, I dabbled in game modding for titles like Half-Life 1 and 2, even creating a mod called Dino-Instinct. Yet, finding skilled coders willing to work for free proved challenging. Undeterred by failed attempts, I embarked on a journey to learn to code, and the path was anything but straightforward.
The Freelancing Years: Enrolling in college for a computer science degree yielded minimal results, emphasizing the importance of hands-on experience. I turned to freelancing, honing my skills in PHP, JavaScript, and basic HTML and CSS by creating front and back-end websites. This period of freelancing set the stage for what was to come.
The First Java Game: Years later, amidst a 9 to 5 job, I found time to create a 2D Java game inspired by my love for League of Legends. The unfinished project, available for download, marked the beginning of my coding journey.
Diving into Unreal Engine 4: The realization that I could bring my visions to life motivated me to switch to Unreal Engine 4 for my first finished game, “BloodBound.” The transition wasn’t without challenges, with frequent revamping and re-coding. Dealing with multiplayer complexities, learning replication, and understanding client-server relationships became crucial lessons. My advice to budding developers: start small and avoid diving into multiplayer games right away.
Team Collaboration: Navigating the intricacies of the UE editor was made easier by a small team of friends contributing to level design and sound effects. After overcoming countless hurdles, “BloodBound” was released on Steam last Halloween, a significant milestone.
Looking Forward: Having gained valuable insights from “BloodBound,” I’m currently immersed in developing my next project, “The Cult,” inspired by classic PS2-style games. Excitingly, ideas for a game on Unreal Engine 5 are already in the works, and I’m considering broadcasting the entire development process live for others to learn alongside me.
YouTube Channel and Patreon: My journey, documented on my YouTube channel, aims to assist fellow indie developers in starting their own game development adventures. As I navigate this new platform, your subscription and support on Patreon would mean the world to me, helping keep the creative process alive.
Conclusion: The game development journey is arduous, but perseverance and occasional breaks are key. Refreshing the mind during burnouts often leads to improved performance. As I continue my adventure, stay tuned for future updates, tutorials, and sneak peeks. Subscribe to the channel and join me on this exciting game development journey. See you next time!
