About this video
- Video Title: Make Systems Not Games
- Channel: MMqd
- Speakers: [No speaker names available in transcript]
- Duration: 11:12
Overview
This video advocates for a shift in game development methodology, moving from building entire games to creating self-contained, reusable "systems" (like inventory or AI). The speaker argues this approach reduces the risk of quitting by focusing on smaller, polishable mechanics, promotes cleaner code, facilitates testing, and allows for greater flexibility and faster iteration, ultimately enabling developers to more effectively build their dream games over time.
Key takeaways
- Build Systems, Not Games: Instead of aiming to build a complete dream game immediately, focus on developing individual, polished game mechanics as self-contained systems.
- Reduces Risk of Quitting: By concentrating on smaller, achievable systems, developers are less likely to become overwhelmed and quit. Progress on individual systems is still valuable even if the overall game idea changes.
- Promotes Reusability and Clean Code: Systems are designed to be modular and reusable across different projects, encouraging better code organization and reducing the need for extensive refactoring later.
- Facilitates Testing and Experimentation: Developing systems in isolation makes them easier to test and experiment with, as opposed to trying to test features within a large, complex game.
- Increases Flexibility: This approach allows developers to switch between working on different systems more easily, preventing roadblocks and maintaining motivation.
- Builds a Personal Asset Library: Over time, a collection of well-built systems forms a valuable library of reusable assets that can be incorporated into future games or even sold.
- Design Systems for Requirements: When building a system, define its requirements based on what the game needs, rather than designing it for a specific game feature.
- Practice Exporting: Always test and ensure systems function correctly after exporting them from the game engine, as export processes can sometimes introduce issues.
- Reframe Game Development: Shift the mindset from "I want to build a dream game" to "What systems do I need, and what do I already have?"
