Over the winter of 2024/2025 I dove deep into Factorio modding, with the goal of bringing Transport Tycoon style mechanics into Factorio. I had no idea how challenging that would be. Fortunately I had a couple of months of fun-employment to spend on this project, but in hindsight I should have stopped in the middle of it. It was a chore for the last two months, and I dreaded opening up the discussion page or source code.
As I'm diving into game development again, I'm reflecting about what worked well, what didn't, and how I want to approach my next projects. My thoughts may not be new, but writing them down helps me explore and solidify them. And maybe they help you reflect, too.
A key thought that's forming in my head is how crucial small iterations are. With a full-time job I have neither the time nor energy to develop a game full-time for a couple of months. I believe that the need for small iterations mostly relates to my attention span, and how I can create a positive feedback loop for myself during development. Not going into months of grinding through work that I hate would be great. And being able to repeat that process for as many times as I want would be fantastic.
Not building a full game means that it will not be done and polished. How frustrated will players be with bugs and how rough the game is around the edges? Will a bad first impression permanently damage my reputation? What those questions boil down to is me and my work being perceived as bad. But is it bad if players enjoy their time? If the sum of all negative and positive aspects are able to compete with chores like vacuuming your flat, then it's good enough. I'm competing against the dishwasher, not a $90 triple A hit.
Instead of a full release with all features, I should participate in a game jam, share a playtest, build a demo, release a beta version, and so on. Each of those milestones allows me to quickly ship and then quit if my attention span prevents me from continuing, or if I learn that the game is not enjoyable. Using these milestones allows me to defer features, content, and polish to the right time, and set expectations for players accordingly.
I've had a great experience with a playtest where I initially said that they will probably see 30 minutes of content, and that I'll give them tips along the way. It turned into over an hour of them playing the game very differently from what I anticipated, and both of us having a good time. I'm looking forward to the next time I can share a playtest or demo with them.
A rewarding side effect is that you get faster with every iteration of a cycle. Once you get over the initial learning curve of the tools that you use, you're suddenly able to build a similar game in a fraction of the time that you previously needed. My first Godot game took me a couple evenings and weekends to reach a playtest version, while the next one only needed a Sunday afternoon. It gets easier, and it gets faster. And it lowers the barrier to tackling new challenges or increasing the scope a little, while continuing to ship fun.
Let's build more games that are a bit rough, but can compete against the dishwasher!