So lately, I’ve been working on a 2D action platformer titled “An Insect Named Buggie” (You can view the devlog here: What do you think about my prototype and concept art? - GDevelop general - GDevelop Forum, and I’ve been wondering, should I start something differently to freshen things up and come back to this project later, or keep working on it? I don’t want to be limited and married to the same project over and over again, so I’m going to eventually come back to the project and work on a new platformer, but what do you guys think?
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Hmmm. I think it depends on how much you know. Since it’s a big project and particularly ambitious, if you are a newer developer you might want to set it aside for now and instead complete a tons of smaller projects that take about a week to make. You can find tutorials on YouTube where you can make a complete project in less than a week. These are small functional chore mechanic projects. You can do a lot, anything from a project where you made a game menu and that was it, project complete, to a project where you create different particle effects and that was it, to a project where you make a little endless runner game, to a project where you make a save system, etc. This way you quickly learn a lot and it will pay off big when you go back to work on your big project
But if you already know a lot, just stick to the big project and get it done. Even on the most basic level without some functionality you intend to add later.
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Thanks a lot @Lucky-j
I feel like I should treat every aspect into designing my game into each individual core subject, like creating a pause menu, the credits, a save and load function, one at a time.
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Also, I feel like I should make “An Insect Named Buggie” sometime later, or on another powerful engine for me to get used to quick, and make a new platformer.
That’s a hard decision to make. The problem with myself and maybe other devs is, you get bored working on that longer term project and want to do something fresh. Meanwhile, once you are into that second project, you already forgot the vision and how the game was programmed, made and developed. Which could demotivate a person and create additional work that wasn’t really needed in the first place.
What I would recommend is at least get it to the point of a MVP, as you can then move to the next thing if you want to. I wouldn’t stop if you want to work on this game further. Maybe just make a new project and create a couple cool mechanics to just get that feeling out of your system, or join a game jam. But from what I have seen from you so far, this seems a decent size project for you and it would be unfortunate for you to have to rebuild something that you put time and effort into already.
That’s just my thoughts on it. And I hope it helps a bit!
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@StaticYeti , that’s exactly what you visioned about my situation, and me just looking at my prototype, while it is the simplest form then upgraded and reworked later, may feel bland and lifeless, but that’s what makes a prototype necessary, testing out the main core mechanics before moving to game art next. Thanks a hefty lot on that!
Also, for the Kenney Jam 2025 of my entry “Parkour Peril”, which is a single-screen precision platform game where the player character must dodge as many traps and enemies as possible, I’ll only include single-player, then once I place it into the jam, I can start adding co-op multiplayer and controller support.
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I agree with what the others have said even though my advice is different. Unless you have a deadline for completing your main game, then why not just do what you feel like?
If you’ve had enough of bugs then do something else. Although sometimes just doing a different aspect of the project is enough, like optimising your events or deciding on your art style.
But if those things don’t give you enough of a change then why not do a different project? Or at least take a break and make a lot of notes on any new ideas you have.
I will say though that the ‘do what you feel like’ approach might not be very efficient. The only projects I’ve ever finished were for game jams where there was an external deadline.
But I think it’s okay to diversify your interests, especially in the beginning. After a while you might find that while you still love the theme of your current main project, you’d rather take it in a different direction.
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Hello all!
As said by Static Yeti, it’s hard to bring a response because this last is personal and is different for each.
I give below my opinion, using my personnal case.
In the last of 2021, i began to create the remake in GD of the game Rick Dangerous 1. One or two months later, i abandonned all games creation and don’t use no more a game engine during almost 3 years.
In middle of 2024, i gone back to my game and made a lot of work in the creation of one level (the 2’nd).
I don’t veritably know why i suspended during 3 years the games creation but what i can say about, is that my mind at this period was’nt ready to creating a games, with a lot work to make.
Xierra