Staying Motivated and out of a Rut

~~One thing I've noticed recently, while working the game development forums is the amount of frustration some game developers seem to be experiencing when trying to market their games.

Now there are many ways to attempt a market and distribute your game. The first coming to mind obviously is through the mobile stores, iTunes, Google Play, and the numerous other Android app stores.

Learning to develop games, then actually making a game, can be daunting tasks in and of themselves. A particular example that I noticed was of someone who posted a game on the FGL distribution platform. He posted in the forum about his frustration that he had only licensed his game to 3 publishers at $400 per game, certainly not enough to make his efforts developing a single worthwhile in the long run. The next example was of the developer who took his games to market on the Apple Store, Google Play, and 1 or 2 smaller Android based app stores. His game sold for 99 cents and his total net after the first month was under $25. He noted that he felt like giving up after all that effort.

Now I'm not knocking FGL. I think they have a great platform and I plan to use it myself but, if you're going to market your game, weather directly to publishers for the mobile web or on App Stores, you're going to need a marketing strategy. If you think the other very successful developers are going to share there strategies with openly on forums, you're mistaken. You're going to have to do your homework and that means research. Whatever your game type, people aren't going to come to you. You're going to have to take it to them!

Learning, then developing, then researching, then packaging for the various platforms, and coding API's for mobile web publishers involves a lot. Each step in the various phases from development to making money is exhausting. One rejection from a publisher or bad starting sales is enough to make anyone to give up. Especially, if you are so solo developer, it can become even more discouraging.

And I’ve simplified the above steps I haven't included making your website, developing graphics, blogging, and a number of other things that can be involved to make your games a success.

If you are in the first stages of developing your first game and feeling likes it’s too much for you alone, it's a good idea to try to get a team together. Not everyone can go solo.

I'm a solo developer and while I don't make my own graphics, I designed and built my own website, write my blog, manage a news feed site for independent game developers focused on marketing, author an EBook that have monthly updates to contend with, and have a social networking platform for independent game developers under development, of coarse, build my own games.

It’s a lot of work. And I get discouraged too. The leading cause of which, is exhaustion. So here are some good tips and guidelines to follow to avoid falling into a rut or worse, giving up.

Have a plan and write it down. Make lists. When you write it down it helps to keep your thoughts organized, especially when you start feeling overwhelmed. This is important to keep clear sight of your vision. It helps you stay organized.

Organization is the Key to Success and Attitude Determines Outcome. Those are two famous quotes I try to remind myself of frequently and live by.

Make lists. Try to simplify things as much as possible. I do my lists on my Smartphone. I have a number of devices but my galaxy note 3 is my primary tool. Even the first draft of this article I do by dictating using voice to text on my Smartphone. I generally don't do it all at once. It starts with an idea, and while I'm doing other things, generally during my research time, I gather information and record thoughts. Just a paragraph here in there and the before you know it, things starts to take shape. Ideas become clearer. When I’ve gathered enough I push it to my laptop and edit it before publishing.

Like everything else I do, whether developing a game, writing an article, or preparing for any form of work, I just throw it up there. I always tell my friends when giving advice, try gather a lot of things on your palate to work with. Don't be afraid to put together too much information in all its forms. Whether it’s graphics for a game, notes for a blog article, or just a quick thought, write it down. Then later organize it into lists. Just like a painter, you need to have a lot of colors to work with. But through the development process you learn to strip away what you don't need, I think it was Michelangelo who said the sculpture was already there I just had to remove the excess pieces from the stone.

Get enough rest. It's easy to get burnt out from overworking, especially after a big run of work fueled by motivation. Being motivated is an emotional rollercoaster. One minute you're excited about everything you're working your ass off on and the next you're having a psychological crash.

When it all starts to get to be too much I stop, have a beer, relax, and start making a list. Even after making the list it can seem overwhelming. Prioritize your list and take it one item at a time. With each thing you complete comes a sense of satisfaction and it gets easier especially when the motivation returns.

Being an entrepreneur and making money solo isn't easy. If you can develop a team and share the efforts, you can often bring even more success financially in the long run. Not to mention when you work with other people it helps you stay motivated.

Make sure you include research in your strategy. You've got to research how you're going to make money. How you're going to successfully market your game. You can't just think you're going to depend on the single market distribution platform to sell your mobile html5 web games, nor can you expect to have a hit on the game stores without some sort of strategy. Whether your strategy involves a specific genre that you're developing your game for, some form of keyword focus for searches, or the use a review sites, just to name a few, have a plan.

Having a plan is the best way to relieve anxiety in any situation.

So to summarize this in a list:

Stay rested and healthy.
 Make a plan
 Make a list.
 Constantly step back and reorganize ( time management ).
 Work.
 Research.
 Make a list.
 Work.
 Research.
 Make a list.
 Work! Work! Work!
 Repeat this list!

In the end, time management, organization, and a good attitude is what it is all about.

Most importantly, don't ever give up. Becoming an independent game developer is not my first business endeavor. Over the years I've read countless business development books and I always noticed a common statement made by those who made it really big, just a single word.

Perseverance!

Everyone fails and makes mistakes. Pick yourself up and learn from your mistakes and accept that it is part of the natural process to success and you will be successful.

Good Luck Making Games and Marketing

Dominick Gentile
www.neoprofessor.com