Congratulations! The game looks amazing—its quality is truly impressive.
I'm currently feeling burned out. I have an app idea and a prototype that I believe could turn into a viable project to support myself. However, I don't have the courage to quit my job—I’m afraid of the anxiety that comes with paying rent and insurance without a steady paycheck. I do have some savings to sustain me for a while, but I'm unsure if taking a break to recharge, learn new things, and build something I'm passionate about (which could potentially become profitable) is a good idea? I'm also worried about how a long gap on my resume might be perceived when I look for a job in the future.
I'm also interested in making video games, but I often get discouraged by the sheer amount of artwork required—something I struggle to handle and afford. How did you manage the artwork side of your project?
I can relate to the first thing you mentioned, and I never really took action. Layoff was thrust upon me, with the privilege of a severance, and I had been working for decades, so I figured "why not try now?" I'm not sure if I ever would have been brave enough to proactively try, but that's just me. Video games in particular are brutal, economically, and not something I would ever recommend someone take a risk on in hopes of a payday.
Regarding art: don't get distracted by art. The original prototype of Ballionaire was made using Twemoji -- you can see a video of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwIwcGewZME Later I switched from Twemoji to images sourced from https://www.flaticon.com/ When I signed a publisher, I was lucky enough for them to hook me up with an in-house artist. I knew the style I wanted (the style you see in the game) and luckily the artist Hanja absolutely nailed it.
I would recommend avoiding art as long as possible if it's not your strength. You will go much further on making something feel really fun then making art that's one click above terrible. If you get traction, the art can come later. For future prototypes I am working on straight up text mode (or near to it, in like stock Godot UI) right now.
Thank you for the helpful tips! How do you gain traction or test an early prototype? Is finding a publisher more like job hunting (where there is a standard application process) or pitching to a VC (where you need to be social and build up connections)?
Have you considered switching careers rather than quiting. I took a two year break from tech and did English teaching. The pay was low but it sustained me with my savings and I had tons of mental energy to work on my side projects. Any job that's easy to clock in and clock out, where the work gets done on the same day, no deadlines. Can do wonders for your mental energy.
When I returned to tech I had a pretty impressive portfolio of projects. Turns out unsurprisingly that not coding all day for work makes me want to code more for fun.
Thank you so much for the suggestion. I’ve thought about it, but I don’t feel like I have any strong skills outside of coding. I can draw decently as an amateur, but not at a professional level.
I genuinely love coding and often do it in my spare time. My burnout isn’t caused by coding itself but rather by poor management and working on assignments that feel meaningless.
In that case, switching employers may be what's needed, rather than switching careers (I know, easier said than done but easier if you already have a job). But if you do switch careers or have a career break, you can still code! If you're not maintaining a big project, working on your own side-projects is more like a hobby than work for most coders I know, so it wouldn't necessarily be incompatible with a break from the industry.
I get that. Honestly I never thought I was skilled enough to teach until I tried it. There are a lot of jobs out there that are easy to learn and adapt to.
Before teaching I did a cleaning job which was satisfying. Headphones in and end my day with the satisfaction of a clean office for the workers tomorrow. City gardening jobs were also lovely. Being out in the sun does wonders for mood. Impossible to get stressed doing the job.
But yeah, it's always scary that bad management can ruin a good thing.
I'm currently feeling burned out. I have an app idea and a prototype that I believe could turn into a viable project to support myself. However, I don't have the courage to quit my job—I’m afraid of the anxiety that comes with paying rent and insurance without a steady paycheck. I do have some savings to sustain me for a while, but I'm unsure if taking a break to recharge, learn new things, and build something I'm passionate about (which could potentially become profitable) is a good idea? I'm also worried about how a long gap on my resume might be perceived when I look for a job in the future.
I'm also interested in making video games, but I often get discouraged by the sheer amount of artwork required—something I struggle to handle and afford. How did you manage the artwork side of your project?