Kind, inspirational, or encouraging words for a 10 year old starting game design

Hey everyone,

As I posted before I work at a children’s emergency shelter. Recently we had a new resident come in who wants to make games for a living. I talked with the case manager about his interest, and in turn she found a group for kids his age to learn Unity.

So far he has been loving every bit of it and is genuinely enjoying the challenge. While at the same time, not to go into too much detail, he has been having a hard time with other parts of his life.

I thought a good pick me up for him would be if we passed on to him some kind, inspirational, and encouraging words for him from developers as he starts his new hobby.

So, what would you like to say to a 10 year old starting to learn game development?

 

"Take life like a Mario level - one challenge at a time. You'll eventually clear the level and get to something even more fun!"

 

I would tell him to stay steadfast, this is a really rewarding thing to be taking a challenge on, at time you'll want to smash your mouse, but others, you'll want to embrace the amazing parts about it, it is a tough challenge, but however that may be, if it wasn't a challenge, it would not make it so special and dear to us, creating a game is not about building geometry, it's a way to create artificial life, the life you see in your head becoming reality, to create your dreams and allow others to experience a part of you that would otherwise be impossible without the Interaction of your visions being seen by others.

Create fun games buddy, when you get your first game out, I'll play it, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for even considering this, it is not something just anybody can do, especially somebody your age, that makes you unique and special, stick with this, and you'll soon one day realize, you have made millions of peoples lives better, that child that has cancer down the street, you made him smile and happy because your games inspire him to want to be happy and enjoy playing games with fellow kids, and maybe even inspire him to create video games just like you!


(If he has cancer or anything sorry, I don't want to say that to him if he has that) I don't know what an emergency shelter is, I know what a Shelter is, but wasn't sure if that was a place for the sick.

 

How wonderful! Computers in general can be a way out for a lot of kids, a place they can excel and build a future. Tell him my 14 year old daughter makes mods for games and is learning to program. Amazing what kids can do today!

And kudos to you for caring. I was a foster parent at one time and remember the rewards and challenges of helping kids. You are making a profound difference in his life, regardless of where he goes from here. Just having someone who listens is often enough.

 

No, nothing like that. My shelter is for children who are currently without resident for various reasons such as sudden death, removal from care giver, or removal from foster family.

 

If you love it, stick with it ! If anyone tries to scare you off about how hard or how little money it is, screw off to them because it's way better doing something you love. Life isn't all about being the next millionaire.

 

Stick with it, this can be a rewarding discipline to learn. Don't let anyone tell you "You can't", because you can!
Patience, practice, perseverance.

 

My mother was married 15 time and myself and my brother were dragged through massive amounts of abuse. She was a alcoholic and drug abuser amongst other things. I don't think anyone ever offered me any support -- but then again I was never put in a shelter (although I wished for it many times).

If someone had offered me some encouragement or support the things I think back as an adult that might have been most welcome:

- willingness to listen without judging
- expression of hope that things can get better
- expression that while your young and powerless everything is indeed very difficult but as you grow and build skills (say like design skills this kid is trying to build) those skills can be taken as an adult to build the kind of life you really want to have away from all bs you are living through now
- advocating : if the kid tells you some serious stuff consider passing it on to authorities ; no one did that for me as a kid.

In any case I think you've already made a difference in a small way by doing what you've done. Sometimes in life that's all you have is that one moment to make a small positive difference.

Thank you for doing what you did.

 

Keep dreaming big, but save those big dreams for later. I always tell people who are just getting started in game dev - Think of the smallest, simplest game you'd like to make, then set out to make something a little smaller than that. Then, slowly work up to those big dreams.

It can be discouraging to chase big dreams in game dev when you have no idea yet how much actual work it takes to get there.

 

This is the best advice for anybody starting out. Always dream big, but start with small things. Get some success building a few very small games. Then aim slightly bigger, and build that slightly bigger game. Repeat that enough times and then you can build the big dream game.

Too many people start out wanting to build games that are similar to popular AAA games that took years to build with a staff of a hundred experienced people. One young, inexperienced indie developer, who is learning as he goes, simply cannot build something like that in a reasonable length of time. Ultimately, that makes a lot of people get frustrated and quit.

The best advice for every new developer is to start very small. Very few new developers want to listen to that advice, though.

 

"Have fun, make tons of games and enjoy the adventure!" Starting that early he doesn't need to worry about anything else.

 

You can make your dreams come true.

 

Thank you everyone.

I think I'm going to make put the qoutes over screen shots of your games and laminate them for him. I'll post what I've got so you guys can see them.

 

I sent you a message Not_Sure.

 

"Huh hup cheya hyaaat" - Link

But more seriously
I think what you are doing is fantastic Not_Sure, truly honorable, so my words would be as so :

"Playing games is one thing, but the skill, creativity and patience it takes to make one is a virtue. Stick with it and you can make something truly amazing"

 

Thank you everyone!

I'll be putting them together tomorrow and leaving them for him Saturday morning.