Looking for some advice.

At the end of last year I came up with a absolutely amazing plan for my near future, it went as follows:

1. Study game design 2.5 days a week (8:30 - 5:30 for two and 8:30 - 12:30 for the half day)
2. Get government payments(And have no job)
3. Make a cool game in the rest of my time(if a big success then the plan ends with me buying a island here)
4. Repeat and have some income.
5. Do the incubator program with AIE and hopefully make a good game from that (More income)
6. Depending on income I'd ether keep making indie games(Perhaps with the incubator team) or use my new found folio to get a job.
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When I made this plan I was finishing off highschool and it was pretty stressful because I was a terrible student and in Australia everyone pushes extremely hard for students to go academically well. I assumed that I wasn't finishing any games because of that (When working on a game their I felt guilty because I should be studying). It is now almost halfway through the year(!) and I'm still nowhere near where I was hoping I would be(My game is nowhere near even a prototype) I'm stuck on step 3.

I intend on making some big changes over this month to how I run to make development work more efficiently and hopefully begin a phase where I actually get stuff done. Currently I'm hoping to do the following to step up my game:

1. Move to desk based development.
Currently I find myself drifting to the couch when developing. Maybe its to grab a pen or something but I always end up their, infact this is posted from the couch. Though in my defence I don't actually have a desk here so I couldn't of, but I'll fix that by bringing one here(I live in Melbourne for a few days a week for my education then go home on the weekend until tuesday)

2. Large multi(?) Screen setup.
At school we have dual large monitors, this way of working is obviously far superior to the single laptop screen I use at home. There are some issues though seeing as I will still need to run it through my laptop and I'm not sure if I can have a VGA screen and HDMI screen at the same time, so the multi monitor setup could potentially be a laptop + monitor, alternatively I could use a 1080p 32inch TV and then just use it as my monitor. Not really directly related to the issue, but I'm more productive at school I think so hopefully that will help.

3. List based tasks for all development.
I plan on having a list of things that needs to be done(Not the GDD) and timeframes for these to be done, obviously sometimes things take longer so the list will have iterations, but then the idea is to look at old ones aswell and see what took more time and try and optimize that time.

4. Make designated dev time.
I'm going to work on more defined time for developing games currently I kind of just have Unity open 100% of the time and then just swap between working on my game, school and unrelated computer usage.

5. Getting a different hobby.
Instead of talking the talk, I'm moving to walking the walk. So I've decided that I need to find a hobby, for a while now my life has been game dev centric and I think its part of my downfall. Back in the old days the imagination was flowing and while I liked designing games my life didn't revolve around it, now I feel I'm to focused on games and its actually making me not see the broader view that I used to. I don't know what hobby I will find but I'm looking for something that isn't brain intensive, and preferably doesn't use a computer.
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Hopefully in the next half of the year I'll be much more productive, I'm wondering if anyone has any other suggestions or advice?

 

You mean welfare? I'll be honest... that sounds like a terrible idea. Don't take it personally but that's part of what's wrong with my country (USA), people want to take the free ride. Granted you're working toward your dream job, but why should the taxpayers be on the hook for you doing that?

 

Not that this is about tax but the `every man for himself` and `you're taking away my money` and `welfare is bad` are very destructive ideas in and of themselves. Why not help your fellow man instead of using these attitudes to cover up your greed?

Anyway...I do think generally your plan Tyler is a bit wishywashy... it also seems to somewhat focus on looking TOO hard and close at the details and technicalities of what you're doing. Whether you have a big screen or small screen, what does that matter? And who cares if you're on the couch? Also lists can be good but can also be a big waste of time. I think you need some firm boundaries between development time and the rest of your life, so you can focus on it properly at the right time, and give yourself other hobbies or breaks to do other things. And maybe make your project smaller.

 

With unemployment running above 5%, another way to look at this is he's letting someone else have a job. That's assuming he could even get one as a young kid fresh out of high school.

 

Who's greedier: The one who works full time and pays 34% of their wages as taxes, or the one who does no work and takes 100% from those who do?

What's destructive is fostering an environment of "everyone else can do for me". Don't believe me? Ask the Roman Empire. They were big proponents of the Welfare system - even when they lost the ability to fund their military.

Anyway, working is not just economically sound, but it also allows you to network and meet others that may be interested in helping you. One of the most important things in life is to network with other professionals (or at least hobbyists) who can act as references or help you build a portfolio.

 

^^ This ^^

And it's relevant because it was part of his plan. I personally have no problem with social programs and welfare within reason, but there is a huge difference between need and want. You shouldn't take it just because you feel entitled to it. It's a safety net for those who need it and is meant to be short term while you get back on your feet.

As to the 5%, that's pretty damn low unemployment realistically because there are other factors at play... young adults who are working on an education, disabled folks who legitimately can't work (and should be entitled to welfare), and older / retired folks. So that 5% isn't representative of people who are actively seeking jobs. Then, you divide that even further.. of that 5%, how many of them have qualifications within Tyler's field? If it's programming, likely not many because the unemployment rate in that sector is much lower.

 

I've been having a bit of an identity crisis lately. My coding ambition has been usurped. Instead of reaching for Visual Studio Express 2013, I find myself reaching for my Wacom tablet... and I draw all the time.

It's the first thing I think about when I get up in the morning, with fresh images inside my mind, and I spend the day seeing something and going 'Oh, I should draw that'. Curiously, my note papers are full of little character studies at the end of the day. Stick figures that try to capture poses or movements.

Then when I come home, instead of getting down with coding... I spend time thinking about proportion and perspective and colour and...

But, I'm a coder! I'm supposed to be. I'm supposed to worry about lists and references and algorithms and stuff. Not whether a particular shade of brown can be used as a shadow or not. I'm supposed to delve into compiler directives, and not worry about whether an elbow is too far away from a shoulder joint.

I am conflicted. My identity is in tatters. I suspect I could be one of those... artists!

To be serious, and I wasn't quite so above, although I am enjoying drawing and such a lot, maybe you should find a niche you really enjoy and focus on that? Maybe what you're lacking is perspective. I know that I dither when I don't have a clear view of what I'm doing.

 

Just to clear up the government benefits thing, here in Australia if you are doing tertiary education you can get money from the government (Providing your parents are not rich). Everyone does it because it is free money, you get it regardless of if you are working or not but obviously if you have a job you get more money as you have a job but I've opted not to work at McDonalds or something and instead use my free time to develop games and live on a tighter budget.

 

I think that the chances of making a living as an indie game developer, straight out of high school, with no experience other than what you have done in your spare time while in school, is so low that you might as will dismiss it. But I like the other side of your plan, given that your country will pay your living expenses while you educate your self, you can spend some time learning and developing your skills, and building a portfolio, before jumping in to a low-level full time job that leaves you little time to hone the skills you really want. Once you have enough skills, get a job at an established game company. Get a decade of real world experience working with more experienced people, and then you can have a more realistic view of going off on your own to head your own company.

 

Sounds more like a student allowance, rather than your typical welfare, out of a job, not doing anything useful payout... wouldnt worry about ppls opinions on that subject...

If you wernt a student and that was your plan, those comments would be true.

Sounds like you need to come up with few smaller game ideas... maybe your current game is too optimistic

 

Actually, as long as you're doing something genuinely useful I think those are a great idea. I'm biased, though, because the business that I (along with a friend and colleague) built and sold was helped greatly by the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme, which does something similar for qualifying startups.

Having said that, a game idea alone isn't enough. Nor are several game ideas. You need a whole business plan, even if it's a simple one. Making a thing isn't enough for a business. You need to sell your thing. How are you going to do that?

 

It's also worthwhile considering going out and just getting a totally different type of job (and no I don't mean mcDonad's). There is a lot to life that is not game development, and getting broader life experience is nothing but a good thing. earn some money. go travel. see some of the world... focus on yourself as a person not as yourself as a worker. There's no better time to do this than right out of High School.

 

LMOF...anybody that owns a big business or works a DoD/DHS contract is on welfare. They get trillions of dollars to do what? Set up the NSA to use the internet to spy on everyone and pay for things as if they wore cast of gold rather than simply overpriced with the intent of emptying the treasury? Just how many times they going to repave that same stretch of highway in 10 years?

Those on welfare that don't actually need it...where was the NSA and the well paid staff at the SS Office when they were doing their jobs? It's not like they can't look at your arrest record and bank accounts and do just that. Why are the cops wasting time with traffic rather than going after drug dealers on welfare? It's not like the NSA doesn't have their spying eyes stuck to every wall and big businesses and politicians don't already have their greedy little fingers in everybody's pies.

And you're worried about a single mother getting maybe $1000 a month on welfare that was widowed or more likely got some sense in her head and divorced a no good for nothing husband sleeping around, threatening people and doing and/or selling drugs? J.K. Rowling you lazy bitch.

Tyler do what you like to do...I couldn't be a fry cook at McDonald's. It really is NOT an easy job. But a job walking around and meeting people while I cleaned the premises was fun...as were both coworkers and customers. Expect to not spend so much time working full time on games and computers though, not that's you'll miss it too much. The most productive computer programmers and designers I know typical spend 1/4 - 1/2 their working hours (so 10 - 20 hours of 40 hours per week) being 'productive sitting at the computer'.

 

I'm not sure if this was directed at me, but I have further plans to do with marketing and stuff. I just haven't posted them.

 

Sure, but thats minor in the grand scheme of things... if you cant finish a game, there's zero point having a biz plan.

Its impossible to market nothing.

 

Planning is minor in the grand scheme of things? I seriously think not. My point was that if you can't take the plan past the game's you're going to make then you're in trouble.

 

I live on disability benefits, ive been supernaturally lucky in many ways and ive turned out with getting an income that, if i could work (i might be up to it one day!) i would be earning significantly more and i'd be able to buy a house and the idea of having kids with the lady wouldnt stress me out cause id want them to have the access to things that can educate them and afford to live somewhere they could stay out of trouble (Other than falling out of trees and throwing stones at school windows cause that's de-rigeur) - but! it is a very comfortable income for someone living on welfare, on average. I can indulge in my hobbies and liking computers, art and making sure my partner stays happy with nice things(she has to put up with a lot, and deserves the earth) can be pricey.

However, living on regular welfare here, say jobseekers allowance, sounds like absolute hell to me, i dont know how people can live like that, CHOOSE to live like that when they can get a job, they can actually do working. People saying there's no jobs, its bullshit, its that they wont do the jobs that are there. Then they complain about immigrants taking their jobs, the immigrants are doing jobs they wont do because our nation are a bunch of racist entitled lazy pricks. It of course rolls on to them supporting and voting for a government that, if they read the small print, they'd know act directly against their interests as they cheer them on. Hopeless.

Anyways, if you have the physical capacity to work and you're choosing to live on 40 quid a week, unless you already have everything you need and a will of iron to make your videogame, you must be completely mental. That I suppose goes to English folk though, don't know about whatever schemes are on elsewhere. I keep getting told I can apply for proper council funding for projects so long as i can write a good brief and show competency, no problem there but no has actually told me where these magic grants are. If anyone english can inform me better, please do.

Also i'm curious as to why applications like unity can be purchased via resellers for educational and nonprofit use via communication with your university while no such provision is made for the disabled (Who could be easily verified with communication via charities or medical authorities or even the welfare services themselves), who would probably benefit from the affordibility, and from my observations, achieve far more with it, than students whose parents are already pouring thousands into their spawn's education. Chances of those in videogame design courses getting much done.. hummm

 

Unemployment figures only include people actively seeking work. I think Tyler indicated he has no qualifications (yet).