Comments on: Working For Myself – First Two Months <strong>Hi First time...</strong> skipped here on your site, founde on Google. Thanks for the help!! It seems like the right way to deal with it, now let's just hope I carry through!!... Hi First time…

skipped here on your site, founde on Google. Thanks for the help!! It seems like the right way to deal with it, now let’s just hope I carry through!!…

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By: Tom/2011/06/24/working-for-myself-first-two-months/#comment-6299 Tom Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:21:00 +0000 From one Keith to another, your "social life" comments echo my own experience. Being a consultant vs. working in a studio definitely impacts your social interactions. I've recently set up a once-a-month preplanned lunch outing with developer friends just to make sure I don't forget what they look like. Good post, Keith. From one Keith to another, your “social life” comments echo my own experience. Being a consultant vs. working in a studio definitely impacts your social interactions. I’ve recently set up a once-a-month preplanned lunch outing with developer friends just to make sure I don’t forget what they look like.
Good post, Keith.

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By: John Connors/2011/06/24/working-for-myself-first-two-months/#comment-6282 John Connors Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:14:47 +0000 Thank you! Thank you!

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By: Dave Dawson/2011/06/24/working-for-myself-first-two-months/#comment-6279 Dave Dawson Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:46:31 +0000 Kickstarter is US only at the moment, so is no use to me. There are other alternatives such as 8-Bit Funding, though to get on there my project needs to be far enough along that I have a gameplay video so I'm not ready for that yet. Kickstarter is US only at the moment, so is no use to me. There are other alternatives such as 8-Bit Funding, though to get on there my project needs to be far enough along that I have a gameplay video so I’m not ready for that yet.

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By: Eduardo Hulshof/2011/06/24/working-for-myself-first-two-months/#comment-6277 Eduardo Hulshof Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:31:35 +0000 I have been through much of this myself. At one point, I worked 100-hr weeks for two years with no social life whatsoever (literally -- no friends, no gf, no kids, no dog) - my advice (for whatever it is worth): 1) Get your game/demo/tech demo out as soon as possible, no matter how bad it is. You can quickly gauge traction, although don't be necessarily disappointed if traction is slow at first. Accordingly, get a forum in place for people to discuss your game - this can sometimes relieve you of the duty of answering questions. Don't worry about porting until you have a product with traction - if you get significant traction you can always go back and make a DX 9 or 10 version. 2) This kind of goes without saying, but be very passionate about your idea. If you are not, choose another one. When flying solo, it is imperative that you find your work interesting. Once you have hit the 90 percent complete point, work will probably become very grueling and boring, but don't give up. 3) Do whatever will get it out the door the fastest. When writing an engine, it is easy to obsess about the engine and forget about the game. Get gameplay in ASAP, then polish with whatever time you can. 4) Release as early as possible, even if product is incomplete (see: Minecraft) I have been through much of this myself. At one point, I worked 100-hr weeks for two years with no social life whatsoever (literally — no friends, no gf, no kids, no dog) – my advice (for whatever it is worth):

1) Get your game/demo/tech demo out as soon as possible, no matter how bad it is. You can quickly gauge traction, although don’t be necessarily disappointed if traction is slow at first. Accordingly, get a forum in place for people to discuss your game – this can sometimes relieve you of the duty of answering questions. Don’t worry about porting until you have a product with traction – if you get significant traction you can always go back and make a DX 9 or 10 version.

2) This kind of goes without saying, but be very passionate about your idea. If you are not, choose another one. When flying solo, it is imperative that you find your work interesting. Once you have hit the 90 percent complete point, work will probably become very grueling and boring, but don’t give up.

3) Do whatever will get it out the door the fastest. When writing an engine, it is easy to obsess about the engine and forget about the game. Get gameplay in ASAP, then polish with whatever time you can.

4) Release as early as possible, even if product is incomplete (see: Minecraft)

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