Plan for Phil Carlisle
by Phil Carlisle · 12/31/2004 (12:39 pm) · 9 comments
Well, new year is almost upon us, which leads me to reflect on the year now passing.
Its been a very interesting and cathartic year for me, because Ive finally learned some truths about game development. These are not necassarily global truths (although I think some are), but also personal truths.
Truth #1
Game development is HARD. It takes a long time, it takes a lot of knowledge and it takes a lot of commitment.
Truth #2
I prefer working with other people than on my own. But often its hard to find the right people, or for them to commit themselves to a project as much.
Truth #3
Shipping is the whole of the law. There is no other. All the rest means nothing if you dont ship. This should be number one.. or really ALL them, but I figure the others are worth saying too :)
Truth #4
Game development is about a lot more than simply technical issues. Being able to technically deliver a game is only a very tiny proportion of what is required to make a successful business from game development.
Truth #5
Nobody owes you ANYTHING. If you want success you have to go out there and make it happen. Even if you build a game, you cant be assured of success. You have to get out there and do the deals. Of course, this is all secondary to truth #3
Truth #6
In all likelyhood, things will fail. At best we can only mitigate the risks by doing our best to prepare, but there are no givens in game development.
Truth #7
Given truth #6, we must strive to become more capable at producing games that deliver high quality gameplay, that are attractive to the buying public.
I guess my main viewpoint of this last year, is that I have learnt a lot about the issues that surround game development. Making games as an indie is a holistic experience for me. So I need to embrace the holistic aspect and try and improve in every part of it.
My own perception of 2004 is of change, change in viewpoint. Also of loss, lost time and lost opportunity. In 2005 I hope to turn that into a feeling of gain. Gain in knowledge, gain in life and prospects, gain in respect and opportunity.
So 2004 is chalked up as a "miss" in many respects, but with hope for a "hit" for next year.
Its been a very interesting and cathartic year for me, because Ive finally learned some truths about game development. These are not necassarily global truths (although I think some are), but also personal truths.
Truth #1
Game development is HARD. It takes a long time, it takes a lot of knowledge and it takes a lot of commitment.
Truth #2
I prefer working with other people than on my own. But often its hard to find the right people, or for them to commit themselves to a project as much.
Truth #3
Shipping is the whole of the law. There is no other. All the rest means nothing if you dont ship. This should be number one.. or really ALL them, but I figure the others are worth saying too :)
Truth #4
Game development is about a lot more than simply technical issues. Being able to technically deliver a game is only a very tiny proportion of what is required to make a successful business from game development.
Truth #5
Nobody owes you ANYTHING. If you want success you have to go out there and make it happen. Even if you build a game, you cant be assured of success. You have to get out there and do the deals. Of course, this is all secondary to truth #3
Truth #6
In all likelyhood, things will fail. At best we can only mitigate the risks by doing our best to prepare, but there are no givens in game development.
Truth #7
Given truth #6, we must strive to become more capable at producing games that deliver high quality gameplay, that are attractive to the buying public.
I guess my main viewpoint of this last year, is that I have learnt a lot about the issues that surround game development. Making games as an indie is a holistic experience for me. So I need to embrace the holistic aspect and try and improve in every part of it.
My own perception of 2004 is of change, change in viewpoint. Also of loss, lost time and lost opportunity. In 2005 I hope to turn that into a feeling of gain. Gain in knowledge, gain in life and prospects, gain in respect and opportunity.
So 2004 is chalked up as a "miss" in many respects, but with hope for a "hit" for next year.
About the author
#2
12/31/2004 (2:35 pm)
Happy New Year's, Phil! Hope you get the chance this upcoming year to really apply those truths. :) 
#3
Good stuff, have a great New Year Phil!
Well have a great New Year all! ;)
Note: You can read those "Truths" and chuckle and move on, or you can seriously consider and act on them. The later will save you a ton of time, and maybe even salvage some of the precious little sanity us indies have left :)
12/31/2004 (3:47 pm)
Heed the gospel of "the worms guy" :)Good stuff, have a great New Year Phil!
Well have a great New Year all! ;)
Note: You can read those "Truths" and chuckle and move on, or you can seriously consider and act on them. The later will save you a ton of time, and maybe even salvage some of the precious little sanity us indies have left :)
#4
12/31/2004 (6:15 pm)
Phil, if you learned seven truths in one year, there is no way it was a "miss". Half-tongue in cheek, the other half is off channeling the spirit of Buddha.
#5
At IGC we heard that finding the right resources - tech/people/passion to make a marketable game means having a multitude of great game ideas you would love to see come to life.
Life is short so make sure you pick your friends carefully, work on the right things and above all have fun.
In my mind one of the big hits of 2004 is GID - thanks to you, Tom, Davis and the gang for leading the way.
Build often and play the #@$! out of your game until its fun... simple words to live by.
01/01/2005 (12:43 am)
Phil - Yours is a truely Scary Head (notice the branding illusion). Getting Fun Games DONE is hard, risky with no guarantees and then the real work begins. At IGC we heard that finding the right resources - tech/people/passion to make a marketable game means having a multitude of great game ideas you would love to see come to life.
Life is short so make sure you pick your friends carefully, work on the right things and above all have fun.
In my mind one of the big hits of 2004 is GID - thanks to you, Tom, Davis and the gang for leading the way.
Build often and play the #@$! out of your game until its fun... simple words to live by.
#6
Basically, there is no point throwing time away going after games that simply arent fun. So you mitigate that by prototyping and setting boundaries on how much time you give it.
Ive got 2 great idea's going forward, both of which have been prototyped as part of my own personal GID. So I *know* the process works and is worthwhile.
Just need a time machine now, so I can get the things finished.
01/01/2005 (1:03 am)
I think the game in a day thing is really a part of this same shift in understanding thats been happening to me this year.Basically, there is no point throwing time away going after games that simply arent fun. So you mitigate that by prototyping and setting boundaries on how much time you give it.
Ive got 2 great idea's going forward, both of which have been prototyped as part of my own personal GID. So I *know* the process works and is worthwhile.
Just need a time machine now, so I can get the things finished.
#7
Coming as another former member of the traditional, retail-game-sales-for-big-publishers side of the industry, I came in thinking I knew it all. Well, okay, I knew I didn't - I'm not quite that arrogant - but I was still a little overconfident in my ability to create a winning, sellable game. I'm very proud I got Void War out the door, but I think I've had to learn or re-learn these truths throughout the latter part of 2003 and 2004.
I wish some of the posts like this one (and your commentary on how NOT to create a game from a few months ago) could be bookmarked as "necessary newbie reading material." Or just necessary reading material right before you start a new project EACH TIME.
01/01/2005 (8:56 am)
Preach on, Brother Phil!Coming as another former member of the traditional, retail-game-sales-for-big-publishers side of the industry, I came in thinking I knew it all. Well, okay, I knew I didn't - I'm not quite that arrogant - but I was still a little overconfident in my ability to create a winning, sellable game. I'm very proud I got Void War out the door, but I think I've had to learn or re-learn these truths throughout the latter part of 2003 and 2004.
I wish some of the posts like this one (and your commentary on how NOT to create a game from a few months ago) could be bookmarked as "necessary newbie reading material." Or just necessary reading material right before you start a new project EACH TIME.
#8
Thanks for sharing 7 bits of great wisdom. :)
01/03/2005 (6:27 am)
Phil, fantastic plan! I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said. This should be a "must read" for all the newcomers to the community.Thanks for sharing 7 bits of great wisdom. :)
#9
01/04/2005 (1:07 pm)
Is truth #8 that Students who make videos get more marks?
Torque 3D Owner Sebastien Bourgon