Developing a game is certainly not an easy task. Even people that have developed a lot of videos will still say that it is not an easy task depending on what they are working on. It takes a lot of time, effort, and sometimes money to get a game to reach the level that you want it to.
I have included a couple of things that you should consider before digging right into producing your video game idea.
Have a Plan
Like with many things in life, video game development is not just for “winging it” and hoping that you will get lucky. If you have succeeded that way in video game development, then you got absurdly lucky.
To develop a video game from the start to finish, you need to have a great plan in place. Just coasting along and not knowing what is going on is a huge step to failure. A well thought out development plan will set you up for success and make everything a bit easier.
I actually found a great resource at Game Designing that actually puts together a step by step plan for you to succeed in this endeavor. A good plan is going to keep you organized and sharp.
Building a Team
Unless your project is very small and not complex, you will probably need a team to develop your game. Trying to do all of the development by yourself is going to be problematic with stress and anxiety if it is an average or big project.
To build a team, you should look at your strengths and weaknesses and combine them with your strengths. For instance, you are analytical and not creative, then you need to find a creative person for your development team.
Ideally, you will have both analytical and creative minds on your team, because they can combine to form something very special.
Outsourcing is Good
When you are not experienced or knowledgeable in a certain area of development, then a game development outsourcing company could be your best bet. The reason why so many game development teams fail is that they try to do things that they are not experienced in.
If you do not have the manpower to do tasks like game testing or developing art and animation, then it is dumb to try to muscle your way through it. Likely, you would not do as good of a job and you are taking away from tasks that you and your team are good at.
Outsourcing is a smart option if you have the capital to do it, and it can really jumpstart your development to new heights if you have the right team.
Remember that you need to have a proper plan, build a team, and outsource when necessary. That is just scratching the surface on this topic. There are other great resources out there for you to check out if you are serious about developing a video game. Good luck on your next project!