What are the best ways to improve your game development skills?

Game design is a critical factor in game development. Game Design is not limited to the look, and feel - and also includes the underlying mathematics (probabilities, combinations), game balancing/rebalancing strategies, in-game economy design, player engagement & retention strategies, (important) revenue opportunities, in-game promotions, feature release planning… and more. This also determines how the system would be designed, and how it would be programmed.

Learning new engines and frameworks for game development is a great way to keep yourself updated with new tech. But never limit yourself to the tools you know well. Games are an experience you are giving to your players. The focus should be more on making the game fun with a high replay value rather than molding a game based on your knowledge of a tool.

Experiment with different ways to solve problems. There are often multiple solutions for single problems in game development, so take some time to implement different approaches and understand that pros and cons of each.

If you create a business, you need a business plan, if you create a game, you need a game development plan. Planning is essential. If you learn a proper planning techniques, you will succeed.

I believe that, on the programmer's side, new starters should begin as generalists in some game engine rather than specialists. They should explore various areas such as game mechanics, AI, UI, gameplay systems, backend development, animation systems, and more. By doing so, they can discover which field aligns with their talents and, most importantly, their interests. Once they identify their preferred area, they can specialize in it. When aspiring to become specialists, they should explore different engines and frameworks to gain exposure to various pipelines and techniques.

If you wait for your game to be ready for testing, it means it’s too late already. Test early and fast. Test, test, test! Make sure the core loops and support loops meets your target expectations and motivations.

An idea even if it sounds incredible doesn't always mean it will be fun or everyone will definitely like it. Prototyping comes in handy at this point. Once the prototype is achieved it is best to test with as many testers as possible. But remember, you are targeting a specific audience. Therefore your testers should be as relevant as your target audience. Feedback can vary from constructive to destructive and even some feedback might never bring any value. It is always good to hear all but only take the constructive ones even if they are negative. Even if the feedback is negative, never be scared of experimenting. Your thesis might be correct after all the negative feedback.

Consistency forms the bedrock for honing game development skills. It's essential to grasp that this improvement doesn't occur overnight; rather, it demands a persistent commitment to learning from errors and cultivating a daily routine of acquiring fresh knowledge. Given the gaming industry's rapid evolution, staying updated with the latest trends and technologies becomes paramount. Most importantly, one must resist the notion of knowing everything, even after a decade in game development. Maintaining a mindset of perpetual curiosity and embracing new ideas is key to continually pushing one's boundaries and expanding their game development skills.

Getting feedback and drawing inspiration from various sources is a smart approach to enhancing your game development skills. Engaging with communities and studying successful games can be incredibly valuable.

Firstly, I can't even stress how important all kinds of feedback are especially if you're in a conceptual/creative space. Negative feedback even has more of an impact than positive feedback (that's why you should always try to do your playtests with non-biased people) as long as it's constructive. It's up to you, to humble yourself when you receive all kinds of feedback because we all would like to think our creations are truly incredible, even if they are absolutely garbage (harsh I know, but we are all capable of making terrible designs as much as we are great) it is up to us, to take from that to learn and grow. Ultimately, we are creating work for consumers to enjoy.

Collaboration and networking are crucial, unfortunately, it is not always possible. Your network can quit halfway through your collaboration, your network efforts can backfire. It is important to get to know your network before collaborating. Everyone might not be as friendly as you are so make sure you're in the correct group. It can take time but it is always better to be in a community rather than alone. Like in every aspect of game development, consistency, and passion is your key.

Collaboration and networking are indeed vital aspects of game development. They offer opportunities for skill expansion, idea sharing, and fostering innovation within the industry.

My suggestion is diversity, bringing people from different studios and different games. This will help to have multiple ideas and solutions, what worked for you in one studio maybe will not work here. Don't hesitate to connect to your friends from other companies to get a true opinion because sometimes we're super in love with our idea and we can't see that it needs some adjustment.

If your leader is experienced and wise, ready to share and teach you work skills, learn from them wholeheartedly. It not only improves your programming skills but also your teamwork abilities, enhancing relationships with colleagues and your leader. This way, you'll be valued more by them, and everyone benefits from it.

Practical is always better than theory, you can learn various concepts using documentation and videos but you will discover new concepts, possible roadblocks only when you practice them in real life. Hence to improve your game development skills it is best to work on a game, it should have the basic logic and mechanics you intend to learn even though it isn't the best looking game.

Absolutely, a significant part of a Game Designer's role is finding solutions to problems that arise from various areas, be it programming, art, or others. Constantly practicing with projects and simple mechanics helps identify these issues quickly. This continuous experimentation not only hones your problem-solving skills but also fosters creative solutions that benefit the entire team. It's all about developing a keen eye for potential challenges and addressing them effectively, which is crucial for any game development process.

Practicing and experimenting with personal projects is a fundamental path to skill enhancement in game development. It's through these experiences that you truly hone your unique style and abilities.

Practice makes it perfect! Always challenge yourself, create an empty project as a playground, and play around. Practice everything you learn and push as much as you can. Try to discover different methods and approaches. Do you have a theory? Test it out! Also, remember no matter what your role is in game development, it is about project management. Expertise in your skills aside, it is also important to consider the management of personal time and development. Be open and experiment, have conversations with your network, and test your skills and ideas out.

Continual learning and finding enjoyment in the process are keys to success in game development. Staying curious and passionate will keep you motivated and fulfilled in this dynamic field.

Some dislike learning but learning is part of living. There are ways to make learning fun and interesting especially if you're interested in the topics that you're learning. The beginnings can be overwhelming, your only solution is consistency. Allow yourself to have fun while learning by experimenting. Do not overburn yourself. Take your time to go out, socialize, distract your mind, and keep a healthy body. If you have discovered yourself well and know your passions, following your passions will bring fun to your learning. This is what game development is about anyway right? Bringing your imagination to life and creating an immersive experience for your players.

Aprenda, se divirta e celebre! Parece clichê quando dizem "celebre cada pequena conquista", n?o é clichê, é real. Quando você comemora por conseguir fazer sua nave destruir meteoros que podem acertar seu mundo fictício, para que futuramente o jogador fa?a isso, novas possibilidades para seu game ir?o surgir e o aprendizado ficará mais leve. Vamos lá!

Set an achievable goal and dedicate yourself to reach it. Skip content that drives away your attention, when the knowledge provided doesn’t bring you close to your objective. Make sure to find ways to measure your learning, have someone reviewing your steps or follow a learning path built by trusted veterans. This can help you build a short path to your goal.

A good way to improve your skills is to regularly work on projects that challenge what you can currently do and help you learn new things. In the field of game development, there's a lot to learn, so it's a good idea to pick the topics that really interest you. Then, use these new skills in your game projects.

While all of the above will serve you well, it’s important to focus on where & who will see your hard work. Your initial idea through to concept should have the perspective customer, client and or region in mind. It’s no good having a complex game which is data heavy if your deploying in a country like Africa (still one of the biggest markets). Know your market & customer before you develop any ideas. While implementing the latest tech may seem like a good idea, some of the biggest game titles recently have been the simplest coupled with engaging RTP.