We dropped our original game idea because it turned out it is too complicated. And because of a story I told, which resonated with the team and sparked ideas. But, as all projects go, when and idea is born and debated in a team of 4, it always, ALWAYS grows too much and becomes too entangled. This is what happened again, but clearly our previous experience was not a failure, because we acted more responsively, slept on it, argued a few times, slept on that as well, and found a way to bring this new game to life. We found a way that connects all elements naturally and provides sense, progression and meaning to the game.
Right now, the team is in full production mode and we’re all busy bees. We even gained a new team member, an artist of EXPOSÉ fame who I am sure will bring our little project to new heights. We’re forging designs, conceptualizing mechanics, planning stories, dreaming – all of it while we’re trying to build a prototype and the first bits of art.
As a team, we started to discuss making an indie game together at the beginning of May. Now, a little less than two months after, I’ve learned this:
- there’s nothing harder than to put the basis of forging a really good team
- the only thing harder than truly starting a team is to maintain the confidence, the trust, the vision. This is perhaps the most challenging job we all share completely
- a good team acts like this: when one falls, the others pick him/ her up. One will always wall to some degree at any given time of the project, most of the times not due to project-related issues. But this is good, as long as the others are there to help.
- ideas really are a dime a dozen, but 99% of them don’t fit in something which actually needs to be done in a decent timeframe
- everybody’s different and one word can mean a thing to me and a different thing to you; so it’s crucial to ensure that everybody is on the same page
- what is not written, does not exist
- what is written and not understood by the others, does not exist
- there is a very thin line between ownership and ego. Game creators must always own their stuff and defend it fiercely, but never be selfish and opaque, ever
- there are plenty of tools to express an idea, so you can always surprise yourself and others by truly trying to get the good stuff out of your head and lay it on the table
- ideas can look great in your head and yet suck when are placed on paper. This is a wonderful idea survivability test
- no coder will ever fully understand normal people’s talk 
This usually triggers many great things
Back to work now. If this goes well, in September we should have at least as good a morale as we have now.
L
