10 Years of Game Dev in 100 No BS Advice

10 Years of Game Development in 100 No BS Advice

— 🎮 GAME DESIGN —
1. Build around a mechanic that sparks curiosity.
2. Make failure a chance to learn, not just a penalty.
3. Polish how game actions feel until they shine.
4. Let the game whisper its rules, not shout them.
5. Support mastery and casual play alike.
6. Tie progression to gameplay, not separate systems.
7. Focus on why players return, not just monetization.
8. Evolve challenges alongside player growth.
9. Reward creativity, not just accuracy.
10. Make each challenge tell a story without words.

— 🕹️ USER EXPERIENCE —
11. Make controls feel second nature, not forced.
12. Sync visual, audio, and tactile feedback.
13. Guide with light and color, not cluttered UI.
14. Keep design invisible yet essential.
15. Use consistent patterns for menus and interactions.
16. Tailor interactions to the moment of play.
17. Put key info where players naturally look.
18. Spot frustration early and smooth it out.
19. Make interfaces playful but not distracting.
20. Choose clarity over complexity in design.

— 💰 MONETIZATION —
21. Sell fun enhancements, not interruptions.
22. Make spending feel voluntary, not forced.
23. Price for perceived value, not cost.
24. Make purchases feel like upgrades, not shortcuts.
25. Let players express themselves, not just buy items.
26. Treat monetization as part of the journey.
27. Offer generosity to inspire loyalty.
28. Let non-spenders become advocates through value.
29. Subscriptions deepen connections, not just revenue.
30. Spending should feel strategic, not impulsive.

— 📊 ANALYTICS AND ITERATION —
31. Let data guide decisions, not control them.
32. Experiment boldly but measure results carefully.
33. Find out why players leave, not just where.
34. Track what matters, not just what’s easy.
35. Convert feedback into hypotheses, not fixes.
36. Notice patterns but learn from outliers too.
37. Segment to enhance, not fragment your audience.
38. Revisit successful features for new potential.
39. Use both intuition and metrics for insight.
40. Focus on player trends, not just single KPIs.

— 📢 MARKETING —
41. Speak in the player’s language, not features.
42. Spark curiosity, not just attention.
43. Show what’s unique, not what’s standard.
44. Let marketing hint at the game experience.
45. Stay honest: show, don’t oversell.
46. Favor stories over statistics.
47. Partner with creators who share your audience.
48. Reward attention, don’t fight for it.
49. Build anticipation, not just awareness.
50. Each interaction should deepen connection

— 🧑‍💻 TEAM AND PRODUCTION —
51. Align on why before the how
52. Fuel creativity with constructive feedback
53. Treat deadlines as guides, not blockades
54. Use tools to expand creativity, not control it
55. Celebrate small wins for steady momentum
56. Make external partners part of the team
57. Communicate clarity over perfection.
58. Keep playtesting continuous and inclusive.
59. Build adaptive processes as the project evolves.
60. Allow rest; creativity needs balance to thrive.

— ⚙️ TECHNICAL OPTIMIZATION —
61. Optimize for joy, not just performance.
62. Ensure older devices still feel alive.
63. Compress assets without losing impact.
64. Offer quick plays but smooth longer sessions.
65. Test system limits, then push a bit further.
66. Code for scale, design for the moment.
67. Eliminate disruptions that break immersion.
68. Make loading screens a delight, not a wait.
69. Push updates that feel additive, not disruptive.
70. Stay ahead of platform requirements.

— 🌐 COMMUNITY AND LIVE OPS —
71. Build trust through transparency and consistency.
72. Let your community lead alongside you.
73. Use live events for ongoing stories, not just content.
74. Reward journeys, not just outcomes.
75. Surprise players with updates that don’t overwhelm.
76. Create urgency without pressure.
77. Make social features count, not just appear.
78. Show how feedback drives meaningful change.
79. Treat veterans as co-creators of your legacy.
80. Combat toxicity firmly; protect supportive spaces.

— 🚀 LONG-TERM GROWTH —
81. Expand your brand with merch, lore, and media.
82. Use AI to personalize and automate content.
83. Let players build mods, levels, and events.
84. Use trends as sparks, not strict instructions.
85. Revisit core mechanics to keep them fresh.
86. Enhance nostalgia without repeating the past.
87. Study your genre’s hits and misses to stay ahead.
88. Plan for five years or more with scalable updates.
89. Embrace platform shifts as fresh opportunities.
90. Partner to amplify vision, never dilute it.

— ❌ PITFALLS TO AVOID —
91. Never sacrifice player joy for quick profit.
92. Avoid over-explaining; let players discover.
93. Don’t chase trends that clash with your game’s DNA.
94. Build bridges, not barriers.
95. Silence doesn’t equal satisfaction.
96. Refine mechanics before adding more.
97. Polish should never hide lack of substance.
98. Avoid global launch before local success.
99. Don’t fix what isn’t broken without purpose.
100. Keep challenging what’s possible.