Discussion - what are the most important factors to achieve success in indie game development?

[renevanderark]

@normalized

Doing a jam or two is a good remedy for that.

My wife and kids would die if I mentioned joining another game jam.

[NOTIdealDev]

does finishing means making core loop work and end the game dev when you think the game is complete? or does it mean release polished good version of your game?

[normalized]

@renevanderark

My wife and kids would die if I mentioned joining another game jam.

You don’t need to tell them. Just pretend you’re doing something important.

[normalized]

@NOTIdealDev

does finishing means making core loop work and end the game dev when you think the game is complete? or does it mean release polished good version of your game?

I never said anything about “finishing”. I said “producing”. That would mean making something that’s worth asking money for (if you’re business oriented) or something that looks and feels complete (if you’re not business oriented).

[KDoesDev]

IMO the simplest answer is this: Its finished when you stop working on it.

In practice you will have your own idea of what is missing that you could add/change/polish. When releasing the game, players of your game will have their own standards for what it means to be finished. These opinions will be greatly affected by pricepoint, and existing games in that genre.

So realistically you could say its expectation management: will the end user expect more/better than you have provided for the pricepoint and genre/existing market, if so your game might not be “finished enough” for them.