Since leaving my full time job to go out on my own I’ve learned quite a bit about game development, being my own boss, working really weird hours, and trying to stay sane.
Topic #1: Smaller games
The smaller iphone/android/web games I’m developing now are a great break from what I’ve been working on. Sure, they’re not gigantic AAA titles that will have millions of dollars of marketing money thrown at them, but the reward is so much greater to me to be able to make something and get it into peoples’ hands faster. The mobile market is just plain awesome since you can carry the games around in your pocket and have people play them wherever you or they may be.
Topic #2: Being my own boss
Most people can’t say they always agree with their boss’s decisions, but now I can because my boss is me. I expect to mess up sometimes, I expect to have some blunders, but I also expect to make some great little games for people to enjoy.
Topic #3: Working weird hours
I think I’ve overcompensated with my new power to work whatever hours I want. I keep staying up longer and waking up later. Last week I had a couple 4am nights and a 5:30am-er. When I’m in the zone and productive I want to keep the momentum so I just stay up until I either hit a wall or a solid stopping point for the evening.
I love love love having flexible hours though. I can go for a jog or run errands or stare blankly at the wall whenever I want to.
Topic #4: Not going insane
Since I work at home there’s no one to bother me. There’s also no one to hang out with – so I’m going out more at night to meet up with people, grab dinners, play games, shoot the sheeei—stuff with. It’s good to take breaks from work, and forcing myself to get out and see people is a great reason to take my eyes away from a computer screen.
All in all, I can’t say how much happier I am now that I’m not working for The Man anymore. I highly recommend it.