Should solo game developers do 3D games?
Read until the end, I have a request to ask of you!
Last week, when discussing criteria for picking a game engine, I briefly mentioned the possibility of an easy transition from 2D to 3D within the same engine.
Deep down inside I know I should start with 2D. But seeing solo game devs succeed in 3D (Gavin Eisenbeisz, Tomas Sala) one cannot simply resist and daydream.
Although an engine that can do both 2D and 3D will simplify the learning curve a little, 3D might still be a lot of work for one person.
Sure, you can use 3D but view the game as it is a 2D game, be it side-viewed on top-down. Then again, will that be easier than making the same in 2D?
A game and its remake. One is 2D, and the other is a 2D game using 3D models, sort of.
If you’re a solo game developer the only reason to go 3D here would be if 3D assets would be easier to acquire than 2D pixel art.
Maybe going full 2D isn't entirely wrong then?
After all, Vanillaware seems to achieve as much as any game developer…?
So, about that question…
I lost interest in the name of the newsletter 😉
So I’m thinking about changing it. Again. This time for good (I hope).
When thinking about this newsletter's direction, I concluded that it will probably be about my personal pet peeve and source of inspiration: lone game developers who manage to pull it off!
I brainstormed some ideas, and… learned that a poll on Substack cannot have more than 5 options. So I had to leave the best ones. I managed to limit the options to 3. The last ones to go were Single Game Developer (as it sounded like for people without family, not my case) and Alone in the Crunch (as you can’t crunch if you work on a game only for 2 hours a day max! and people would want to learn about crunch. It’s in the title after all). These are what is left.
Can you help me choose a new name?
Hey FWIW I started trying to make a game in 2D with GameMaker & did ok... But when I switched to Godot things were much easier, and 3D just clicked.
I honestly don't think one is much harder than the other (in that engine at least).
The other side of the argument, would be forcing yourself to do a format you don't want to develop in isn't a great use of time.
But...
I'm an UBER NOOB and have shipped nothing, so take my opinion with a big grain of salt.