Getting over Scale anxiety

[NoxidKin]

Howdy hey,

I just wanna make games, yeah.  I've been learning GODOT for a while, and associated programs.  But I look at how far I've come, and how far I have to go, and it's pretty overwhelming.

For example, making a 3D level.  I can create can create and texture a simple object object.  So in princple I can create an asset.  I can add an object to a scene, therefore in principle I can add a hundred different objects to a scene.  Therefore in principle I can: 

Create and tweak hundreds (or thousands) of assets and place them in a scene together, then go back over them making sure that everything works together coherently, tweaking the assets and placements as necessary.

But, I mean, that's not the same, emotionally.  I'm looking at a blank canvas thinking "this could be a level...  in a hundred years!".

And that's just building one level, forget other levels, coding gameplay  and UI systems, UI design, audio and music design, character and object assets, shaders, environment design.  Frikken everything, with several parts being reliant and dependant on each other so you're locked in to previous mistakes, or doing refactors, and either way leaving a trail of bugs.

So I guess my question is;  HEEEEEEEELP!

Or, rather, does anyone have good advice for dealing with this?  Does anyone have experience of making tiny games, and advice on how to stop them growing legs?  Does anyone have really good advice for making levels quickly, using Blender and/or GODOT? 

Thanks!  :)       

[MediocreMetastasis]

Grey boxing. Make a level out of simple grey boxes or other primitive shapes (CSG meshes since you're using Godot). It's a very quick way to prototype a level and test it. If it's not up to scratch then remake it. Also make sure to test each section of a level once it's finished not when you fully completed the level to save some hassle. Once you're happy, then export your grey box (which you can do in Godot) to blender. Remodel it with some details and extra world environments and re-import it back into Godot.

Some other tips are to make your game mechanics/objects (e.g. boost pads, enemies) before making a level just so you can easily implement them into your levels (like how Mario maker supplies a bunch of objects in the level builder). This is the same for aesthetic objects like boulders or shrubbery to not make your level look empty.

I can't really help with the efficiency (since I'm having the exact same problem). Maybe give yourself a time limit, the pressure of not completing something in time usually motivates me to be more quick.


see how it's literal grey boxes, there's also game objects like boost pads and rails.

You can then export the scene as a 3D model

Edit
I may of misinterpreted in your post that you wanted tips on making levels fast rather than to preventing feature creep. Whenever I make a small game, I predict when I would be able to finish a game based on my skill and the size of the game. I then make a time limit for that date that I want to finish the game. This kinda prevents me from adding too many stuff as I know I wont have time to make it. You can go in detail by making a Gannt chart, adding timeframes to develop each part of your game. Another thing you can do is cut the amount of content you want to add from your game such as the amount of levels.

[loren]

oooh this is something i think about and relate to a lot! i've been interested in making games for a long time, but only recently started trying to make them. i've put a few games and game-like things out into the world now, and they're all very tiny!

one piece of writing that changed the way i think about creating games is How To Make Good Small Games.

You don’t have to lock yourself in a gamedev bunker and make your prescribed “first dozen games that are going to SUCK” so you can get to your pixel art metroidvania. By adjusting your perspective, you can start making games you’re happy with right now. Find the tool that feels right to you. Spend an evening fiddling with it. Make something happen on the screen that you like, that sparks a tiny fire in your chest. Then think about what a small game built around that spark might look like.

it's helped me a lot with the feeling of anxiety around game scale that you're describing. i usually reread the whole thing when starting a new project, and again whenever i feel myself getting stuck.

coding gameplay  and UI systems, UI design, audio and music design, character and object assets, shaders, environment design.  Frikken everything,

it's overwhelming to make every part of a game from scratch! i've felt more comfortable working with engines that are intentionally limited (like bitsy and decker) than godot, a huge blank canvas where anything is possible. my one godot project only got made because i relied heavily on existing work by other people! most of the assets were from quake II mods on the internet archive, the character controller and menu were from the godot open adventure template, audio was from old screensaver software (also from the internet archive), etc. focus on the parts of gamemaking that are most personally exciting for you to make, and see if there are existing solutions for the parts that are less fun for you. browse the godot asset library and free 3D assets on itch. maybe find a collaborator who enjoys doing the things that overwhelm you (this is advice i've never followed myself, haha, but it is an option!)

the other thing that has helped me release tiny games instead of making them into bigger and bigger projects is participating in game jams! when your project is threatening to grow legs, it can be easier to say "no! i don't have time for that!" when there's a deadline. the godot game i linked in the last paragraph was for a week-long jam, and if you're interested, i took daily notes where i wrote down (almost) every step i took to make the game, plus my thoughts throughout the week. outside of the technical stuff, it was a lot of asking myself "what does done look like?" "what are the most important things to add before the deadline?" and similar questions about scope. there are things i definitely would have added if i had more skill or more time, but i'm still happy that i have something "done" enough to put out there, even if just to serve as a marker of my progress. i'm sure that things will get easier with practice. :)