10 Things I Learned from Making Our First Video Game Unleaving

🍁 Today Marks the 1st Anniversary of Unleaving Released on March 27th, 2024, Unleaving was more than just a game, it was a labor of love, obsession, and raw creativity. Reflecting on this journey, I want to share 10 things I learned from making our first game:

1. It’s going to take away all your attention: Making a game consumes you, it seeps into your thoughts, dreams, and every quiet moment. And that’s okay.
2. Make it as if no one cares, but you careCreate with reckless passion, as if the world won’t notice, because you’re the one who needs to.
3. Surround yourself with supportYou’ll need people who believe in you when you’re doubting yourself. Their support will carry you through the hardest days.
4. Listen to your community, playtesters Your audience sees things you can’t. Their feedback reveals flaws and magic you might overlook.
5. Every pixel matters, obsessing over art is worth it The tiniest brushstroke or color shift carries emotion. The details add up to something meaningful.
6. That obsession with bug fixing is worth it Squashing every bug, even the sneaky ones no one might notice, is what makes your game feel polished and whole.
7. Love what you do, and do it anyway On the good days, your passion fuels you. On the hard days, your discipline keeps you going.
8. It’s okay to hate it sometimes, do it anyway Some days you’ll despise your own creation. Keep going. The frustration is part of the process.
9. Make the game you want to play When you create a game you’d love as a player, you’ll finish it. And that makes it worth it.
10. It’s going to matter in the end Even if it sometimes feels like no one sees the struggle, what you create will leave a mark on players, on the industry, and on you.