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Christopher Toman
Christopher Toman

Posted on • Edited on

Game Development at its finest: my story

One of  my projects

Story

Everything started with the creation of my first game. I was around 14. I already knew it had to be a 2D game and around that time I've started looking into old-school games. GTA 1 got my attention so I picked it. Lovely times. I honestly think that developing this game I enjoyed the most... from all the games I've ever created. The enormous joy and dedication. Never felt like this again... it's interesting. New projects started following after another.

One of  my projects

Until I had got into a dark spot. I was 16 and my parents were forcing me into finding a job. But the idea of working in a fast food was not for me. I made a decision, that my only income will be from game development. We've argued, but luckily, time went by and ...

A new part in my life, that I would call… resurrection, maybe even blessing, came up and with that new opportunity! A small one-time job for my school, creating a VR game for representation of our school. It was paid. First "big money" what lil' Chriss had!

Challenge

Many people in my life call it insignificant, silly and reckless. I I've heard many phrases: "Your games suck.", "You should consider something more... real.", "Ha, making games?! You serious? That’s easy!" and mainly…

"You won't make it.". Cliché.

Was shocked what was hiding behind that smiley face that was "supporting" me, what they really meant by "I'm glad for you". Believe and trust are very precious, I can't express that enough.

What are games?

A game is form of art. Combinations of many art forms, work of many people, form of many experiences. Games are personal, unique understandings of it’s narrative. They can be even a social opportunity, people gather around the experience together and socialize. Often marked as sick and strange. But many gamers who played with each other 10 years ago, are now together.

Behind the experience is precise engineering, knowledge of people and their emotion. This part is really close to movies. Visuals, esthetics, sounds and mechanics are the other significant part. And the last is the programing itself. Not many gamers are interested in the technical part, its completely hidden. Until somebody wants to create content for your game. And that is my part, the programing, the key why everything works, not often appreciated.

And that's me, programmer, my position in the havoc of the game development. Sooner or later I realized how complicated games are and how much I really need a team to work with.

Good luck fellow game developers and engineers, it won't be easy… but trust and believe in your teammates.

Top comments (5)

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johnnymast profile image
Johnny Mast

Hi Christopher,

You wrote a great article, i enjoyed reading it. I can tell you as professional game developer its all about the passion. If you have the passion you will find that job you want.

I my days schools where not even teaching about development so i had to teach everything my self. So i did and then out of the blue an actual job in game development game on my path.

I am now the lead platform developer for a huge project.

(using javascript)

Game on

Gamers never die, we just respawn...

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k1pash profile image
Christopher Toman

Hey Johnny,

thanks for your kind reply.

Some non-game related projects kicked in eventually and I got some income, but I feel, after 4 years of constant thinking about games, that I just burned out.

One big Czech game dev company told me, that I'm welcomed in their house after I finish school for full-time. So, I guess that could do something with my burnout.

The issue is, that the projects are VR or AR virtualizations of some stupid building and so on... no games, no fun

Well.. time will tell!

On what are you working on currently? if... you didn't sign NDA :P

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johnnymast profile image
Johnny Mast

Well yeah i did get to sign an NDA thats why i could not say what big project i have been working on (yet).

Getting burned on projects is normal thats when you stuck to manny effort in one thing. This absolutely normal and even i get this often even.

In my own time i am making an engine for futhure work where will sell some games with some friends i have. This engine is an html 5 engine and it is work in progress.

github.com/johnnymast/Walla

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johnnymast profile image
Johnny Mast

Ok, Origin is backup time to play BF1 again ..

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johnnymast profile image
Johnny Mast • Edited

I can tell you about 1 thing i starting to work on now for my self. As i said below im making the engine for it. In the end the game will be in the style of this without copying it ...

youtube.com/watch?v=PaZsrAi6iJg

The idea is to relax 100% and be immerced into the game. It wont be mobile but fullscreen in the browser. Music will play like this and you make music by scoring points in the game and it will totaly relax you. It's a bit like flour but that game didn't make music by living .. It created the joy of living.