Dev Dream Pod with Blake Gocey

For even more insights join the Dev Dream Newsletter: http://bit.ly/4rzrgoHInterviewing Cory Darby about Game Dev, working with Aarimous, and a new vision for how game devs make money.🚀 Corey Darby (Thornity) FULL INTERVIEW: Min-Maxing Indie Game Dev Success, Steam Algo Secrets, Sales Velocity, Wishlist Engineering, Click & Conquer $100k+, A Game About Feeding a Black Hole, No Publisher Model, Rev Share, Pricing Strategy & MORE! 🎮💰In this raw Dev Dream Podcast episode, Corey Darby (aka Thornity) — professional min-maxer, data-driven gamedev analyst, marketer & co-creator of Click & Conquer (40k+ copies, $100k revenue on ~400 hours) — breaks down how to engineer luck on Steam. We dive deep into the 3-7 day sales velocity window, discovery queue clawback, concurrent players, low refunds, playtime engineering, aggressive 40% launch discounts (max 2 weeks), literal titles vs creative, capsule importance (hire artists ~$500), trailer rules (YouTube-style editing: 3-5 sec cuts, trim aggressively), UI polish or hide it, tag engineering for audience matching, refund audits, demo metrics (80% retention @10 min/1 hr), Next Fest wishlist explosions, and why he despises the traditional publisher model.Corey shares his work with Aramos on A Game About Feeding a Black Hole (20k+ wishlists in weeks, 99% Popular Up & Coming lock, predicted 5-10k first-week copies, 20-30k possible in 72 hrs if it hits Popular Recently Released). We cover the 300-hour experiment that became Click & Conquer, normal/challenge/idler modes for high-ROI playtime, variable stats from day 1, festival timing warnings, lifetime playtime pitfalls (add your own analytics!), and building a sustainable indie business via rev-share partnerships instead of derisk-then-fund publishers.0:00 Intro1:23 Corey's Role 1:50 Professional Min-Maxer 2:32 Click and Conquer 3:08 300-Hour Experiment 3:45 Sales Results 4:11 Project Choices 4:49 Post-Mortem Data 5:21 Indie Lens 5:52 Sales Velocity 6:03 3-7 Days 6:40 Viral Outliers 7:02 Engineering Luck 7:21 Black Hole 8:07 YouTube Scraper 9:36 Day Metrics 9:47 Sales Visits 10:05 Discovery Queue 11:26 Steam Algo 12:03 Luck Quote 12:35 Discovery Inputs 13:00 Store Page 14:17 Top Funnel 15:22 50k Easy 16:17 Playtime Engineering 17:30 Short Value 18:23 Genre Marketing 19:05 Sustainable Business 20:30 Foundation First 21:36 Genre Research 21:53 Playtime Refunds 22:05 Launch Timing 22:37 10:09 AM 23:26 Publisher Timing 24:10 Refund Rates 25:06 Concurrent Players 26:13 Longer Tradeoff 27:02 ROI Modes 29:06 Normal Challenge 30:58 Low-Hanging Fruit 31:28 Variable Stats 32:34 Base Hours 33:02 Two-Hour Base 34:05 Store Clarity 34:39 Capsule Importance 36:07 Hire Artist 37:45 Title Capsule 38:05 Literal Titles 39:44 Name Radar 40:47 Capsule Intent 41:16 Sales Page 42:32 Quick Clarity 44:08 Trailer Strategy 45:36 No Waste 46:02 YouTube Rules 47:19 Trim Aggressively 48:50 UI Opinion 51:21 UI Check 53:56 Tagging System 56:27 Tag Preview 56:47 Initial Audience 57:07 Pricing Refunds 58:43 Playtime Drop 1:00:25 Demo Metrics 1:01:28 Lifetime Issue 1:03:00 Festival Warning 1:04:35 Launch Discount 1:06:02 Algo Signals 1:07:53 Mediocre Thousand 1:09:58 Black Hole 1:10:11 Prediction Video 1:11:58 5-10k Week 1:12:15 20-30k Chance 1:13:28 Wishlist Speed 1:14:35 NextFest Day 1:15:07 Exponential Mindset 1:17:02 Corey Dream 1:18:03 Biggest Building 1:21:15 Different Model 1:22:01 Publisher Hate 1:24:47 Rev Share 1:25:31 Podcast End#gamedev #indiegamedev #steam #indiegame #clickandconquer #gameaboutfeedingablackhole #thornity #coreydarby #steamalgo #salesvelocity #wishlist #nextfest #indiemarketing #steamlaunch #pricingstrategy #refunds #playtime #discoveryqueue #capsuleart #gametrailer #tagstrategy #revshare #nopublisher #indiebusiness #incrementalgame #idlegame #minmax #gamedevpodcast

Check out brainlesshttps://www.youtube.com/@UCJmAuKzz_VHa3Yb7v19KIvQ🎮 Brainless FULL INTERVIEW: 330k Views & 15k Subs in 3 Months with ONLY 5 Videos! How to Make Games When You're Bad at Everything, Finding Art Style in 40 Days, Music Struggles, Quitting 9-Month Game, Game Jam Lessons, Perfectionism, Scope Creep & More! 🚀In this inspiring Dev Dream Podcast episode, Brainless (fast-rising gamedev YouTuber & animator) shares how he exploded to 330,000+ views and 15,000+ subscribers in just 3 months with only 5 videos (1 trailer). We dive deep into his journey: starting gamedev with zero experience, embracing being "bad at everything," finding an art style in 40 days of daily practice, brutal music creation struggles, quitting a 9-month scoped-too-big first game, the power of tiny-scope game jams (made a game in 10 days!), perfectionism & iteration creep, technical debt in Godot, why long-form YouTube is hard for game promotion (shorts better), and his dream of making one perfect small solo game entirely himself.Perfect for beginner game devs, solo indie developers, Godot users, aspiring gamedev YouTubers, and anyone struggling with scope creep, perfectionism, or imposter syndrome.0:00 - YouTube Success Secrets 0:26 - Relatable Beginner Mindset 2:36 - Editing Skills Tips 5:22 - Starting Game Dev 5:59 - Embrace Imperfection Now 7:17 - Hobby vs Career 9:20 - From Promotion to Passion 11:14 - Educational Content Strategy 12:41 - Viral Appeal Unlocked 15:21 - Quitting Over Scope 16:00 - Tiny Scope First 18:34 - Shorts for Promotion 20:13 - Finding Art Style 21:59 - Art Practice Freedom 23:04 - Art Tools Guide 26:33 - Music Expectation Struggles 28:39 - Music Improvement Plan 31:31 - Passion-Driven Multitasking 33:32 - Fun-First Dev Mindset 34:04 - Game Jam Lessons 35:22 - Crunch vs Flow 36:50 - Small Scope Polish 38:24 - Overcoming Perfectionism 40:30 - Portfolio Over Goals 42:22 - Sticky Note Scope 43:22 - Iteration Creep Warning 45:34 - Micro Project Practice 47:43 - Solo Game Dream#gamedev #indiegamedev #brainless #howtomakegames #gamedevbeginner #godot #scopecreep #perfectionism #artstyle #gamedevmusic #gamejam #indiedeveloper #youtubegamedev #gamedevmotivation #solodeveloper #technicaldebt #iterationcreep #tinygames #firstgame #gamedevpodcast #indiegame #godottutorial #gamedevtips #youtubegrowth

Check out Jesse's channel:https://www.youtube.com/@codernunk🚀 Jesse (CoderNunk) FULL INTERVIEW: Burnout Recovery, Autism in Game Dev, Quitting Job to Go Indie, Returning to Corporate, Godot RPG Dream Since High School, Blender Tutorials, YouTube Growth Struggles, JRPG Rankings & MORE! 🎮💻In this heartfelt Dev Dream Podcast episode, Jesse (CoderNunk) opens up about his 30K+ subscriber YouTube journey teaching Blender-to-Godot workflows, thorough tutorials, viral shorts strategy, evergreen content advantage, and fighting the algorithm as a generalist gamedev channel. He shares raw experiences with autism spectrum disorder (early Asperger’s diagnosis), masking in corporate software engineering, unresolved trauma, family losses, severe burnout in 2022, sleep apnea discovery, quitting a high-paying investment firm job to recover & pursue indie gamedev full-time, the failed attempt to start a dev-focused web agency/business, getting rehired, and balancing mental health recovery with a day job + passion project.0:00 - Burnout Recovery Journey 0:33 - Inspiring Game Devs 1:15 - Game Dev Dream 2:06 - Journey Over Destination 3:19 - Early Game Passion 5:29 - Autism and Burnout 7:04 - Embracing Neurodiversity 8:13 - Corporate Job Trade-offs 9:47 - Returning to Work 11:03 - Thorough Tutorial Tips 12:06 - Blender Content Success 13:45 - Viral Shorts Strategy 14:09 - YouTube Algorithm Challenges 16:27 - Evergreen Content Advantage 18:02 - YouTube as Support 19:02 - Failed Business Venture 21:00 - Large Scope Risks 23:26 - Quitting Job Cautions 25:59 - Solo vs Team 28:41 - Game Dev Evolution 32:11 - GDAU Potential Advocacy 32:30 - Unique RPG System 35:00 - JRPG Team Vision 36:03 - JRPG Inspirations 36:46 - Perfect JRPG Crafted 41:56 - Blind JRPG Rankings 44:02 - Xenoblade Series Favorites 49:20 - Personal Game Dream#gamedev #indiegamedev #burnout #autismgamedev #godot #blender #jrpg #coderNunk #indierpg #large scope #mentalhealthgamedev #youtubegamedev #evergreencontent #viralgamedevshorts #xenoblade #finalfantasy7 #chronocross #goldensun #clairobscurexpedition33 #devdreampodcast

Check out Dryden's channel:https://www.youtube.com/@UCId6dSaE77w7C6y910enyng 🚀 Dryden Thomas (Light Hoof Dryen) FULL INTERVIEW: Blackthorn Prod Controversy (Lost 70/30 But Community Voted #1!), Disinherited Roguelike Devlog, Scope Creep Lessons, Music Composer Roots, Perpetual Stew Inspiration, Silksong Pricing Debate, Publisher Pitches SXSW Sydney, Contract NDA Work, Hades/Dead Cells Vibes & MORE! 🎮🎼Light Hoof Dryen (Dryden Thomas) shares his explosive gamedev YouTube journey: Blackthorn Prod Challenge stress (3 weeks, 12-18hr days, 2nd place but top 9 comments say he should've won!), Disinherited roguelike (Dead Cells gameplay + Hades story, catacombs demo, Gon the Gravedigger boss, light/reaper mechanics), scope creep pitfalls (community feedback grew it!), quality/iteration creep balance, SXSW Sydney demo prep (tutorial iteration, unmissable onboarding), publisher pitches (validating but rare wins, pitch deck clarity), judging prods (rubric subjectivity, apple/orange comparisons).Music roots: Parents musicians/teachers, violin/viola prodigy → musical theater/voice degree → 8yrs composing (String Sprouts curriculum, Heirloom/Yeva collabs), burnout pivot to gamedev portfolio → full-time solo dev. Perpetual stew inspiration (David Lynch films, Radiohead/Joanna Newsom/Björk, Hollow Knight/Silksong 75hr binge). Silksong $20 value debate (indie context, guaranteed sales). Contract NDA work (multiplayer/mobile skills, pays debts but no multitasking). Pass the Game fun (chess Minesweeper → transformed). YouTube gaps (editing drudgery, 100-day challenge). Attitudes: Confidence + humility, daily focus, follow excitement/tools (Hank Green vibes).For solo roguelike devs, music composers in gamedev, Blackthorn prod fans, scope creep survivors, publisher hopefuls – raw motivation!0:00 - Music Teaching Roots 0:10 - Contract Work Challenges 0:15 - Inspiration as Stew 1:59 - Blackthorn Prod Stress 3:10 - Community Voting Impact 4:07 - Discord-Driven Challenges 5:05 - Judging Subjective Games 7:04 - Memento Mori Inspiration 9:14 - Perpetual Inspiration Stew 11:10 - Silksong Pricing Debate 13:12 - Scope Creep Lessons 15:25 - Quality Creep Balance 16:32 - Demo Design Focus 18:26 - Dead Cells Influence 22:26 - Publisher Pitch Insights 24:07 - Pitch Deck Clarity 25:19 - Music Background Influence 27:17 - Starting Small Success 28:52 - Burnout to Gamedev 30:01 - Music to Gamedev 31:03 - Teaching to YouTube 32:34 - Confidence with Humility 33:55 - Multidisciplinary Dev Challenges 35:17 - Follow Your Tools 36:52 - Choosing Familiar Tools 38:21 - Embracing Failure Fearlessly 40:09 - Journey Before Destination 41:29 - Passion-Driven Tasks 43:00 - YouTube Posting Gaps 44:01 - Contract Work Benefits 47:08 - Contract vs Solo 48:36 - Multiplayer Dev Struggles 49:27 - Percolating Creative Ideas 50:42 - Pass the Game 53:42 - Inspiring Dev Dream 54:13 - Completing First Game 54:54 - Avoiding Hard Goals#Gamedev #IndieGamedev #BlackthornProd #Disinherited #Roguelike #ScopeCreep #MusicGamedev #PublisherPitch #Silksong #HollowKnight #DeadCells #Hades #PerpetualStew #DevDreamPodcast

Check out Nathan on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCRqidbTzLS8tNSl-q0UEMEw🚀 Nathan Roner FULL INTERVIEW: ShadowVers 1.65M Subs YouTube Editor → Indie Dev Cocoa Loco, Gamedev YouTube 2025 Viability, Cozy Cafe Game Demo Challenges, Unreal Switch Mastery, Crowdfunding vs Publishers, Scope Creep, Steam Playtest, Algorithm Black Hole, Shorts Marketing & MORE! 🎮☕Ex-ShadowVers full-time manager/editor (1.65M subs) Nathan Roner dives deep on pivoting to indie gamedev: Cocoa Loco origins (Animal Crossing/Club Penguin inspo, 4yr "6-month" project, winter hot drinks theme, 3hr short story + arcade modes), Unity runtime fee → Unreal mastery (save systems, blueprints inheritance), Steam playtest (usability feedback, live sessions forms), cozy demo concerns (time pressure removal, retention/pacing), convention gauge (Melbourne expo March 2026), scope creep/iteration (reworks ok if improving), gamedev YouTube 2025 (no cracked algorithm, Danny/Matrix consistency wins, podcast devlogs, shorts as marketing not multiplier), ShadowVers realities (first-hr views dictate year, thumbnail swaps, 12-14hr days, small biz feel), quitting full-time YT (revenue stress, no formula), engine advice (try all: Godot nodes annoy, Unreal jobs edge), multidisciplinary obsession (programming/art/design burnout-proof), crowdfunding hesitancy (accountability publishers/gov grants), dev dream (sustainable games funding comfy life).For cozy game devs, Unreal beginners, gamedev YouTubers 2025, Steam playtesters, scope creep fighters – raw insights!0:00 - Big Channel Experience 0:05 - YouTube Gamedev Viability 0:15 - Cozy Game Challenges 1:06 - Podcast Starting Tips 2:23 - Cocoa Loco Origins 5:23 - Demo Success Gauge 7:17 - Cozy Demo Concerns 8:35 - Time Pressure Removal 9:25 - Short Game Design 10:41 - Steam Playtest Insights 13:27 - Usability Feedback Focus 14:21 - Live Playtest Benefits 15:17 - Unreal Mastery Goals 16:02 - Save System Rework 18:02 - Switch Port Challenges 19:12 - Game Engine Choices 21:04 - Custom Engine Experimentation 22:25 - Gamedev Obsession Drive 24:27 - Passion Over Burnout 25:48 - Multidisciplinary Gamedev Appeal 27:04 - YouTube Career Lessons 28:50 - Algorithm Uncertainty Struggles 30:38 - Analytics-Driven Adjustments 31:44 - Varied YouTube Tasks 33:00 - Small Team Dynamics 34:00 - Content Farm Risks 35:07 - Gamedev Algorithm Mystery 37:41 - Uncracked Gamedev Format 39:52 - Documentary-Style Potential 41:36 - Innovative Gamedev Content 43:01 - Shorts as Marketing 45:10 - Short Form Strategy 46:23 - Consistency for Success 47:09 - Crowdfunding Hesitancy Reasons 48:54 - Government Funding Critique 51:16 - Crowdfunding Accountability Concerns 53:57 - Inspiring Dev Dream 54:10 - Sustainable Gamedev Life#gamedev #indiegamedev #youtubegamedev #cocoaloco #cozygamedev #unrealengine #steamplaytest #scopecreep #shadowvers #gamedevyoutube2025 #cozygame #indiedev #devlog #algorithm #shortsmarketing #crowdfunding #devdreampodcast

Wishlist Ben's Upcoming Game:https://store.steampowered.com/app/3974620/Wrangle_Ranch/View Ben Bonk YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/@UCLO_c9nyLCwohHqovjlmpDw🚀 Ben Bonk FULL INTERVIEW: Slime Keep Relaunch (Very Positive on Steam!), 5-Year Dev Lessons, Mono-Green Palette Obsession, YouTube Gamedev 2025 Viability, Scope Creep Pitfalls, Ludum Dare to Commercial Path, Wrangler Ranch Jam-to-Release, AI Vibe Coding, Unity Runtime Fee Fears, Small Projects Dream & MORE! 🎮🟢Ben Bonk (prolific gamedev YouTuber) breaks down Slime Keep relaunch success (20k wishlists Very Positive 98 reviews, first commercial launch after 5+ years), mono-green limited palette origin (Ludum Dare 46 jam → YouTube traction), biggest challenges (no early plan, spaghetti code, motivation dips), why he would NOT recommend 5 years on first commercial game, YouTube-driven expansion (devlogs boosted visibility), marketing shift for Wrangler Ranch (Steam festivals, content creators devlogs), gamedev YouTube 2025 (algorithm tougher, no cracked format, consistency wins but not guaranteed sales), shorts vs long-form, AI optimism/balance (debug help vs learning loss), Unity loyalty vs runtime fee scare, small projects future (fun experiments, branch genres), passion technical mastery, project management value (Trello, playtesters), team vs solo (small team momentum).For roguelike devs, pixel art creators, gamedev YouTubers 2025, scope creep survivors, Ludum Dare alumni, indie launchers – honest insights!0:00 - Intro0:52 - Slimekeep Relaunch Success 2:15 - Launch Expectations Met 3:17 - Five-Year Dev Lessons 4:12 - Hobby Dev Balance 6:10 - Jam-to-Commercial Path 9:46 - YouTube-Driven Expansion 10:22 - YouTube Worth It? 11:13 - Devlogs Marketing Limits 13:47 - Next Game Marketing 14:21 - Steam Festivals Focus 15:49 - Small Team Workflow 17:45 - Team vs Solo 19:31 - Slimekeep Challenges 21:32 - Plan Early Crucial 22:18 - Self-Assessment Honest 24:01 - Project Management Value 26:32 - Planning Saves Time 28:17 - Steam Tagging Strategy 30:10 - Early Gamedev Sparks 32:53 - Unity Loyalty Reasons 33:22 - Unity Runtime Fears 35:19 - Beginner Starting Tips 36:02 - Dive Deep End 37:47 - Avoid Scope Traps 38:00 - Engine Choice Irrelevant 40:05 - Balancing Videos Games 42:30 - 2025 YouTube Shifts 44:33 - AI Balanced Optimism 47:29 - Passion Trumps Skill 50:35 - Small Projects Dream#gamedev #indiegamedev #slimekeep #benbonk #youtubegamedev #roguelike #ludumdare #scopecreep #unity #gamedevyoutube #indielaunch #pixelart #monogreen #devlog #steamfestivals #devdreampodcast

Check out Skies of Aevium:https://store.steampowered.com/app/3209000/Skies_of_Aevium/The Shelfman YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/TheShelfman/videos🚀 Jordie Vanderplank (The Shelf Man) FULL INTERVIEW: Skies of Aviuum Dream (Greek Mythology + Full Automation), Lehatau 100% Reviews, Dance Assembly Viral, Imposter Syndrome, Tweening Game Feel, Sheepville Community Experiment, Revshare Art Partnership, Unity Return, AI Coding Balance, YouTube + Gamedev Burnout & MORE! 🎮📚Jordie Vanderplank (The Shelf Man) shares his inspiring journey: massive passion project Skies of Aviuum (Greek mythology survival-crafting with unlimited automation, Factorio + Minecraft vibes), combining two lifelong obsessions, scope creep reality, working with an artist on revshare, programming strengths (systems, game feel, tweening), art/sound weaknesses, Lehatau (minimal city builder – still 100% positive reviews on Steam), Dance Assembly silly viral game, Sheepville community-driven TikTok experiment (sheep per follower + daily story), imposter syndrome overcoming (“I think I got this”), self-taught path (Game Maker → Brackeys → Unity), Unity return after Godot experiment, AI vibe-coding traps vs learning, balancing YouTube + editing job + gamedev, shiny object syndrome management, small games joy vs long-term passion projects, dev dream (quit editing job, focus fully on making games full-time).Perfect for solo devs, automation game lovers, Greek mythology fans, imposter syndrome fighters, YouTube + gamedev balancers, beginners afraid of scope.0:00 - Automation Obsession Roots 1:08 - Skies Abium Vision 2:11 - System Design Approach 4:34 - Scope Creep Reality 6:06 - Timeless Dev Challenges 7:53 - Programming Strengths 9:24 - Tweening Game Feel 11:07 - Self-Taught Journey 13:13 - Imposter Syndrome Tips 15:37 - Progress Self-Comparison 18:30 - Small Project Joy 20:08 - Shiny Object Management 21:07 - Screen Fatigue Fixes 23:31 - Small Games Nuance 25:28 - Explore Big Ideas 26:11 - Solo vs Team 28:52 - Revshare Partnership 30:01 - Collaborative Art Decisions 32:24 - Sheepville Experiment 35:12 - Community Game Potential 37:17 - Multi-Project Balance 43:10 - YouTube Marketing Myth 46:09 - Unity Return Rationale 47:40 - Unity Trust Erosion 49:52 - AI Art Rejection 52:51 - Vibe Coding Traps 55:07 - Engine Choice Simple 57:23 - Author Journey Insights 1:00:05 - Full-Time Dev Dream#gamedev #indiegamedev #skiesofavium #jordievanderplank #theshelfman #automationgame #greekmythology #factoriolike #scopecreep #impostersyndrome #tweening #unity #gamedevyoutube #indiesurvival #craftinggame #revshare #devdreampodcast

Get Help From Jackson: https://jacksonnexhip.gumroad.com/ Jackson's discord server: https://discord.com/invite/VFSdVKyFWeSlightly Esoteric Game Dev: https://www.youtube.com/@esotericgamedev🚀 Jackson Nexip FULL INTERVIEW: Ex-Chemist Harvard Competitor & Extreme Athlete → Indie Dev, Countercultural Thinking, Creativity for Mental Health, Community/Mentoring Power, Overcoming Stuckness, Following Tools Not Dreams, Weekly Playtests, Rotating Director Studio Dream, Void Tender Wildlife Photography Game & MORE! 🎮🧪Jackson Nexip (Slightly Esoteric Games) opens up on his wild path: chemistry training (Harvard competitions) + extreme sports → indie gamedev pivot (seeking creative freedom), why systems felt constricting, blending science/math with art/music, countercultural mindset ("think outside the matrix"), creativity as mental health lifeline (express or suffocate), breaking free from unfulfilling paths, community/mentoring importance (Discord feedback, peer loops, "ask for help"), starting tips (YouTube tutorials, tinker/combine mechanics), overcoming stuckness (reflect on resistance, scrap/replan), following tools not dreams (day-to-day focus rigid visions), big vision balance (energy from ideas, adapt as you grow), weekly playtests (low-pressure local group), studio dream (fund team for passion projects, revenue share, rotate directors for unique voices), Void Tender (wildlife photography with dreamcore entities, volunteer team).For indie devs, mental health in gamedev, community builders, beginners seeking motivation, extreme thinkers – profound insights!0:00 - Creative Drive Origins 0:54 - From Chemist to Gamedev 2:56 - Countercultural Mindset 5:15 - Breaking Free from Systems 6:10 - Creativity as Mental Health 8:44 - Overcoming Stuckness 11:33 - Following Tools, Not Dreams 14:45 - Day-to-Day Focus Strategy 17:28 - Big Vision Balance 18:14 - Starting with YouTube Tutorials 20:28 - Community Importance 22:07 - Weekly Playtest Value 26:02 - Releasing Three Steam Games 29:17 - Studio Dream for Team 30:49 - Void Tender Project Vision 32:24 - Rotating Director Model 33:06 - Open Collaboration Invite#gamedev #indiegamedev #jacksonnexip #voidtender #mentalhealthgamedev #creativity #indiecommunity #mentoring #stuckness #followingtools #indiedream #indieteam #devdreampodcast

Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ

Check out the Studio Kunic channel.https://www.youtube.com/@studiokunic

🚀 William Bunick (Kunik) FULL INTERVIEW: 17-Year Unity Vet → Godot Switch, Playdate Lua Mastery, Engine Tier List (Godot #1 for Indies!), Game Jams for Finishing, AI Coding/Debug (NOT Art), Tutorial Hell Escape, 3 Solo Steam Games, RPG Maker → Beyond Engine History & MORE! 🎮🔧William Bunick (Studio Kunic/Critical Kunic) shares 25+ years gamedev wisdom: Unity → Godot (5-day jam, faster compiles, scenes prefabs), Playdate Lua (100% code, procedural dungeons, faux 3D at 20-30fps), engine recs (Godot #1 indies, Unreal AAA path, avoid Unity post-runtime/cloud push), game jams (scope mastery, expand winners like Lair Keeper roguelike), AI (LLM debug/cleanup/prototype gold, vibe-coding traps; art/reference ok, no finals), tutorial hell fix (LLMs for components/functions ONLY, not full code), history (RPG Toolkit/Maker → Beyond/SS13/Hurricane 50-60 peak players), 3 solo Steam games (free, passion-driven), problem-solving joy money, community/Discord motivation.For beginners, engine switchers, jam vets, AI skeptics, scope strugglers – timeless advice!0:00 - Wowee Game Jam 0:07 - AI in Gamedev 0:12 - Unity to Godot 0:26 - Gamedev Journey 3:11 - Unity Pricing Issues 3:29 - Playdate Lua Development 5:19 - Lua Coding Process 7:30 - New Dev Advice 14:51 - William’s Introduction 17:00 - Gamedev Evolution 26:51 - Free vs Commercial 29:33 - Problem Solving Passion 33:14 - Game Jam Benefits 39:20 - Expanding Jam Projects 40:05 - Gamedev Aspirations 44:44 - Inspiring Developers 48:32 - Creativity’s Value 53:34 - TTRPGs and Gamedev 59:50 - Stealing Game Ideas 1:01:38 - TTRPG Roles 1:02:54 - Final Thoughts 1:03:18 - Encouraging Newbies 1:08:39 - Discord Community 1:10:21 - Avoiding Tutorial Hell 1:16:43 - AI for Coding/Art 1:24:41 - Closing Remarks#gamedev #indiegamedev #williambunick #kunic #godot #unitytogodot #playdate #gamejams #ai gamedev #tutorialhell #roguelike #indieengines #devdreampodcast