What advice did I wish I had before entering the industry?
Answers are extracted from comments on social media posts
🚀 Answers
Assayyaad
The advice I wish I'd had at the beginning is that game programming is a specialization within software engineering. So before you program games, learn software engineering, understand the fundamentals properly, and master them — then move on to game programming.
Even small knowledge like the difference between a class and a struct matters a lot.
1447-05-08
Abu Hmuud
Professional work means planning before you start. Even a simple, planned project can succeed in the market more than random high-quality work without a plan.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Hadi
Reset your expectations by looking at very small games. Some developers only play big-budget titles with $10M+ budgets — don't be like them. Play Flash games, Game Jam entries, and small indie games on Steam. When your perspective becomes realistic, you can target success within your capabilities instead of chasing unrealistic dreams.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Al-Munaiee
If you develop the game you want, you're doing a hobby. If you develop the game the market wants, you're building a business.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Saleh Al-Adini (Sygma)
If you are not planning to stay in the field for more than a year, don't enter it.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Salem Al-Bannaqi
Self-learning is greater than any formal education in history. Learn how to write code. Learn how to use the engine and understand engine architecture. Learn how to scope an idea to your skill level and execute it excellently. Self-learning is the most important factor for you. Learning is unlimited in this field — the more you grow, the more you will learn.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Sami Salem
From my humble experience in game development, these are the most important tips I wish I'd heard before starting:
- Don't build everything at once in a single project. Prototype each mechanic or idea in a separate small project, and when it works, integrate it into the main game. This keeps your work organized and less chaotic.
- When designing levels and areas, remember your perspective as a developer differs from the player's. Players spend much more time exploring, so don't make things too difficult — overcomplication makes exploration and memorization harder for the player.
- Don't underestimate the psychological aspect: the hardest part of development is continuing long enough not to lose motivation or start doubting your game.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Abdulrahman Khlouf
Game design is different from game ideas. Anyone can imagine new weapons, enemies, or locations, but a game designer can implement them in an enjoyable way. Therefore, learning game design is as important as learning programming or art. Unfortunately, many people spend years learning programming and development without learning game design.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
BQR
It's not easy.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Ahaku
Your first project will not succeed, so make it a learning project.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Ghaith Al-Zahrani
Don't make your thinking too grandiose, and don't rely solely on your environment or culture when making games.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Ibrahim
Don't chase perfection or try to finish something quickly when you don't fully understand it. Give yourself time to understand the part you're working on, then apply it within your limits and capabilities.
Second tip: consistent small efforts beat sporadic large ones. If you work one hour a day calmly, you'll allow yourself to be creative and complete work without stress or burnout.
Source: 𝕏
1447-05-08
Arwa Al-Khalidi
Try not to make your game's scope bigger than you can handle, because ideas don't always work out like large third-party titles. The most important thing is that your game is fun. 🤌🏽
Source: LinkedIn
1447-05-08
Abdulaziz Al-Khudari
Know the difference between a game designer and a game programmer, and don't make your dream game as your first game.
Source: LinkedIn
1447-05-08
Abdulrahman Abu Sa'da
In my view, the most important advice — applicable across fields, not just game development — is:
Learn the basics by completing one or two full projects, then immediately start making projects on your own; you'll learn the rest of the details while building those projects.
After mastering the basics, start creating games yourself. Don't look for perfect, complete tutorials about a topic, game, or mechanic because you'll often waste time without much return.
All complex game systems are built from simple core building blocks. If you master the basics, you'll be able to create those systems without needing exhaustive tutorials. You'll still refer to articles and clips occasionally, but that should be for small focused parts, not to follow a single comprehensive course that claims to deliver the whole solution.
Source: LinkedIn
1447-05-08
Ihsan Al-Eidoudi
Be prepared to spend at least five years working on it.
Source: LinkedIn
1447-05-08
Waleed Abu Al-Khair
Focus on mastering a single specialization if your goal is to work on a team or at game companies.
Source: LinkedIn
1447-05-08
Tamim Al-Qurashi
Don't start alone — meet people in the field. Enroll in a proper course, not short YouTube videos that claim to teach the whole field in 5–10 hours. Practice by building projects and don't worry too much about visuals. Lower your expectations — you won't make a Call of Duty alone.
Source: LinkedIn
1447-05-08
Tarek Ammar
Trust in God and make a game — whatever the idea, just make a game.
Source: LinkedIn
1447-05-08