Embracing the Journey: My Path to Developing My First Multiplayer Game

Reflecting on my journey as a game developer is nothing short of surreal. Six years ago, I embarked on this adventure with no experience and a dream. Along the way, I’ve navigated the challenging waters of two project failures, a significant personal setback, and daunting burnout. This rollercoaster ride started with a divorce and has morphed into a learning experience that ultimately brought me to the threshold of creating my first multiplayer game.

It’s incredible to find myself on the right path at last. The insights I’ve gained throughout this process have been both eye-opening and transformative. Here are some of the key lessons I’ve learned that I believe can help others on a similar journey:

1. Let Go of Your Ego

One of the most crucial lessons I learned is the importance of setting aside your ego. Simplifying ideas and focusing on finishing what you start can be surprisingly liberating. Too often, I found myself caught up in grand concepts that never saw the light of day. The ability to scale down and prioritize completion has been a game changer.

2. Perfection is Often a Delay Tactic

Perfectionism can be paralyzing. I came to realize that striving for an unattainable level of perfection is frequently just an excuse to postpone progress. Accepting that “done” is better than “perfect” has pushed me to make significant strides in my work.

3. Solo Development Requires Discipline

Working alone comes with its share of challenges, particularly in maintaining discipline. I quickly learned that it’s either a matter of cultivating a strong work ethic or risking the project going nowhere. The journey has taught me invaluable time management skills that I’m going to carry forward.

4. Embrace Failure and Seek Feedback

Failures are not the end; they are stepping stones. Understanding this has allowed me to embrace setbacks as opportunities for growth. Gathering feedback and making adjustments is vital to refining my craft and enhancing the project.

While my current game project is still underway, I’m excited to share that I launched a Steam page for it, which has been a thrilling milestone. Most importantly, I still enjoy working on the game, an essential aspect that I hadn’t experienced in past projects.

For those curious to learn more or provide feedback, I invite you to visit my [Steam page here](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3686410/Papis_Play