“I met many people who could make games, even though they couldn’t code at all.”
– Lucky Putra Dharmawan
Such statements may sound surprising to some people. Isn’t making games synonymous with writing long lines of code, learning complex algorithms, and dealing with endless bugs? As it turns out, that’s not always the case.
The world of gaming is far broader than just coding. With over five years of experience in the gaming industry, Lucky Putra Dharmawan shares insightful perspectives that address many people’s concerns. According to him, “There are many ways to make games, even if you don’t know how to code at all.”
The Gaming World Is Full of Roles That Don’t Require Programming Skills!
Game development is like making a movie, with a director, actors, screenwriters, editors, and sound designers. Everyone works together to make it happen. The same goes for making games. Not everyone has to be a programmer, because this industry needs many other equally important professions.
There are game artists who create captivating characters and visual worlds. There are Storywriters and Sound Designers. don’t forget roles like QA testers, producers, and marketers. All of these can enter the gaming world even without a coding background.
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Discover and Focus on Your Own Strengths
Among the main points that Lucky makes is: do not make yourself a jack of all trades. In case you are good at drawing, work with the visuals. Try storytelling in case you like writing. Gaming industry requires highly proficient individuals in their game rather than the ones who do everything yet cannot perfect anything.
As an instance, do you like to write fiction? Learn how to be a narrative designer. Do you enjoy making drawings? Learn how to do asset art in 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional video games. The world of gaming is not closed to those, who know what they are good in and are not afraid to develop further. Never be hampered by technical restrictions in your imaginations.
Collaboration is More Important than Being Able to Do Everything
The extent of creating a game is not the task of an individual. Even indie developers often collaborate with a limited amount of people that have various skills. The magic comes in when individuals who have diverse skills work and complement each other.
You have to be able to code otherwise find a friend that can. However you can find ways to contribute as well: design, sound, storytelling or even project management. As far as you are able to collaborate, communicate efficiently and to be ready to learn, you are already ahead of others that are able to code but just can not work in a team.
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Start With The Small Part
You don’t have to start by making complex games or games on par with those made by big studios. Start with something simple, such as text-based games, small prototypes in RPG Maker, or visual novels using Ren’Py. The important thing is that you start and finish something.
From that small project, you can learn the process, build a portfolio, and gain confidence. Don’t underestimate simple works. Many big games have emerged from casual projects done with collaborative spirit and passion.
Failure Is Normal, and Necessary
Lucky honestly says that failure is very common in the gaming world. Even in the professional industry, many projects are canceled or do not meet expectations. But it is precisely from failure that you will learn the most.
So don’t be afraid to try just because you’re afraid of failure. Just think of every project as practice. A failed project is not the end of the world; it is preparation for the next project. The important thing is to keep going, keep learning, and maintain your passion for your work.
The Gaming Industry Needs You Too
You might not be able to code, but you can draw, or write stories, or understand the market and marketing. And all of that is needed in the gaming world. So, if someone tells you you’re “not suited” for the gaming world because you don’t know how to code, just respond: “But games aren’t just about code. Games are about feel, ideas, and collaboration.”
And if you need real inspiration from someone who’s actually in the field, check out the content from Lucky Putra Dharmawan because the gaming world needs more people like you.
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