Game Dev Tips from an Industry Professional

I genuinely want to help you on your game development journey. I see a lot of developers on Itch.io who are just starting out and practicing the craft, and that honestly makes me happy. These tips come from real experience, mistakes, and lessons learned the hard way. I hope they help you avoid a few common pitfalls and adopt some good practices early on.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: (P.S. Topics are not in any particular order, as I add and update tips periodically.)

1. Choosing Your Game Engine
2. Texturing your Assets
3. Practice making a Game Design document (G.D.D.)
4. Read a lot of books. This is the Key for new game ideas.
5. How to Complete a Game — Discipline is Key
6. Practice Boredom + Get 7 Hours of Sleep
7. Take care of your Health
8. Which 3D software to use
9. How to avoid or recover from Burnout?
10. Should you make or buy assets for your games?

1. Choosing Your Game Engine

I don’t want to confuse you while choosing the engine. Just decide your long-term goal and pick the engine. The best engine is simply the one you can actually finish games with. Avoid switching engines every few months — stick to one and grow with it. Also, don't try to learn all the engines at once. Just pick one engine and stick with it for the next 5 years.

2D Game	Unity (P.S. Trust me, you just can't make 2D games in Unreal, you can mimic though)
3D Game with Medium Graphics	Unity
3D Game with Medium,  High, and Extreme Graphics	Unreal
Mobile Games	Unity ( P.S. Unreal is bad for mobile )
Don't want to code	Unreal
Open source with medium graphics	Godot

(P.S. I've been using Unreal and Blueprints for the past 7+ years for all my previous and future projects across online multiplayer, simulation, and horror games — all of which I successfully shipped using the same, and I don't regret it as I won't be making any 2d games in the future. I also love Unity, as I also worked with it, but Unreal Engine is my thing and i won't be switching it anytime soon. I hope you find your engine!)

2. Texturing your Assets

For texturing, I recommend using Substance Painter and taking advantage of Smart Materials wherever possible.

A lot of beginner game developers and asset creators make the mistake of using arbitrary texture sizes, but this can cause problems down the line. Instead, always use power-of-two (POT) textures — for example: 128×128, 256×256, 512×512, 1024×1024, 2048×2048, and so on. Avoid random sizes like 125×415, 654×32, or 845×845.

Why?

1. GPU Memory Works in Powers of Two
   Even if you upload a non-POT texture, the GPU silently converts it to the next power-of-two size. This wastes memory and can hurt performance.

2. Mipmaps Require Power-of-Two
   Mipmaps are the smaller versions of a texture used when objects are far away. For example, a 1024×1024 texture generates the following mip chain:

• 1024×1024 → 512×512 → 256×256 → 128×128 → 64×64 → …

This halving process only works cleanly with power-of-two textures. If your textures aren’t POT:

• The mip chain becomes uneven and messy

• The GPU has to do extra resampling

• Resulting in blurry textures and additional performance cost

Note: UI elements can use free-size textures since they don’t rely on mipmaps.

3. Practice making a Game Design document (G.D.D.)

Start with a simple plan — even a Google Doc in your native language is enough. The key is to make it editable anywhere, including on your phone, so you can update it constantly as your ideas evolve. There’s no single “correct” GDD format; write it in a way that makes sense to you. Trust me — keeping a GDD will save you a lot of time, help you stay focused, and prevent unnecessary distractions during development.

4. Read a lot of books. This is the Key for new game ideas.

If you want truly original game ideas, reading is one of the most effective tools — and it’s often overlooked. Books help you generate new concepts and use existing ideas more effectively. I personally don’t recommend relying on movies for inspiration, as books allow deeper exploration of ideas and patterns. Spend at least an hour a day reading books that interest you, both fiction and non-fiction. Within a month, you’ll notice a shift in how you think and approach game development — your creativity and problem-solving will improve naturally.

5. How to Complete a Game — Discipline is Key

If you’re an indie developer, don’t start a project you can’t realistically complete in three months. Polishing and refining the game can take another three months at most, so keep your scope small and manageable.

If you’re a beginner, try completing a game in one month. Fail fast, learn faster, and get comfortable with the engine. (P.S. I’ve had my fair share of abandoned projects during this phase — it’s normal.)

Discipline always beats intensity. Avoid the “inspiration loop” where you work only when motivated, then jump to the next shiny idea the next day. Focus on one project at a time. Multi-tasking between projects is a surefire way to never finish anything.

Work 4 hours a day with deep focus: no mobile, calls, emails, YouTube, or distractions — just you and your project. At first, it may feel difficult, but over time, deep work becomes natural. If 4 hours isn’t possible, commit to at least 1 hour daily.

Think of completing a game like running a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency and discipline are what bring results. Work steadily, take Sundays off, and build the habit of finishing what you start.

6. Practice Boredom + Get 7 Hours of Sleep

"Boredom is not a waste of time — it’s where your best ideas are born."

Your brain needs a break every day. Set aside at least 15 minutes to do nothing — go outside, enjoy nature, or simply stare at the sky. Try not to think, plan, or do anything during this time.

Embracing daily boredom helps improve:

• Creativity

• Deep thinking

• Memory processing

• Problem-solving

• Emotional balance

Think of it like training for a runner:
If a runner runs every day without resting, they may improve at first, but eventually, their legs hurt. Ignoring the pain leads to injury, and they can’t run at all. The same applies to your brain. Short, intentional breaks give it the rest it needs to work better, longer, and more efficiently.

Training without rest doesn’t make you stronger — it slowly wears you down. Taking just 15 minutes of boredom each day ensures your brain stays sharp and resilient. And don’t forget: combine it with 7+ hours of sleep for optimal recovery and cognitive performance.

7. Take care of your Health

Your body and mind are just as important as any of your development tools. Neglecting them is like ignoring updates on your game engine — eventually, things start to break.

Make it a priority to:

• Run at least 1 mile per day (minimum) to stay active and energized.

• Eat healthy, including fiber-rich foods to fuel your body and brain.

• Take Sundays off from screens and other dopamine-draining activities. Rest is essential if you want to stay productive and creative for the next six days.

Your health directly impacts your focus, creativity, and ability to ship projects. Treat it like a critical part of your game development workflow.

8. Which 3D software to use

Both Blender and Maya are excellent tools. I personally use Maya, not because it’s the industry standard, but because it fits my workflow smoothly across projects and integrates well with my game engine. I also use Blender for rendering assets for Itch.io and for some animations.

The key takeaway: pick a 3D software you can commit to long-term. Consistency matters more than which software you choose — mastering your tool over years will always be more valuable than constantly switching.

9. How to avoid or recover from Burnout?

Burnout is increasingly common today due to constant technology use, high workloads, and overstimulation of the brain’s dopamine pathways. Protecting your mental and physical health is crucial for long-term productivity and creativity.

Tips to Avoid Burnout

• Work fixed hours every day and maintain a consistent schedule to regulate your circadian rhythm.

• Sleep 7–8 hours per night — adequate sleep supports cognitive function, memory, and emotional regulation.

• Take daily breaks of at least 15 minutes to rest your mind; doing nothing or enjoying nature improves creativity and reduces mental fatigue.

• Read for 1 hour per day — reading stimulates the brain and provides mental rest from screens.

• Exercise daily — even a 1-mile walk or run improves mood, focus, and stress resilience.

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with fiber-rich foods; avoid excessive junk food. Diet directly impacts brain function and energy levels.

• Take one full day off per week (e.g., Sunday) with no screens and minimal dopamine-draining activities; spend time with family or engage in relaxing offline activities.

• Limit deep work sessions to 4 hours per day; sustained focus beyond this without breaks can reduce productivity and increase fatigue.

• Avoid screens 1–2 hours before bedtime; blue light exposure can disrupt melatonin production and impair sleep quality.

• Aim to sleep and wake at consistent times (e.g., sleep by 10 PM and wake early). Morning routines help regulate energy and mental clarity.

Tips to Recover from Burnout

• Prioritize sleep (7–8 hours minimum) — recovery begins with rest.

• Engage in light reading or journaling — reflection and low-stimulation activities help the mind reset.

• Eat nutritious foods — maintain stable blood sugar and micronutrient intake to support recovery.

• Exercise lightly (e.g., 1-mile run/day or walks) — movement promotes circulation and reduces stress hormones.

• Allow yourself to do nothing else — reduce obligations and focus on rest and recovery activities until your energy levels return.

Key Principle: Burnout occurs when stress consistently exceeds recovery. Balancing structured work, physical health, mental stimulation, and rest is scientifically proven to maintain productivity, creativity, and long-term well-being.

10. Should you make or buy assets for your games?

I generally recommend making your own assets whenever possible to practice the craft.

Buying assets can save time and speed up the development process. But if your game requires something highly specific or in a particular style, try making it yourself first before deciding to purchase.

Important: Avoid buying assets for upcoming or future projects — I learned this the hard way.