A new year brings new ideas, and guess what? I suddenly got the urge to create a game. Do I know what kind of game? Nope. Do I have any experience? Also nope. But I do have ambition and a burning desire to make it happen, so that counts for something, right?
I have multiple goals. First, I want to learn how to make games (yes, I know there’s an entire universe of genres, styles, and mechanics, and no, I still have no idea what I’m doing). Second, I’d like to explore new aspects of web development. The only thing I’m certain about? It’s going to be a browser game. And last but not least, I wouldn’t mind earning some passive income from my games—just enough for a couple of fancy coffees per month. Ambitious? Maybe. Unrealistic? Most likely. But hey, dreaming is free!
Also, I’ve never written articles before. This is my grand debut. I guess I’ll write this series as a diary, documenting my journey, struggles, and occasional existential crises along the way.
Why Metroidvania?
My biggest inspiration comes from Hollow Knight. The first time I stumbled upon this game, I was hooked by the reviews, the intricate world, and the gameplay mechanics. The fluid movement, the rewarding sense of exploration, and that hauntingly beautiful atmosphere—what’s not to love?
Now, I know what you're thinking: “Dude, Metroidvania is NOT the easiest genre to start with.” And you’d be absolutely right. It’s insanely difficult for a beginner. But here’s my reasoning—while creating a full-fledged, feature-complete Metroidvania is a Herculean task, building a small, single-level prototype? That sounds doable. I don’t need to recreate every pixel-perfect mechanic from the greats; I just need to lay the foundation.
Why a Browser Game?
Because I know JavaScript. Simple as that. Learning game development is already a big challenge, so why complicate things by diving into a completely new tech stack? Sticking with familiar tools makes the learning curve a little less steep and keeps my motivation high.
As for the specific technologies and frameworks, I’ll cover those in later articles—once I actually figure out what I’m doing.
What About the Story and Setting?
Good question. I have no idea yet. That’s something I’ll be exploring in future posts. I know that the story is supposed to be the backbone of any good Metroidvania, so I won’t just wing it. But for now, let’s just say my brainstorming sessions are... chaotic.
What Do I Expect from This Journey?
Game development skills – learning to turn an idea into an actual, playable game.
Coding improvements – because even though I know JavaScript, I’ve never used it for games before.
Game design knowledge – figuring out how mechanics, level design, and progression work together.
Storytelling – this is both my weak point and my guilty pleasure. I love the idea of crafting a world, but I also know I suck at it. Time to fix that.
The Struggle is Real
Time is my biggest enemy. Between work, life, and procrastination (let’s be real), I have very little of it. But while I have motivation, I need to just start.
As for success? I won’t measure it in downloads, likes, or revenue. Success, for me, means finishing a working game. No game-breaking bugs. No half-baked mechanics. Just a complete, playable game with real potential.
That’s enough rambling for today. Time to take the first step.
To be continued…
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