So, I'm currently working on a more abstract character that's easy to change with different hair, nose, beards, whatever.

Not going to use it for an avatar. I get tired of trying to make enough content for a game so trying to simplify things. The toilet is a free download. I wanted to see how it would look with some other models.

Finally told the boss today I plan to drop to 3-4 days a week to focus more on gamedev. Maybe give a more serious go at creating something or releasing more videos.

That's awesome @Bimbam . Game dev is so fun, but also really hard to make money cause everyone is doing it. Though I guess life is about enjoying the journey, not just working for a living.

    I started coding an app from scratch in C++ and Vulkan. Only took a couple days. Right now it just displays images, but it's going to do more soon. This is not for my game, I'm still using Godot for that, this is for something else I'm experimenting with. If I can get it to work, I'll share more details soon.

    cybereality Game dev is so fun, but also really hard to make money cause everyone is doing it. Though I guess life is about enjoying the journey, not just working for a living.

    Yeah, totally this. I'm very much aware this is unlikely to be a career change for me, and TBH I don't think I would want it to be, in the sense that working in 'the industry' = deadlines, crunch, and lack of creative freedom which would sap the fun out of it.

    I also don't expect this to pay the bills unless I get incredibly lucky, hence working part-time still. But I feel I've hit a transitional period in my life (~ 35) where grinding the career ladder for the sake of it is less important than finding that optimum work/life happiness. It doesn't help that where I live in Australia the cost of buying a house is outpacing the speed I can save despite being on a good salary; so every time I look at my savings I keep thinking "why have this if you can't use it".

    I can still save for holidays etc. perfectly fine working a 4-day week, and probably even be ok on 3 days if I alter lifestyle a bit, so figure why not do something fulfilling with that buffer instead of watching it grow but achieving nothing.

    I should clarify this is NOT financial advice. The unanimous opinion of those I speak to is I SHOULD "just get a house"... but the way I see it, a lot of them are just locking themselves into enough debt they're forced to overwork themselves for ~ 30+ years.

        Side note, why does tilda now cause numbers to go small unless you put a space:
        ~ 35
        35

        Well, if it makes you feel any better, I quit my job at FAANG to make indie games, and I still haven't made any money (well $432 total on Itch, which is nothing). Had a good savings, and I do some freelance part time, so I'm living okay, but I do need something to get off the ground soon. I'm just done with working regular jobs. You just spend your life making other people rich, not even doing what you want to do with your life. Rather just make art and program stuff, even if it's not that lucrative. Not expecting to make the next Minecraft of anything, but as long as there is some success, enough to live off, that's fine by me. And I'll take the next Minecraft too, but as long as I can keep going that's cool too.

        Maybe it's a forum thing. I tried with my editor (Abricotine) and it's not subscript there. I use this app to create markdown for Github.

        Bimbam Yeah, this is extra, as in not part of standard/base markdown which is very limited.

          Let's just agree on "subscript means approximately" :-)

          Bimbam Houses in the US have gone completely crazy. I built mine a long time ago. It's something you can get away with in the country, at least up here. There are also tiny houses if you can find some place to park them. I would never buy a house and make payments for 30 years. I'd live in a tent before I did that. It's just a modern form of indentured servitude.

            Yeah, buying a house is one of the dumbest financial decisions you can make in your life. Unless you can pay all cash upfront, but even then, there are much better investments to make if you have that kind of money. People tell me that all the time, like I should buy a house. Why should I? I rent and my apartment is fairly cheap, I have freedom. Not putting myself in debt for the rest of my life.

              cybereality Game dev is so fun, but also really hard to make money cause everyone is doing it.

              There are already defined rules by which you can earn in gamedev. If you want to earn more, you either have to scam, or set your own rules.

              cybereality People tell me that all the time, like I should buy a house. Why should I?

              A house of one's own is reliable. (Unless, of course, a rocket flies in and ruins it.) The landlord, at any time, can change the rules of renting, or he may need it himself.

                    Tomcat A house of one's own is reliable. (Unless, of course, a rocket flies in and ruins it.) The landlord, at any time, can change the rules of renting, or he may need it himself.

                    That's true if you actually own the house and the land (like if you build a house yourself). But the vast majority of people don't have that kind of money. Where I live, even a "cheap" house costs $700,000. So what happens is people take out a loan, and pay it off over 30 years. But you don't actually own the house, the bank does. And it's not really cheaper than renting once you take into account the interest rate over time, and also that you still have to pay taxes every month. Depending on the value of the house, the taxes themselves could be several hundred dollars, or even a thousand dollars a month for a nice house. Which is not cheaper than renting, you are in debt forever, and plus the cost of maintenance (if the water pipe breaks, leaks on the roof, etc.) which you have to pay out of pocket. It's a scam.

                        cybereality I have had so many friends that bought houses just outside of their budget thinking they could make it work and living a life of poverty trying to pay for it. It's a millstone around your neck. I don't think there is a much worse financial decision you could make next to wasting your life on drugs or getting into a bad marriage.

                          cybereality And it's not really cheaper than renting

                          The landlord can set his own rules. For example to prohibit the pets. Not everyone can live without a Сat. So even an apartment is better to own than to rent. But the mortgage is a rip-off, yup.