Talk about anything

Well, at least with my own projects, when it's custom code to standards, it still compiles and works years later. When you use too many libraries and dependencies, the code doesn't even compile. You have to get specific older versions, which may not be compatible with new hardware/software/APIs and then the code is dead. So, you can spend a few days and update it, but it's a pain in the butt. But then you update to a new version of the library, and the function you were using is deprecated or gone, etc.

cybereality it's a pain in the butt. But then you update to a new version of the library, and the function you were using is deprecated or gone, etc.

Sad, but true. Have spent a lot of time before just making changes after upgrading a single library or similar. Never fun and the odds go up the more dependencies you have. It is even worse if something is removed with no alternative or the alternative doesn’t work the way you need.

I also find it happens a bit more with new/cutting-edge libraries and similar. Unfortunately, those new/cutting-edge stuff is generally what makes me want to use it and/or choose it over alternatives

Seems like taking the challenging path leads to less pay? I was talking to my gym manager and they're paying a guy 20k RMB a month for upkeep on a super simple web app I could put together in a week. Just think if you're collecting upkeep on just a handful of those kinds of projects you're set.
On the other hand, all this math, all these art skills, and all these engines add up to a relatively low paying job? Like... WUT??

Game development as an indie is probably the hardest thing you can do, especially when working alone or with a small team. You have to be a master programmer, amazing artist, sound designer, game designer, fiction writer, QA tester, marketing representative, social media manager, and basically everything. And then, with all that, your game could still flop. It's pretty rough. But you could also make millions of dollars off one hit and be set for life.

If you're working at a studio, it's a little better. You get guaranteed income and benefits, whether or not the game does well, or if it is even finished. The pay is not as good as other industries. Like with a CS degree, you'd make more doing websites or working on the some enterprise app, but it's kind of boring work. I've done that, and the pay was fine, but it was not satisfying. Like I've done websites for banks, pharmaceutical companies, etc. and I hated my life. So I'd much rather make a little less, or have the potential (but no guarantee) of big bucks, then take something safe and boring.

Freelance is another option. I used to freelance exclusively, I did that for around 6 years working from home. I made various rates, depending on the client, but I have made as much as $100 an hour doing work from home. This was before freelancing got popular, so it's hard to make that money today unless you are really good. But for game programming you can probably swing around $40 - 50, that is a solid rate for a US-based freelancer (provided you are good and have a decent portfolio). I've seen some people make into like $120 an hour, but they are super senior professionals. It takes time to build that kind of portfolio.

I'm still going to school right now full time, I will graduate in September. I've been doing some part time freelance, and that's been okay, but I really want to release an indie game and try to see how that goes. It's a lot of risk, and I'll basically be investing all my savings into hoping the game is a hit, but it seems like a fun gamble at this point in my life. I've already done all the corporate America stuff and I'm kind of over it. But if the game flops, I guess I'll have to get a normal job.

Throughout history, artists have had difficulty making a living, because they create things that aren't necessary. Most people will consider paying for luxuries... after they pay for all their necessities. Games are, with very few exceptions, luxuries.

Plus, everybody and his brother wants to make games. How many kids think, "I want to make a retail site for a shoe store when I grow up"?

My new unit test: liches vs. balrogs.

That's pretty cool.

The best part is painting the train with pink flowers =D

Nerdzmasterz
I don't know if they are in trouble, but they did just fire 4% of the company (263 employees).

In particular, they fired the entire Gigaya team. That was a game Unity was making partly as a complete sample project for users, but also to learn better what the game developer experience with Unity is like and how they can make it better.

Their shares are down 70% over the last year too. Apparently the big issue is a large chunk of Unity's income is from targeted mobile ads, which has been hit by Apple's recent extra privacy stuff.

Unity has never turned a profit.

Nerdzmasterz Ad blockers should totally be illegal.

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Advertising should be prohibited in any form.

Kojack They mainly do that to escape paying taxes. They are basically a successful company. At some point they will have to start showing a profit. As far as being down 70 percent this year, that's not much different than most tech companies. It's a very bad year. Worst in over a decade for drop in stock prices.

fire7side They are basically a successful company.

A successful company makes money. Or at least provides some public service that is beneficial to society in some other way. Unity, it could be argued, opened up game development to indies, so they were successful there. However, if you are consistently losing hundreds of millions of dollars each year, that's not a success.

I wonder how Godot is doing, though, as it relies on donations, it seems? It's partly why I liked the Godot Marketplace when I saw it as it was "supposed" to give a percentage to the engine.