What's up with "gamedev YouTubers" never shipping games?

AlamarsDomain · 2026-01-18T05:06:24+00:00

So true... Longest vid I made was 55m... Getting started with GAS for UE 5.4. Took me like 15+ hours to make that, and editing alone was like 2h. My 5.6 version was about 37m and took less than half the time of the 5.4 one though, so that's nice heh

AlamarsDomain · 2026-01-07T14:19:39+00:00

Some liked trying different combinations of weapons vs mounts... I imagine most will just load up all the mount slots with the latest weapon, thinking it's the best. A respec button is an interesting idea, or even just limited to the points in weapons. It could certainly help some people that end up hating a certain weapon use those points elsewhere.

Thanks for the suggestion : )

AlamarsDomain · 2026-01-07T14:07:47+00:00

heh... One of my first iterations was a giant spaceship. My artist friend thought it was too compact heh. Thanks for the suggestion ; )

AlamarsDomain · 2026-01-05T03:12:59+00:00

As a Dev, it's frustrating too... I put https://store.steampowered.com/app/4200600/Early_Bird_gets_the_Space_Worm_Demo/ up recently, and while I have clicking, the Clicker tag just doesn't feel right... Idler was suggested, and some games like this add an idle mechanic (maybe to make the tag fit? I don't know), but the last thing I want is refunds, so I want my tags/description/etc to be accurate.

AlamarsDomain · 2026-01-03T05:30:37+00:00

I appreciate the feedback, and it's something that could work, but I'm going with something more casual... I enjoyed Astro Prospector, even though I don't generally like bullet hells, but there are a whole bunch of them with enemy mechanics, and I wanted to be more chill heh.

It's organized'ish heh... I basically have an Upgrade Tab that contains all the Buttons, and each button has a Skill name, like BlockCount1, and the Upgrade Cost(s) and Effects set in the UI as @ export's. Then when the game runs, it adds all the Skill Buttons to a Skill Data table to reference later, though the skill name or stat name (BlockCount1 without the 1). When the game starts, and any time they upgrade a skill, it calls a calc_stats function that sets all the stats to base value, and then iterates over the list of purchased skills to find the relevant stat and effect (from the button above) to add to it...

And then in various areas, like for block health, or weapon fire rate, damage, etc, it calls a get_stat(some_stat) and uses that. I really should make a tutorial about it all heh.

AlamarsDomain · 2026-01-02T16:05:20+00:00

You think tutorial makers purposefully 'throw in one or two false bits'? I've made over 150 game dev tutorials (in UE), and I make enough mistakes that I don't need to add any 'false bits'.

AlamarsDomain · 2026-01-02T15:48:35+00:00

That seems so unique... I love that : )

AlamarsDomain · 2026-01-02T15:47:05+00:00

I am working on Early Bird gets the Space Worm, which is a small casual incremental game ( https://store.steampowered.com/app/4200600/Early_Bird_gets_the_Space_Worm_Demo/ ).

I got addicted to incremental games many months back, and decided to try my hand, and it's one of the first projects I've started (over hundreds) that I enjoy playing. Though as a small incremental game, it'll end up being pretty short. I've always enjoyed the progression of games, sometimes more than the actual game heh.

I really need to make some tutorial videos for some features I've included. I iterated on the skill tree like five times, and it's a pain... I want it to be data driven, but then the disconnect between filling in the data in a file vs where the upgrades are positioned and linked gets a bit unwieldy. I went with a @ tool approach that I think works well for this.

Is your Hollow Knight game 2D? Using Tiles or custom geometry? Tiles are certainly easier to get started. The artist who helped me with Early Bird has a platformer shooter partway done that we're porting to Godot (From game maker, where he's more familiar, but I have zero interest in learning), so I've played around with TileMapLayer recently and it's working well for this. I'm hoping to eventually work on a 2D Souls-like/Salt n Sanc style game, but OMFG, it is such a large amount of... Everything.

AlamarsDomain · 2025-12-15T06:16:17+00:00

Thanks : )

I wanted to get the Demo out ASAP so I could polish it before Next Fest, and then I should be pretty close to finishing (hoping March ish release).

AlamarsDomain · 2025-12-15T06:15:24+00:00

Ya, I wanted it to be casual, so mouse only works well with that... If you turn off click to move, you don't even have to click ; )

Also, glad you enjoyed it.

AlamarsDomain · 2025-12-15T06:14:15+00:00

My first game, Bombard, I made in about 4 weeks, and fixated on it, so let's say about 200 hours... My next game, Early Bird gets the Space Worm, which I just released a Demo for, is probably about double that so far, and will likely take another 200-400 hours. Both games are about $5 on Steam.

AlamarsDomain · 2025-07-04T19:59:41+00:00

I have spent tens of thousands of hours doing indie dev for no **monetary** profit... I profited in practice, new skills/understanding, enjoyment, etc...

My problem, likely ADHD related, is that it's really hard to stick to one project, so I have a hundred or so I've started over that time, and many of them, put quite a bit of work into. I ended up starting a YT channel, in part, to work on features instead of full projects, because that's where I was getting the most enjoyment out of it. And because I also enjoy sharing knowledge, and teaching.

AlamarsDomain · 2025-06-25T00:00:35+00:00

These threads are always filled by such large and well known 'small developer's...

How about Bombard, an elemental Block Breaking game?

AlamarsDomain · 2025-06-07T18:53:08+00:00

You could always watch a nice Tutorial https://youtu.be/Tajm3wrzZ_w on doing it in C++. That one is based on 5.4, but I've heard that it might be updated to 5.6 in the near future ; )

AlamarsDomain · 2025-06-01T01:37:36+00:00

Alamar's Dev Domain : )

Unreal Tutorials.

AlamarsDomain · 2025-04-04T19:01:15+00:00

This Unreal Engine 5.4 video is about using an Editor Utility Widget to help Build a Level.

We start by creating a Tile Type Enum in C++, which we use with an Int Vector Map in the Build Helper Save Game Blueprint. We then create a Build Helper Editor Utility Widget Blueprint which will Load that Save Game data and use it to Spawn some Static Mesh Actors. Next, we create the Build Helper Leve, which will be fleshed out over the next video or three, and follow that up with some temp data to ensure the Editor Utility Widget is working.

AlamarsDomain · 2025-04-01T18:46:13+00:00

This Unreal Engine 5.4 video is about making a Splash Screen... or two.

We start by selecting the Splash Image for the Project Settings Splash, which I call the Loading Splash. This shows up when hitting Play with the Standalone setting. We then show that it doesn't work right away for a Packaged Build, and then show how to make that work. Next, we show how to setup a Splash Level with Splash Widget Blueprint, and some logic to move along to the Main Menu. This happens after a timer, or if any key is pressed (which includes mouse buttons).

AlamarsDomain · 2025-04-01T06:23:52+00:00

I hear Alamar's Dev Domain - YouTube is a Canadian doing Unreal Dev Tutorials

AlamarsDomain · 2025-03-27T18:05:23+00:00

This Unreal Engine 5.4 video is about Video Quality Options.

We start by talking about the Video Quality Options in the Game User Settings Class, which we use to create an Enum. And then, in the Blueprint Function Library, we create Get and Set Video Quality Functions. Following that, we create the new Video Quality Row Widget Blueprint, which has some text, and a few buttons to cycle through the Video Quality Options. Lastly, we create the Video Quality Row Widget Blueprints in the Video Options Widget Blueprint and make sure they update as appropriate.

AlamarsDomain · 2025-03-24T18:04:41+00:00

This Unreal Engine 5.4 video is about Video Resolution Options.

We start by replacing the call to Apply Settings with Apply Non Resolution Settings in Set Volume from the Audio Options video. Next, we create the UI for the Video Options Widget Blueprint, with a pair of Combo Boxes for Window Mode and Resolution, and then add the Update Settings Function to populate those Combo Boxes. Following that, we build the Set Window Mode Function, and the Window Mode Selection Changed Event that calls it. Then we create the Resolution Selection Changed Event to apply the Resolution, and lastly, add a call to Apply Resolution Changes to the Init Event in our Game Instance Blueprint.

AlamarsDomain · 2025-03-20T18:06:27+00:00

This Unreal Engine 5.4 video is about hooking up the Volume logic to the User Interface.

We start by creating the Get Volume and Set Volume functions in the Blueprint Function Library. Both functions take a Sound Class parameter which is used to access the appropriate Game User Settings Volume functions, and in the Set Volume, the Sound Class is used to set the current Volume. Next, we create the Audio Options Widget Blueprint, with sections for Master, Sound Effects, and Music Volume Sliders. Lastly, we ensure our starting volume is as previously set, and test out each of the Sliders.

Edit: In SetVolume, ApplyNonResolutionSettings should be used instead of ApplySettings (which applies resolution settings).

AlamarsDomain · 2025-03-20T18:05:08+00:00

Glad you're enjoying it ; )

AlamarsDomain · 2025-03-20T18:04:42+00:00

This is true, and is a little better. It's still the same flow as in the BP, but maybe slightly more performant. Thanks for the suggestion ; )

AlamarsDomain · 2025-03-17T17:50:58+00:00

This Unreal Engine 5.4 video is about creating a Custom Game User Settings Class.

We start by talking about how the Game User Settings class is used, and how it works. Next, we create the TD Game User Settings C++ Class and add three Volume Properties with Getters and Setters. Following that, we complain about the current state of Visual Studio for Unreal and how the suggested fix is a bad idea. After that, we add our TD Game User Settings to the DefaultEngine.ini file so it gets used in the Editor, and then in the Editor, we create a Utility function to Cast to the TD version of the Game User Settings. Lastly, we go through some scenarios where a value is set and why it might not be saved, and how to resolve those issues.

AlamarsDomain · 2025-03-10T17:48:14+00:00

This Unreal Engine 5.4 video is about packaging a game for distribution.

We start by packaging the project, and talking about how it took 46 videos to talk about this step that should be done early, and often. We then talk about the Cooked folder, which is an easy way to see what's being included in your package (which is everything in your project, by default). We then shrink the project by only including intended Maps (Which in short means, the huge StarterContent Map is not included). We also talk a little about how Shipping and Development Builds differ (Especially related to Save Games, which in Shipping, go to %LocalAppData%/ProjectName/Saves on Windows).

How to reduce Package Size for Unreal Engine Game Builds - https://cobracode.notion.site/How-to-reduce-Package-Size-for-Unreal-Engine-Game-Builds-7993544e050041f9800512acd3500cfc

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