My 10 YEAR Indie Game Development Journey
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- Опубліковано 7 лип 2023
- A look-back through my entire 10 year gamedev journey, from the very first idea I had for a game, to my first commercial release and becoming a full-time indie game developer!
Play my previous game "Equilinox":
store.steampowered.com/app/85...
Support the channel on Patreon and get access to the code for Homegrown, the city-builder, and Equilinox:
/ thinmatrix
You can follow the progress of the games on my social media:
Twitter: / thinmatrix
Instagram: / thinmatrix
Trello: trello.com/b/W3zkIJTM/farm
Email: thinmatrix@gmail.com
Constantin Ross, who made the Equilinox website:
www.19webdesign.com/
Background music by Jamal Green:
open.spotify.com/artist/50jTM...
Also uses music by Kevin MacLeod - "Wallpaper"
#gamedev - Ігри
Thank you all so much for the incredibly lovely comments, I really appreciate it
Hello ThinMatrix! I've been watching most of your videos for over a year or two now, but I did watch a few older videos! I love what your doing and hope you continue. So far I love the new game your working on, I might get it when it comes out lol
Your LWJGL tutorials were very useful and your devlogs are very enjoyable.
Keep it up 👍
grate video pacing - very watchable
thanks for your 10years . the "light waigth game engien" tutarial whas soo Nice falowed iit to and i lenas som java and (ad tit som that worked my first java i made )it wha just waling around wit a bunny figher amung som dragons, ,, i did webdev normaly.
i whass worry when u have the tumer. i was so releved when u say u where ok .
You shuld make cooking tutarials too in-devlog or separet vido .. look soo yumy when u make in your weeekly dev.vlogs.
I think u need to take design class. i guess u knows how to put image and texture but your sense of beautiful things is bad.
ThinMatrix is the pioneer of including Meal Preps in his devlogs. I don't think he gets enough credit for such innovations. Prior to him, no was doing that before. Congrats, you are truly an inspiration.
Been following you for nearly that entire time. You're such an inspiration. Keep up the amazing work!
Not just an inspiration. He made tons of tutorials, he is a teacher!
same here
And he made me to also start making games (as a not full time hobby)
You were one of my main inspirations when I started making games/devlogs here on youtube. I now do gamedev/youtube fulltime and it's truly a dream come true. Thanks so much for making videos and cool projects over the years
It's really cool to hear that I was part of the inspiration in your gamedev journey! ^^
both of you guys are amazing and have inspired me a lot
Congrats on the Nintendo Switch release of your game!
@@creativedevrex2514 🥳 Thank you! :)
Been following you for many years. You were one of those people that made me want to become a programmer. Happy to report that I finished my apprenticeship as a software engineer about a week ago!
Congrats!
@@ThinMatrix Thanks!
What a story dude. I’m just starting my game dev journey
@@Lewz_R Good luck man!
@@Coyannn its not going too well tho haha. Ive barley done anyhting and its all too confusing
This is the official we need a Socuwan revival in the future Button!!!! It looks awesome! - But really congratulation, been watching you since the Socu days, and you can be proud of yourself!
Imagine Socuwan with the graphics from farming simulator, it improved so much!
Much learned since then. and an army of inspired game devs to back you up. keeping an mmo going takes a lot though
My thought when watching that part was, why not make it with the help of others? Like, how people submitted models and stuff. I think it would be really cool to be the first fan-crafted MMO.
@@Dondingo4if he doesn’t do it, I want to. That sounds beyond awesome and I’ve been toying with engines here recently to see if I even enjoy it.
And I was here for every bit of it. I was flipping out to my fiance. She didn't get why I was so nostalgic and hyped...but we've ("we" = the community, of course) been here for it my dude. Every clip you showed I *SPECIFICALLY* remember. I remember watching your tutorials a dozen times each. Good times. Wish you nothing but the best, and always have - especially during those rough moments. Thanks for being such a stalwart figure in the industry and to all of us who share your passion...and for being a beacon of inspiration and deciding to share this journey with us. I feel immensely honored to have borne witness to it. I've never met you, but you're awesome dude!
Ah thank you very much for the lovely comment. I appreciate it! :)
You’re such an inspiration in the way you live and the way you create. I hope you know you’re appreciated by us all! It is such a pleasure to have contributed in my own small way to something you made. x
Thank you for being a part of this, and no small part either! Equilinox and the devlogs wouldn't be the same without your fantastic music.
@@ThinMatrixThat’s really kind of you to say, thank you! You’ve been on such a massive journey and have learned so much. I never realised quite how high the stakes felt for the Socuwan Kickstarter at the time!!
Yoooooo! Great job on the Equilinox music! It’s part of my dev playlist that I listen to at work 😊
@@musicdevThank you so much for listening! That’s really great to hear :)
Ever since I started watching you during your development on Equillinox I always couldn't wait for a new video after the last one released, they are just so lovely and calming to watch. You were one of the first game development youtubers and I honestly think that without you the whole game dev youtube scene would not be what it is today. I wholeheartedly wish you another decade of fun and excitement for everything you do and can't wait wait to see how Homegrown will develop
Thank you very much!!
"And I honestly think that without you the whole game dev youtube scene would not be what it is today."
Could not have worded it better.
I honestly think that without ThinMatrix, the game dev scene as a whole wouldn't exist on youtube.
Happy 10 year anniversary! 🎉 fantastic video!!
Happy Anniversary! What an achievement! 🎉
I cant believe it has been about 5 years since I found you and realized that that is what I want to do one day! On Monday I am going to pitch my indie game demo to a funding program (in Hamburg too, actually) and if I get in I want to use that as an opportunity to go game developing full time. You have been a huge motivation for me through this time, thank you so much!
Thank you, and good luck!!
I would really like to know how it is!
This is such a wonderful story of passionate hard work being rewarded with very well-earned success. Thanks for being such an inspiration - without stumbling upon your Equilinox devlogs one day on my lunch break I would have never created my own channel and found so much fulfillment in my own passion project. Looking forward to many more years of content and wonderful games!
Thanks so much :) It makes me very happy to know that my videos played a part in inspiring you to make your own devlogs!
@@ThinMatrix So, in future will you start doing devoplment on your Socuwan game?
Haha it’s crazy how nostalgic those Socuwan videos are! Takes me back. That’s when I started following your channel.
I still haven’t made my first full game yet but I will one day. Thanks for the continued inspiration and entertainment through your dev logs :)
I've followed you through my uni days, and now as a full time worker in the game dev industry. I work at an AAA studio as an engine programmer, and I still go back to your original opengl videos to this day!
I don't know you or your work. Your story was very interesting and somehow moved me. But when reading the comments...
dude, you achieved more I could ever hope for. Beyond klicks, numbers and success. These people down the comments and what they tell about you and your work and how grateful they are ...just WOW! This is huge
i ended up going into security engineering but your lwjgl series had a huge part in getting me interested in Java as a language when i started following it at 15! was also super helpful for Minecraft modding, but i pretty much stick to backend passion projects now
Congrats for this 10 years! I've been watching your videos since 2014, and the way in what you make your videos is unique. Thanks!
I have been watching for a very long time you may have forgotten me I used to bug you a lot 😂😂😂 It's so awesome to see how far you have come not a single video missed and every video that comes out is so exciting!
Totally agree! I don’t think I have missed a single video either :)
I definitely remember! You've been around since the very early Socuwan days!
The fact that you had the tenacity to start from scratch and make your own engines is a testament to your love of design. Your story is inspirational to say the least!
This had me ugly crying. It's very inspirational, and I really needed it rn.
Was feeling a little inspired about half way or so, but thinking "It'll be extra hard for me because I'm trying to make my own engine", and almost if on que, you mention how you used your own engine, and I broke into tears.
Yesterday(technically 2 days ago, past midnight) I had my hearing with a judge for disability. Part of that, the strategist part of me broke, as I had to actually face the reality that I need help and can't get by in traditional pathways. Having to face that what was being said is actually evidence of my ability, and not just a clever way to get some starting cash. It hurt, far more than I could have expected.
Hanging out virtually with a game dev friend, and this video, I think are reigniting my flame. So, thank you so much.
Just finished the video and didnt realize its been so long since you started equilinox, you were a huge inspiration when i was younger that got me into coding/game dev and my current career. Keep on the journey and excited to see whats next!
been watching your videos since the Equilinox devlogs. this morning, I woke up way too early (2am) and I was feeling really, really nervous. trying to relax, I tried watching different videos from different creators, but the fast-paced style just freaked me out more and more. then I decided to watch your video. the relaxing style, it just simply helps. your videos are a breath of fresh air and I will forever be in debt to you
I remember being a kid before I even had a UA-cam account, I was so excited hearing you were going full time and enjoying all the videos you were making at the time and was sad when the kickstarter didn’t work out. Been around the whole journey and grew up along the way. You have helped fuel my interest in games and development and I’m happy to still have you around
I really hope Homegrown will do well!
All of that is inspiring, I'm on the same situation right now as your early dev period with a project that I feel is ambitious but possible and I'm happy with what I can achieve even though I learn on the spot (I don't use my own engine and I have a Game Design Bachelor but It was awful).
I really hope I can be as succesful as you with this project.
I've been following you since a little while now and I've always liked the way you make your videos.
Happy 10 years! 🎉
Thank you, and good luck with your project!
@@ThinMatrix Thank you!
Why was it awful? 🤨
@@adaa96 It was a shitty private school. I would never recommend these schools to anyone
I am proud of all you have accomplished!
I'm 15 years old, and I've had the goal of becoming a game developer for a few years now. I've never really finished a project of my own, but I just yesterday I came up with a concept I like, and I'm starting development. Stories like yours are very inspiring and encouraging. I'm also a first-time viewer of the channel, and I think I'll stick around a while :)
@@snipysnipe For reals.
Same but I'm 14. Game development just clicks with me. I just don't own a PC to make games with... );
@@snipysnipe They're 14. The problem is that you can't find a job at 14. Where will they get the money?
same, i suppose right now im looking for motivation more than anything since im not the best with staying motivated and i just decided i kinda wanna redo what ive already done in a different way, to give myself more control of how it all works. i just hope i dont hit a wall of something that i really dont know how to do but so far i think i have a plan of how itd work
It's awesome that you want to start game development! If you have even a bad laptop you can begin your adventure (although it'll be frustrating) with coding and designing! If you don't have a laptop then you could try making a board game, i know it sounds a bit crazy but you can get help from art teachers at school and use card and the printers there to make a gameboard/characters/cards! Although I know you probably want to make a video game, if you start with a board game you'll find whether your true passion is the design/art of how it looks, or the functions of how your game works and the way different things may interact with eachother. Finally if you do computing/IT at your school then they'll likely have computers that can run python which is a simple programming language (they may even teach it to you the begginings in later years) so you can start learning to code so you have some experience when you eventually come to starting game development when you're older. Basically what I'm saying is speak to computing teachers/art teachers and start trying to make a game, you might find they help you start a club where you can better use the resources available, and have other people join in and help you with it!
Good luck, and it can get difficult, just stick at it!
@@ChaosDragon3401
I started watching you a little after you started developing Equilinox. I was in boarding school at the moment and dreamt of developing games myself. Every wednesday evening at 22pm was ThinMatrix night. I would watch your devlog at that time every week before bed time because I simply found your life and progress so cool. Thank you for sharing, and what an incredible story!
You are the first game dev UA-cam I ever watched. You got me into the genre - and eventually into game development. Thank you for the years of content and how much of yourself and your time you give to your projects and audience.
As a developer (web) who’s also more interested in engine development im still hoping for the day that you’ll make a video covering the process you personally follow for engine development. (What comes first ? Level editor ? What’s the underlying concept. Editing serializad data from the component properties? )
Until that day ever comes (if) I will continue to live vicariously through the little nuggets like this one.
What a great video in general to cover the last decade.
Man that's absolutely insane ! I had the same aspiration (a darned mmo) on the same timeframe (2012) and ended up following the exact same java tutorial (at the time I had some experience in modding Minecraft and I was finishing highschool)! You're the incarnation of that branch of me where I'd stick to game dev instead of going industrial, and it is amazing to see how far you've come ! Congratulations :)
I love how casually you were saying 'Unfortunatly there was some delays, I had oral cancer and had to go to hospital. Had to push back the release date, sorry guys :/'
I used to watch your videos about making an engine in Java. I was so interested in game making but didn't know where to start so I accidentally stumbled on your videos. Haven't stopped watching ever since!
Happy 10 year anniversary TM! You are what got me into graphics programming with your lwjgl tutorials and equilinox devlogs, which I found I really really enjoy, so a big thanks from the bottom of my heart. Also hoping for another decade+ of banger videos!
I'm following you for quite some time now. I remember watching your LWJGL tutorial series and following along back when I was like 13 or 14 years old. And now I'm studying computer science. You've definitely been a huge inspiration. Actually you still are. Thanks for all your videos over the years. I don't remember a single video that I didn't enjoy.
I have never been so touched by an indie game developer’s journey like this. When talking about how the kickstarter failed made me tear up just because of how much love was poured into it. You deserve everything and more, keep up being an inspiration!
I cannot recall how I found your channel, but I was very interested in your old LWJGL tutorial series. Your visuals and explanations were incredibly helpful, absolutely every line of code was clear. With a lot of programming and some for-fun game dev under my belt I was drawn into what's going on under the hood, and figured I'll try to make my own engine. Absolutely clueless. One of the best mistakes of my life, even though that hasn't really resulted in anything, I've gotten so much joy out of graphics programming, and the general knowledge of how 3D programming works has been invaluable. To this day I follow your content with endless curiosity to see what kinds of techniques you implement, whether it's cool engine mechanics or optimization, or some non-programming tasks. Here's to another 10!
Thanks for making these videos for us to enjoy for so many years! Your hard work and dedication to each project has inspired so many of us, I know it has inspired me. I'm so excited every time I get a notification from this channel and I hope you keep making them a long time!
Congrats and lets hope for another 10! 🎉
Been watching since your city builder project. I always enjoy your calm voice and your impressive work! Keep up your work!
Your journey makes me want to put in more effort to create quality devlogs to grow my community further. I’ve been relatively active on Twitter but I might give UA-cam more attention.
Amazing job on the video! And congratulations on all of your success 😁
I think I should be one of your earliest viewers. I come from China and when you first started publishing the video, I was still in college. I remember sending you an email and you replied to me in great detail, which has been very helpful to me. Now I am also a game developer
epic journey! I have a similar video with almost the same title on my channel lol. Glad you shared yours too!
Congrats on the 10 years! I started watching you near the end of the city builder game because I was looking at making something similar at the time. It's been a joy to see your devlogs and I always get excited when new one is posted!
I know nothing of game development and have never watched these types of videos in my life. But as an avid gamer with a preference for the small team/single creator indie games, this has given me a whole new appreciation for the games I play.
You're a UA-cam devlog legend! You have absolutely earned that title. Damn, has it really been 10 years? I remember waiting for the next Socuwan devlog like it was yesterday. Wish you 10 more years of awesome devlogs and successful games!
Huge Crongrats!
I loved Equilinox, and love the progress on Homegrown so far.
However I would love to play Socuwan one day, Maybe not actually „play“ it but you know, just checking it out. Afterall I saw most of your devlog videos on it, and just wanna try it out myself one day, it’s like nostalgia at that that point.
I have been watching you since Equilinox because of the really fun and insightful videos about game development. Years later and now i have finished my Bachelor in Game art :D thank you for all the tips and cool behind the scenes !
Happy anniversary. I’ve loved watching your videos over the years - excited to watch when a new one shows in my feed. Hope you can continue to do what makes you happy for many years to come.
Been subscribed since January 2015! Have you ever considered returning to the Socuwan idea, but not as an MMO? A singleplayer/co-op game in the Socuwan world would be pretty interesting, provided the story was good. Keep up the good work!
Congrats
I know your channel since you started Equilinox, where UA-cam recommended me one of the videos and never stopped watching each and every video you release since. They are always so amazing! It is nice for me to see the before Equilinox that I did not witnessed. Keep it up like that, it is perfect!
Such an inspiration!! Happy Anniversary as well!!! Giving me hope to continue on my project
Seeing that you have been doing this for 10 years, and that I have been following you for 8 of those, really highlighted for me how fast time flys. You are a great teacher with great information who has helped more and more people begin programming
Thank you for giving all of your inspiration, it was great watching all of your videos. Waiting for all the videos yet to come! 😊
Thats an amazing journey, you've made great progress over the years! Ive been very passionate about game development for years and its always such an inspiration to watch other people's journeys throughout the years :) awesome video! Im definitely going to stay subscribe to see the progress of the new project
it's really heartwarming to see the progress you had for all these years, and as someone who develop a game (at least tries to) with a couple of friends on our free time while having a full time job, it hits close to home.
i following your YT channel for so long now and it's so fun to see the games you're working on take shape and come to life.
can't wait to see it out and helping you achieve your dreams.
this is incredibly heartwarming. your tutorial videos were how i learned opengl so many years ago, and your socuwan devlogs were a huge inspiration for me. glad to see you are happier than ever
this is the first video of you ive ever seen and you did so good at telling your story. when you were talking about watching the people you followed reviewing your game i could feel the happiness in your voice. the cancer was a plot twist for sure glad your good with that. the family cheering and you cheesing for your first 100k. and the fact you spent to years making your first ever game in JAVA!!! absolutley incredible. so many shockers in this video very good narrating
This is such a great channel to watch, been here for a few years now and every-single-one of your videos are so inspiring! Thank you for sharing your journey and congrats on the 10 years!
Subscribed at the end of Socuwan/beginning of the Equilinox videos. I cannot believe it's been 7 years already, absolutely insane. Congratulations on your journey and sharing it with us :)
Thank you for taking us along on this journey. Happy New Year - All the best!
I can't believe it's been that long! I started watching around the early SOCUWAN development. Such a blast from the past, and it's great to see how far you've come
You really fought it mate, quite a journey so far. I hope you find each day more pleasure in your path, doing what you love and what you're passionate about. You are really an inspiration!
I have been watching your videos for several years now and I am very happy about your anniversary. Your videos encourage me to continue working on my projects when I lack motivation. I wish you another 10 years of great adventure in GameDev!
This is so well put together. I really enjoy watching your videos; it is always a highlight of my day when a new devlog comes out. Keep up the good work!
I've followed you since near the start of your journey. I remember following some of your tutorials back when I was a teenager, right when I first started learning how to program. You were one of the people who inspired me to start making games, and now it's a passion of mine, so thank you! I thoroughly enjoy your video editing style and the calmness of your dev vlogs.
Truly inspiring! I can't believe Equilinox was already so long ago, I remember watching the very first dev log. Your videos helped me stay in the game dev sphere and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next!
Congratulations on the 10-year anniversary! Love watching your videos. It's very relaxing and inspiring 🙂
Your LJWGL Tutorials were the Starting Point of me making Games. And it's also cool that you moved to the City I live in, I hope you like it here
What an incredible drive. It still blows my mind that people like you are able to just keep getting back up and keep pursuing what you're passionate about-- it's so inspiring, seriously, and I know success is only just going to keep rolling in for you. So so excited about Homegrown and can't WAIT to play when it's out!
This is awesome! I’ve been following ever since the middle of the Equilinox days, and I love your style, and watching the ways that your games evolve is so cool 😎
I've starting following you with the first devlog of your city building game, and I didn't feel like you've done "only" 4 to 5 videos in 2020 and 2021.
The reason why I love watching your videos is not because of the game you make : I don't plan to play to your gardening game Homegrown, yet I've watched every minutes of your devlogs. But the way you express yourself, we can hear that you truly love what you do, you have a very healthy lifestyle (mind, nutrition, taking care of your surroundings, planet, gardening, dog, etc.) and you are a true example of things we want to achieve in life.
To me the most important will always be : What will be your thoughts in your death bed and who will you share them with ? And you won't remember your failed game and too ambitious projects, or at least if you do you'll have the same smile that you have recording this video.
As someone who always starts too ambitious projects and can't post more than once every two years, you truly inspire me :)
Following you for years. Thank you for the motivation and inspiration ❤
I always get excited whenever you release devlog videos. I've been watching since the Socuwan days and the progress you've made over the years is really inspiring. keep up the good work and with you all the best.
Man - what a journey. I've been watching a long since back in the Socuwan days. Watching your videos has always been a huge motivator for me to continue my own learning in game dev. Congrats on 10 years
Hearing your story is such an inspiration. I was smiling for the most of it and even had tears in my eyes when you talked about your struggles.
Please don't stop making your dreams come true
I've been here and watched every single video since your first project and it's incredibly heartwarming to see you grow over time
Happy 10 years of indie game dev! Love your channel! Keep it up and best of luck with Homegrown!
Wow! This is so inspiring! Its been awesome seeing you grow over the years I have watched your videos (even though it wasn't from the start). Keep up the amazing work and can't wait for future videos!!
Been following your story on and off for the last few years, great to see it all summed up in this video. Keep at it my guy! This is clearly your life path. Excited for the new farm game, and whatever projects you can dream of next. Cheers for the relaxing night time content.
Thank you!
Congratulations on the 10 years!
One of the few of my subbed channels that I watch all videos coming out on.
Came on somewhere near the start of the citybuilder. And actually have been a full time indie game dev myself now for 4 years!
Congratulations on the 10 years, and the impressive progress you've made!
Been following you since the start of Equilinox, and been majorly inspired to keep developing myself, although with less success and progress, but progress non the less.
Excited to follow your next 10 years!
Thanks so much for sharing the journey you've been on. Your videos are always the first thing I want to watch whenever a new one comes out. Not sure what it is exactly that makes them so good. The chill vibe, the "behind the scenes" nature of them? Maybe mostly it's so cool getting to watch your creative process. Thanks again - enjoy the next ten years!
Thanks for all the content you have produced over these years, it's been great fun to watch. You have been an inspiration and motivation for many of my side projects.
You are an inspiration! Found your channel during the Equilinox days and have been following closely ever since! So happy to see it's going well for you! Funnily enough I also started my current project on January 1st 2022! I just went full time last week after a lot of preparation and previous games!
Here's to at least 10 more years making great games! 🏆Cheers!
Very inspiring. I found your channel halfway through Equilinox's development, so it was really interesting to hear about your past dev experience. Good luck with Homegrown, I always look forward to your videos!
Great video! You're the main reason I got into game development and started making my own devlogs. Now I'm finally close to my first commercial release, I have you to thank for all the inspiration over the years!
Ah cool! I hope the release goes well :)
This was awesome to watch. Congrats on your 10 year anniversary! I'm so glad you made it!
This is one of the more relaxing devlog style channel for me. When I want motivation and also want to relax I watch your videos. Keep up the good work
Congrats on the milestone! Thanks for equilinox and all of the dev logs. I'm particularly grateful for your various tutorials, and have been following the channel since the water series. It helped get my head around GLSL and reignite the love for computer graphics. Keep up the good work 👍
Been following you for so long and your tutorials helped immensely.
I've been following you for many years. I really enjoy your videos and I find them incredibly motivating for me. I play Equilinox a lot too. Thank you very much for sharing your story!! Looking forward for the next 10 years!!
Been with you since 2019, and I have to say even though I have only been subscribed for 4 years everything I've seen you do has made a real positive impact on me! Tysm for this! And keep it going!
Wow! This was great to watch, I remember watching your Equilinox dev logs almost religiously at the time, they were so relaxing and I found them so interesting in the solutions you found to problems. I haven't been keeping up with the channel for some years now but I also remember the health update you gave at the time and I'm glad to hear that everything is good on that end! Keep doing what you're doing and thank you !
This video was so well produced! Been watching you for a while and it was cool to see your whole dev journey summed up in such an entertaining video. Well done!
Thank you for sharing. You are not only game dev but with all the sharing you are also youtuber/content creator. Great combo. Keep going on what you love 💛
been following you for nearly 5 years, you're some kind of inspiration for me, keep up with the nice work
I wanted to say a huge thank you. You were the first gamedev youtuber I stumbled upon many years ago, and you were the person who inspired me to try game development and, eventually, making my own devlogs as well. Thank you and good luck with your current and future projects!
Been here for about as long as I can remember, and been enjoying it since the start! Following your journey has been nothing less than amazing
Can't believe its been so long, 10 years already
Been following you since the Equilinox videos, but had no idea of how long and interesting your entire journey was! Wishing you all the best and take care of yourself, you're a huge inspiration ❤