Protecting Your Pixel Heart: Making Games with Empathy
summary
Practical rules: set expectations early, document high/medium/low scope versions and start from the smallest, prototype the riskiest mechanic first, and add generous time buffers (example: three months + one month contingency). Use formal check‑ins (retrospectives, project health checks, one‑to‑ones) plus a simple traffic light system for mood, negotiate soft vs hard deadlines, watch for burnout signs (numbness, isolation, illness), and accept a 70% baseline as normal so teams and projects stay sustainable.
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chapters (16)
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:03Who this talk is for and why
- 3:52Game Dev with empathy
- 5:57Prioritizing people
- 7:01Stability in Indie Dev
- 9:10Setting expectations
- 12:02Team check-ins
- 14:28Core values and goals
- 17:40Listening and communication
- 21:08Taking breaks
- 24:37Realistic goals and scoping
- 28:36Achievable objectives
- 34:37Recap of principles
- 38:09Protecting self-worth
- 42:28Affirmations and mistakes
- 45:24Closing thoughts
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