Hello everyone!
My name is Rodrigo and I am a solo hobby game dev. As a Linux user, I prefer open source programs and finding out about Defold was a great surprise. Although I started my studies at Defold in January 2024, I decided to introduce myself only at the end of 2024, as I spent the year testing Defold and would like to give a more coherent testimonial as possible, given my past experiences with other game engines and frameworks.
I have always liked video games since I was a child and the possibility of creating games has always fascinated me. Over the years, I have noticed the growth of the indie game creation community and the emergence of several game engines, which make it easier for anyone to produce them. Even though I didn’t know anything about programming, I decided to venture into learning game development in 2018 using Godot. I came across some problems, mainly the game I was developing breaking after some version updates, such as animations and changes in the GDScript language. I then decided to seek an approach that was less focused on the game engine interface and more focused on programming code. So, I started experimenting with Löve 2D (my first contact with LUA) and then I learned Python, using the Pygame library. And since I use Blender in my main job, I tested a little of Upbge.
In early 2024, I decided to test Defold and was surprised by its objective, clear, but also powerful interface, combined with the LUA code that makes the work very productive.
I know that I still have a long way to go before publishing my first game. Developing a game is a challenging task, as it involves creating a strong concept, storytelling, art, audio, effects, logic, polishing, advertising, promotion and much more. Since I only have a few hours a week to dedicate and since I do everything alone, the task is big. But looking at it from another perspective, the learning is very rewarding.
I believe that video games are an important form of cultural expression and, above all, of entertainment. And nowadays, more than ever, anyone with initiative, willpower and a desire for knowledge can create their own game. And a game engine (or whatever interface you use to create your game) cannot and should not create obstacles and hinder your work, effort and time. It has to function as a blank canvas where you can apply your creativity and ideas.
And that is what I realized at Defold. Their development team gave me lightweight and solid software, updates that do not interfere with my code, quality tutorials and a very engaged community.
With each passing day I feel more confident that I can get there and finally publish my first game, after so much testing and experimentation. I hope I can always count on the support of the Defold team and this incredible community on this journey.
Thank you all! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a 2025 full of achievements.
Rodrigo
