Heinlein’s 5 Rules of… Game Dev?

Let's adapt Heinlein’s Rules of Writing to game dev.

In 1947, Robert A. Heinlein, one of the most renowned science fiction writers, introduced a framework for achieving writing success. This framework was straightforward, consisting of only five rules, and it quickly became popular among writers.

Today, this framework is known as Heinlein’s Rules of Writing, and as you might guess, they are focused on writing, not game development. But I believe we can adapt them to game development. So, let’s dive in.

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Rule 1: You Must Create a Game

The first rule is “You Must Write,” which we can adapt to “You Must Create a Game.” This is probably the most obvious and straightforward rule, but it’s still crucial. It’s easy to get caught in a loop of endless learning, spending hours scrolling through Reddit or watching game engine comparisons. There’s also an initial resistance that stops us from starting—whether it's fear of failure, laziness, or something else. Regardless of the reason, the important thing is to persevere through it and find the drive to move forward.

Rule 2: You Must Finish the Game

The second rule is “You Must Finish What You Write,” which we can change to “You Must Finish the Game.” Let’s be honest: getting started is simple, but seeing a project through to completion is a different story. A story that requires discipline, consistency, patience, and even more discipline. As you progress, things get tougher, and the finish line can seem like it’s moving further away. This is where I’m at the moment, and it feels to be the hardest part. I remind myself that the ability to keep pushing forward is what will set me apart.

Rule 3: You Must Refrain from Constant Tweaking

The third rule is “You Must Refrain From Rewriting, Except to Editorial Order,” which is the most challenging to adapt to game development. I think we can interpret it as avoiding a never-ending development cycle. Many experienced game developers say a game is never truly finished; you simply decide to stop working on it and consider it complete because you could continue polishing and adding new features forever.

Rule 4: You Must Put the Game Out There

Heinlein's fourth rule is “You Must Put Your Work on the Market,” which, for game developers, translates to “You Must Put the Game Out There.” Finishing a game is one thing; sharing it with the world is another. The real test comes when it’s in the hands of players. This step provides feedback, exposes your work to a broader audience, and can lead to new opportunities.

Rule 5: You Must Continue Making Games

After you’ve finished a game and released it, it’s easy to become complacent or feel drained. However, just as a writer improves by writing more, a game developer grows by constantly creating. As we discussed in Game Dev is a Series of Rolling the Dice, every time we release a game, we essentially roll the dice. Having released a game before gives you a great bonus on this roll, increasing your chances of success.

Wrap Up

So, which rule do you think is the hardest?

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To-Do List

Check Out: Game Maker Toolkit Notebook (”A list of development tools and assets and business resources” related to game dev)

Bundle: Sound FX Odyssey: Complete Cinema and Game Sound Design

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Me

Reading: Tomorrow and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Probably the best read of the year so far. It’s a story of two game developers who found success relatively early and went through many difficulties and dramas. It’s one of those books that will stay with you forever, so check it out!

Playing: Still Gothic 2: Night of the Raven. I’ve reached the “Night of the Raven” part, and it’s going strong. I have finally got enough Strength to actually deal damage and get through the levels by not dying three times every minute.

Listening:

Thanks for reading!

And that’s it from today’s issue of GameDev’s Journey. I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful. If you did, please like and leave a comment. Reach out for suggestions, objections, questions, or just say hi.

But regardless, thank you so much for reading, and have a great game dev journey!