DEVELOPMENT

June 1, 2025 • Steel Canvas Team • 3 min read

Ever wondered how a solo developer builds games while dreaming of becoming the next big indie studio? Here's an honest look at our current setup and workflow.

The Hardware Reality

My setup isn't glamorous. A mid-range gaming laptop from 2022, a second monitor salvaged from a friend's office upgrade, and a mechanical keyboard that's seen better days. The mouse cost $15 and works perfectly. Total hardware investment: less than most people spend on a single AAA game.

But here's the thing - constraints breed creativity. When you can't throw money at problems, you have to solve them cleverly. Every optimization matters. Every asset has to earn its place in memory. Every line of code gets scrutinized.

The Software Stack

Unity for game development - it's free, well-documented, and handles mobile deployment beautifully. Visual Studio Code for scripting because it's fast and extensible. Git for version control because losing work is not an option. Photoshop alternatives like GIMP for art assets because Adobe subscriptions add up fast.

The browser permanently has 47 tabs open: Unity documentation, Stack Overflow, game development forums, reference images, and at least three different tutorials I'm following simultaneously. This is the developer's natural state.

The Daily Workflow

Mornings start with coffee and a quick review of overnight feedback from our community. Then it's code review, bug fixes, and feature implementation. Afternoons are for testing, iteration, and more coffee. Evenings are for community engagement, content creation, and planning tomorrow's work.

Everything gets documented. Every decision gets justified. When you're working solo, your future self is your most important collaborator, and future you needs to understand what present you was thinking.

The Challenges

Solo development means wearing every hat: programmer, designer, artist, marketer, community manager, and business owner. Some days you're deep in code optimization, others you're responding to player feedback or updating social media. Context switching is exhausting but necessary.

The biggest challenge isn't technical - it's maintaining momentum when there's no team to keep you accountable. That's where our community becomes crucial. Your enthusiasm drives our development forward.

Looking Forward

This setup won't last forever. As Steel Canvas Studio grows, we'll invest in better hardware, hire talented team members, and expand our capabilities. But we'll never forget where we started - building games with passion, creativity, and just enough coffee to keep the code compiling.