This is a Game Dev Podcast with my guest René Habermann who is behind games such as Domekeeper and PVKK (Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant), running a games studio called Bippinbits together with his wive. In this conversation we dive into how to validate your game ideas early.Links to my Guest➤ Wishlist PVKK on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2956040/PVKK_Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant/➤ Play Domekeeper on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1637320/Dome_Keeper/➤ Bippinbits Website: https://bippinbits.com/0:00 - Introduction0:50 - Why Indie Games Fail2:05 - The Minimalist Approach to Game Development3:09 - Using Validation Points to Succeed4:10 - Fun vs. Appeal: What's More Important?8:00 - The Crucial Role of "Fantasy" in a Game's Success12:21 - How YouTubers Can Spark a Game's Success17:10 - Can a Game Succeed Without Appealing Visuals?19:39 - Why Did Dome Keeper Work So Well on YouTube?23:08 - Designing for Yourself vs. The Market26:26 - "Make a Game You Enjoy": Good or Bad Advice?32:03 - Using Itch.io and Game Jams to Test Ideas39:05 - Is it Possible to Enjoy the "Tryhard" Approach to Game Dev?43:27 - From a 3-Day Prototype to a Full Game47:37 - The Demo vs. The Announcement: What to Do First?59:10 - What to Do When a Validation Point Fails01:06:17 - The Growth of Bippinbits Studio01:17:30 - Rene's Role in a Growing Studio01:23:18 - The "Mini-Teams" Approach to Scaling01:30:21 - Sharing Profits With The Team01:40:43 - Why Bippinbits Prefers the Godot EngineMy game "Thronefall":➤ Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2239150/Thronefall/➤ Discord: https://discord.gg/gVYctptyg8➤ Nintendo Switch: https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Thronefall-2669627.html#OverviewMy game "Will You Snail":➤ Play Will You Snail on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1115050/Will_You_Snail/➤ Join the Will You Snail Discord: https://discord.gg/G3mRDrKFor the game developers among you:➤ Join our creative game dev community on Discord: https://discord.gg/Ye6zzfQ