In the eyes of indie game maker Jenn Sandercock, being an indie developer means you have a sometimes overwhelming amount of freedom to decide what projects you work on, who you work with, what conferences you go to, which new features to add to your current game, and so on.  

At GDC 2017 Sandercock explained that, just like a game jam theme, a set of constraints can help guide both a game's development and your overall career as an indie developer.

In her talk, Sandercock explained that she created her personal mission statement to foster friendship, curiosity and challenge. She went over how she came to define these qualities, how they have impacted her at different moments in her journey and how they focus her career -- and how you can do the same for your own career as a game maker.

It was a great talk that offered practical tips on dealing with a quotidian problem many devs face, so if you missed it at GDC 2017 don't miss your opportunity to now watch it for free over on the official GDC YouTube channel!

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its new YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC Next already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

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