Not every idea needs to be revolutionary. The best indie games solve a simple creative question: "What if...?"
What if a platformer had no jump button? What if you played as the villain? What if the entire game was a single screen? Constraints breed creativity, and as an indie dev, your biggest advantage is that you can take risks that big studios can't.
The #1 killer of indie games isn't lack of talent — it's scope creep. Before you commit to an idea, ask yourself:
Can I build a playable prototype in 2 weeks? If not, the idea might be too big for a first game.
Can I explain the core loop in one sentence? "You stack blocks before they reach the top" is clear. "It's an open-world RPG with crafting and base building" is a red flag.
Does it excite me enough to work on it for a year? Passion is fuel. If the idea doesn't make you stay up late thinking about it, pick a different one.
Before writing a single line of code, validate your concept:
Search Steam for similar games. Competition isn't bad — it proves demand. No similar games might mean no market.
Post your concept on IndieDevs and gauge reactions from fellow Swiss devs. The community feed is a great place to float ideas and get honest, constructive feedback. Indifference is worse than criticism.
Make a paper prototype or sketch. If the core mechanic doesn't feel fun on paper, code won't fix it.