Side Projects and Why They Never Get Finished

Zachary Zamiska — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 01:52:26 +0000

Half-built apps, dusty GitHub repos, and brilliant ideas that never made it past npm. I have a feeling you have at least one of these like myself. For years I have struggled finishing ideas big and small. Over those years I have used some of these tips to help me push through.

The Scope Monster

One of the largest issues with side project (personally) is scope creep. Every developer knows about it and can see it in everyone except themselves. You have all these grand feature that would be amazing, but never see the light of day.

Solution:
Make the MVP and then make the MVP of the MVP. That may sound like a tongue twister. I can assure you that it is not. Just make it ugly and make something that works. Boom, you are "done". Making it look nice is just a bonus at that point.

The Comparison Trap

Don't look at the flashy products out there. Once I was working on a project that would help devs with taking notes and organizing ideas. I had a simple concept that could maybe bloom into more. However, I made a fatal mistake when working on this project. I did research on similar apps It was easy to fall into the trap of looking at great "To-Do" apps like Todoist or the others out there. Stop comparing version 1 to the other products version 10.

Solution:
Compare to yesterday and not other projects. There is a great quote from Theodore Roosevelt that I use in daily life.

"Comparison is the thief of joy"

No Feedback Loop

This point I can see arguments on both sides of the coin. Building in a vacuum kills any momentum that you have. It is hard to care if no one can see your progress, yes, but at the same time "external" validation is something one should not go looking for. In this case the optimum outcome that you should look for is constructive feedback. Even feedback that is negative in nature, but at the same time constructive, can help fuel your fire even more. However, it is the internet and getting harmful or feedback that is not helpful in an way can be a big ole bucket of water on your spirt fire.

Solution:
Lean on those close to you. These are the people that are going to give the best feedback. If you do not have someone close to you that has the technical experience that you are looking for than target more private groups. The earlier you can get feedback the more fuel you have to keep going.

All Input, No Output

Researching and learning is great in the right context. Take it from me research can do wonders for the advancement of knowledge (Side note: My favorite way to learn is books!). Too much of it when you are trying to build makes you feel productive, but you are simply just consuming. When you are trying to build consuming is not the best thing to be doing.

Solution:
Only research the concepts or knowledge that you need to go right into your project. Need to learn a design pattern you have not seen since university? Look it up, learn it, and apply it right away. After that move on to the next part of your project.

"Done" Was Never Defined

What does you project look like when it is done? A million-dollar start up or a personal app to organize your notes. If can be anything as long as it is something.

Solution:
Define "done" before you start. Anything after that is just a bonus.

Side projects do not fail because you are lazy. They fail because you are not, and you have aim to reach infinity. You can use these tips to help shrink the target, lower the pressure, and get the job done. Above all, give yourself permission to finish "small".

A finished tiny tool beats a graveyard of "next big things".

What is your most recent abandoned or unfinished side project? Drop it in the comments if you dare! Happy Spooky Season! 🧛🏼

Devlog #001 – Building My Dream Game Studio (from Nothing but Scrap)

Zachary Zamiska — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 01:24:39 +0000

I have thousands of ideas and never see them through.
Not anymore. I’m done waiting for permission—I’m just doing it.

Inside my desk drawer, there’s a stack of three battered notebooks. Every one of them is packed with expansive worlds, legendary creatures, half-sketched mechanics, and story fragments. None of it has seen the light of day. Yet.

A couple years ago, I went to GDC chasing a dream job. I landed two interviews. Neither moved forward. And honestly, that didn’t surprise me. I’ve never had doors open for me—I’ve always had to build my own. And that’s exactly what I’m doing now.

This is the first devlog in a series that will document my journey—from solo indie dreamer to game studio founder, from scratch builds to my first shipped product and beyond.

If you’ve ever wanted to create something that’s yours, something weird and true—welcome.

The desire to build things grew when I was a small kid in the suburbs that helped my dad keep our house together. As I got older I started playing games with my friends and also creating friends through playing Black Ops online.

My Story So Far

I’ve been hands-on with tech for as long as I can remember—fixing busted electronics, writing code that shouldn’t work but does, and bending systems until they break. I’ve built:

A small space horror prototype that still haunts me (and my hard drive).
Mods across different games, including my latest: a full-blown faction control overhaul for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.
An open-source AI project for diagnosing tractors—because I believe even farmers deserve freedom from locked-down tech.
A fun, interactive F1 fan site—just because I love finding new ways to merge code and culture.

These aren’t “portfolio pieces.” They’re battle scars and proof-of-work.

What I’m Building Now

The big one? My dream game.
No, I’m not ready to talk about the details—but trust me, it’s something personal. Experimental. Emotional. I’ll shout it out here, bit by bit, when it’s ready.

Alongside that, I’m building the studio itself. Documenting the journey. Learning marketing (yikes), sharing devlogs, and building a public trail for others to follow—or laugh at.

The Hardest Lesson I’ve Learned

“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can do.”

People love to sort you into silos: “you’re the tech guy,” “you’re not business-minded,” “that’s not realistic.”

Bullshit.

A janitor can be a genius. A CEO can be a dumbass. Labels are lies if you let them be.

You have to fight for what you want. I’m doing that now—loudly, in the open.

What’s Next

Prototyping early mechanics for my dream game
Launching a newsletter to build a following (and keep myself accountable)
Sharing weekly devlogs, mistakes included
Connecting with other weird, determined indie creators

Got any advice from your own dev journey?
Drop a comment. Or just follow along.
This is just the start.

What’s one thing you wish you knew before starting your studio?

Forem: Zachary Zamiska