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Setting Up Your Project Infrastructure

For a chill revshare project with remote team members working in a relaxed way, you need a simple setup that covers communication, assets, information, and progress tracking — all in a clean, easy way that doesn't overwhelm anyone.

Note that this doc is meant for the project leader in particular to manage the team. As for actual tools to build the playable game itself, that depends on each individual member what they're already comfortable with.

For coders, they may use Godot, Unity, Unreal, GDevelop, Raylib, Dragonruby or whatever else they want. For artists, they'll use whatever program they like and are comfortable with - its all about trusting that each member already has the best tool for the role they need, so the project leader doesn't have to worry about that at all.

Philosophy: Keep it lean and simple. Four free tools, minimal overhead, covers everything. Don't overcomplicate your workflow or you'll spend more time managing tools than making your game.

The Recommended Setup

1. Discord

Communication & Quick Updates

Create a simple server with these channels: #general-design-any, #raw-art, #technical-code, #content, #ideas (as a forum), #off-topic.

Why this tool: Perfect for daily chat, quick questions, basic temporary file sharing, and casual discussions. Most game developers already have Discord installed.

Setup time: 5 minutes to create a server and add basic channels.

2. Trello

Task Management

Dead simple project board with four lists: "To Do," "In Progress," "Done," and "Ideas." Add cards for tasks, attach images, comment on stuff. Takes 2 minutes to learn.

Why this tool: Visual, intuitive, non-technical. You can embed images right in cards for art approval. No learning curve. Everyone can see at a glance what needs doing.

Setup time: 10 minutes to create a board and add initial task cards.

Alternative: GitHub Projects (if your team is already using GitHub), Notion, or even a shared Google Doc with checkboxes.

3. Google Drive or Dropbox

Asset Sharing & Documentation

Shared folder structure: /game-builds, /asset dump, /design docs, /management docs. Simple, versioned, accessible anywhere.

Why this tool: Reliable cloud storage everyone knows how to use. Automatic syncing. Version history in case something goes wrong. Works on all platforms.

Setup time: 15 minutes to create folder structure and set up sharing permissions.

4. GitHub (or GitLab/Bitbucket)

Code Repository & Version Control

For code specifically, your programmer probably wants GitHub anyway (free), which also has a basic project board built-in.

Why this tool: Industry standard for code collaboration. Built-in version control prevents disasters. Can be made public for open-source projects or kept private. Has issues/discussions features too.

Setup time: Your programmer handles this. 15-30 minutes to set up repository and basic structure.

Note: Non-programmers don't need to learn Git deeply — just know that this is where the code lives and is backed up. 'Github Desktop' (search it on the web) in particular is excellent as a GUI solution that doesn't require dealing with obtuse Command Line nonsense.

Why This Setup Works

All free: Zero budget? No problem. All these tools have generous free tiers perfect for small teams.
Minimal learning curve: Everyone already knows these tools or can learn them in minutes.
No timezone conflicts: Async-friendly. Work when you want, catch up on your own schedule.
Clear separation of concerns: Chat in Discord, track tasks in Trello, store files in Drive, manage code in GitHub. Each tool has one job and does it well.
Scales with your team: Works for 2 people, works for 10 people.
Remote-first by design: Everything is cloud-based and accessible from anywhere.

Setup Checklist

Follow these steps to get your project infrastructure up and running:

Create Discord server — Set up the channels listed above
Create Trello board — Add the four lists and initial task cards
Set up Google Drive folder — Create the folder structure, share access with team members, set appropriate permissions
Initialize GitHub repository — Have your programmer create the repo, add .gitignore, initial README
Document everything — Create a "Links" document with all the platform links in one place
Test access — Make sure all team members can access all platforms
Set expectations — Explain to your team what each platform is for and how you'll use them

What NOT to Do

Don't use too many tools. Each new tool adds friction and maintenance burden.
Don't overcomplicate your workflow. Start simple. Add complexity only when it's truly needed.
Don't rely on paid tools in the beginning. Stick to free tiers until you have revenue.
Don't scatter information. Keep related info together. If someone asks "where's the asset guidelines?" everyone should know the answer immediately.
Don't forget to document. Write down conventions, folder structures, and processes so new members can onboard themselves.

The Bottom Line

Four tools: Discord, Trello, Google Drive, GitHub.

Total setup time: ~1 hour

Total cost: $0

Result: A professional, organized workflow that lets you focus on making your game instead of managing chaos.

This is the lean setup that actually works for chill revshare projects. It's been battle-tested by countless indie teams. You don't need anything fancier until you're making money.

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