Don't get overwhelmed by your game.
Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 2:38 amI realized that a lot of games are quit when a developer is making a game and over time, realizes that it feels like little has been accomplished in what seems has been a long period of time, and find much more to do in their game. Myself, just a few days a go, while working on a game felt this feeling and I needed to get this game done for my May tournament. I would just like to remind you on how a game should be made by the developer.
1) Always know your ideas before you venture off into your game. Make a blueprint in your mind about how the beginning, ending, and how game-play will be. Not doing this can make you clueless what to do next and with a lot to be done, you feel that your game is never-ending and quit on it.
2) Divide the game into equal parts. In my game, it felt as though a lot had to be accomplished in a short amount of time. Then I divided doing things per day. Today, I created the floor, and tomorrow I am working on constructing that floor into a maze which I already started on. Now it feels as though I can be done in just a few days.
3) Don't bite more than you can chew. Only do what you know you can do. If there is a code you can't do, either learn it, or find a way around it. I was going to add scaling in my game, but that is way too far out of my skill level as of now. Also, don't add too much to your game. A few power-ups is fine, but don't do a billion thinking it will make game better and then stress yourself out. I feel as though I learn more as I just do stuff my way now a days. If you add too much stuff or make yourself stuck on something, your game will just be too stressful and you will get rid of it most likely.
4) Don't force yourself to continue what you are bored of. This goes not for the game itself, but parts of the game. If you do the same thing over and over, or just keep working on the game, and start getting bored, then don't push it. Save and stop. Wait til' the next day when you are refreshed. Trust me. Some bad things can happen. You may get extremely tired. You could even get a headache that can go horrible if you continue on still with the headache. Lastly, you may even get so bored of it, that you get bored of the game, and quit the game altogether.
5) Condition for a game. Have you ever been determined to run ten miles, but haven't even trained to run one without gasping for air. If you have, you know what I am talking about. Just like running, you should warm-up for a big game. If it means making a game such as Pong to get the juices in your brain to start working, then do it. Sometimes, coding small and practicing what you know can be a big help in helping you start thinking about correct coding in the bigger games. Just like if you ever wrote something, but didn't know how to start it. Just write random characters down, and maybe the juices in your brain will kick in, and help you think of a good hook. Not conditioning for a game can make your brain boggled at problems in the big games, frustrate you, and make you quit your game.
6) Give credit to Red on this one. After you finish your first game, and start to work on the second, there is a possibility that you may just go back to the first to add improvements on it with the new stuff you learned. When your first game is released, never think it has to be perfect or you will drive yourself crazy later on. Just remember the second game, as you need to set that as your highest priority, or it will go in the trash. You already made the first game, now people want to see you with your improved second game.
Again, I am just reminding you what to do. I know you know this, but often times, we forget these steps, and forget making games has a reality of its own. Hope you make use of what I told you.
1) Always know your ideas before you venture off into your game. Make a blueprint in your mind about how the beginning, ending, and how game-play will be. Not doing this can make you clueless what to do next and with a lot to be done, you feel that your game is never-ending and quit on it.
2) Divide the game into equal parts. In my game, it felt as though a lot had to be accomplished in a short amount of time. Then I divided doing things per day. Today, I created the floor, and tomorrow I am working on constructing that floor into a maze which I already started on. Now it feels as though I can be done in just a few days.
3) Don't bite more than you can chew. Only do what you know you can do. If there is a code you can't do, either learn it, or find a way around it. I was going to add scaling in my game, but that is way too far out of my skill level as of now. Also, don't add too much to your game. A few power-ups is fine, but don't do a billion thinking it will make game better and then stress yourself out. I feel as though I learn more as I just do stuff my way now a days. If you add too much stuff or make yourself stuck on something, your game will just be too stressful and you will get rid of it most likely.
4) Don't force yourself to continue what you are bored of. This goes not for the game itself, but parts of the game. If you do the same thing over and over, or just keep working on the game, and start getting bored, then don't push it. Save and stop. Wait til' the next day when you are refreshed. Trust me. Some bad things can happen. You may get extremely tired. You could even get a headache that can go horrible if you continue on still with the headache. Lastly, you may even get so bored of it, that you get bored of the game, and quit the game altogether.
5) Condition for a game. Have you ever been determined to run ten miles, but haven't even trained to run one without gasping for air. If you have, you know what I am talking about. Just like running, you should warm-up for a big game. If it means making a game such as Pong to get the juices in your brain to start working, then do it. Sometimes, coding small and practicing what you know can be a big help in helping you start thinking about correct coding in the bigger games. Just like if you ever wrote something, but didn't know how to start it. Just write random characters down, and maybe the juices in your brain will kick in, and help you think of a good hook. Not conditioning for a game can make your brain boggled at problems in the big games, frustrate you, and make you quit your game.
6) Give credit to Red on this one. After you finish your first game, and start to work on the second, there is a possibility that you may just go back to the first to add improvements on it with the new stuff you learned. When your first game is released, never think it has to be perfect or you will drive yourself crazy later on. Just remember the second game, as you need to set that as your highest priority, or it will go in the trash. You already made the first game, now people want to see you with your improved second game.
Again, I am just reminding you what to do. I know you know this, but often times, we forget these steps, and forget making games has a reality of its own. Hope you make use of what I told you.
