Category Archives: General Advice

Groundhog Day – How To Escape From Development Hell.

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I’ve talked about not repeating yourself before and just like a certain holiday, I’m going to repeat myself. In the movie GroundHog Day Bill Murray’s character is forced to repeat the same day over and over again. It isn’t until he begins to find a way to improve the day does he finally get to move on. As a viewer, we never know how many times he repeats this day, other than he was locked in this loop for weeks, if not years.

As a developer, it is important to not repeat the same unsuccessful ideas. If something isn’t working instead of just trying little changes with the hope that it will solve the problem, take the time to figure out why the problem is there is the first place. It might be something quick and easy to fix, but it might also be a fundamental problem that will require a more involved solution.

But, the important part is that each step should be bringing you closer to a solution. But, you won’t find that solution until you know what is causing the problem.

This also requires taking the time to know your code and the language that it is written in. Is the problem simply you misunderstanding something? Is the problem your solution being wrong? Is the problem simply a typo or a greater than that should have been a less than? If you understand the problem, then these solutions will likely become obvious. It also helps if your code is well designed and modular. That way you can test smaller parts of the program to see where the actual problem lies.

Yes, I did repeat advice from the past, but when you put the parts together they often lead to a quick solution to whatever problems you might be having.

You Don’t Have To Do It Yourself – A Great Art Resource For Games.

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Often, a developer comes up with an idea for a game, but lacks the art resources. Oddly, not everyone is an artist. But, that doesn’t have to stop you. For this post, I’ll show one resource that I found useful in my own apps.

The site is: Kenney.nl.

Just a few examples of the art available on the Kenney website.

There are also some sound effects and musical cues available on the page. Many of the assets are available for free, but there are several packs of assets that can be purchased for a relatively small fee. If you are have ideas for a project, but you are struggling to create the art for it, this is a good place to start. The art isn’t always perfect, but it is a good start and if your idea is solid then the art will work well enough to get your project out the door. I also know of some people that use the art to prototype their games so they can get things working while someone is creating the art they plan to use.

The best part about these assets – the license doesn’t require a charge or even credit for any usage – even commercial. For a small indie developer that alone makes it worth looking at.

While Working On Your Own Reach Out To Others.

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This is another topic that seems slightly obvious, but it also highlights an easy trap to fall into. Programmers are often drawn into their projects and tend to ignore the world around them. It is a necessary part of the job, but it is also a risky one. So, I implore you to step outside of that zone at times and reach out to others. This isn’t just when you need their help. It is also true when things seem to be going okay.

Why, you ask? For a break, and also for perspective. In the end, our projects are going to be used by other people. It’s important to get some feedback from others in order to know if our ideas are working or not. But, it also gives us a chance to give our brains a break. It is easy to get so focused on solving problems that we miss the easiest solutions. Forcing yourself to step back occasionally will often avoid that trap.

So, yeah. Take some time for other people – even if it’s a short online chat or email. Getting that contact with another real person can sometimes make all the difference in a successful project. Yes, you have time to take a few minutes away from your project – both the project and your sanity require it.