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> Make as simple a game as possible when you're starting Back when I had enough spare time to do game jams, one critical thing I learned was, once you have som
by lloeki 5y ago
> Make as simple a game as possible when you're starting
Back when I had enough spare time to do game jams, one critical thing I learned was, once you have some idea, make it simpler. Now make it even simpler. And then, make it simpler again. Repeat that about 20 times, possibly more. Now you have something that you can possibly build and actually release, and guess what, counterintuitively, it'll be fun as hell.
Coz what makes a game fun is not the thousands of wonderful ideas you may have bolted on together, it's just a couple of things you distilled for the love of it, chiseling away, down to the core of the game mechanics, into some magical essence.
- bananabat 5y agoI've never been brave enough to do game jams. I dunno, I've always been afraid I'd break under the pressure. Was it fun for you?
- lloeki 5y agoTons of fun. It's been frightening alright but I learned so much, and not just about game dev: lots of takeaways that apply to day-to-day development, like finding the balance between quality and getting things done, keeping things ultra-simple, understanding the value in inlining or even repeating code, finding the minimal abstraction sweet spot... It's OK to be afraid! Turns out it also teaches that you can just let it go, go for it and enjoy the wild ride.
- bananabat 5y agoGuess my insecurity comes from not having any kind of programming or even math background. Esp in group game jams, I have a feeling I'd be the weakest link and everyone would yell at me.