I've got inspired by a fellow Game-Developer @
tonyperriello for making a post-mortem Game blog post!
For those who are not familiar with the term: In the post mortem blog posts I would like to talk about what I have learned and achieved on a personal level from that project, and maybe give like a little insight of code if people want that?
Learned how game developing works, basic collision in java lwjgl/slick2d, 90x90 rule, wrapping up a game is harder than it seems. And to write a nice code!
I have started game developing because first of course I am into games, obviously, but second because I am studying it at a university of applied sciences.
It's crucial to know, how a game actually works (in the framework/engine you work with):
First, all the desired objects are being initialized, so they exist.
Then the game loop starts where first its updating like the positions, states, pressed buttons, collisions and so on.
Then the next picture is being rendered.
What actually blew my mind there is, that every freaking frame is rendered again, and again, more or less from scratch. And that every frame, 60 times per second for the most part, that poor computer has to to thounsands of calculations. Dude, thats hard work!
So, what I've learned in particular from my
first game is a lot of java, and the super basics how collision problems work.
So the main task of a programmer is basically breaking down things in little problems, and the next steps are tackling every single problem. For collision it somehow goes like this:
1. Collision detection
2. What to do, when certain objects collide
Okay, now to the hardest thing I was bound to learn in order to participate in One Game A Month (#1GAM):
The 90x90 rule.
Yes.
That rule again. I think I've mentioned it. When you think you're almost done, well, you're wrong. You are damn wrong. Actually you have barely made it to the half point really.
And that is a frustrating point, more like a wall you have to deal with somehow.
Just let me give you this advice: Don't give up!
Last thing I have learned from this first game: It's froggin important to write a nice and well-arranged code. Things you can't do with a crappy code:
1. Properly ask for help
2. Remember what the code does
And hence 3. Work on that code after some time passed
So, please kid, remember: Keep yo codes clean!
Some stuff about my life recently:
So, right now it's finals time, and tomorrow is my first exam. Maths! It'll be alright I guess. First time I'm in the middle of finals for me, so I am kind of excited, but already super tired of it really.
I have recently found that awesome site www.habitRPG.com, it's all bout gameifing you're life in order to build up new healthy cool habits you want to implement in your life. The first time to-do lists get actually checked off by me on a regular basis! Please check it out, and if you like it, think about funding their kickstarter project :) Good night!
But these folks are in a hurry, so you better drive as fast as you can to drive them to their destination.
Everytime you are doing a good job at delivering those people, you get paid with more lifetime. When you're too slow, you still have to deliver them, but you're not going to get anything of the time back!
