Slept on it

efloehr on 2011/09/11 14:00 of Programming for 30 years now, never made a real game, gotta try now!

Well, here in the midwest U.S. it was 8pm Saturday when the current challenge started.  I hadn't really done any thinking about the themes, save for one idea I had when I saw "Mysterious Stranger".  But I let my mind wander over the "Mutate!" theme, and talked to my kids and wife about what they thought when they heard that word.

Yesterday, I attended the Ohio Linux Fest and heard a great talk by by Mel Chuna called "Level-up...turn your life into a data-driven video game with FOSS".  In it, she noted that games required four things: a goal, rules, feedback, and voluntary participation.  As I drifted off to sleep late night I came up with the goal, tossed it around a little, and think it will work.

For the rules, and feedback, I'm thinking back to some of the 1980's games I used to play, thinking about their mechanics and making sure that it's something I think I can do in a week.  It's really cool when you think about it that the games I played in the arcade as a kids, are games you can reasonably make in a week (save some polish).  We've come a long way baby!

So today I'm working on rules and feedback, and how best to integrate the theme.  Being a verb, "Mutate!" seems like it would be best incorporated in the rules or other mechanics, rather than the goal or story framework.  I'll work on some sketches of the game, and do a little coding.  The key I've found to a successful software project is enough planning to stay out of the weeds when programming, but not too much planning that you can't innovate as you go.  Also, having quick iterations is important... having something that works and advances the program is key.

Stay tuned!