Scaling Back

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cyangames	Created : 04 November 2014 System : Mac Scaling Back Smaller Games = More Games!
So far this year has been very productive, lots of projects have gotten off the ground, lots of websites have been built and I'm learning more everyday and feeling like I'm gradually getting better at making games. But, as you've probably noticed, I've not released a single game so far this year and seem to keep starting new, exciting projects almost on a whim when I should really be focussed on finishing off the games I've already got 75-90% of the way completed! There's a long list of them now (roughly 6 or 7 games) and I'm sure that they should turn out to be fun games but, no-one is going to be able to enjoy them unless I release them fully! It's so frustrating at times that my urge to simply move on to something new becomes overwhelming. I still would love to make making games become my main thing at some point in the future, but that's just not going to happen unless I release something. I mean, at least a game a year should be achievable I think game jams appeal to me more than game making does, primarily because I will tend to look at a game and end up working on extra polish / extending the size of the game when it's not really something you have time of in a game jam set-up. So, what should I do? I've got to finish these older games off at some point and stop starting new ones off. It's obvious, just need to get more disciplined with this side of things probably. Wow, that went a bit inward there didn't it. Still need to post it to get it off my back a bit though.

Comments
Tuesday, 04 November 2014, 07:26
Jayenkai	Having a deadline helps. I wouldn't suggest something as crazy as AGameAWeek, but trying to focus on OneGameAMonth seems to be helping a lot of the people on my Twitter feed. The idea of forcing yourself to release something, no matter how "unfinished" it is, is important. God knows, most of my stuff's incomplete!! What I tend to find is that, if people enjoy an unfinished game, I can spend extra time bulking it up to a more polished edition. .. Although that seems to be happening less and less nowadays.. But, yeah, set a schedule, and work towards that. And try to stick with it! It's a bit of a rush trying to finish everything off in time, but after a few releases you should find it easier to manage.
Tuesday, 04 November 2014, 07:33
cyangames	Thanks for the advice Jay, much appreciated Yeah, I think I'm set on finishing off some of these unfinished games for what's left of this year, then focus on getting something small out every month next year, probably do some quick 1-2 hour prototypes during the first week and see what sticks in my mind.
Saturday, 08 November 2014, 16:34
cyangames	Turning one of my 1 hour game jam games into something for the OUYA currently. Really simple single player / multiplayer game, with a few game options,etc.
Saturday, 08 November 2014, 17:00
Jayenkai	oooooh!! Looks like it could be interesting. Can't wait for the result..
Saturday, 08 November 2014, 17:12
cyangames	Thanks dude! Should be on there / in review before the end of next week, that's my self-set deadline for it Found the music and some nicer sfx for it today, the basic version of the main game is all there, just felt it needed tarting up a tad.
Sunday, 09 November 2014, 17:09
cyangames	Got most of the game types populated in-game today, all going well I might add some more variants later on. Really need to get a move on with cpu code next.
Monday, 10 November 2014, 17:34
cyangames	All 4 players are in there now, with "Easy" level CPU implemented. Need to add some avoidance routines for medium and hard settings ideally.
Tuesday, 11 November 2014, 02:58
cyangames	Cheers Kuron, hoping to add a few more lil bits tonight. Have slyly left the OUYA on at home today so hopefully Triston will pop back from school and have a play before I get home from work. He'll have some cool ideas for it I'm sure
Tuesday, 11 November 2014, 16:27
cyangames	Got some basic avoidance routines in. They work fairly well, as in I've been beaten by the A.I. on a couple of occasions. Just need to target their firing times a bit then I reckon I'll have a hard mode going on there. \|update\| Got the targetted firing going on but I'm still worried that it's a bit too easy to manipulate the A.I. Ahh well. It's been a while since I've done any sort of A.I. aside from simple path fining anyhoo. Oh crap, it's past midnight already.... \|update\|
Wednesday, 12 November 2014, 02:43
cyangames	Yup, gonna have to change the A.I. firing code again tonight. This morning Triston beat it on tough setting with ease! I can't have that
Wednesday, 12 November 2014, 15:48
cyangames	Okie dokie, boosted up the A.I. again so they have more memory of shots fired an enemy locations, mean they're a tad tougher than before. Still, I can beat them fairly easily on normal settings. Sooo, what's the only solution? MAKE THE GAME FASTER! AND FASTER.... AND FASTER YET AGAIN! So it actually becomes tough as hell to dodge all the bullets on screen. At that point, it becomes about 50/50 whether the cpu wins or not for me. That, I think, will have to suffice. Left to do: Add looping mode (move from top to appear at the bottom, etc) - DONE Sort out the music per screen - DONE Add in Tournament Mode Visible scoring, when you hit something it should flash add show the points briefly Display the player number on screen in multiplayer (otherwise it gets too confusing) Here goes....me to the kitchen to make a coffee or something, then return to code. All going well I might port this onto ipad / android tablets for multiplayer and single player. Orr I might enhance it some more on the OUYA before doing so. Anyhoo, too the kettle.
Wednesday, 12 November 2014, 16:10
Jayenkai	LOL! Sounds like one of my solutions.. Dumb enemy * (speed + frequency) = Harder!!!!
Wednesday, 12 November 2014, 16:26
cyangames	Hahaa, pretty much, works though \|update\| Yup, lost a few fights again 3 computer opponents on tough mode, and a bunch of time too! Tomorrow night's gonna be busy. I mean, I guess I kinda have friday night too as saturday's the last day of the week but, I'd like to stick to my own deadline somewhat Musics done though, think that leaves only 5 bits left. \|update\|
Thursday, 13 November 2014, 17:47
cyangames	Gahh, still a couple of things to do for tomorrow night now. Still, friday is in the same week Think I did the original code me do a couple of saturdays ago sooo, yeah. It's come along a bit! Reworked the border art and some other smaller bits tonight as well as some bug fixing.
Friday, 14 November 2014, 18:39
cyangames	Sweet, finished coding it up just now. Just need to add a snazzy graphic, get some screenshots ready and a quickie vidja then It's good to go. Soo, probably tomorrow night then. Still the same week though
Saturday, 15 November 2014, 18:42
cyangames	Cool, all shipped off to OUYA for review (fingers crossed)
Saturday, 15 November 2014, 19:05
Jayenkai	\o/yeay\o/ ... But you'll have to wait until Monday.. They don't do weekends. (Lazy buggers!)
Saturday, 15 November 2014, 19:39
cyangames	Ahh, that's fine, I didn't get my video sorted out tonight anyways. Looking forward to having a paly with the family on this one, even Wifey says she'll actually play this one, which is nice
Monday, 17 November 2014, 14:23
cyangames	And It's approved by OUYA, yay! But... I noticed a frame rate issue on my OUYA so I'm fixing that and re-submitting it. Becuase..yeah, framerates 'n' stuff
Monday, 17 November 2014, 14:26
Jayenkai	Woohoo
Monday, 17 November 2014, 15:00
cyangames	All fixed up, Also, looks like their review time is more like under a day currently. That's on a monday, after I'm guessing they've recieved more games to review over the weekend. Soo, you may have an extra day or so available? Will be glad to push the publish button fo sho
Monday, 17 November 2014, 15:52
cyangames	devs.ouya.tv/gamers/queued_downloads/new?uuid=com.RefreshCreations.InvasionVS YAY! It's finished! Time to port me do. Well, in a few days anyway
Monday, 17 November 2014, 16:47
Jayenkai	Woot! https://www.ouya.tv/game/Invasion-VS/ Will give it a go in the morning.. I may very well have overdone it, tonight!!!
Wednesday, 19 November 2014, 16:59
cyangames	Quickie Update, the port is coming along well. Making a few GUI alterations to accomodate for touch screens on tablets and probably smaller screens too. Then it'll be the PC port, then onto finishing off that lil Maths Racer probably just before chrimbo.
Wednesday, 19 November 2014, 17:01
Jayenkai	Apologies that I've not yet played.. Keep meaning to, but .. Focussing on Advent, atm. I'll be booting up the OUYA on Friday for test purposes, so will try it out, then.
Thursday, 20 November 2014, 02:08
Jayenkai	Initial Reaction : "That sounds like the Sonic 4 theme.." Gameplay wise, love it. Crackin' concept and well presented. Also, works really well on the landscape screen, too! I've been struggling a lot to come up with nice ideas for landscape, but yours works wonderfully. Whinger's Gripe : O to start, Y to actually start, then after a game, A to continue. Seems a lot of jumping around for "push to continue"
Thursday, 20 November 2014, 03:55
cyangames	It does? I'll be honest, I haven't played Sonic 4 yet and the bgm was from the asset store I've always loved the music in the Sonic games so that may have been a sub-concious draw for me Glad you like it, the tablet / mobile version should be ready for testing this weekend. Could be interesting having two players leaning over the same tablet [url=https://socoder.net/uploads/1005/WP_20141120_10_59_18_Pro[1].jpg] [/url] Might finish it tonight if things go well and I don't end up falling asleep at work today! Soo sleepy!
Wednesday, 26 November 2014, 07:53
cyangames	Number Racer should be on the OUYA by this coming Monday, maybe for Friday.
Wednesday, 26 November 2014, 07:59
Jayenkai	Awesome! More!! More!!! Mooooore!!!!
Wednesday, 26 November 2014, 08:06
cyangames	Ohh, yes, Someone has requested for Network play on Invasion VS which I'll be looking into in a little while also. But yeah, one thing at a time ( at least, with games anyway )
Wednesday, 26 November 2014, 13:48
Jayenkai	Hurray!! Obligatory OtakuPunk video! View on YouTube
Wednesday, 26 November 2014, 14:33
cyangames	Yay! Looks like he had fun playing it, although, yeah, it's a bit easy on slow settings

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