Skip to main content

What does a good game consist of? (part 21)

Programmer's Role in Game Development
-part 3:

Why is Coding Hard?

This is the last of the three part miniseries which describes the programmer's role in the game development process.

So how come it's so hard to code something?

One of the main reasons is the need to be well-prepared for it which most programmers are not. In other words preparation-one or more of the following reasons include lack of being prepared for the task:
  • the programmer is coding by the most difficult thing they learnt, which means they don't do what is in their capability but overstretching
  • lack of test-driven development
  • "determination" to make an average game, which can be boring in both terms of development and playing
  • incomplete GDD
  • lack of problem-solving attitude
  • lack of a productivity plan
So mental preparation is the main problem here: prepare yourself to code better and faster!
  • go step by step, and work with what you have learnt so far, not of what you are currently learning
  • build on small and core chunks of the game
  • be determined to make an above-average game, even if you see no way to do it-the game will be above average, even if for the tiniest notch!
  • make the GDD complete, but not complete as everything being written, but as having everything which a programmer needs to be there
  • have the attitude of "every problem has a solution"
  • decide which techniques or tools you will use for enchanced productivity

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

static mesh render

Static mesh is a data compound of a three dimensional object in time and space. To render one, it takes a one big storage file that contains all the data about the object. That data has to be stored on a disk drive. The really tricky meshes to render are the flying ones. It's a completely different air pressure. The data gets written to a game memory log, it's a massive multiplayer online game, otherwise in the cloud, like Steam. To render one, the data from the level and monster data files to the monitor handling chip. Monitor handling chips vary based on personal computers, lap tops, operating system, processor and graphics car. Before a three dimensional object can be rendered it has to be fixed on memory, either random access memory or the disk drive recovery point. A three dimensional object data can take quite a large amount of memory, especially those used multiple times. Steam Cloud has it's own of handling data, so that it is persistent. A level is made of static m...

Level design basics, part 2

An arch level design is hard, as it doesn't involve only polygon boxes, but also also three dimensional curve lines. If you ever played. Americas army 1, you'll know how hard it is to make a curve building, like the famous over played bridge crossing map. The point is to start. With one curve. Curve is not a straight line, but it's still a line. Means it is possible to apply lines into a three dimensional level. arch 0 0 1 0

object render

To render objects with c++, it is first required to load them on the engine's heap. After loading the object it has to be integrated into the game engine's allocated memory. void integrate() {     direct_x_node.call(); } Modern games(after doom 2) take an insane amount of heap memory. Integrating all the objects on the level, can take 400 mb or random access memory (ram). The same memory has the chip effect on the working of the central processing unit. To completely render the object, the first step is to load all the textures, shadow models, parts, particles, inner model, render the object on the level map, all the corelations with the heuristics. It is very hard to render the inner part of the objects, such as anatomy or infra structure. While it is perfectly fine to just render the inner part to not be displayed.  The anatomy of a player character or non player can be seen on the outside, and the internal strurcture of a level object such as a building, including the ...