I had a lot of fun doing this jam! This was my second jam (although for the first one I didn't make the deadline) and I noticed some massive improvements from the last jam to this one. This was how it went, basically:
- The theme was announced right as I was leaving work, so I spent the whole trip home thinking of ideas and I had a rough idea by the time I got home. I think nailing down an idea early made a huge difference.
- I pared down the idea into something manageable - originally, I wanted upgrades and different biomes to explore, and all sorts of stuff. It could've been doable with a team, or if I was more experienced, but I think making sure I wasn't overextending really helped out.
- I didn't even think about graphics or sound until I had written the mechanics. I just used squares to indicate different objects in the game and made sure the gameplay felt right first. I'm still not 100% happy with the gameplay, but I definitely think it's good considering the time restrictions and my level of experience.
- I was stressing hard about the level design, because it isn't something I've had to do before. I think it turned out alright, not perfect by any means but good enough. I actually found it much easier and more fun than I anticipated!
- I took a ton of breaks. On Saturday I had arranged to donate blood, so I had a few hours where I was out and about. I went for a walk Saturday night too. On Sunday I woke up and wrote code for about 6 hours, then grabbed some lunch and put on a film. About halfway through the film I started writing again, but I kept the film running. I think taking regular breaks really helped, it allowed me to clear my head and come back to the game feeling more energised.
- I spent the last half hour or so re-writing the dialogue to inject a bit more personality into the protagonist. I don't know if it made much of a difference, but I definitely think personally that it makes the game a bit more fun.
- I submitted the game on Sunday night at around 11pm. I felt pretty good with the end result - I'll probably expand on the idea and look at releasing a full game later down the track.