How many projects did you scrap. I've scraped lots of my projects, only have finished 3 games, years ago.
Right now I've got a new idea for a single player rpg. But I've been working on an MMORPG. Thinking the scope for the MMORPG is too large, I want to make a single player game instead.
I won't start a real/full project unless I have prototypes for every subsystem of the game I want to develop. So I haven't had to scrap any big projects. Prototypes might get abandoned all the time but the fact they are small lowers the risk of lost time.
I've only ever scrapped one project and it was a behemoth. I only had to learn once, the game I'm working on now is tiny in comparison.
@Megalomaniak said: I won't start a real/full project unless I have prototypes for every subsystem of the game I want to develop. So I haven't had to scrap any big projects. Prototypes might get abandoned all the time but the fact they are small lowers the risk of lost time.
Going by subsystems seems really smart, but personally can't imagine being randomly motivated to create a subsystem, or what I assume is a game component you could plug into something later. Perhaps when I have your level of experience I might know what you mean. What would be an example of a subsystem you made?
Oh... I guess what you mean is that you're just so smart that while you're working on a project you know how to compartmentalize each piece for future use. /applause
No not at all, but when you notice that your prototype has grown large enough to include that it effectively includes what could be considered multiple subsystems you split it into multiple projects or at least multiple independent scene hierarchies. Progressive refinement.
As for what could be a subsystem: A character controller, a inventory system, a terrain or dungeon/level generator etc. A specific enemy unit type.
@Megalomaniak said: As for what could be a subsystem: A character controller, a inventory system, a terrain or dungeon/level generator etc. A specific enemy unit type.
Coming from java & javascript mostly background, I don't understand how you things can be easily reused. Godot, to me, is not about creating a well defined class and simply calling .new() on it for an instance. From what I've learned from gdscript, the code is tightly connected with the nodes. It seems to me that to make reusable components I'd need to create scenes from one piece of code, as in a single node object adding/loading other nodes in as children while setting their parameters. Otherwise repurposing scenes seems like a complicated web of readjusting parent child relationships and parameters. I have only created dynamic code defined scenes where I've had to, like a dynamic floor with Astar grid.
Am I wrong? The feeling I get is that godot entices you to crisscross spaghetti up your logic and make static scenes. I'm guessing you've gotta make a conscious effort to make something that'll be reusable.
By "dynamic code defined scenes" I mean scenes where the code builds the nodes instead of what I assume is the normal way of the nodes holding the code.
To be clear I don't make them reusable unless its something easily pluginizable, instead it'll be a reference project I'll just look back on/through, maybe copy-paste snippets from. Which is again why it's good to keep them small and focused, less need to thoroughly document them then.
And yes, nodes holding code for the most part. But there are also instances where I'd have code generating the node hierarchy. But for smaller things. Unless it's a plugin, then it might be bigger. Though if it's going to be performance critical and higher complexity it might be better to make it a module on c-level implementing a new node that way instead.
I've scrapped them all. Worked on a lot of games in my time (been programming for like 25 years) but the only stuff that got released was when I was working at studios. For my personal projects I usually just make a bunch of prototypes, that don't work for whatever reason or I'm just not happy with them. I really do have to release something, it can be demotivating never finishing anything.
I've scrapped the same game three times. Once was to change engines though. Each time I scrap, it takes radically less time to rebuild it. Maybe if I keep scraping it, I'll finish the entire thing in a month.
I've scrapped many many... let's be kind and call them projects, instead of wishlists, which would be more accurate. Lol, I'm not good at finishing games, because there's always a bunch of preproduction I need to do first and I just want to START CODING. Plus I always plan too big. I will start one and finish it sometime soon though.
@cybereality said: I've scrapped them all. Worked on a lot of games in my time (been programming for like 25 years) but the only stuff that got released was when I was working at studios. For my personal projects I usually just make a bunch of prototypes, that don't work for whatever reason or I'm just not happy with them. I really do have to release something, it can be demotivating never finishing anything.
You basically finished half of my game by helping with the corner conveyor belt UVs if that makes ya feel better =) .
@cybereality said: I've scrapped them all. Worked on a lot of games in my time (been programming for like 25 years) but the only stuff that got released was when I was working at studios. For my personal projects I usually just make a bunch of prototypes, that don't work for whatever reason or I'm just not happy with them. I really do have to release something, it can be demotivating never finishing anything.
I hear you. I need to release something so I have something to show for all my time spent, but I always design a game thats way to big or has original mechanics I don't know how to create.
I see this thread is a couple of years old, but the question is still so relevant! I think all of us in the game dev world have scrapped more projects than we'd like to admit.
I'm really curious, how did it go? Did you make the jump to the single-player RPG? It's been two years, so I bet you've learned a lot and hopefully made some progress!
If you're ever in the brainstorming or planning phases again, or maybe even for future projects, you might find these web scraping videos at https://www.nannostomus.com/web-crawling/ interesting. The logical thinking involved in web scraping can be quite enlightening for any sort of coding endeavor.
