I have four options how to spend my time.
- I make music
- I paint something
- Do pixel art
- I start working on a small game
It’s the number four that calls for me, but I find game programming et al very tedious. Well, technically speaking I don’t mind “system programming” in which I refer to the rules and relations of the game as a system. It’s the graphics, and all that surrounding bullshit that I hate. I love coding odd little features, like the complex hit system that I designed just for fun on Lisp last year.
Basically, it was a system that allowed for a any arbitrary shaped weapons (i.e 10 feet long pole with a chain on the top attached to a ball with two spikes) and then managed to compare that weapon to something else (i.e. 5 feet pole with a blade at top) and ascertain a calculation how “similar” the weapon was and if you were skilled in the other weapon, how well you could use this weapon.
It was fun, and very long, design process.
It didn’t work 100%, though. I can’t remember all the issues I had with it, but if I remember correctly, I had trouble plugging it in to a damage system for some reason or another, which is where I stopped. It was just an academic exercise, after all.
So, anyway, I have GameMaker now, and I also have had a BlitzMax version for ages. I was feeling flush with cash, and instead of buying two games I bought GM. I like supporting little indie nutjobs who do these small frameworks. The idea is that once I get down to cracking, I should be able to make few small games pretty quickly. First on GameMaker, and then when I feel like my brain can hadle some coding I’ll move to BlitzMax. Or that’s the plan. I know I should be working on Luola right now, but Ville is busy with the engine and I’m on holidays. Right now Luola feels too much like work (it’s 3D!).
Maybe I’ll do something for that game today, but first, I’ll spend my morning thinking about a game for myself.
