Game in two days
Somehow here on Habré there was a note about an event about a game in two days. It was suggested to register, find a team (all those who were not enough before), recall old, stale ideas, hide from the outside world for two days and implement the game. I liked the idea, and I immediately wanted to try it in practice.
That's what we did .
In our studio, the situation was such that the development was delayed, and the development of the studio stalled, there was a need for something new, fresh. And this seemingly crazy idea was proposed: to invent and develop a game in two days. We had all the most necessary roles:
Plus to this:
The engine for the game - Unity3d . He was tested on the main project, more studied and looked perfect for our purpose. Programming language - C #. A good developing language in which it is convenient and quick to write code (especially with the Visual Studio + Resharper bundle) is less likely to make mistakes when writing code faster than in C ++. We develop games for iOS devices, which is also a plus in our situation, since These devices are common, and the AppStore is a good platform to start selling a product almost immediately.
')
As a result, there is little effort and cost, and the output is a finished product for sale. This greatly improves mood and adds optimism. Not surprisingly, the majority of the studio’s staff reacted positively to this “crazy” offer! Indeed, everyone wanted in a short time from the beginning to the end to create their own game, so that everyone would have their own place, so that everyone would give their best. Everyone wanted something new!
The case was voluntary. Who would not - could not participate. Fortunately, everyone liked the idea. It was decided to do everything at the weekend, namely, the development of the game was scheduled for Sunday and Monday. Saturday - to rest. And on Tuesday it was possible to sleep off and come to work later. In order not to waste time on the way home, it was decided to spend the night in the office (the benefit of our office is more flat than the office, and some stay overnight in it). Lunch and dinner also decided to order the office.
Since everyone already had some ideas, a special place was set aside for them, where they could record, discuss and propose improvements for a week. As a result, by the end of the week a lot of interesting ideas had accumulated. Everyone was looking forward to the weekend.
On the appointed day, on Sunday, everyone in the good mood was in the morning in the office. The schedule was martial: by 12 o'clock, by brainstorming, choose an idea, then develop and clothe the finished form, by 15.00 make a prototype so that you can try out and, if anything, delete something from the development plans, and add something new. Next - intensive development until 13.00 the next day. By this time there had to be an almost finished game. Before Monday, 20.00, it was suggested to test and finish it. And by 22.00 send for approval to Apple.
The idea was chosen in accordance with the rule: no one is against. One of the ideas won. It was supposed to be a game about a penguin, in which it was necessary to find the best route between swimming fish to collect them all before the oxygen runs out. The idea is not new, but with well-developed gameplay and beautiful graphics, you should have a good game. First of all, probable work on writing code and drawing textures, and in general, the possibility of quick implementation were taken into account. Almost all participants were “for”, one “not against.” Along the way, we discussed the functionality: there should be several levels, two parameters of the penguin, etc. But by 12 o'clock there was no detailed picture of what exactly was supposed to happen. Only in general terms.
From this point on, I began to implement the prototype, and the artist - to draw textures for him. Admittedly, he did it quickly, and immediately after that he began to draw the final versions. The speed of the team is currently measured by the speed of the programmer (me), since I got the main task - to write a functional. And I had to write a lot. The first prototype was only ready around 5 pm, i.e. the plan was broken.
We played with the prototype. He did not give us an understanding of what the result will be and whether we will have time to finish it all, and I just continued to implement the main functionality of the game. At the moment, the main work was on me (scribbling code) and on the artist (he very quickly and beautifully “generated” textures). The rest worked through ideas and engaged in other, not directly related to the development of affairs. And one person (the one that was “not against” the idea), unfortunately, somehow somehow fell out of the development process. This can be explained as follows:
Those. there is an error in the organization of work and the distribution of tasks - management, as they say. On the other hand, it was our first experience, and mistakes were inevitable (they will be written about below).
Somewhere at 22.00 a designer joined the development, since I have practically written the main gameplay, and it was possible to customize something. By this time, the main sounds were already made and the soundtrack was selected - background music. At the same time, a page was opened where everyone left their wishes on the name of the game.
On the first day we almost lost the artist - he fell ill. Somewhere at midnight he went home, and returned only by noon the next day. But he is good, because drew almost everything except the interface elements and menus. It is worth noting the designer, because in the shortest possible time, they mastered the basics of working with Unity, and he was already in full swing setting up the game, and doing character animations! In general, in the evening the already formed and meaningful game was ready. And she met all the hopes that by the evening of the next day she would be ready.
Somewhere by 02.00, everyone except me went to bed. I got so carried away that I could not stop until 4 in the morning. Only common sense (!) And the idea that I needed to sleep after all, made me fall asleep. I fell asleep right away.
I woke up at 8 am and immediately continued to program. Then the rest pulled up, and the development continued. For some reason, the second day was not so vividly remembered as the first. On the second day it was necessary to “finish” the game, diversify and make it more interesting. Even by 15.00 the game was not ready. By this time they decided to do one, but an endless level. It was necessary to adjust the game so that it was interesting to play all the time (which is almost impossible). Some ideas were put forward about this, and I sat down to implement them.
On the second day it was hard to work. First, the deadlines were tight. It put a lot of pressure on your nerves. It seemed that we would not have time, or by the end we would have an unfinished game. It also affected the general fatigue and lack of sleep. At one point, we even almost quarreled, but everything worked out. Development continued.
By the middle of the day, the name for the game was chosen: "Papa Penguin". The game turned out really about dad-penguin, who was supposed to get fish for their children, and they asked more and more!
It was also necessary to optimize the game so that it starts and runs without brakes on all iPod and iPhone devices, starting with the younger generations, and the iPad. It was necessary to take into account their differences in screen resolution, aspect ratio, the presence of vibration, and so on. The biggest problem was the difference in the resolution of the Retina-screen iPhone / iPod 4 compared to previous generations. But this problem was solved. I did not have to redraw anything. Backdrops were made different for menus only for conventional and for HD devices.
As a result: we “finished the game” until 7 in the morning of Tuesday. Without sleep. The most interesting thing is that by this time we were still full of energy. But it was necessary to decide, lay out the game now, or finish it later. And I still had to finish that ... Somewhere since the evening, I stopped periodically uploading the game to iPod 2, as a result, in the morning it turned out that it wasn’t starting on it. It was also necessary to optimize the game, because it began to slow down, plus all sorts of minor deficiencies, which always remain after development, and which I always want to redo (the “refactoring” syndrome of programmers).
It was decided to go to sleep, so as not to do something stupid on mad heads without sleep. And on the next day for fresh heads to discuss everything. Once in the car of a fellow artist who decided to give me a lift, I immediately passed out. Slept until the evening.
The American concept of XP (eXtreme Programming - Extreme Programming) is directly related to our mini-project. Everything was done quickly, but also qualitatively, at any moment plans and requirements could change (and changed). Only we had extreme development - extreme development, to be exact. In German it could be called Blitzentwicklung - lightning-fast development, by analogy with Blitzkrieg - lightning war. These two days of ours were lightning-fast development. Efficiency was high, because everyone was motivated, in a good mood, and the very idea that the game was really fast, carried only positive. Now a little about the sad.
Not everyone came on Wednesday morning. Two people got sick. The man who also retired during development was still engaged in other, unrelated affairs of our current game. During these two days the game was made almost completely. Practically. That is, in the short term, the task was not completed. Two days to complete the game failed. I will try to list all that in my opinion led to this:
But, in general, it was decided at a quiet pace to “finish” the game almost to perfect condition. In the course of the following week we did this. Some textures have been redrawn and redrawn, the game is optimized, bugs fixed, some hints improved, menus improved. Made a game site . As a result, at a quiet pace, it took one working week. I will also add that the general interest in the game did not fall, but on the contrary, everyone wanted to make it better, “polish”.
On the sixth day, we uploaded it to iTunes for review by Apple. Another week she was in the queue for review, and one day at Apple she was “surveyed”, and now she is already in the AppStore.
As a result, the game is very different from the original idea. Of course, the penguin and the fish remained, but it was no longer a puzzle as such (although at some moments it is really necessary to calculate optimal trajectories to save oxygen, recruit as many fish as possible and not run into bad guys). But, nevertheless, the game was no less interesting. And the initial idea to fasten to it is not difficult.
Now we are waiting to see how the idea of extreme development will pay for itself. The “current” task was completed: we received a new interesting product that is already being sold. In addition, we now have a lot of ideas for its improvement and further progress. We concluded that it is possible to make a quality game in two days. But only if it is a “super-mini” game (such as a tag, for example), its idea is well developed and everything is planned for about a minute. But what happened with us is also not bad. The game turned out clearly not a “super mini” and obviously not a bad one. At least, on their own feelings and reviews of friends. Judging ultimately to the players.
That led to the success in the development of the game:
Also, sleep in the office allowed us to add time for a trip home to the project, and the delivery of food by one of the participants (so that others would not take care of it) - extra time.
A general, optimal, in my opinion, plan for such a development looks like this:
As a result, we get a week to develop. This is very real. Especially if there is already experience and developments in other games.
Now about the pros and cons of this approach:
+ You can realize what you have long wanted to do.
+ At the end of the week we get a new product.
+ Everyone fully shows what he is capable of, realizes his potential.
+ Mood and motivation greatly increased, and with them, and performance.
+ The team becomes more cohesive (as on a camping trip - you will recognize a person in need).
- Develop with a break for 4 hours of sleep is very difficult. In my student years, I still could, and even now I can, but this is already harder. Let me remind you, I programmed a total of about 38 hours, + 4 hours of sleep.
- You never know what will happen in the end, if initially everything is not worked out thoroughly.
- Intensive development leads to stress, as a result of which someone may drop out of it (during the development process, this almost happened to us, and still, after two days, some participants got sick).
Our result: we will probably do it more than once in such a way (at least, I took note of it myself). And, hopefully, someday we will achieve such professionalism that we will make a fully finished game in exactly two days!
Good luck to all!
That's what we did .
How it all began
In our studio, the situation was such that the development was delayed, and the development of the studio stalled, there was a need for something new, fresh. And this seemingly crazy idea was proposed: to invent and develop a game in two days. We had all the most necessary roles:
- programmer (s)
- designer
- painter
Plus to this:
- project Manager
- responsible for the sales of our games
- familiar composer and sound engineer (with whom it was necessary to get in touch)
The engine for the game - Unity3d . He was tested on the main project, more studied and looked perfect for our purpose. Programming language - C #. A good developing language in which it is convenient and quick to write code (especially with the Visual Studio + Resharper bundle) is less likely to make mistakes when writing code faster than in C ++. We develop games for iOS devices, which is also a plus in our situation, since These devices are common, and the AppStore is a good platform to start selling a product almost immediately.
')
As a result, there is little effort and cost, and the output is a finished product for sale. This greatly improves mood and adds optimism. Not surprisingly, the majority of the studio’s staff reacted positively to this “crazy” offer! Indeed, everyone wanted in a short time from the beginning to the end to create their own game, so that everyone would have their own place, so that everyone would give their best. Everyone wanted something new!
The case was voluntary. Who would not - could not participate. Fortunately, everyone liked the idea. It was decided to do everything at the weekend, namely, the development of the game was scheduled for Sunday and Monday. Saturday - to rest. And on Tuesday it was possible to sleep off and come to work later. In order not to waste time on the way home, it was decided to spend the night in the office (the benefit of our office is more flat than the office, and some stay overnight in it). Lunch and dinner also decided to order the office.
Since everyone already had some ideas, a special place was set aside for them, where they could record, discuss and propose improvements for a week. As a result, by the end of the week a lot of interesting ideas had accumulated. Everyone was looking forward to the weekend.
Day D
On the appointed day, on Sunday, everyone in the good mood was in the morning in the office. The schedule was martial: by 12 o'clock, by brainstorming, choose an idea, then develop and clothe the finished form, by 15.00 make a prototype so that you can try out and, if anything, delete something from the development plans, and add something new. Next - intensive development until 13.00 the next day. By this time there had to be an almost finished game. Before Monday, 20.00, it was suggested to test and finish it. And by 22.00 send for approval to Apple.
The idea was chosen in accordance with the rule: no one is against. One of the ideas won. It was supposed to be a game about a penguin, in which it was necessary to find the best route between swimming fish to collect them all before the oxygen runs out. The idea is not new, but with well-developed gameplay and beautiful graphics, you should have a good game. First of all, probable work on writing code and drawing textures, and in general, the possibility of quick implementation were taken into account. Almost all participants were “for”, one “not against.” Along the way, we discussed the functionality: there should be several levels, two parameters of the penguin, etc. But by 12 o'clock there was no detailed picture of what exactly was supposed to happen. Only in general terms.
From this point on, I began to implement the prototype, and the artist - to draw textures for him. Admittedly, he did it quickly, and immediately after that he began to draw the final versions. The speed of the team is currently measured by the speed of the programmer (me), since I got the main task - to write a functional. And I had to write a lot. The first prototype was only ready around 5 pm, i.e. the plan was broken.
We played with the prototype. He did not give us an understanding of what the result will be and whether we will have time to finish it all, and I just continued to implement the main functionality of the game. At the moment, the main work was on me (scribbling code) and on the artist (he very quickly and beautifully “generated” textures). The rest worked through ideas and engaged in other, not directly related to the development of affairs. And one person (the one that was “not against” the idea), unfortunately, somehow somehow fell out of the development process. This can be explained as follows:
- he did not have much enthusiasm (unlike others, who he more than had) to develop the game according to the idea proposed not by him;
- he did not know how he could help everyone;
- others did not find him in time either, because they themselves were very busy (although some things he could be charged with).
Those. there is an error in the organization of work and the distribution of tasks - management, as they say. On the other hand, it was our first experience, and mistakes were inevitable (they will be written about below).
Somewhere at 22.00 a designer joined the development, since I have practically written the main gameplay, and it was possible to customize something. By this time, the main sounds were already made and the soundtrack was selected - background music. At the same time, a page was opened where everyone left their wishes on the name of the game.
On the first day we almost lost the artist - he fell ill. Somewhere at midnight he went home, and returned only by noon the next day. But he is good, because drew almost everything except the interface elements and menus. It is worth noting the designer, because in the shortest possible time, they mastered the basics of working with Unity, and he was already in full swing setting up the game, and doing character animations! In general, in the evening the already formed and meaningful game was ready. And she met all the hopes that by the evening of the next day she would be ready.
Somewhere by 02.00, everyone except me went to bed. I got so carried away that I could not stop until 4 in the morning. Only common sense (!) And the idea that I needed to sleep after all, made me fall asleep. I fell asleep right away.
Second day
I woke up at 8 am and immediately continued to program. Then the rest pulled up, and the development continued. For some reason, the second day was not so vividly remembered as the first. On the second day it was necessary to “finish” the game, diversify and make it more interesting. Even by 15.00 the game was not ready. By this time they decided to do one, but an endless level. It was necessary to adjust the game so that it was interesting to play all the time (which is almost impossible). Some ideas were put forward about this, and I sat down to implement them.
On the second day it was hard to work. First, the deadlines were tight. It put a lot of pressure on your nerves. It seemed that we would not have time, or by the end we would have an unfinished game. It also affected the general fatigue and lack of sleep. At one point, we even almost quarreled, but everything worked out. Development continued.
By the middle of the day, the name for the game was chosen: "Papa Penguin". The game turned out really about dad-penguin, who was supposed to get fish for their children, and they asked more and more!
It was also necessary to optimize the game so that it starts and runs without brakes on all iPod and iPhone devices, starting with the younger generations, and the iPad. It was necessary to take into account their differences in screen resolution, aspect ratio, the presence of vibration, and so on. The biggest problem was the difference in the resolution of the Retina-screen iPhone / iPod 4 compared to previous generations. But this problem was solved. I did not have to redraw anything. Backdrops were made different for menus only for conventional and for HD devices.
As a result: we “finished the game” until 7 in the morning of Tuesday. Without sleep. The most interesting thing is that by this time we were still full of energy. But it was necessary to decide, lay out the game now, or finish it later. And I still had to finish that ... Somewhere since the evening, I stopped periodically uploading the game to iPod 2, as a result, in the morning it turned out that it wasn’t starting on it. It was also necessary to optimize the game, because it began to slow down, plus all sorts of minor deficiencies, which always remain after development, and which I always want to redo (the “refactoring” syndrome of programmers).
It was decided to go to sleep, so as not to do something stupid on mad heads without sleep. And on the next day for fresh heads to discuss everything. Once in the car of a fellow artist who decided to give me a lift, I immediately passed out. Slept until the evening.
next week
The American concept of XP (eXtreme Programming - Extreme Programming) is directly related to our mini-project. Everything was done quickly, but also qualitatively, at any moment plans and requirements could change (and changed). Only we had extreme development - extreme development, to be exact. In German it could be called Blitzentwicklung - lightning-fast development, by analogy with Blitzkrieg - lightning war. These two days of ours were lightning-fast development. Efficiency was high, because everyone was motivated, in a good mood, and the very idea that the game was really fast, carried only positive. Now a little about the sad.
Not everyone came on Wednesday morning. Two people got sick. The man who also retired during development was still engaged in other, unrelated affairs of our current game. During these two days the game was made almost completely. Practically. That is, in the short term, the task was not completed. Two days to complete the game failed. I will try to list all that in my opinion led to this:
- This was our first experience of participating in such an event. Before the start of development, we had almost no idea how it would pass.
- The idea of the game was not worked out to the end. Details not specified.
- Working with a break for sleep at 4 o'clock is very difficult.
- Planned mini-game. With all the bells and whistles turned out not so already and "mini".
But, in general, it was decided at a quiet pace to “finish” the game almost to perfect condition. In the course of the following week we did this. Some textures have been redrawn and redrawn, the game is optimized, bugs fixed, some hints improved, menus improved. Made a game site . As a result, at a quiet pace, it took one working week. I will also add that the general interest in the game did not fall, but on the contrary, everyone wanted to make it better, “polish”.
On the sixth day, we uploaded it to iTunes for review by Apple. Another week she was in the queue for review, and one day at Apple she was “surveyed”, and now she is already in the AppStore.
Results and conclusions
As a result, the game is very different from the original idea. Of course, the penguin and the fish remained, but it was no longer a puzzle as such (although at some moments it is really necessary to calculate optimal trajectories to save oxygen, recruit as many fish as possible and not run into bad guys). But, nevertheless, the game was no less interesting. And the initial idea to fasten to it is not difficult.
Now we are waiting to see how the idea of extreme development will pay for itself. The “current” task was completed: we received a new interesting product that is already being sold. In addition, we now have a lot of ideas for its improvement and further progress. We concluded that it is possible to make a quality game in two days. But only if it is a “super-mini” game (such as a tag, for example), its idea is well developed and everything is planned for about a minute. But what happened with us is also not bad. The game turned out clearly not a “super mini” and obviously not a bad one. At least, on their own feelings and reviews of friends. Judging ultimately to the players.
That led to the success in the development of the game:
- the very idea of such a development and new game raised our "fighting" spirit;
- the professionalism of the participants, their ability to learn and quickly absorb new things;
- C # + Visual Studio + Resharper + Unity3d - from a programmer's point of view.
Also, sleep in the office allowed us to add time for a trip home to the project, and the delivery of food by one of the participants (so that others would not take care of it) - extra time.
A general, optimal, in my opinion, plan for such a development looks like this:
- Week to collect ideas, their discussion, choice. This is all besides the main project, i.e. in his free time, during the rest, lunch and so on.
- At the end of the week - a meeting. The choice of ideas, its approval and study.
- Two days - extreme development. Perhaps with more time to sleep than we had.
- Additional development time arises from the fact that participants will spend the night in the office.
- One day after the extreme development - dumping.
- Until the end of the week - finalizing the game at a quiet pace.
As a result, we get a week to develop. This is very real. Especially if there is already experience and developments in other games.
Now about the pros and cons of this approach:
+ You can realize what you have long wanted to do.
+ At the end of the week we get a new product.
+ Everyone fully shows what he is capable of, realizes his potential.
+ Mood and motivation greatly increased, and with them, and performance.
+ The team becomes more cohesive (as on a camping trip - you will recognize a person in need).
- Develop with a break for 4 hours of sleep is very difficult. In my student years, I still could, and even now I can, but this is already harder. Let me remind you, I programmed a total of about 38 hours, + 4 hours of sleep.
- You never know what will happen in the end, if initially everything is not worked out thoroughly.
- Intensive development leads to stress, as a result of which someone may drop out of it (during the development process, this almost happened to us, and still, after two days, some participants got sick).
Our result: we will probably do it more than once in such a way (at least, I took note of it myself). And, hopefully, someday we will achieve such professionalism that we will make a fully finished game in exactly two days!
Good luck to all!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/117564/
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