{"author_name":"lambda_express","cat":"LD #27","comments":[],"epoch":1378433220,"likes":0,"metadata":{"p_key":"37948","p_author":"lambda_express","p_authorkey":"24966","p_urlkey":"73564","p_title":"Infiltrators Post-Mortem","p_cat":"LD #27","p_event":"LD27","p_time":"1378433220","p_likes":"0","p_comments":"0","p_status":"UPD5","us_key":"24966","us_name":"lambda_express","us_username":"lambda_express","event_start":"1377216000","event_key":"18","event_name":"LD27"},"text":"

I’ve made a slightly different post at my blog<\/a> talking about this experience but I’ll present a more technical and less philosophical post mortem here.<\/p>\n

How did it go? I don’t actually know. I seem to have blanked a large portion of my memory of those 48 hours. I made a game about mazes and pathfinding.<\/p>\n

What didn’t work:<\/div>\n
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    \n
  • Tweaking movement and fighting \u00a0while writing them from scratch. This was definitely too much time doing a lot of things I could have had done for me. Too much last minute thinking.<\/li>\n
  • Theme communication. I wished I had presented the 10 second mechanic better. I chalk this up to being a rookie. I coddle myself that way.<\/li>\n
  • Not making a browser game from the get go. It’s just a better delivery mechanism.<\/li>\n
  • Ambushes and sneaking. I really wanted cool ambushes and sneaking things to happen I just didn’t get there.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n
    Here’s what did work:<\/div>\n
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      \n
    • Feedback and rating the other games. I really learned a lot playing the other entries and getting feedback on my own entry. That’s not just pandering.<\/li>\n
    • Writing my own collisions and nav. This was time doing things I could have had done for me. But I was able to work the nav into the game mechanic in a way I wouldn’t have thought of if I were using it as a library.<\/li>\n
    • Processing. I played around with a few frameworks but Friday morning I realized I should stick with something I know at least this time. I kept things simple enough and I like Processing for playing around and so it worked for me.<\/li>\n
    • Processing.js – sort of. Processing has this capability to produce javascript and play in browser. It’s not seamless, I didn’t start out intending to stay compatible with it. But I was able to make it work (outside of the 48 hours though).<\/li>\n
    • Debugging. I was able to keep bug load low enough to power through at the end.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n

       <\/p>","time":"September 5th, 2013 9:07 pm","title":"Infiltrators Post-Mortem"}