A recurring subject in these diaries has been the theme of “balance”: balance between work and rest, between the short term and the long term, between development and business concerns. Today’s post is no different: I need to balance the work I do on technology, and the time spent developing the design of the game.
I could easily spend the next six months working solely on technology. I’ve got an endless backlog of tasks, all of which I want to implement at some point, but if I ever want to release this game, I need to also focus on the design. The problem with designing a game is that I can spend a lot of time going around in circles, trying different ideas that don’t work. Especially at this stage, where I am trying to figure out the core of the design, I can end up spending days on it and yet feel like I’ve made zero progress.
Of course, as I find out that certain ideas do not work, it is still bringing me closer to the final game design. Each failed idea brings me closer to the successful one. However, this progress is less tangible. I have to regularly remind myself: “I am making progress”. Whereas when I work on technology, the progress is a lot more visible and measurable.
There are a thousand different features I can add, but the pressure of nailing the design has been slowly increasing internally, and I can no longer ignore it. I don’t know if I am blessed or curse with this internal worry system, but my brain won’t let me stop thinking about issues that I have left unfinished. This is why I need balance. I need to eliminate the biggest risks. The design is one of them now and will get all its necessary focus.
The repeated focus on balance in these diaries is not accidental. I’m not going to get anywhere if I don’t think things through carefully or if I just blindly attack a single direction. If I want to make a great game, and start a successful business without burning myself completely out in the process, I will have to keep all these issues in mind and handle them in a balanced manner.
Work Done Last Week
Some better progress this past week, which was shortened due to the iPhone tech conference on Friday. The conference was a bit of a letdown. 95% of what they presented was a rehashing of their (excellent) online docs, which I had spent the previous night reviewing as preparation. I ended up over-preparing. The only thing the conference really provided was more confirmation that the iPhone market is very viable, both for games and normal apps. I am planning to devote more time for exploration in the near future. The iPhone is an excellent opportunity for creating another stream of income.
In terms of the project, I made some more improvements in the editor both in features and usability. I also came across this video by the guys who made aquaria presenting their in-game editor. The quality of their editor is what I aspire to eventually reach with my tools.
Work Planned This Week
Continued focus on the editor this week with a few loose ends to wrap up, and a heavy emphasis on design, as should be expected. And Friday will be reserved for a full review of the project, as mentioned last week.
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