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Tips from developers

A topic by Luxebu created 3 days ago Views: 144 Replies: 7
Viewing posts 1 to 5

I need some advice on actually finishing this thing on time. I know I get way too caught up polishing details that don't really affect gameplay, so I'm forcing myself to cut the fluff and focus on what matters. But honestly? I have this nagging feeling that I'll overlook something important and pay for it with a massive backtrack later...

How do you guys draw the line between 'good enough' and 'over-polished'? I'd love to hear your strategies.

Thank you for reading. ^^

(+1)

You can spend forever polishing something  so I'd just concentrate on getting it done. Remember, you can always patch it if you find something that's really bothering you.

I think there's always an element of apprehension (or even fear) when releasing a game, and sometimes needless polishing can simply be a way of putting this off. I'd just go for it, and best of luck! 

I really appreciate it, thank you.

(+2)

You should aim to a demo asap, without going for perfection... it would delay the release time and so the chance to have some feedback from players, if turns out you might have to change this or that, then no amount of polishing will reveal worthy for the extra time

(+1)

Thanks for the reply! That's the plan – I'm aiming to have a playable demo out before the end of the year and avoid getting sidetracked by small stuff.

(+1)

I have design plan in my head before making my games. So when I have done doing the making part, I test it to feel the gameplay and make adjustments to make it good enough and fit my design plan. That's how I know my games are good enough or not.

IMO over polished is when a game has received too much polish which is not needed.

(+2)

I basically design the fully, or almost fully in a document where from I split everything that has to be done in small independent tasks: Player controller, enemy ai, lights switch, etc. 

My basic rule is: 'it can be a little janky/buggy as long it doesn't negatively effect the gameplay/experience.'

For example: If the enemies are too fast or shoot with incredible good aim, performance issues, bad UI, etc. That something i fix. If the enemies sometimes get stuck trying to walk over decorations or their AI is so lame they just run straight to their deaths. That's something i often don't fix because the Jankiness more or less make the game more easy to the player... and sometimes is fun to see stuff like that. I mean I may fix those stuff, but only if i see it necessary. IDK, i just test things like my life depends of it and if i am happy...ish with the overall result, i just keep it like that. 

 That because I am a lone-dev and can't spent all my time and resources overpolishing everything, specially if we consider that many things that takes a lot of effort are barely noticeable in the final product, or to put in other words. Any player will actually appreciate how much time, effort or investment took you to create every single aspect of the game, they will see something that probably took you months or years and barely pay attention to it. Or maybe, arely, some will say. 'oh, that's nice' and continue like nothing. Not because they are bad people o anything, but because the only person that understand how long and how much took you to polish every single aspect of the game is the people directly involved in it. In this case, you. .... where was i? oh yeah.  Just,  go easy on you. It's okay if some things are not perfect, in the end, if 'it's just works' that's good

You're right. I've spent way too long polishing something nobody will notice. Classic solo dev move. Thanks for the reminder – back to the important stuff