This post was published 4 years 16 days ago and as such probably does not reflect my current opinions, knowledge or ability.
It’s three weeks into this term, meaning it’s time to start thinking about coursework again. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been completing tutorials for the modules that will contribute to the coursework, and I’ve been thinking about what to do for each piece, but it’s time to get things together and actually decide what I’m going to do. This term I have two projects to complete, one a scene in OpenGL, the other a pseudo 3D game using 2D sprites on the PS2.
I’m hoping to keep updating on these projects, at least weekly, throughout the term – it will make sure I make progress on them, if nothing else.
Right now though, I don’t even know what I’m going to do, although I have some vague ideas. Over the next few days I guess I’ll be doing a lot of brainstorming and doodling until I find something practical I can actually work on. Then I’ll try and plan the program itself, and most likely change everything entirely. Probably not the best way of doing things, but I prefer working when I have a fair idea of where things are going. It doesn’t necessarily make things easier, but it makes them more fun at least.
I quite enjoy this (short) amount of creative time designing a game, until I have to try and create some sprites or draw a background and I get a sharp reminder of my poor artistic skills. I’m thinking of looking for some free sprites for the PS2 coursework, depending on what I decide to work on. Hopefully just get the artwork out of the way so I can focus on programming.
So, any advice for getting started on a new project? How do you start off your plans?
Apologies for being bad on the ideas front. It’s exactly the opposite for me. I really REALLY don’t like planning and designing, it’s kinda cool to imagine how a game’s going to be but I’d far prefer “here, make this game” and (hopefully) that’s where I’m heading to be. No games designing for me
As for your artistic skill. NOONE LISTEN TO HER. Alright, she’s not Da Vinci or [insert preference of artist here] but you cannot say you have poor artistic skills. Like everything else you think you have poor skills, you keep trying to make something perfect and you’re never happy, so you go with a second best that someone else has produced.
Ok, they’re a little small, but the sprites you made of us all last year are proof you can do bitmap sprites. The loads of cartoons you made for the Japanese, all your doodles, YOUR 3D MODEL… all great. By far better than anything we’re expected to produce. We’re not on an arts course, even though you can produce work that could be…
Ok, helpful and constructive me wants to say something but is stumped. Sorry
I have a lot of ideas, just not necessarily ones I could implement. I think I’d be pretty happy if I was given an idea and told to work with it now, but the way I see it is that after university, I’ll probably barely have time to work on any projects of my own – may as well make the most of it.
My artistic skills aren’t good enough to create what I want, and if I try to draw anything myself it always takes hours. For a single tiny little sprite. Of a bug.
I don’t mind doodling but I don’t really enjoy drawing, and I definitely don’t want to waste time I could be developing fiddling around with artwork. It’s just frustrating that my game still looks sucky after all the work I put into it because I’m not an artist, and our flatmates are too expensive