Creating a game with my daughter (Part II)

4 min readMar 13, 2020

Step #3: The coding-nightmare

I started coding during my freetime since a while now but it has never been my main “strength” and I am lacking a lot of different things (code structure, algorithm knowledge, coding tricks…). But, as a gamedesigner, being able to code exactly what I have in mind (even if the code is a mess sshhht ^^’) is something cool… and time-consuming. A LOT. Even more when you try a one(two)-man-army game (did I told you I will also compose the musics? Well, I will keep that for another chapter… ;))

Thanks to a lot of try and retry in other projects I went for a state-structure right away: in each state the characters will be able to perform different type of actions. And honestly I don’t know how I will be able to handle this otherwise.

So after a few hours/days I were able to have bases of the system:

The state machine
A character which can moves
Our creatures following us

And here come the first two main characters from this nightmare, I call to the stand: the creatures behaviors & the inventory system! (Don’t even think of applause them!!!)

I will not go too deep in details but it was time-nerves-hair-consuming. After a while I was able to get:

Creatures replacement: we can now choose to swap, add and remove them.
The creatures keep their positions in the line whatever the direction (really important for the fighting gameplay later)

The grass with a random timer
Getting in attack state and spawning enemy’s creatures

For the attack state I wanted it to be faster and more immediate than in pokemon: keeping the same view and going back from **attack** to **move** state instantly (modulo the transition).

Selecting a creature and it’s target to attack
Trying a first “attack’s feeling” using visual feedbacks, creatures movements & shakescreen

The inventory system with the replacement

As you can see I also try to think inputs which can be used on smartphones & tablets. I mainly focus the development on PC but I want to try having it on mobile platforms too, so I need to think it from the start.

Step #4: Art improvement

I know, I shouldn’t do this at this stage. But as a lonesome indieboy…

… I NEED better graphics in order to keep my motivation intact (or at least at the treashold between motivation and ragequit).

So I searched in my old assets bought, in the web and inunity’s store for things I find interesting and that are within my style capabilities to rework/create other things in the same style. I finally found: