Developer Resources Thread - Looking to improve?
Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 2:58 pm
Hey guys!
Welcome to this little collection of resources on different topics which migh come in handy when it comes to making levels, code, graphics and episodes and such. If there's a specific area you're looking to impove in, just check out the resources under the header.
The intent of this thread is to accumulate developer resources so that newcomers looking for them don't have to look that far. Replies listing further resources to absorb into this post would be amazing, because I'm surely bound to miss one thing or another.
Over on codehaus we have a channel with a similar purpose to this thread. It's called #dev-lab and sees people posting interesting videos and articles about game development. Make sure to check it out if you're interested!
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TOPICS
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
WHAT IS IT?
Project management describes the management of teams in order to efficiently get great projects done. In the context of SMBX, it's a skill that is supremely useful if you're looking to build an episode together with a team. If you're wondering why your episode is falling apart, this might be a good place to look.
SELF-EXAMINATION
WHAT IS IT?
In order to create great things, you need to figure out where on the scale from "beginner" to "expert" you stand. Examining your own skill in a field is not only important for finding out what skills you should improve next, but also for determining how powerful you are at the moment.
PLANNING
WHAT IS IT?
In order to make good estimates about the scope of a project, it's necessary to plan out what is needed, what can be accomplished by the team in a given timeframe and what possible hurdles might come your way. Planning features, preparing for issues and playing into your team's abilities allows you to be more efficient and successful in creating things.
LEVEL DESIGN
WHAT IS IT?
Terms:
Blockout: An iteration of a level in which visuals aren't finalized and the geometry and enemy placement is being tested thoroughly.
Landmark: A unique setpiece in a level.
Level design is the life of your level/project. Its purpose is to provide an engaging experience to your playerbase. Successful level design plays with the player's expectations and guides them to experience what the designer (you) want them to experience.
ARTISTIC TOPICS
VISUAL STORYTELLING
WHAT IS IT?
In games you often don't have a lot of dialogue boxes to work with without boring the player with endless cutscenes. Developers therefore try to use the structure and appearances of areas, character designs and even a game's soundtrack to contribute to the experience they want the player to have.
CHARACTER DESIGN
WHAT IS IT?
Would be boring if characters were just empty cardboard cutouts, eh? In all forms of media, developers aim to make their characters expressive, relatable, fleshed out, and act based on their own reasons and merits. But using dialogue alone? We can do better.
WORLDBUILDING
WHAT IS IT?
Worldbuilding describes the process of creating places, people, worlds for a fictional universe. Character backstories are just as much a part of it as the strategic placement of cities next to rivers for fresh water is. The decisions made during worldbuilding will be reflected in the visual storytelling of a game.
SPRITING
WHAT IS IT?
Spriting (or pixel art) is the process through which visual storytelling is most likely to be expressed in SMBX. Knowing how to draw pixel art lets you easily create setpieces and characters you came up with for you to put them into your level or episode.
LOGICAL TOPICS
LUA SCRIPTING
WHAT IS IT?
Lua is the language used by SMBX2 for scripting. It's a pretty easy to get into language with vast documentation online, as it is one of the most commonly used scripting languages worldwide. Learning scripting will let you create new things in SMBX2 through Lunalua.
COMMON MATHEMATICS
WHAT IS IT?
"Common mathematics" referes to the most common kinds of mathematical procedures that have to be done in scripting. Having a good grasp on mathematical concepts helps solve problems in code.
PROBLEM SOLVING
WHAT IS IT?
Often you'll find yourself stuck in a rut with a problem to solve. Googling is a powerful way to resolve a couple of them, but developing a skill for problem solving will let you solve even those which you cannot find online, all by yourself.
Welcome to this little collection of resources on different topics which migh come in handy when it comes to making levels, code, graphics and episodes and such. If there's a specific area you're looking to impove in, just check out the resources under the header.
The intent of this thread is to accumulate developer resources so that newcomers looking for them don't have to look that far. Replies listing further resources to absorb into this post would be amazing, because I'm surely bound to miss one thing or another.
Over on codehaus we have a channel with a similar purpose to this thread. It's called #dev-lab and sees people posting interesting videos and articles about game development. Make sure to check it out if you're interested!
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TOPICS
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
WHAT IS IT?
Project management describes the management of teams in order to efficiently get great projects done. In the context of SMBX, it's a skill that is supremely useful if you're looking to build an episode together with a team. If you're wondering why your episode is falling apart, this might be a good place to look.
Spoiler: show
WHAT IS IT?
In order to create great things, you need to figure out where on the scale from "beginner" to "expert" you stand. Examining your own skill in a field is not only important for finding out what skills you should improve next, but also for determining how powerful you are at the moment.
Spoiler: show
WHAT IS IT?
In order to make good estimates about the scope of a project, it's necessary to plan out what is needed, what can be accomplished by the team in a given timeframe and what possible hurdles might come your way. Planning features, preparing for issues and playing into your team's abilities allows you to be more efficient and successful in creating things.
Spoiler: show
WHAT IS IT?
Terms:
Blockout: An iteration of a level in which visuals aren't finalized and the geometry and enemy placement is being tested thoroughly.
Landmark: A unique setpiece in a level.
Level design is the life of your level/project. Its purpose is to provide an engaging experience to your playerbase. Successful level design plays with the player's expectations and guides them to experience what the designer (you) want them to experience.
Spoiler: show
VISUAL STORYTELLING
WHAT IS IT?
In games you often don't have a lot of dialogue boxes to work with without boring the player with endless cutscenes. Developers therefore try to use the structure and appearances of areas, character designs and even a game's soundtrack to contribute to the experience they want the player to have.
Spoiler: show
WHAT IS IT?
Would be boring if characters were just empty cardboard cutouts, eh? In all forms of media, developers aim to make their characters expressive, relatable, fleshed out, and act based on their own reasons and merits. But using dialogue alone? We can do better.
Spoiler: show
WHAT IS IT?
Worldbuilding describes the process of creating places, people, worlds for a fictional universe. Character backstories are just as much a part of it as the strategic placement of cities next to rivers for fresh water is. The decisions made during worldbuilding will be reflected in the visual storytelling of a game.
Spoiler: show
WHAT IS IT?
Spriting (or pixel art) is the process through which visual storytelling is most likely to be expressed in SMBX. Knowing how to draw pixel art lets you easily create setpieces and characters you came up with for you to put them into your level or episode.
Spoiler: show
LUA SCRIPTING
WHAT IS IT?
Lua is the language used by SMBX2 for scripting. It's a pretty easy to get into language with vast documentation online, as it is one of the most commonly used scripting languages worldwide. Learning scripting will let you create new things in SMBX2 through Lunalua.
Spoiler: show
WHAT IS IT?
"Common mathematics" referes to the most common kinds of mathematical procedures that have to be done in scripting. Having a good grasp on mathematical concepts helps solve problems in code.
Spoiler: show
WHAT IS IT?
Often you'll find yourself stuck in a rut with a problem to solve. Googling is a powerful way to resolve a couple of them, but developing a skill for problem solving will let you solve even those which you cannot find online, all by yourself.
Spoiler: show