Making a game where you get sucked into your own (bad) code
TLDRIn this engaging video, a game developer recounts their experience participating in a private game jam sponsored by Logitech. Given a week to craft a game with the theme of a developer trapped within their own code, the developer shares their creative process, challenges, and the tools provided by Logitech, including a new mechanical keyboard and a master 3s mouse. The narrative captures the excitement and exhaustion of game development, as the creator races to finish the game, 'That Game Where You Are So Bad at Coding That You Break the Laws of Physics,' culminating in a playtest-ready project by the deadline.
Takeaways
- 🎮 The script describes a private game jam challenge where the participant has to create a video game within a week.
- 👤 The participant is a YouTube game developer who has experience in game jams and is excited about the opportunity to make games as a living.
- 💡 The game jam theme is about a developer getting sucked into their own code, which inspires the participant to create a game with code puzzles.
- 🖥️ Logitech sponsors the game jam by providing funding, a new MX mechanical keyboard, and an MX Master 3S mouse, which the developer uses throughout the process.
- 🔑 The game's core mechanic revolves around the player interpreting floating code in the air to solve puzzles in a cryptic escape room style.
- 👨🎨 The developer designs a main character and creates animations using Blender and Unity, drawing inspiration from Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker.
- 🛠️ The game incorporates a code editor for the menu and pause features, tying the game's mechanics to its theme and design.
- 🔄 The developer faces technical issues, such as a disconnection between the coding program and Unity, which temporarily halts progress.
- 📚 The game includes collectible 'bugs' as optional goals, adding replayability and depth to the gameplay.
- 🎶 The game features music composed by Flower Head, adding to the overall atmosphere and enhancing the player's experience.
- 🏁 The final game, titled 'That Game Where You Are So Bad at Coding That You Break the Laws of Physics and Are Sucked into the Game', is completed within the week and made available on itch.io.
Q & A
What is a game jam according to the script?
-A game jam is an event where participants are given a theme and a short amount of time to create a video game from scratch using that theme. It often involves working non-stop, sacrificing free time, sleep, social life, and sometimes health and sanity.
Why did Logitech contact the speaker?
-Logitech contacted the speaker to invite them to participate in a private game jam with two other YouTube game developers, offering money and free stuff as incentives.
What is the core concept of the game that the speaker is developing during the game jam?
-The core concept of the game is about a developer who is sucked into their own code, and the player has to take this idea and develop it in their own direction and style.
What is the speaker's idea for the game's mechanics?
-The speaker's idea is to create a game where the player can edit the code of the game from inside the game, although they admit they do not yet know how to implement this or make it fun.
What Logitech products did the speaker receive to use during the game development?
-The speaker received a Logitech MX mechanical keyboard, which is their quietest ever and has optional switch styles, and an MX Master 3S mouse with quiet clicking and an electromagnetic scroll wheel.
What is unique about the keyboard the speaker chose for the game development?
-The keyboard is unique because it is made from 45% recycled materials, has the option to choose between three different switch styles, and features a 'make game' button.
What feature of the mouse did the speaker find particularly useful?
-The speaker found the electromagnetic scroll wheel on the mouse particularly useful, as it allows for ultra-fast scrolling.
How did the speaker approach the design of the main character?
-The speaker designed the main character by going through iterations of basic body shapes and was influenced by Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker, but aimed to make their character cuter.
What is the speaker's vision for the levels in the game?
-The speaker envisions each level as its own cryptic escape room with code floating in the air that tells the player the logic of the level. The player must understand the code to complete the level.
What is the significance of the 'folder portal' in the game?
-The 'folder portal' is a creative way for the player to move to another place in the game or another file within the game's world, tying into the game's theme of being inside a developer's code.
What challenges did the speaker encounter during the game jam?
-The speaker encountered challenges such as coding issues, losing connection with Unity, and the fatigue that comes with working on a game jam for an extended period.
What is the speaker's strategy for creating levels in the game?
-The speaker's strategy is to focus on creating a small number of levels and refining them rather than creating a large number of levels that may require extensive quality control.
What is the concept behind the 'bugs' in the game?
-The concept behind the 'bugs' is to add an optional goal for the player to find within the code, similar to collectibles in other games, and to use them as a way to extend the gameplay.
What is the final title of the game according to the speaker?
-The final title of the game is 'That Game Where You Are So Bad at Coding That You Break the Laws of Physics and Are Sucked into the Game', but the speaker is considering shortening it for presentation purposes.
What additional feature did the speaker add to the game on the last day?
-On the last day, the speaker added a dialogue system for the player, a secret ending for collecting all the bugs, and improved the title screen with a final title sequence.
What is the significance of the rubber duck in the game?
-The rubber duck is included as a thematic element, referencing the programming practice where developers explain their problems to a rubber duck to help trigger solutions in their own brain.
What is the speaker's approach to adding sounds and music to the game?
-The speaker added sounds to the game's menu and other elements and included music created by a new friend, aiming for a Nintendo Wii style, which was successfully achieved and is also royalty-free.
How did the speaker address the issue of cryptic solutions in the levels?
-The speaker added 'bugs' as collectibles that require the player to solve the cryptic puzzles, while toning down the difficulty of just completing the level and reaching the folder.
What is the speaker's plan for the game after the game jam?
-The speaker is enthusiastic about adding more levels to the game and possibly working on it more seriously after the game jam is over.
How did the speaker decide on the game's title?
-The speaker initially had a work-in-progress title and never came up with a better one, deciding that the temporary name was fitting for a game about a developer sucked into their own code.
Outlines
🎮 Logitech-Sponsored Game Jam Challenge
The video script begins with the narrator being invited by Logitech to participate in a private game jam. The challenge involves creating a game within a week, with the theme of a developer being sucked into their own code. The narrator expresses excitement about the opportunity and the prospect of being paid for participating in a game jam, an activity they have previously enjoyed for fun. They also mention receiving a Logitech MX mechanical keyboard and an MX Master 3S mouse to aid in their game development process.
🛠️ Crafting the Game Concept and Initial Development
The second paragraph delves into the initial stages of game development. The creator decides to design a game where players navigate through levels by interpreting floating code that represents the game's logic. This approach turns each level into a cryptic escape room. The developer also discusses the design process for the main character, drawing inspiration from Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker but aiming for a distinct, cuter look. They mention using Blender for rigging and Unity for scripting, and the importance of sleep during the intense game development period.
🔄 Iterative Design and Feature Implementation
In the third paragraph, the developer focuses on refining the game's features, including camera controls, gamepad support, and a silhouette shader for the character. They also discuss creating a moving platform script and designing a unique level completion mechanic involving a 'shortcut folder.' The developer experiments with shaders to add personality to the game, despite facing technical issues with their coding environment, and emphasizes the importance of not wasting time and learning from past experiences.
🎨 Aesthetic Enhancements and Menu Integration
The fourth paragraph highlights the developer's efforts to integrate the game's aesthetic with its mechanics, such as creating a pause menu that functions as a code editor. They also discuss designing the main menu and a cutscene to immerse the player in the game's theme. The developer models a rubber duck as an easter egg for programmers, indicating a commitment to thematic consistency and adding humorous touches to the game's design.
🚀 Level Design and Gameplay Mechanics
The fifth paragraph describes the level design process, where the developer creates eight levels with puzzles related to bugs in the game's code. They discuss the importance of playtesting and refining levels to ensure a quality player experience. The developer also decides not to create an excessive number of levels to maintain focus on polish and quality, drawing on past experiences with game jams.
🌟 Final Polish and Additional Features
In the final paragraph, the developer adds optional bugs as collectibles within the game, inspired by the 'strawberries' in Celeste, to extend gameplay. They also create additional levels and implement a dialogue system for comedic effect and subtle hints. The developer discusses the importance of sleep and avoiding fatigue during the final stages of development and teases the final title sequence and the addition of music by a new friend, Flower Head.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Game Jam
💡Coding
💡Logitech
💡Mechanical Keyboard
💡Game Development
💡Puzzle Solving
💡Shader
💡Unity
💡Rubber Duck Debugging
💡Gameplay
💡Quality of Life Changes
Highlights
Logitech contacts the narrator to participate in a private game jam with two other YouTube game developers.
Participants have seven days to create a game and three to four days to make a video, with incentives including money and free products.
A game jam is described as a competition where developers create a video game from scratch within a short timeframe.
The narrator has experience in 20 game jams, primarily for fun, and is excited about the opportunity to make a living from it temporarily.
The game jam theme involves a developer being sucked into their own code, requiring participants to develop the game concept in their unique style.
The narrator struggles with the initial idea of creating a game where players edit the game's code from within the game itself.
Logitech provides a new MX mechanical keyboard and an MX Master 3S mouse to aid in the game development process.
The keyboard is made from 45% recycled materials and features customizable switch styles for different tactile and auditory preferences.
The mouse has a quiet click feature, an electromagnetic scroll wheel, and customizable buttons and gestures.
The narrator's game idea evolves into a cryptic escape room where players interpret floating code to understand level logic and solve puzzles.
The game design includes a main character that resembles Captain Toad but is uniquely designed to be cuter.
Auto Rig Pro in Blender and Unity are used for character rigging and animation, showcasing the development process.
The importance of sleep during game jams is emphasized for maintaining productivity and avoiding burnout.
Quality of life improvements such as camera control, gamepad support, and silhouette shaders are added to enhance gameplay.
The game incorporates a unique shader effect to give it personality and distinguish it from typical game visuals.
The narrator creates a code editor for the game's menu and pause menu, tying the game's theme into its interface.
A cutscene is developed where the main character is sucked into a computer, adding narrative depth to the game.
The game's main menu and a cutscene are designed to immerse players in the game's world and story.
Levels are designed with the concept of bugs being both obstacles and collectibles, adding layers to the gameplay.
The narrator decides on a final title for the game, reflecting the humorous and self-deprecating nature of the game's premise.
The game is completed with additional features like a dialogue system, secret ending, and the inclusion of the Logitech keyboard in the game.
Transcripts
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