<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish videos 1-10 of Three.js journey</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Create site for Three.js experiments</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>



| Plan                                   | Result |
| -------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Finish videos 1-10 of Three.js journey |        |
| Create site for Three.js experiments   |        |


<p>I haven't been actively working on game dev for a few months since I've been selling a side project and picking up some extra freelance work.</p>
<p>I built a PC in June, so I've always been playing a lot of games. It's been interesting to see what sucks me in and why. Recently, I've been loving Civ 6, Witcher 3, and have been replaying Diablo 2 with my brother on hardcore.</p>
<p>My plan is to pick back up on a small Playdate project and launch my first commercial game later this year.</p>



I haven't been actively working on game dev for a few months since I've been selling a side project and picking up some extra freelance work.

I built a PC in June, so I've always been playing a lot of games. It's been interesting to see what sucks me in and why. Recently, I've been loving Civ 6, Witcher 3, and have been replaying Diablo 2 with my brother on hardcore.

My plan is to pick back up on a small Playdate project and launch my first commercial game later this year.


<p>I've been wrapping up some other side projects, so I didn't focus on game dev this week.</p>



I've been wrapping up some other side projects, so I didn't focus on game dev this week.


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish 3 videos from the Slay the Spire course</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Reading 'Designing Games' by Tynan Sylvester</td>
<td>🔴</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>My Path of Exile addiction continued and I didn't get much done</p>



| Plan                                           | Result |
| ---------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Finish 3 videos from the Slay the Spire course | 🟡     |
| Reading 'Designing Games' by Tynan Sylvester   | 🔴     |

My Path of Exile addiction continued and I didn't get much done


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish 4 videos from the Slay the Spire course</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Reading 'Designing Games' by Tynan Sylvester</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I had some big work projects this week, so I spent a lot of time playing Path of Exile and Civilization this week as I wasn't really feeling coding a bunch more.</p>
<p>I also played a ton more guitar and piano.</p>



| Plan                                           | Result |
| ---------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Finish 4 videos from the Slay the Spire course | 🟡     |
| Reading 'Designing Games' by Tynan Sylvester   | 🟡     |

I had some big work projects this week, so I spent a lot of time playing Path of Exile and Civilization this week as I wasn't really feeling coding a bunch more.

I also played a ton more guitar and piano.


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish 4 videos from the Slay the Spire course</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Read Sid Meier's memoir</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><img src="/learning/games/ftf_map.png" alt="Pixel art slay the spire clone map"></p>
<p><img src="/learning/games/ftf_rewards.png" alt="Pixel art slay the spire clone battle rewards"></p>



| Plan                                           | Result |
| ---------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Finish 4 videos from the Slay the Spire course | ✅     |
| Read Sid Meier's memoir                        | ✅     |

![Pixel art slay the spire clone map](/learning/games/ftf_map.png)

![Pixel art slay the spire clone battle rewards](/learning/games/ftf_rewards.png)


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Family vacation</td>
<td>🎉</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Reading 'Designing Games' by Tynan Sylvester</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Reading Playdate SDK docs &#x26; Lua docs</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Had a chill week in Florida visiting family. Played a ton of Slay the Spire and got to ascension 5 with the Silent. Also read a good amount of the Playdate docs and the Lua manual, but I tried not to stress too much about it.</p>



| Plan                                         | Result |
| -------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Family vacation                              | 🎉     |
| Reading 'Designing Games' by Tynan Sylvester | ✅     |
| Reading Playdate SDK docs & Lua docs         | ✅     |

Had a chill week in Florida visiting family. Played a ton of Slay the Spire and got to ascension 5 with the Silent. Also read a good amount of the Playdate docs and the Lua manual, but I tried not to stress too much about it.


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Complete 4 more 'Slay the Spire' clone lessons</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Learn about FamiStudio and Chiptune</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Learn about music effects (reverb, compression, etc.)</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Spent a lot of time this week learning about music effects like reverb, compression, and delay. I was playing around with Vital, a free synth, to learn about sound design and my Boss Katana guitar amp which has built-in effects.</p>
<p>I completed 2 more Slay the Spire clone lessons but didn't spend much time programming.</p>



| Plan                                                  | Result |
| ----------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Complete 4 more 'Slay the Spire' clone lessons        | 🟡     |
| Learn about FamiStudio and Chiptune                   | ✅     |
| Learn about music effects (reverb, compression, etc.) | ✅     |

Spent a lot of time this week learning about music effects like reverb, compression, and delay. I was playing around with Vital, a free synth, to learn about sound design and my Boss Katana guitar amp which has built-in effects.

I completed 2 more Slay the Spire clone lessons but didn't spend much time programming.


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Complete 4 more 'Slay the Spire' clone lessons</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Learn about game writing and <strong>ink</strong> scripting language</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I finished the first season of the Slay the Spire course and have the full 'battle' scene working including hand management, player turns, enemy turns, effects, etc.</p>
<p>I also spent some time learning about Ink, the scripting language by Inkle, which I was very interested in after playing 'Overboard'.</p>



| Plan                                                    | Result |
| ------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Complete 4 more 'Slay the Spire' clone lessons          | ✅     |
| Learn about game writing and **ink** scripting language | ✅     |

I finished the first season of the Slay the Spire course and have the full 'battle' scene working including hand management, player turns, enemy turns, effects, etc.

I also spent some time learning about Ink, the scripting language by Inkle, which I was very interested in after playing 'Overboard'.


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Complete 4 'Slay the Spire' clone lessons</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Misc learning: lighting, game design, marketing, etc.</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The Godot Wild Jam #67 ratings ended this week and <strong>we got 12th overall</strong> out of over 150 games. We ranked well for accessibility, fun, and controls. Next time we want to aim for a more original and polished game!</p>
<p><img src="/learning/games/parasite_party_results.png" alt="Parasite Party game jam results. #12 overall and #4 in fun"></p>
<p>I'm working through this excellent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6SABXRSlpH8CD71L7zye311cp9R4JazJ">Slay the Spire Godot course</a> and finished 5 lessons. The majority was focused on creating a state machine for playing cards (drag, target, cancel, etc). It relies more heavily on resources which is great since it's a pattern I haven't reached for enough in my last few game jam games and want to get more practice with.</p>
<p><img src="/learning/games/flay_the_fire_play_cards.gif" alt="Pixel art slay the spire clone gif of a block and two attack cards being played"></p>



| Plan                                                  | Result |
| ----------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Complete 4 'Slay the Spire' clone lessons             | ✅     |
| Misc learning: lighting, game design, marketing, etc. | ✅     |

The Godot Wild Jam #67 ratings ended this week and **we got 12th overall** out of over 150 games. We ranked well for accessibility, fun, and controls. Next time we want to aim for a more original and polished game!

![Parasite Party game jam results. #12 overall and #4 in fun](/learning/games/parasite_party_results.png)

I'm working through this excellent [Slay the Spire Godot course](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6SABXRSlpH8CD71L7zye311cp9R4JazJ) and finished 5 lessons. The majority was focused on creating a state machine for playing cards (drag, target, cancel, etc). It relies more heavily on resources which is great since it's a pattern I haven't reached for enough in my last few game jam games and want to get more practice with.

![Pixel art slay the spire clone gif of a block and two attack cards being played](/learning/games/flay_the_fire_play_cards.gif)


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Play and rate 10+ submissions from the Godot Wild Jam</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Learn about Godot: resources, data modeling, etc.</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>



| Plan                                                  | Result |
| ----------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Play and rate 10+ submissions from the Godot Wild Jam | ✅     |
| Learn about Godot: resources, data modeling, etc.     | ✅     |


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish jam submission</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Write 1 song for the game</td>
<td>✅✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>This jam's theme was parasite, so I decided to make a survivor's like game where you play as a friendly parasite just trying to help out your host have a good time! You fight against blood cells, antibodies, and medicine across the stomach, blood stream, and brain.</p>
<p>I think the game turned out pretty well for our 2nd jam! I did the programming, music, and UI. My wife did the art.</p>
<p>You can play Parasite Party on itch.io.</p>
<iframe
  frameborder="0"
  src="https://itch.io/embed/2578575?border_width=0&amp;bg_color=e6c6b9&amp;link_color=6b2718"
  width="550"
  height="165">
  <a href="https://moonstarstudio.itch.io/parasite-party">Parasite Party by MoonStar Studio</a>
</iframe>



| Plan                      | Result |
| ------------------------- | ------ |
| Finish jam submission     | ✅     |
| Write 1 song for the game | ✅✅   |

This jam's theme was parasite, so I decided to make a survivor's like game where you play as a friendly parasite just trying to help out your host have a good time! You fight against blood cells, antibodies, and medicine across the stomach, blood stream, and brain.

I think the game turned out pretty well for our 2nd jam! I did the programming, music, and UI. My wife did the art.

You can play Parasite Party on itch.io.

<iframe
  frameborder="0"
  src="https://itch.io/embed/2578575?border_width=0&amp;bg_color=e6c6b9&amp;link_color=6b2718"
  width="550"
  height="165">
  <a href="https://moonstarstudio.itch.io/parasite-party">Parasite Party by MoonStar Studio</a>
</iframe>


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Experiment with procedural generation</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Experiment with dialogue</td>
<td>🔴</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brainstorm and design game for Godot Wild Jam 67</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I built a small prototype that used procedural generation and a tilemap to create a forest region where you could search for randomly placed NPCs. I read the docs for a few dialogue managers in Godot and am more familiar with the concept, but didn't actually implement it into the game.</p>
<p>Friday, I did start prototyping my entry for Godot Wild Jam 67.</p>



| Plan                                             | Result |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ------ |
| Experiment with procedural generation            | ✅     |
| Experiment with dialogue                         | 🔴     |
| Brainstorm and design game for Godot Wild Jam 67 | ✅     |

I built a small prototype that used procedural generation and a tilemap to create a forest region where you could search for randomly placed NPCs. I read the docs for a few dialogue managers in Godot and am more familiar with the concept, but didn't actually implement it into the game.

Friday, I did start prototyping my entry for Godot Wild Jam 67.


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Design and prototype a game to teach about color mixing</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Finish "Theory of Fun for Game Design" by Raph Koster</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I built a small color mixing game with two game modes:</p>
<ol>
<li>Free play - mix 2+ colors with realistic mixing using Mixbox</li>
<li>Quiz mode - starting from the primary colors, mix all the secondary and tertiary colors</li>
</ol>
<p><img src="/learning/games/color_mixer_playthrough.gif" alt="GIF of the color mixer quiz mode showing mixing colors like blue and yellow to unlock new colors like green and teal"></p>
<p>I read about half of Theory of Fun but found it a bit too high level for where I'm at. My time would be better spent building more prototypes.</p>



| Plan                                                    | Result |
| ------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Design and prototype a game to teach about color mixing | ✅     |
| Finish "Theory of Fun for Game Design" by Raph Koster   | 🟡     |

I built a small color mixing game with two game modes:

1. Free play - mix 2+ colors with realistic mixing using Mixbox
2. Quiz mode - starting from the primary colors, mix all the secondary and tertiary colors

![GIF of the color mixer quiz mode showing mixing colors like blue and yellow to unlock new colors like green and teal](/learning/games/color_mixer_playthrough.gif)

I read about half of Theory of Fun but found it a bit too high level for where I'm at. My time would be better spent building more prototypes.


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Read ch. 1-4 of "Theory of Fun for Game Design" by Raph Koster</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Finish 1/3 of HeartBeast's Godot Components tutorial</td>
<td>✅ ✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The rating period ended for the Godot Wild Jam #66 and we finished 53rd overall out of ~170 submissions. Not bad for our first jam and first finished game!</p>
<p>It was rewarding to have people play our game but there's obviously a ton to improve. We knew our core gameplay was super lacking so it wasn't surprising we got a really low fun score, but my wife was really happy to have received a lot of positive comments on her artwork!</p>
<p><img src="/learning/games/gwj_66_analytics.png" alt="Out of the Woods analytics">
<img src="/learning/games/gwj_66_results.png" alt="Out of the Woods rating results"></p>
<p>I had planned to finish 1/3 of HeartBeast's Godot Components tutorial but ended up finishing the whole thing. It really emphasized using composition over inheritance and taught me more about Godot's node system and how to create reusable nodes out of scrips for things like movement, effects, scoring, etc.</p>
<p><img src="/learning/games/galaxy_defiance.png" alt="Space shooter game with space ship and alien enemies">
<img src="/learning/games/galaxy_defiance_game_over.png" alt="Space shooter game over screen"></p>



| Plan                                                           | Result |
| -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Read ch. 1-4 of "Theory of Fun for Game Design" by Raph Koster | ✅     |
| Finish 1/3 of HeartBeast's Godot Components tutorial           | ✅ ✅  |

The rating period ended for the Godot Wild Jam #66 and we finished 53rd overall out of ~170 submissions. Not bad for our first jam and first finished game!

It was rewarding to have people play our game but there's obviously a ton to improve. We knew our core gameplay was super lacking so it wasn't surprising we got a really low fun score, but my wife was really happy to have received a lot of positive comments on her artwork!

![Out of the Woods analytics](/learning/games/gwj_66_analytics.png)
![Out of the Woods rating results](/learning/games/gwj_66_results.png)

I had planned to finish 1/3 of HeartBeast's Godot Components tutorial but ended up finishing the whole thing. It really emphasized using composition over inheritance and taught me more about Godot's node system and how to create reusable nodes out of scrips for things like movement, effects, scoring, etc.

![Space shooter game with space ship and alien enemies](/learning/games/galaxy_defiance.png)
![Space shooter game over screen](/learning/games/galaxy_defiance_game_over.png)


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish "Out of the Woods" - effects, music, and bug fixes</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Publish "Out of the Woods" on itch.io</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<iframe
  frameborder="0"
  src="https://itch.io/embed/2525945?linkback=true&amp;bg_color=5d6b5f&amp;fg_color=fff&amp;link_color=ecc768&amp;border_color=6b786c"
  width="552"
  height="167">
  <a href="https://moonstarstudio.itch.io/out-of-the-woods">Out of the Woods by MoonStar Studio</a>
</iframe>
<p>We shipped our first game! We participated in the Godot Wild Jam #66 and built a very simple game that could be the beginnings of a strategy or adventure game. The core gameplay is incredibly simple, but I'm proud of what we were able to build.</p>
<p>For our next game, I really want to improve on design and finding the "fun". This week I played <a href="https://abagames.github.io/crisp-game-lib-11-games/?pakupaku">Paku Paku</a>, a 1-D Pac-Man game which is incredibly simple but so much fun! It was a big eye-opener for what a game really is. My upcoming learning time will be focused more on design, prototyping simple ideas, and learning more about Godot.</p>
<p><img src="/learning/games/ootw_spider.png" alt="Out of the Woods spider enemy">
<img src="/learning/games/ootw_cover.png" alt="Out of the Woods start screen"></p>



| Plan                                                      | Result |
| --------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Finish "Out of the Woods" - effects, music, and bug fixes | ✅     |
| Publish "Out of the Woods" on itch.io                     | ✅     |

<iframe
  frameborder="0"
  src="https://itch.io/embed/2525945?linkback=true&amp;bg_color=5d6b5f&amp;fg_color=fff&amp;link_color=ecc768&amp;border_color=6b786c"
  width="552"
  height="167">
  <a href="https://moonstarstudio.itch.io/out-of-the-woods">Out of the Woods by MoonStar Studio</a>
</iframe>

We shipped our first game! We participated in the Godot Wild Jam #66 and built a very simple game that could be the beginnings of a strategy or adventure game. The core gameplay is incredibly simple, but I'm proud of what we were able to build.

For our next game, I really want to improve on design and finding the "fun". This week I played [Paku Paku](https://abagames.github.io/crisp-game-lib-11-games/?pakupaku), a 1-D Pac-Man game which is incredibly simple but so much fun! It was a big eye-opener for what a game really is. My upcoming learning time will be focused more on design, prototyping simple ideas, and learning more about Godot.

![Out of the Woods spider enemy](/learning/games/ootw_spider.png)
![Out of the Woods start screen](/learning/games/ootw_cover.png)


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Polish "Salmon Cannon" - effects, music, and bug fixes</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Publish "Salmon Cannon" on itch.io</td>
<td>❌</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Join Godot Wild Jam #66</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Design game idea for Godot Wild Jam</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I added a bit of polish to "Salmon Cannon" like a particle effect when blocks are destroyed but didn't really make much progress.</p>
<p>My wife and I teamed up to join our first game jam. She's handling the art and I'll handle development. On Friday, the theme for was announced - "Escape". We came up with a bunch of ideas and landed on "Out of the Woods", a light turn-based strategy game where you lead a party of adventurers to safety out of the dark woods.</p>
<p>Friday and Saturday we prototyped the core gameplay loop and learned more about Godot. We were able to create a prototype that covered scene management, tile-based movement, spawning enemies, settings, and more. Below is a quick demo of the basic gameplay. Next week we'll add more enemies, powerups, and a ton more polish.</p>
<iframe
  loading="lazy"
  width="560"
  height="315"
  src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s9shZ8OJRJw?si=xlfa5AdyGHIJ_V6Q"
  title="YouTube video player"
  frameborder="0"
  allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"
  allowfullscreen></iframe>



| Plan                                                   | Result |
| ------------------------------------------------------ | ------ |
| Polish "Salmon Cannon" - effects, music, and bug fixes | 🟡     |
| Publish "Salmon Cannon" on itch.io                     | ❌     |
| Join Godot Wild Jam #66                                | ✅     |
| Design game idea for Godot Wild Jam                    | ✅     |

I added a bit of polish to "Salmon Cannon" like a particle effect when blocks are destroyed but didn't really make much progress.

My wife and I teamed up to join our first game jam. She's handling the art and I'll handle development. On Friday, the theme for was announced - "Escape". We came up with a bunch of ideas and landed on "Out of the Woods", a light turn-based strategy game where you lead a party of adventurers to safety out of the dark woods.

Friday and Saturday we prototyped the core gameplay loop and learned more about Godot. We were able to create a prototype that covered scene management, tile-based movement, spawning enemies, settings, and more. Below is a quick demo of the basic gameplay. Next week we'll add more enemies, powerups, and a ton more polish.

<iframe
  loading="lazy"
  width="560"
  height="315"
  src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s9shZ8OJRJw?si=xlfa5AdyGHIJ_V6Q"
  title="YouTube video player"
  frameborder="0"
  allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"
  allowfullscreen></iframe>


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Build core game loop and 3 levels for Salmon Cannon</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Refine the art work and UI for Salmon Cannon</td>
<td>❌</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Spend 2 hours experimenting with a DAW</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I finished the core game loop including refining the win conditions, tracking level progression, and adding a scoring system. I wasn't able to work on better artwork for the game, so it is still using the 30 second sketches I did in Figma.</p>
<p>I also spent time on a personal monthly review which included recording some video of the game and recording myself playing piano and guitar. I recorded through Ableton and am trying to learn it better. I think it's a powerful tool but am still considering whether I'd prefer using it or GarageBand then upgrading to Logic Pro.</p>
<iframe
  loading="lazy"
  width="560"
  height="315"
  src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SoCf-vvZH1g?si=v31DOvwObkc5HiM7"
  title="YouTube video player"
  frameborder="0"
  allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"
  allowfullscreen></iframe>



| Plan                                                | Result |
| --------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Build core game loop and 3 levels for Salmon Cannon | ✅     |
| Refine the art work and UI for Salmon Cannon        | ❌     |
| Spend 2 hours experimenting with a DAW              | ✅     |

I finished the core game loop including refining the win conditions, tracking level progression, and adding a scoring system. I wasn't able to work on better artwork for the game, so it is still using the 30 second sketches I did in Figma.

I also spent time on a personal monthly review which included recording some video of the game and recording myself playing piano and guitar. I recorded through Ableton and am trying to learn it better. I think it's a powerful tool but am still considering whether I'd prefer using it or GarageBand then upgrading to Logic Pro.

<iframe
  loading="lazy"
  width="560"
  height="315"
  src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SoCf-vvZH1g?si=v31DOvwObkc5HiM7"
  title="YouTube video player"
  frameborder="0"
  allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"
  allowfullscreen></iframe>


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish Salmon Cannon design</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Prototype Salmon Cannon physics</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Learn DAW basics</td>
<td>❌</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I started prototyping Salmon Cannon. My focus was building the physics for the cannon and destructable structures.</p>
<iframe
  loading="lazy"
  width="560"
  height="315"
  src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-PO7LGWKInk?si=yxbtNNSNLzJlxdl5"
  title="YouTube video player"
  frameborder="0"
  allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"
  allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Getting used to Godot's coordinate system was a bit tricky, but I learned more about vector math in games and Godot's physics engine. I just used placeholder assets I created in Figma. I also scaffolded out the game menus and some internal systems.</p>
<p>I spent more time on the game physics than expected, so I'll spend time learning a DAW next week.</p>



| Plan                            | Result |
| ------------------------------- | ------ |
| Finish Salmon Cannon design     | ✅     |
| Prototype Salmon Cannon physics | ✅     |
| Learn DAW basics                | ❌     |

I started prototyping Salmon Cannon. My focus was building the physics for the cannon and destructable structures.

<iframe
  loading="lazy"
  width="560"
  height="315"
  src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-PO7LGWKInk?si=yxbtNNSNLzJlxdl5"
  title="YouTube video player"
  frameborder="0"
  allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"
  allowfullscreen></iframe>

Getting used to Godot's coordinate system was a bit tricky, but I learned more about vector math in games and Godot's physics engine. I just used placeholder assets I created in Figma. I also scaffolded out the game menus and some internal systems.

I spent more time on the game physics than expected, so I'll spend time learning a DAW next week.


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish the 1-Bit Godot course</td>
<td>✅ Review below</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Read Music Producer's Guide to EQ</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Design a small game</td>
<td>🟡 Started paper prototype of "Salmon Cannon"</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><img src="/learning/games/metroid_boss.png" alt="1 bit metroidvania Bee Boss"></p>
<p>I enjoyed the <a href="https://courses.heartgamedev.com/p/1-bit-godot-4-course">1-Bit Godot course by HeartBeast</a>. Each project was interesting and I learned a lot about the engine. By the end, certain actions were becoming automatic and I feel more comfortable navigating Godot.</p>
<p>I'm avoiding tutorial hell by diving into a game project before I complete any more tutorials. That'll cement what I've been learning and give more direction on what I need to learn next.</p>
<p>My first project will be building "Salmon Cannon", an Angry Birds like game based on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z3ZyGlqUkA">Whooshh Fish Transport System</a> which helps fish get over dams during their migration. A friend in high school saw that YouTube video and wanted to build a game around it, so it's finally time to bring that idea to life!</p>



| Plan                              | Result                                        |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| Finish the 1-Bit Godot course     | ✅ Review below                               |
| Read Music Producer's Guide to EQ | ✅                                            |
| Design a small game               | 🟡 Started paper prototype of "Salmon Cannon" |

![1 bit metroidvania Bee Boss](/learning/games/metroid_boss.png)

I enjoyed the [1-Bit Godot course by HeartBeast](https://courses.heartgamedev.com/p/1-bit-godot-4-course). Each project was interesting and I learned a lot about the engine. By the end, certain actions were becoming automatic and I feel more comfortable navigating Godot.

I'm avoiding tutorial hell by diving into a game project before I complete any more tutorials. That'll cement what I've been learning and give more direction on what I need to learn next.

My first project will be building "Salmon Cannon", an Angry Birds like game based on the [Whooshh Fish Transport System](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z3ZyGlqUkA) which helps fish get over dams during their migration. A friend in high school saw that YouTube video and wanted to build a game around it, so it's finally time to bring that idea to life!


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish the 1-Bit Godot course</td>
<td>🟨 85%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Finish Fundamentals of Game Design (3 ch. left on Balance, Level Design, and Online games)</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pick a game jam to enter in the next few weeks</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Didn't get much done as I was traveling for a work trip, but I did finish the book I was reading and made some progress on the 1-Bit Godot game.</p>
<p>I'm also wary of just doing tutorials and have decided to join a game jam before doing any more courses, so on Feb 9th I'll join the Godot Wild Jam which is a monthly 9-day jam. I'm also thinking of making a small game before then (or at least starting one).</p>



| Plan                                                                                       | Result |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------ |
| Finish the 1-Bit Godot course                                                              | 🟨 85% |
| Finish Fundamentals of Game Design (3 ch. left on Balance, Level Design, and Online games) | ✅     |
| Pick a game jam to enter in the next few weeks                                             | ✅     |

Didn't get much done as I was traveling for a work trip, but I did finish the book I was reading and made some progress on the 1-Bit Godot game.

I'm also wary of just doing tutorials and have decided to join a game jam before doing any more courses, so on Feb 9th I'll join the Godot Wild Jam which is a monthly 9-day jam. I'm also thinking of making a small game before then (or at least starting one).


<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Plan</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Finish videos 26-38 out of 49 of the 1-Bit Godot course (Metroidvania section)</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Read 3 chapters of Fundamentals of Game Design - UX (12), Gameplay (13), and Mechanics (14)</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Guitar - finish module 13 curriculum and daily practice</td>
<td>✅</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Work on "Forest Cafe" (temporary name) prototype</td>
<td>🔴</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I need to spend more time making games instead of just doing tutorials and reading. The tutorials are helpful but the books are less so. As a rule, I'm going to build at least one game between reading larger books or doing larger tutorials.</p>
<p>With that said, I'm going to pick a game jam in the next couple of weeks to participate in! I'd rather have a large list of Godot prototypes than a long list of books I've read.</p>



| Plan                                                                                        | Result |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Finish videos 26-38 out of 49 of the 1-Bit Godot course (Metroidvania section)              | ✅     |
| Read 3 chapters of Fundamentals of Game Design - UX (12), Gameplay (13), and Mechanics (14) | ✅     |
| Guitar - finish module 13 curriculum and daily practice                                     | ✅     |
| Work on "Forest Cafe" (temporary name) prototype                                            | 🔴     |

I need to spend more time making games instead of just doing tutorials and reading. The tutorials are helpful but the books are less so. As a rule, I'm going to build at least one game between reading larger books or doing larger tutorials.

With that said, I'm going to pick a game jam in the next couple of weeks to participate in! I'd rather have a large list of Godot prototypes than a long list of books I've read.


<p><strong>What I did</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Finished videos 13-25 out of 49 for the Metroidvania course. Starting to hit new concepts and the project is getting a bit bigger than other tutorials I've followed.</li>
<li>Read chapters 10-11 of Fundamentals of Game Design (Character development and Storytelling). A bit academic, but still helpful to take a more thoughtful look at game mechanics I've taken for granted. It's fun to think about games I enjoy and how they approach the design challenges discussed in the book.</li>
<li>Guitar - started on module 13 (blues focused) and am learning 7th chords. Been branching out my music listening and found some interesting artists like Laufey as well as the NPR Tiny Desk concert series. We've been having a lot of fun watching them while cleaning up after dinner.</li>
<li>Had a game design session with my wife where we discussed several ideas for a game. We're narrowing down on a story about running a cafe with gameplay elements from Stardew Valley and Overcooked. I'm going to start prototyping it this week!</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Thoughts</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>I pushed off working on an actual game which should be my first priority. We luckily got in some time but I need to avoid the trap of just following tutorials.</li>
<li>Having clear goals pushed me to finish the course videos I wanted. I wasn't quite done at the end of the week and pushed to finish whereas I probably wouldn’t my weekly plan.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="/learning/games/metroid_4_plants.png" alt="1 bit metroidvania with plant enemies">
<img src="/learning/games/metroid_5_wall_climb.png" alt="1 bit metroidvania character climbing on a wall"></p>



**What I did**

- Finished videos 13-25 out of 49 for the Metroidvania course. Starting to hit new concepts and the project is getting a bit bigger than other tutorials I've followed.
- Read chapters 10-11 of Fundamentals of Game Design (Character development and Storytelling). A bit academic, but still helpful to take a more thoughtful look at game mechanics I've taken for granted. It's fun to think about games I enjoy and how they approach the design challenges discussed in the book.
- Guitar - started on module 13 (blues focused) and am learning 7th chords. Been branching out my music listening and found some interesting artists like Laufey as well as the NPR Tiny Desk concert series. We've been having a lot of fun watching them while cleaning up after dinner.
- Had a game design session with my wife where we discussed several ideas for a game. We're narrowing down on a story about running a cafe with gameplay elements from Stardew Valley and Overcooked. I'm going to start prototyping it this week!

**Thoughts**

- I pushed off working on an actual game which should be my first priority. We luckily got in some time but I need to avoid the trap of just following tutorials.
- Having clear goals pushed me to finish the course videos I wanted. I wasn't quite done at the end of the week and pushed to finish whereas I probably wouldn’t my weekly plan.

![1 bit metroidvania with plant enemies](/learning/games/metroid_4_plants.png)
![1 bit metroidvania character climbing on a wall](/learning/games/metroid_5_wall_climb.png)


<ul>
<li>Finished 25% of Metroidvania game (1-12 of 49 videos)</li>
<li>Read chapters 4-9 of Fundamentals of Game Design. It's slightly too academic but still an interesting read. The end of chapter exercises are geared towards homework but are useful prompts.</li>
<li>Guitar - been practicing some fingerstyle and metal songs, so getting a mix. Going to start on module 13 next week which is focused on blues.</li>
<li>Forest Cafe design - didn't really get much done here. I think finishing the 1-Bit course is really important but I can't fall in the trap of only doing courses. I need to actually build things and get outside of my comfort zone.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="/learning/games/metroidvania_2_jump.png" alt="1 bit metroidvania jumping character">
<img src="/learning/games/metroidvania_3_shoot.png" alt="1 bit metroidvania character shooting blaster"></p>



- Finished 25% of Metroidvania game (1-12 of 49 videos)
- Read chapters 4-9 of Fundamentals of Game Design. It's slightly too academic but still an interesting read. The end of chapter exercises are geared towards homework but are useful prompts.
- Guitar - been practicing some fingerstyle and metal songs, so getting a mix. Going to start on module 13 next week which is focused on blues.
- Forest Cafe design - didn't really get much done here. I think finishing the 1-Bit course is really important but I can't fall in the trap of only doing courses. I need to actually build things and get outside of my comfort zone.

![1 bit metroidvania jumping character](/learning/games/metroidvania_2_jump.png)
![1 bit metroidvania character shooting blaster](/learning/games/metroidvania_3_shoot.png)


<ul>
<li>Finished the 'Space Shooter' section of Heartbeast's <a href="https://courses.heartgamedev.com/p/1-bit-godot-course">1-Bit Godot course</a>.</li>
<li>Read chapters 2-4 of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Game-Design-Ernest-Adams/dp/0321929675">Fundamentals of Game Design by Ernest Adams</a></li>
<li>Finished module 12 of <a href="https://www.justinguitar.com/">Justin Guitar</a>.</li>
<li>Didn't get much work done on game prototypes. Want to avoid just spending time on tutorials but with family in town, we haven't had as much time to dive into the game.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="/learning/games/space_start.png" alt="Space shooter start menu">
<img src="/learning/games/space_playing.png" alt="Space shooter in game">
<img src="/learning/games/space_game_over.png" alt="Space shooter game over menu"></p>



- Finished the 'Space Shooter' section of Heartbeast's [1-Bit Godot course](https://courses.heartgamedev.com/p/1-bit-godot-course).
- Read chapters 2-4 of [Fundamentals of Game Design by Ernest Adams](https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Game-Design-Ernest-Adams/dp/0321929675)
- Finished module 12 of [Justin Guitar](https://www.justinguitar.com/).
- Didn't get much work done on game prototypes. Want to avoid just spending time on tutorials but with family in town, we haven't had as much time to dive into the game.

![Space shooter start menu](/learning/games/space_start.png)
![Space shooter in game](/learning/games/space_playing.png)
![Space shooter game over menu](/learning/games/space_game_over.png)


<ul>
<li>Started Heartbeast's <a href="https://courses.heartgamedev.com/p/1-bit-godot-course">1-Bit Godot course</a>. Finished the first 2 sections</li>
<li>Added an <code>AppleSpawner</code> to the Piggy game. The kids loved it when the pig got larger than the screen!</li>
<li>Started reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Game-Design-Ernest-Adams/dp/0321929675">Fundamentals of Game Design by Ernest Adams</a></li>
<li>Found the <a href="https://thegamedesignroundtable.com/">Game Design Round Table</a> podcast. Loved the <a href="https://wildermyth.com/">Wildermyth</a> episode!</li>
<li>On module 12 of <a href="https://www.justinguitar.com/">Justin Guitar</a>. Really enjoyed the fingerstyle sections the last couple of weeks</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="/learning/games/big_piggy.png" alt="Apple-eating pig game"></p>



- Started Heartbeast's [1-Bit Godot course](https://courses.heartgamedev.com/p/1-bit-godot-course). Finished the first 2 sections
- Added an `AppleSpawner` to the Piggy game. The kids loved it when the pig got larger than the screen!
- Started reading [Fundamentals of Game Design by Ernest Adams](https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Game-Design-Ernest-Adams/dp/0321929675)
- Found the [Game Design Round Table](https://thegamedesignroundtable.com/) podcast. Loved the [Wildermyth](https://wildermyth.com/) episode!
- On module 12 of [Justin Guitar](https://www.justinguitar.com/). Really enjoyed the fingerstyle sections the last couple of weeks

![Apple-eating pig game](/learning/games/big_piggy.png)


<ul>
<li>Read <a href="https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/sams-teach-yourself/9780134835204/">Godot Engine Game Development in 24 Hours</a> and built the sample projects</li>
<li>Beat Portal and am playing Stardew Valley</li>
<li>Brainstorming an initial game idea, more to share soon</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="/learning/games/bloxorz_clone.png" alt="Bloxorz puzzle game"></p>



- Read [Godot Engine Game Development in 24 Hours](https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/sams-teach-yourself/9780134835204/) and built the sample projects
- Beat Portal and am playing Stardew Valley
- Brainstorming an initial game idea, more to share soon

![Bloxorz puzzle game](/learning/games/bloxorz_clone.png)


<ul>
<li>Started my <a href="/writing/008-personal-syllabuses">personal learning syllabus</a> which maps out concepts, resources, and goals for learning game dev</li>
<li>Read the Getting Started, 2D, and 3D sections of the <a href="https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/index.html">Godot documentation</a></li>
<li>Finished <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAbG8Oi-SvQ&#x26;list=PL9FzW-m48fn2SlrW0KoLT4n5egNdX-W9a">Heartbeast's Action RPG YouTube course</a></li>
<li>Added an additional slime enemy that I made in Aseprite</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="/learning/games/godot_arpg.png" alt="Godot editor and action rpg game running">
<img src="/learning/games/slime_anim.png" alt="Blue slime enemy with several frames showing a jumping animation"></p>
<p><strong>Other thoughts</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Scenes = Components. That comparison gels really well with my web dev brain</li>
<li>Learning game dev is reinvigorating</li>
<li>This is a long-term goal. Even after 4 years of a CS degree, I wasn't that great of a dev so I can't expect to become a great dev in weeks or even months. This'll be a multi-year journey</li>
</ul>



- Started my [personal learning syllabus](/writing/008-personal-syllabuses) which maps out concepts, resources, and goals for learning game dev
- Read the Getting Started, 2D, and 3D sections of the [Godot documentation](https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/index.html)
- Finished [Heartbeast's Action RPG YouTube course](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAbG8Oi-SvQ&list=PL9FzW-m48fn2SlrW0KoLT4n5egNdX-W9a)
- Added an additional slime enemy that I made in Aseprite

![Godot editor and action rpg game running](/learning/games/godot_arpg.png)
![Blue slime enemy with several frames showing a jumping animation](/learning/games/slime_anim.png)

**Other thoughts**

- Scenes = Components. That comparison gels really well with my web dev brain
- Learning game dev is reinvigorating
- This is a long-term goal. Even after 4 years of a CS degree, I wasn't that great of a dev so I can't expect to become a great dev in weeks or even months. This'll be a multi-year journey


Learning game development

028 - Three.js Journey

027 - On hold

026 - Finishing side projects

025 - Path of Exile

024 - Flay the Fire pt.4

023 - Flay the Fire pt.4

022 - Vacation and light reading

021 - Flay the Fire pt.3

020 - Flay the Fire pt.2 🔥

019 - Flay the Fire 🔥

018 - Chill week

017 - Parasite Party 🥳

016 - Procedural generation experiments

015 - Color Mixer - education game prototype

014 - Game jam results and Godot Components tutorial

013 - Our first game 🥳

012 - Joining our first game jam!

011 - Prototyping "Salmon Cannon" contd.

010 - Prototyping “Salmon Cannon”

009 - Done with courses, now a real project!

008 - Work Trip

007 - 1-Bit Godot 75%

006 - 1-Bit Metroidvania 50%

005 - 1-Bit Metroidvania and more!

004 - 1-Bit Space Shooter

003 - 1-Bit Godot

002 - Game design and reading a book?!

001 - Getting started!

Plan	Result
Finish videos 1-10 of Three.js journey
Create site for Three.js experiments