OttoOjala.com

Last updated 10th May 2025: new devlog entry

Devlog

30th November 2024

More details & thoughts on iterative design process

I spent most of my time this week setting up my Mac Mini - I'm switching from a Windows environment back to using macOS after quite a few years. Luckily, Godot Engine feels pretty much identical on both Windows and Mac. To shake things up a bit more, I'm also ditching Photoshop for Aseprite, which I haven't used before, so, it's time to learn new things!

What I got done this week for the game is some added details, both to the GUI and to the particle effects. I'm considering adding "ranks" (shown in the left side GUI atm) for the players to achieve, copied from my previous game demo. These are actually Finnish military ranks, but they'll do fine as futuristic space army ranks, too :--) Just as the city skyline in the background is just famous Finnish tall buildings...

So, here are some thoughts on iterative design. As a solo developer, and especially as someone who makes games as a hobby, the iterative process is something I apply to pretty much everything — from game design to graphics, and even at the project level. To me, it feels most important to complete projects and consider the next project a step up in the process. The "goal" of making games, for me, is to enjoy the process and to improve, step by step. Especially in the areas I don't consider my strengths, iteration helps a lot.

For example, by starting with the simplest graphics, a nice color palette, and a basic idea for a game loop, I establish a starting point for a project that I can then continue to add to, modify, or remove elements that either look and feel fun or don't. This way, it doesn't matter if I lack the skill to come up with designs that are good as they are; I can keep iterating on the design until it starts to feel enjoyable.

I believe I'm good at spotting the elements that need to look and feel just right and knowing when they're good enough. That said, with most projects, I also tend to face challenges where I can't find the best solution and need to compromise more than I'd like. However, those are areas where, little by little, I improve. For this project, I'm eager to discover what the best features will end up being and what I will struggle with the most :---)