So, I’ll just throw it out there—I’m totally new to this whole “documenting the journey” kind of thing. But that’s exactly what this dev diary is for: a place to share my experiences as I transition my existing skills as a software developer into the world of game development.
My intention is to broaden my skillset and understanding of my current gaps from a developer role, (Note: There are a lot) and to bridge those gaps in my journey into game development. I'm going through the entire software development life cycle from beginning to end and the areas I have no experience in include databases and security. Joy.
Do I think I will reinvent the wheel? No.
So, why am I trying?
Well, I have always had a insatiable curiosity to learn more, expand my horizons and on some level just be better than my previous self. Throughout my last 8 years of development experience I have been throwing myself into documentation portals, creating replication pieces when isolating issues and just experimenting as a whole. Imposter syndrome is very real in this field and journeys like mine might seem pointless- and maybe you're right. But, I would rather undertake this journey as opposed to be stuck in limbo and not progress.
So, what’s my actual game dev intention?
My first project will be a throwback to text based RPGs that I used to play online - like Legend of the Green Dragon (LOTGD). I want to recreate some of the mechanics that were available in this old PHP based game framework. It may not be shiny or pretty but it does encompass various areas on development that I need to explore/understand as a whole in terms of my own personal journey.
Areas I need to focus on
- Database design and structure
- Security and authentication workflows
- Caching and optimizing database communication
- Real-time updates (like a chat feature)
Game design principles I want to explore
- User creation
- Level progression
- Character attributes and 'battle system' calculations
- In-game economy
- A quest system
- An achievement system
I will approach each of these areas bit-by-bit and welcome any feedback during this project.
Thank you.
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