:Publish Date: 2018-03-08

One Game a Month
================

*Published on 2018-03-08.*

I recently committed to submitting to `One Game a Month`_ for the remainder of
2018, beginning in March. I've been interested in partipating in jams for a
long time. More recently, the idea of using constraints to intentionally
restrict the scope of my projects has become appealing. This fits naturally
with the time limits for jams [#]_.

I'm not completely new to the idea of developing graphical games and
simulations. I've worked on a few projects in this area. From memory:

- When I first decided to develop software professionally, I started learning
  C++ by attempting a Gauntlet_-style dungeon crawler (SFML, C++, circa 2010).

- I learned the value of using engines as aids to speed development (I would
  learn their value as reference material **much** later). I programmed a game
  called Equilibria for the now-defunct indie team AntEye Games. The project
  was never completed (orx_ [#]_, C++, 2011-2012).

- I started a text-only game in C where you are a convenience store manager
  with all the responsibilities that accompany it (ncurses, C++, 2016).

- I got interested in rendering and started a software 2d/3d renderer
  supporting wireframe geometry rendering and orthographic projection (SDL, C).

You might notice a trend toward both more abstract ideas and lower-level
technical interests.

I've started probably 10-20 other less personally significant game-like
projects. 

It feels like it has taken many years and twice as many unfinished projects for
experience and skill to come together well enough to potentially finish some
things, so here we are with a proclamation of commitment and a new blog to
chronicle the journey.

**Here are my personal 2018 jamming rules.**

- No third-party engines. It didn't occur to me to evaluate game engine choices
  this time. Instead, I opted to create my own engine to support these
  projects. This decision puts interesting constraints on freedom of choice;
  when I want a feature that doesn't exist yet, I must either develop it and
  spend less time on the jam idea, or sacrifice it and make the jam idea work
  without that feature. Constraints aside, each feature added is a learning
  experience.

- Only `Free software`_ is allowed in the development environment. Note that
  "free" as used here does not mean gratis and has nothing to do with monetary
  cost, but rather refers to the freedoms granted to the user by the software's
  license(s). This decision is for political/idealogical reasons.

The current toolset for engine development is Arch Linux, neovim, Python 3,
SDL2, and OpenGL. Game-specific tools are gimp for image editing and tiled for
map editing. This list will change as development continues. Third-party tools
will be added, and will also be removed as internal tools are developed.

These posts will document both the engine and the game creation process. I hope
what I learn might both be helpful to others and be another interesting point
of reflection for 2019 Me.

.. _Gauntlet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauntlet_(series)
.. _`One Game a Month`: http://www.onegameamonth.com
.. _orx: http://www.orx-project.org
.. _`Free software`: https://www.fsf.org/about/what-is-free-software

.. [#] Why do game developers get all the fun? Are there jams for other
   software industries?
.. [#] Take a moment and look at orx_. The principal contributor is a great
   programmer and a friend and teacher of mine.