Game Jam Devlog: Early Days Recommitment To Game Dev

Note: I originally wrote this as a longform journal with all the gory details and thought processes I was going through (or at least what I decided to capture). That was put through an LLM-assistance filter to get to these crisper bullet points. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this level of detail. How does it compare to my other articles that have been human-reviewed or self-reviewed? Please share your feedback in the comments below!

My third game jam began on January 17th. Despite the two-week timeline, I only managed brief planning sessions during the first five days. Between work and family commitments, finding time was challenging.

“This is a gift of time to yourself. It doesn’t matter if you finish or submit - just do it and if you learn something, great.”

• Thor, Pirate Games Founder

This perspective helped me embrace working in 20-minute chunks between life’s demands.

Why Godot?

While I have experience with Unreal and Unity, Godot’s approach won me over. Its documentation, intro videos, and courses demonstrate a perfect balance - powerful tools that don’t get in your way. For indie developers building focused games, it’s ideal. The open-source nature and free licensing are welcome bonuses.

The Daily Grind

Day 1: Baby Steps (45 minutes)

• Learned Godot’s Scene system (similar to components in other engines)
• Mastered Command + A for adding nodes
• Initially distracted by asset hunting
• Found salvation in Kenney’s asset packs

Days 2-3: Movement Fundamentals

• Debug tip: Check if sprites are in view before troubleshooting
• Discovered Godot’s $ shorthand for node access
• Adapted to Godot’s coordinate system (positive Y is down)
• Achievement: Walking sprite in under 2 hours

Days 4-6: Technical Challenges

• VSCode integration lessons:
  • Close scripts in Godot when using VSCode
  • Debug logs require correct input mapping
  • Animation names must match exactly
• Resisted the platformer perfectionism trap:
  • Avoided premature jump mechanics optimization
  • Focused on learning fundamentals first
  • Accepted “good enough” physics for prototyping

Days 7-10: Progress Despite Illness

• Maintained micro-sessions following GameDev.tv’s Godot course
• Key technical learnings:
  • Collision layer management
  • Signal-based object communication
  • GDScript fundamentals
  • Game mechanics implementation

Lessons Learned

1. Start simple - resist feature creep
2. Time boxing enhances productivity
3. Check basics first when debugging
4. Leverage community resources
5. Progress over perfection

What’s Next?

Though the game remains unfinished, I gained valuable insights into:

• Godot’s capabilities
• Game development workflows
• Maintaining momentum with limited time

I’ve adjusted my approach by:

1. Setting realistic expectations given current priorities
2. Celebrating consistent engagement over completion
3. Embracing the learning process

I am a game creator in training. Each tutorial and practice session brings me closer to my goals. These building blocks will serve future projects.

P.S. Consider joining a game jam with a growth mindset. Even without full commitment, the structure motivated me to make time for development. Five additional coding sessions post-jam prove its effectiveness in building habits. Sometimes, gentle accountability beats harsh deadlines.

P.P.S. If you’re interested in following my journey or sharing your own experiences, feel free to connect with me on social media or leave a comment below. Let’s support each other in our game development adventures!