Beginner to Pro: Learning Agile Dev – Cooking vs. Coding

Posted by Gemma Ellison
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August 2, 2025

Beginner to Pro: Learning Agile Dev – Cooking vs. Coding

Imagine trying to bake a multi-layered cake without ever tasting the batter, adjusting the sugar, or checking if the oven temperature is right. That’s what waterfall development feels like in game development. You meticulously plan everything upfront, only to find out halfway through that your ingredients (features) don’t quite work together, the oven (engine) is acting up, and the final product (game) tastes nothing like you envisioned.

For indie game developers, especially those working solo or in small teams, this inflexible approach can be a recipe for disaster. Let’s ditch the rigid planning and embrace Agile, using cooking as our guide.

Agile: A Recipe for Game Dev Success

Agile development is all about adapting to change and delivering value incrementally. Think of it as cooking a dish in small batches, constantly tasting and tweaking the recipe as you go.

First, forget about designing the perfect, five-course meal on day one. Instead, define your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) – the core gameplay loop. What’s the simplest, most fun version of your game you can build quickly? This is your “appetizer.” Get it playable and get it in front of playtesters.

Next, prioritize your “ingredients” (features). What elements are essential for that core experience? Which are nice-to-haves that can be added later? Don’t start by building an entire open-world map if your core mechanic isn’t even fun yet. This prioritization is crucial for solo developers because it helps you stay focused and avoid feature creep, a common pitfall that can derail even the most promising projects.

Iterative Development: Taste Testing Your Game

Agile thrives on iteration. Build a small piece, test it, get feedback, and adapt. This is your “taste test.” Did playtesters enjoy the movement? Was the core mechanic engaging? Don’t be afraid to throw out ingredients (features) that aren’t working or adjust the recipe (design) based on the feedback you receive.

The key here is to embrace change. Your initial plan is just a hypothesis. As you develop, you’ll learn more about what works and what doesn’t. Your game will evolve, and that’s a good thing. Trying to stick rigidly to a pre-defined plan in the face of new information is like insisting on adding salt to a dish when everyone says it’s already too salty – you’ll end up with something unpalatable.

Avoiding Over-Scoping: Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

One of the biggest mistakes beginner indie developers make is over-scoping their projects. They try to build the next Skyrim on their own. This leads to burnout, feature creep, and ultimately, unfinished games.

Agile helps prevent this by forcing you to focus on delivering value in small increments. By prioritizing and iterating, you constantly reassess what’s truly important and avoid wasting time on features that don’t contribute to the core experience. Remember, it’s better to release a polished, fun “appetizer” than to spend years working on a “feast” that never gets served.

Document Your Journey: The Game Dev Journal

Here’s where the secret sauce comes in: consistently tracking your game development progress using a game dev journal. Think of it as your cooking diary, where you record every ingredient, every step, every taste test, and every adjustment you make to your recipe.

Why is this important? Because game development is a complex, iterative process. You’ll forget why you made certain decisions, what feedback you received, and what problems you encountered. A game development log helps you:

  • Remember your thought process: Document why you implemented a feature a certain way. This is invaluable when you revisit the code later.
  • Track your progress: See how far you’ve come and stay motivated. A visual representation of your accomplishments can be a huge morale booster.
  • Learn from your mistakes: Analyze your failures and identify patterns. Knowing what didn’t work is just as important as knowing what did.
  • Share your journey: Turn your journal into a devlog to build a community and get valuable feedback from other developers and potential players.

Many solo devs skip this step, only to regret it later. They end up spending hours debugging code they wrote months ago, with no recollection of their original intentions. This is like trying to recreate a dish without a recipe – you’ll likely end up with something completely different (and probably not as good).

Real-World Examples and Actionable Tips

Several successful indie developers swear by the practice of keeping a detailed devlog. They use it to:

  • Solicit feedback early and often: Show your work in progress and ask for input.
  • Build a community: Engage with players and other developers, fostering a supportive environment.
  • Stay accountable: Publicly committing to updates helps you stay on track.
  • Market their game: Generate hype and awareness leading up to release.

To start your own game dev journal, consider these tips:

  • Be consistent: Aim to write regularly, even if it’s just a few sentences each day.
  • Be specific: Don’t just say “fixed a bug.” Describe the bug, how you fixed it, and why it was happening in the first place.
  • Use visuals: Include screenshots, videos, and concept art to make your journal more engaging.
  • Reflect on your progress: What did you learn this week? What challenges did you overcome? What are your goals for next week?
  • Don’t be afraid to be honest: Share your struggles and failures. This makes your journey more relatable and helps you learn from your mistakes.

The Call to Action

Tracking your progress, staying consistent with devlogs, and organizing your creative process is crucial for success as an indie game developer. It keeps you focused, helps you learn from your mistakes, and builds a community around your game. If you’re looking for a simple and effective way to start documenting your game dev journey, why not try our dedicated game development journal? It’s designed to help you track your progress, stay organized, and reflect on your creative process, making the journey from beginner to pro a little smoother, one entry at a time.