Crash Course in Game Dev Journaling: Problem Solving

Crash Course in Game Dev Journaling: Problem Solving

Journaling? Seriously? I used to think it was just for tortured artists and people who needed to “find themselves.” Turns out, I was dead wrong.

We’re talking about game dev journaling, a powerful tool to help you track game development progress, stay organized, and actually ship your game. As indie devs, we’re prone to getting stuck, constantly forgetting brilliant (or terrible) ideas, and repeating the same mistakes. Let’s fix that.

Myths vs. Truths About Game Dev Journaling

Let’s debunk some myths. I fell for them too.

Myth: Journaling is a huge time sink. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Truth: Focused journaling saves you time. It stops you from spinning your wheels and retracing your steps. Short, timeboxed sessions (15 minutes tops!) are key. By tracking your game development progress, you can avoid repeating errors and speed up debugging.

Myth: It’s all about feelings, man.

Truth: Nope. It’s about objective analysis, technical documentation, and recording your workflow. Focus on documenting bugs, design decisions, and the “why” behind your code.

Myth: You need to be a great writer. Beautiful prose only.

Truth: This journal is for your eyes only. Use bullet points, sketches, code snippets – whatever gets the information across. As long as it makes sense to you, it’s good enough.

The Problem-Solving Journaling Method

This is where the magic happens. This is how you leverage a game development log to actually solve problems.

Step 1: Define the Problem (Clearly)

Vague problems lead to vague solutions. What exactly is broken? What are the symptoms? Can you quantify it?

• Bad: “The player movement feels wrong.”
• Good: “The player moves too slowly uphill. They should maintain at least 75% of their flat ground speed on a 30-degree incline.”

Step 2: Brainstorm Potential Causes

Don’t judge your ideas yet! List everything that could be the problem, no matter how ridiculous it seems.

Example: Player movement too slow uphill

• Friction coefficient too high
• Gravity scale incorrect
• Uphill movement speed modifier not working
• Animation affecting movement speed
• Tilemap collider issue
• Player stamina is zero on level start (edge case)

Step 3: Prioritize and Test Hypotheses

Now it’s time to get scientific. Which potential cause is the most likely culprit? Plan your debugging experiment. Document your expectations.

Example:

• Hypothesis: Friction coefficient is too high.
• Experiment: Reduce friction coefficient by 20% in the PlayerController script.
• Expected Result: Player moves faster uphill.
• Actual Result: Player moves slightly faster, but still too slow.

Step 4: Document Your Findings (Even Failures!)

This is crucial. Even if your experiment fails, you’ve learned something. Write it down! What did you try? What happened? What did you learn?

Example:

“Reduced friction coefficient. Player moved slightly faster, but the problem persists. This suggests the friction coefficient isn’t the primary cause. Move on to the next hypothesis.”

Documenting your failures prevents you from repeating the same mistakes. It also helps you see patterns and identify underlying issues. It’s the process of writing down everything you’ve tried that leads to more robust games.

Step 5: Rinse and Repeat

Continue testing your hypotheses and documenting your findings until you solve the problem. Remember to revisit your assumptions and consider new angles if you get stuck.

Level Up Your Game Dev Journaling

• Be Consistent: Even 10 minutes a day is better than an hour once a week.
• Use a Template: Create a simple template with sections for problem definition, potential causes, experiments, and findings.
• Tag Your Entries: Use tags to categorize your entries (e.g., “player movement,” “AI,” “UI”).
• Review Your Journal Regularly: Take some time each week to review your journal entries and identify recurring problems or areas for improvement.
• Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment: Try different journaling techniques and find what works best for you.

Indie Devs and Devlogs

Many indie developers publicly share their game development log, also known as a devlog. While public journaling isn’t the same as private problem-solving, the same principles apply.

Indie devs who share their journeys build community and receive valuable feedback. Consider sharing your work!

Ready to Start?

Game dev journaling doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. It’s a powerful tool for problem-solving, staying organized, and tracking your game development progress. It can lead to better games and a more fulfilling development experience.

If you’re looking for a way to get started, check out our journal tool. It provides pre-built templates and organizational features to help you track game development progress and stay focused on your goals. Start your game dev journal today!