Switching from Spreadsheets to Notion: Game Dev Pros & Cons
Are you tired of your game development process feeling like a chaotic mess? Do you wish you had a better system for tracking progress, staying organized, and documenting your creative journey?
For many solo game developers and small teams, spreadsheets become the default tool for managing everything. But spreadsheets have limitations. They can quickly become unwieldy, difficult to collaborate on, and don’t offer the flexibility needed for a dynamic game development project.
Notion offers a compelling alternative, providing a more structured and collaborative environment. However, switching requires careful planning. Let’s explore the pros and cons of ditching spreadsheets for Notion, and how to make the transition smoothly.
The Spreadsheet Struggle is Real
Spreadsheets are familiar and accessible, but they often fall short when managing the complexities of game development.
Tasks get buried in long lists. Asset tracking becomes a nightmare. Documentation scatters across multiple files.
Collaboration suffers because only one person can realistically edit a spreadsheet at a time. This creates bottlenecks and delays. Indie developers often find themselves spending more time managing the spreadsheet itself than actually making the game.
Flexibility is another key issue. Spreadsheets struggle to adapt to changing requirements. Adding new columns, creating relationships between data, or visualizing progress in different ways requires cumbersome workarounds.
Notion: A Game Dev Powerhouse?
Notion presents a powerful alternative with its database features, customizable templates, and integrated workflows.
Imagine having a central hub where you can manage tasks, track assets, document game mechanics, and collaborate with team members, all in one place.
Notion’s database functionality allows you to create structured information systems. You can define properties for each item, such as status, priority, assigned team member, and due date. This structured approach allows for powerful filtering, sorting, and visualization options.
Customizable templates let you create pre-built structures for different aspects of your game. Need a character bible? Create a template with sections for backstory, personality, appearance, and abilities. Need to track bugs? Create a template with fields for severity, priority, steps to reproduce, and assigned developer.
Integrated workflows allow you to connect different parts of your game development process. For example, you can link tasks to specific assets, bugs to specific levels, or character descriptions to dialogue snippets.
Potential Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
While Notion offers many benefits, it’s important to be aware of potential pitfalls.
Over-complicating setups is a common mistake. Don’t try to build the perfect system from day one. Start with the basics and gradually add complexity as needed.
Neglecting proper training is another challenge. Notion has a learning curve. Invest time in understanding its features and how they can be applied to game development.
Inconsistent use can render even the most well-designed Notion setup useless. Establish clear guidelines and workflows for how your team will use the tool.
Migrating to Notion: A Step-by-Step Guide
Ready to make the switch? Here’s a step-by-step guide for migrating from spreadsheets to Notion:
Start small: Don’t try to migrate everything at once. Choose one specific area to focus on, such as task management or bug tracking.
Map your spreadsheet columns to Notion properties: Identify the key data points in your spreadsheet and create corresponding properties in Notion. For example, a “Task Name” column in your spreadsheet would become a “Name” property in Notion.
Import your data: Notion allows you to import data from CSV files. Export your spreadsheet data as a CSV file and import it into your Notion database.
Customize your views: Experiment with different views to visualize your data in different ways. Use the board view for Kanban-style task management, the table view for detailed data analysis, or the calendar view for scheduling milestones.
Create templates: Once you’ve migrated your data, create templates for new items. This will ensure consistency and save you time in the long run.
For example, to migrate bug tracking from a spreadsheet:
- Create a new Notion database titled "Bug Tracker".
- Add properties like “Status” (Open, In Progress, Resolved), “Priority” (High, Medium, Low), “Severity” (Critical, Major, Minor), "Steps to Reproduce", and "Assigned Developer".
- Import your bug data from your spreadsheet, mapping columns to the appropriate properties.
- Create a template for new bugs, pre-filling default values for certain properties.
Repeat this process for other areas of your game development workflow, such as asset tracking, character bibles, and level design documentation.
The Power of a Game Dev Journal
Once you’ve streamlined your core workflows in Notion, consider taking it a step further by incorporating a game dev journal. A game dev journal is a record of your progress, decisions, and challenges throughout the development process.
It’s more than just a log of what you did each day. It’s a place to reflect on your work, analyze your mistakes, and celebrate your successes. This practice helps you understand your creative process better and make more informed decisions in the future.
Think of it as a developer’s diary.
Some indie developers, like the creator of Stardew Valley, have kept detailed devlogs that are invaluable resources for other aspiring game makers. They show the day-to-day struggles and triumphs of building a game from scratch.
Consistency is key. Aim to write in your game dev journal regularly, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day. Don’t worry about writing perfectly. Focus on capturing your thoughts and experiences.
Optimizing Your Journal with Notion
Notion is an ideal platform for creating and maintaining a game dev journal.
Create a dedicated “Journal” database in Notion. Use a template for each entry, including fields for date, time, tasks completed, challenges faced, and lessons learned. Tag your entries with relevant keywords, such as "level design", "programming", or "art". Link your journal entries to relevant tasks, assets, and documents in your Notion workspace.
To level up your journaling, experiment with these techniques:
- The “Five Whys” technique: When you encounter a problem, ask “why” five times to drill down to the root cause.
- Retrospective analysis: At the end of each week or month, review your journal entries and identify patterns, trends, and areas for improvement.
- Goal setting: Use your journal to set goals for the upcoming week or month, and track your progress towards achieving them.
By combining the power of Notion with the practice of game dev journaling, you can transform your workflow, boost your productivity, and create better games.
Ready to optimize your game dev process and unlock your creative potential? Dive deeper into the art of effective journaling with our comprehensive guide: Optimize your game dev workflow.