Tutorials Aren't Docs: Our UX Fail That Almost Killed Us
Tutorials Aren’t Docs: Our UX Fail That Almost Killed Us
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We almost shipped a broken game. Not broken in the fun, quirky way. Broken as in, “unplayable, refund requests flooding our inbox” broken.
The culprit? We treated tutorials as internal documentation.
We’re a small indie studio. Early on, we thought, “Why write boring docs when we can just record videos showing how everything works?” Big mistake. Huge.
The initial charm of video tutorials quickly dissolved into a nightmare of outdated information, tribal knowledge silos, and frantic searches through hours of footage just to figure out how a specific UI element was supposed to function.
Imagine trying to debug a complex interaction, armed only with a grainy tutorial from six months ago, featuring an outdated interface. That was our daily reality. It was slow, frustrating, and demoralizing. We were constantly reinventing the wheel because nobody knew where the original plans were, or if they were even still valid.
The Tutorial Trap: Why It Fails
Tutorials excel at onboarding. They guide users through specific tasks. They are great for teaching “how to use” a feature.
Documentation explains “what is” and "why it is". It’s a reference guide, not a guided tour. Think API docs, design specifications, or workflow diagrams.
Our mistake was using the wrong tool for the job. Tutorials become obsolete. They aren’t easily searchable. They lack context.
Here’s a breakdown of why the “tutorials as docs” approach fails:
- Outdated Information: Code changes. UIs evolve. Tutorials become inaccurate quickly.
- Poor Searchability: Finding a specific detail in a video is a pain. Text is king for search.
- Lack of Context: Tutorials show how, not why. Understanding the why is crucial for debugging and maintenance.
- Knowledge Silos: Only the tutorial creator fully understands the system. What happens when they’re unavailable?
- Maintenance Overhead: Updating video tutorials is much more time-consuming than updating text documentation.
Escape the Trap: A Guide to Real Documentation
We dug ourselves out of the hole. Here’s our step-by-step guide to creating effective internal documentation, tailored for small teams:
Define Your Scope: What needs documenting? Prioritize core systems, complex interactions, and anything prone to breaking.
Choose Your Tools: Forget fancy software. Google Docs, Markdown files in a Git repository, or a simple wiki can work wonders. The tool isn’t as important as consistent usage.
Establish a Structure: Organize your documentation logically. Use headings, subheadings, and clear language. Think of it as a mini-encyclopedia for your game.
Version Control is King: Use Git or similar version control. Track changes, revert to previous versions, and collaborate effectively. This alone saved us countless hours.
Write, Review, Update: Documentation is a living document. Assign responsibility for keeping it up-to-date. Conduct regular reviews to ensure accuracy.
Prioritize Searchability: Use keywords, tags, and a table of contents to make information easy to find.
Example: Instead of a video showing how to place a building, we now have a document that details the building placement system: * System overview. * Dependencies. * Key classes and their functions. * Workflow diagram. * Known issues and solutions.
Preventing the Fail: Tracking Your Game Dev Journey
Documentation shouldn’t be an afterthought. It should be integrated into your development process from the start. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by keeping a game dev journal.
A game dev journal helps you track your progress, document design decisions, and record technical challenges. It’s a log of your development journey. This, in turn, makes creating more formal documentation much easier.
By consistently journaling, you’ll capture the “why” behind your decisions. You’ll remember the problems you solved and the solutions you implemented. You’ll have a readily available resource when it’s time to write documentation.
Keep your devlogs brief. Aim for concise notes. Record your daily progress, challenges, and solutions. Include screenshots, diagrams, and code snippets. Tag entries for easy searching.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them:
- Inconsistency: Set a schedule for journaling and stick to it. Even short, regular entries are better than infrequent, lengthy ones.
- Overly Technical: Focus on documenting design decisions and problem-solving, not just code changes.
- Lack of Organization: Use tags, categories, and a table of contents to keep your journal organized.
Many indie developers, including the team behind Stardew Valley, maintain detailed development logs. These logs aren’t just for marketing; they’re invaluable for internal reference. They provide context, capture design decisions, and serve as a historical record of the game’s development.
Documenting the design process of any game mechanic is key to keeping the team on the same page. With all of this information readily available and organized, everyone will have the tools they need to excel at their tasks.
If you are looking for a dedicated tool to help track your progress, stay consistent with devlogs, and organize your creative process, check out our dev journaling tool and start documenting your game dev journey today [/journal]. Proper documentation would have prevented our past issues and can prevent yours too. Trust us, your future self will thank you.