Version 0.7.11-r1 - The "HN" Update

Hey everyone, hope you're all doing well.

It has been a while since I last touched this project, and I've been running on fumes for a long time (my day job really broke me this time) and I feel I've kept the latest few commits away from you all for too long.

Here's a quick breakdown:

• Added a missing definition, which may be useful ;
• Added some placeholders for:
  • Graphics smearing;
  • 9-slice scaling;
  • Spatial Sound;
• Fixed a typo (Working myself to death here)
• Clarified a bit the concept of "frame skipping"
• Created a new section about "World Building" including:
  • Character Design;
  • Level Design;
  • Quest Design;

It's very little content, but as I said, I wanted to deliver it to you: if I had to wait to have a "worthy update", considering the rhythm of the updates it would probably happen sometime in 2055. If ever.

Why is this called the "HN" update?

Because the book was featured on YCombinator's Hacker News. (Here's the link to the post)

This is not the first time it happens (it's actually the third fourth), but this time it was featured more prominently, bringing over 800 views and 400 downloads in less than 24 hours (which considering the project's average, is HUGE).

So first of all I want to thank "linkdd" for bringing attention to the project. That's the most I am able to say, cause my dictionary fails me when it comes to express what I'm feeling when I see the influx of views and stars.

I also want to address the two comments I can see (I don't have a HN account, and I won't make one just to address a couple comments).

The book is absolutely not complete, there are a ton of placeholders containing things I want to talk about but didn't. Nonetheless, I hope that what is here is useful and allows people to start their game development journey. If you know something that is not in the book, please reach out to me and I'll be elated to learn from you and have your contribution added (with attribution, of course).

The other comment refers to the non-techical sections "reading like a reddit post" and that "Doesn't look like any of the contributors have released anything of their own, or have any industry experience in the areas they write about."

I have never put myself as a role model or an expert in any artistic field (I'm a professional software developer by trade), the GitHub repository clearly states:

As well as being a source of knowledge this project aims to be a learning experience for everyone involved too, by gathering contributions from the community, teaching others how to make a game, explaining algorithms but also learning tips and tricks from people who are more experienced.

"Everyone involved" includes me too. The fact that I've ended up being someone that studied and informed himself on many fields and tried to simplify them and make them more accessible was unforeseen (Ok, maybe I could have foreseen it, considering I'm terrible at promoting).

When you simplify and make matters more accessible, something has to give, and probably it made the book feel generic and "like a reddit post" (I would love to see someone spend 6 years writing a 600-page reddit post).

I'm usually a very composed and calm person, but I'm going to be witty here: If you think this project is not good, make a move to make it better. You can fork it and make a better version of it, you can write chapters, you can correct mistakes, even just fix the grammar! It would make me one of the happiest people of the world to see a project I poured years of my free time get some contributions from others.

Here's the GitHub repository: https://github.com/2DGD-F0TH/2DGD_F0TH

Prefer GitLab? There's a GitLab one too: https://gitlab.com/Penaz/2dgd_f0th

If you are expecting perfection from a free project, brought forward and almost-completely (you can check the commit stats on GitHub) maintained by a well-meaning idiot (me) alone, you're probably going to be disappointed. That is not my fault, I'm doing my best here, either temper your expectations.

I don't want to end this post on a negative note, so I want to thank "linkdd" again for bringing the project in the spotlight, but also "generichuman" and "ibobev" for doing the same in the past (3 years, 1 year and 5 months ago) although the results weren't so spectacular, your contribution has been noticed and I am thankful for it.

Take care everyone, stay safe, stay healthy.

Penaz