The hardest thing about finishing a game

Summary

Mark, the creator of 'Mind Over Magnet,' a charming puzzle platformer revolving around magnets, shares his journey to finalize the game by December 31, 2024. Initially, he planned 50 puzzles, 5 worlds, and a rich narrative but had to adjust due to time constraints. After learning from other developers about the commonality of scope changes, he streamlined his vision, cutting down puzzles and worlds, and simplifying the story. The game, now polished and playtested, is set to launch on Steam for Windows on November 6, 2024, marking ten years since Mark's first 'Game Maker's Toolkit' video. He emphasizes the importance of knowing when to stop developing and focus on polish to ensure a game's quality.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Mark has completed 'Mind Over Magnet', a puzzle platformer game themed around magnets.
• 📅 He initially planned to finish the game by December 31st, 2024, but realized the timeline was too tight considering the remaining work.
• 🔄 Mark decided to change his plan, reducing the number of puzzles, worlds, and mechanics to meet his deadline.
• 🗑️ He cut out some mechanics and simplified the storyline to streamline the game development process.
• 🛠️ After completing the game's basic structure, Mark focused on polishing and fixing issues to improve the game's quality.
• 🎉 The game will be released on Steam for Windows on November 6th, 2024, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of his first 'Game Maker's Toolkit' video.
• 📝 Mark learned that finishing a game involves making tough decisions about what content to include and what to leave out.
• 🤔 He emphasized the importance of playtesting and polishing over adding more content to enhance the game experience.
• 📉 Mark acknowledged the struggle between wanting to include everything and the practicality of releasing the game in a timely manner.
• 💬 He mentioned that even some of the greatest games have shipped without all the original intended content due to last-minute changes.
• 🔄 The process of finishing the game led to a shift in Mark's working method, allowing him to see the game as a whole and make more informed decisions.

Q & A

What is the name of the game Mark is developing?

The game Mark is developing is called 'Mind Over Magnet'.

What genre is Mind Over Magnet classified as?

Mind Over Magnet is classified as a puzzle platformer game.

What was Mark's initial plan for the game's development?

Mark's initial plan included designing 50 unique puzzles, creating 5 different worlds, introducing 3 different magnet friends, and writing an involving storyline with twists and turns.

What was the secret plan Mark had for Mind Over Magnet?

Mark's secret plan was to finish the game by the end of 2024, no later than December 31st.

Why did Mark decide to change his development plan?

Mark decided to change his development plan because he realized that his initial plan and the secret plan to finish the game by the end of 2024 were incompatible due to the amount of remaining work.

What did Mark learn from talking to other game developers about finishing games?

Mark learned that it's common for games to change in scope at the last minute to hit release dates or budgets, and that few games ship with all the original ideas intended by the developers.

Which famous games mentioned in the script had to cut content to meet their deadlines?

The Wind Waker, Shadow of the Colossus, and Dark Souls are examples of games that had to cut content to meet their deadlines.

How did Mark adapt the game's content to meet his deadline?

Mark reduced the number of puzzles to about 40, cut down the number of worlds to four, and streamlined the magnet mechanics and storyline.

What changes did Mark make to the game after locking down the content?

After locking down the content, Mark focused on polishing, playtesting, and adding small features like dialogue for specific interactions and a hint system for players who are stuck.

What is the release date for Mind Over Magnet?

Mind Over Magnet is set to launch on Windows via Steam on November 6th, 2024.

What is the significance of the release date chosen for Mind Over Magnet?

The release date, November 6th, is significant because it marks ten years after Mark uploaded the first episode of Game Maker's Toolkit to his YouTube channel.