Here's how my process works. First I write a couple hundred lines of code as a base framework or engine for my game. Getting all the basic systems in place first really helps keep code clean. Depending on the particular game, I may write more or I may write less. Maybe I'll build it once or twice to make sure there aren't any blatant bugs. After it's more or less complete, I usually spend an hour or two squashing the most significant bugs, then I get to work on the game. I enjoy this part of development because it's a challenge. Every portion of code is like a puzzle, and you have to make them all work together just right.

This is the part that's a huge drag for me - having to code feature after feature before I have something fun or technically interesting. It's just fluff. Necessary fluff, at that, but there's no challenge to it and you don't get much of anything pretty from it. Only about a half of everything I start gets through this phase, and with another half of those I'm so tired of the whole concept I don't finish it from there. UI, rendering stuff as simple as a bunch of 2D sprites, putting audio where it needs to be, I hate it all. My only relief during this time is actually doing the artwork or composing music, and I can't say who doesn't enjoy these creative processes.

And the third portion is fun, and more of the creative process - adding bells and whistles, prettying up the graphics, getting feedback from early releases, and making general content. The only aggravating part is trying to finally resolve the smaller and more obscure bugs that I tend to just ignore up to this point. This typically continues until I get another idea or just feel like it's complete, at which point I spend a few hours polishing it and getting rid of the last of the bugs, and make some sort of final release.

This is looking pretty good!

Building forts works great now, I rewrote some code to make multiplayer and stuff easier later on, and I got the ending of the turn to do its job. I'd say I'm about 60% done with gameplay, 20% finished overall. (Still need to do AI, high scores, I'd love to have some form of achievements, and I really want multiplayer.)

At my current work speed, I probably won't have everything finished by the deadline - it's what I get for starting late, I guess. But I'll certainly have the actual game finished and presentable, and if I don't bring it to satisfaction I'll likely work on it until I do.

Interesting, but eh.

I'm still not really sure what the problem was, but it's fixed now.

Building placement is still coming along. Also, I added another little ambient effect.



I expect to be able to get a good deal done this evening. I will be someplace with a very (I can't stress that very enough!) slow internet connection. Obviously, the internet is the bane of productivity.

[failure]

 

Your game is a failure!


I'm just kidding - the graphics are very interesting. I'd love to see some sort of gameplay footage.

I detest windows 7 paint, and vista paint is incompatible with it.  



Anyway, I'm having some graphics issues, I think it's a fault of win 7 paint.



I know ms paint is horrible, but it does its job. I think I'm going to have to convert to another different program for pixelling.

Try some stuff like the winner LD17 entry Gia-something. I think those general concepts could fit well in your game.

Now it tells you when you don't have enough money to build it, rather than just leaving you to wonder why nothing is happening when you press z.

Building and unit placement still involve a number of bugs, but it is chugging along.

This looks incredible. 

You can't shoot anything yet, but I do plan on having terrain deform a bit when exposed to a lot of firepower.

Did a good deal of coding in the area of purchasing/placing buildings. Once it's wrapped up I'll have to adapt the code to work for units also. After that I'll get it to handle ending turns and then moving units. AI opponent won't come until after everything else is working. If I'm feeling particularly motivated (moronic) I'll try and give it some internet multiplayer capabilities, maybe multiplayer on the same machine, too.

What's wrong with rotating the level? That's the solution I would be shooting for.

OT: My laptop came in today! It cost me over a grand, but the machine has got some good specs. Now maybe I can code in more places, or something. I kept telling myself how much it would benefit my coding, but in all honestly it might just impede it.. 

I know you replied to the wrong quote, but for some reason I find this hilarious.

 

This looks very interesting. Keep up the good work!

Yeah, I was planning on changing that at some point.

I really need to get back to work on the gameplay..

Anyway, now a random quote shows up between when you choose play on the main menu and when the actual game starts. It serves as a nice and often comedic transition:

Sweet :D

Using my newfound cellular automata expertise from a project I've been working on, I whipped up some Conway to show in the background while you play. It's a neat effect, I think. (The slightly less saturated greens are the live cells.)

Now there's a tip at the bottom to help you get what the menu options actually do.