Coders’ Block

We’re trying to be organised about the development by keeping a proper (ish) task list, setting due-dates for them, and then working towards that with regular communication about any issues.

But even all that doesn’t always help.  Last night some minor things were ironed out: screen res, full screen, how to draw text on screen.  Then I was left with the big list and what to do next.  Just pick something, right?  I mean, it all needs doing?  Yes, it does, but then the coder inside you takes over and starts working out which order is the most efficient.  And that clashes with the other voice telling you to just get basic game working and do it ‘properly’ in the remaining weeks.

We’ve pretty much decided on XML as the storage format for game data.  Which meant learning how to manipulate that in XNA.  Or should we just hard code the data for the first level to test the game?  Or do it properly now?  And then 30 minutes have gone by and all you’ve done is read about XML Serialisation while your mind wanders onto whether John Sergeant should stay in Strictly*.

Tonight it’s onto making the target grid work.  To hell with XML for today.

* the answer has now been revealed as no.