Happy Sunday!
This week I did not have much time to work on m game. My schedule right now is terrible for an indie game developer. I just started a new full time position. I am also staying at a friends house until I get my own apartment, which won't be until the end of the summer.... For me, I would like to be able to dedicate 2-4 hours a night for my game, but in my current position, I'm working on my game maybe 3-5 hours a week. So the amount I accomplished this week was minimal. I didn't even finish the level I was working on. I am a little upset about my progress, but I have my priorities in line and I know that this game is not on the top.
In this post, I am going to show you how I develop a level. First I make a map. The map is a long image with colored squares that represent different items and enemies in the game. After I create the map, I add the background layers to the map which become the hills and houses in for the in-game background. I then import the images into Game Maker. First I assign the map as the background and match the items and enemies. Then, I'll switch out the background with the actual background. From this point on, if I created any new enemies in the map phase, or a new item, this is the point where I will make the new enemy or item. This is where I am at right now, actually. I created some new features for this level, and I am still working on them.
If you have any questions on my process, I'd be glad to explain.
That's it for this week. Thanks for reading.
It's frustrating when you don't have as much time as you would like. Keep at it, you'll get there eventually!