Tag Archives: programming

Implementing Racing Games: An intro to different approaches and their game design trade-offs

Posted on by • Posted in Game Design, Programming • Tagged , , , , , , , , , , • 3 Comments

mario-kart

If you search online for “how to make a racing game,” you get a bunch of tutorials teaching you one very specific (and very hardcore) way of implementing vehicle/driving mechanics. These tutorials are great if you’re making a realistic driving simulator or racing sim, but chances are they won’t even get you started in the right direction for implementing something that actually fits the constraints of your particular game project.

This article will introduce you to different approaches for implementing racing mechanics, while discussing how these implementation strategies may either complement or clash with your game’s core design. Continue reading →

11 Unconventional Tips for Improving your Programming Skills

Posted on by • Posted in **Popular Articles**, Programming • Tagged , , , , , , , • 15 Comments

pikachu-with-sandbag

There are plenty of good resources out there that teach the technical skills that are necessary for becoming a good programmer, but I’ve seen only a few that give you the more personal lessons that you often only learn through experience or trial and error. In this article, I’m going to share with you some of my own habits and skills that I’ve gained over the years to help me do better work.

This article is based on a post I made over a year ago on the UA CS Facebook Group in response to someone’s question about how you can become a faster programmer. Instead of posting about tools and keyboard shortcuts, most of my tips are about how to get yourself to think faster, along with a few tips for avoiding time-consuming mistakes.

Continue reading →