Book delayed, development moves forward

Only one of my new books arrived, so I'm not really sure what to do while I wait for the other one.I decided to start with some administrative work and set some boundaries on how much of my life I will devote to this game development project.I have a 40 hour job with a long commute, and my wife Gina and I have been running 3 times a week, and most importantly, I want to leave time to play the The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD remake that just came out.That game is like my cocaine.



With the absence of tangible programming to learn, I figure I'll "Nikola Tesla" this project and build it in my flippin' mind.My goals were to build something that:




* is simple to program.I think the game should exist basically on one screen, like Pac-Man or Words With Friends.This is infinitely simpler than a game where the screen scrolls, like Super Mario Bros. or Angry Birds.

* uses 2D graphics only.They are simpler, and they will also challenge me since each frame of animation will have to be "drawn" by hand.

* is unoffensive and non-violent.Most of my friends with iOS devices share them with their children so I want it to be something they wouldn't feel squeamish about.

* is striking to look at and fits within the iOS aesthetic.I have always enjoyed art, so I'm hoping to lean on my artistic eye to make something that's cool to look at.Who knows, maybe one day I'll join another game developer as an artist.

* is simple to understand and play.I want people to immediately know what they're doing when they pick it up.

* is able to be built over many iterations.This is the most important thing.In software development, to "iterate" means to make a new version or to add a new feature.I need something that I can release in a simplified form, then update with extra functionality until I have completed the project.



From these restrictions, I've decided to make a game starring my cat, Desdemona.I can start with a simple iteration where you just pet her by touching the screen, and I can build more and more animations into her behavior until she is realized fully enough that the player starts to feel a bond with her.It really seems to be the perfect game for the hardware, for my skill set, etc.I've read so many stories of people trying game development and stalling because it's just too big of a task (that even happened to me once--more on that later), but this game can be done.I can do this.I'm getting really excited!Now I just can't wait for the books to get here!
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