T-64 A few more hours on my code base this evening

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I finished merging various bits of code back into my main project. I use GHUnit for testing in that project so I updated some tests and added one or two more tests — but still have some key methods which need a few more tests.

I finally got back to OpenGL, and have spent a fair amount of time in the browser, rechecking the pages I bookmarked a few weeks ago. I think I have a decent, temporary plan for rendering that will give good feedback for trying some more things — but I haven’t quite finished, and it’s getting too late to continue.

Day T-64 Accomplishments (Saturday, February 6, 2010)

  • Added more unit tests for game engine components
  • Spent some reasonably useful time working with OpenGL view

T-65 Several simple, but useful things accomplished

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I spent several hours today cleaning up my code, simplifying classes by deleting as much code as I added. I also spent a fair amount of time testing and fixing code and was about to start adding more unit tests, but decided to call it a night.

Day T-65 Accomplishments (Friday, February 5, 2010)

  • Tested existing code, found and fixed several problems with behavior
  • Game model now gets updated as game events are triggered
  • Began work on displaying current state of game model in simple OpenGL view

T-66 Today I managed not to get distracted by the "new hotness"

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I had a great idea this morning for a new non-game app, and was very tempted to dive straight in. Fortunately, the thinking part of my brain kicked in and recognized it as one my character flaws: starting something new and cool instead of making progress on existing work. I think lots of people suffer from the same problem. Since I still saw value in the idea, I budgeted an hour to make some notes, do some googling, and think through what might be useful — then successfully put it aside and went back to work. This evening when I was ready to start back on my game, I was only slightly tempted to divert attention to the idea — I think if I hadn’t take a little time this morning to capture my thoughts, it would have consumed all my development time tonight.

I thought I would be ready to start on display code tonight, but I had forgotten I had not yet implemented an important part of the game engine in my current project. I have most of what I need already implemented in little pieces spread across several smaller projects, so tonight I merged in classes and methods from them into my current project. I have it all reconciled, but still need to finish the code that ties the game events to the underlying model properly. I am caught up enough on my consulting work that I may take at least part of my normal work day on Friday to push forward.

After I have something finished enough for my wife and daughter to try out, I will post some screenshots and a few more details of what my game idea actually is, and will probably ask for some feedback.

Day T-66 Accomplishments (Thursday, February 4, 2010)

  • Captured idea for an iPhone app with some notes and bookmarks *instead* of diverting my limited development time to it
  • Merged code from several different prototypes into my current project

T-67 Back on track

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I finally got caught up enough on my promises to clients to get back to some iPhone work tonight — it feels good to have enough paying work on the horizon, but be reasonably caught up with expectations as well, but mostly it feels good to work on “my” stuff.

This afternoon, I joined the 360iDev speaker chat with Mike Berg. The questions and discussion were good, and it felt good to interact with other iPhone developers — I am really looking forward to 360iDev in San Jose this April.

I was able to add enough to my project today that I am confident I can finally move back to the UI when I pick it up tomorrow. In the process of working and googling, my understanding of Objective-C protocols, class extensions, and other issues is getting stronger.

Day T-67 Accomplishments (Wednesday, February 3, 2010)

T-68 Strike two, I can't let this go on

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A 16+ hour day between my consulting projects and personal commitments. I can’t let this go on.

Day T-68 Accomplishments (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)

  • Still nothing

Bummer again

T-69 Day consumed by consulting projects

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12+ hours of consulting projects left me completely useless mentally.

Day T-69 Accomplishments (Monday, February 1, 2010)

  • Not a thing

Bummer

T-70 Brain fried — taking a day off :-)

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Day T-70 Accomplishments (Sunday, January 31, 2010)

  • Brain rested
  • Mental state recharged

T-71 A night for simple tasks

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Skiing was great, now for a five hour bus ride home. I spent some time doing some code cleanup and minor refactoring — not sure mentally I am up for anything too complex. In the course of some refactorings, I realized I needed a better understanding of how game events will be generated and consumed, so I did some more design work on it.

Day T-71 Accomplishments (Saturday, January 30, 2010)

  • Began design for game event generation and testing
  • Minor code refactoring

Posted from my iPhone

T-72 The wheels on the bus go round and round

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Since I am going skiing with my daughter this weekend, I was going to take a sabbatical today and tomorrow. We are on a group trip with a 5 hour charter bus ride, but she had enough homework that she was occupied the whole ride, so I spent several productive hours in Xcode until my battery died.

Day T-72 Accomplishments (Friday, January 29, 2010)

  • Added interfaces for handling user input and converting it into game events to better track and test game behavior
  • Added support class for tracking velocity, acceleration, and deceleration

Posted from my iPhone

T-73 For a day spent in airports, I've gotten a fair amount done

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I managed to get several hours of work done in airports today.

I decided I had learned enough from my prototyping to build a true game, although a simple one. So I changed my tactics this morning, and I will not end up with a workable prototype for my family to try tonight, but I am pleased with my current direction.

I started a new project sitting in the Minneapolis/St Paul airport, and will copy the ideas and perhaps some code snippets from my prototypes into a revised, simpler game model. I have several prototype projects with useful code snippets and ideas, but they are all too messy to be worth refactoring.

Day T-73 Accomplishments (Thursday, January 28, 2010)

  • Designed simpler model for game world for first version of the game during my first flight
  • Started a new, clean project for my game during break between flights