Building a game in 24 hours (or not?)

I like to tinker with game ideas, you know, as a way to unwind and have a bit of fun after the day's done. It's been a sideline passion of mine for years, although in the past 10 years, it kinda got buried under everyday commitments and I did not release anything like it in that time.

The Spark: Bringing Back the Hobby

Out of the blue, I thought: Why not give this game-making another go? Sure, time's always tight, but what if I could craft something simple within a tight 24 hours, just to bring that dream back to life and share something new with the world?

A Playful Nudge: Observing the Little Ones

It's funny how kids can inspire you without even trying. Watching my son stacking things up to solve a game puzzle got me thinking. Maybe there's an idea there, something both kids and adults could get a kick out of?

Choosing a Theme: Maori

With the concept slowly taking shape, I settled on a theme that I found fascinating for a long time: Maori masks. They seemed like the perfect fit for a game built around shapes and patterns.

Getting Down to Business: Making the Game

So there I was, sketching things out, messing around with code, and before I knew it, I had something that resembled a playable game. Keeping true to my self-imposed deadline, the first taste of playtesting happened right around the 24-hour mark.

F*** it: Going Beyond the Deadline

It's hard not to get attached, isn't it? Originally a 24-hour project, I ended up spending double that to add a few extra touches and make sure it wouldn't scare off anyone on their first try. About 42 hours in total, I was ready to introduce it to the world, feeling content with the effort.

The Homemade Footage: Behind the Scenes

Throughout this little adventure, I kept a record of the progress—the rough sketches, the code stumbling, and those 'aha!' moments. If there's an itch to see how it all came together, let me know! I've been toying with the idea of sharing these on YouTube or Twitter for anyone curious.

What's next?

The game is out there, and I'm happy with it. But I'm not done yet. I still have a backlog full of ideas that I want to include, such as login and durable progress storage, a leaderboard, and a few more surprises. I'll be working on these in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

You can support me by just sharing the game with friends and family or just post it on any social media channel you might have. Thanks a lot! :)

Drop Me a Line!

If you've got any thoughts, want to chat about the game, or just fancy saying 'hi', shoot me an email. You can reach me at daniel@belgo.tech. Looking forward to it!