Code Architecture & RPG Course
Context
Throughout the journey of learning game development, it has always been hard to find resources to learn how to code well. Although when I first learned C++, I always tried to understand what I was doing so I did enough research to understand the basics of code architecture and design patterns, when I came by my first game development tutorials, it seemed they often were showing bad practices. Somehow, someway, I finally found an online course that was centered around code architecture, and I took advantage of it!
Bigger projects, new learning prospects
This course also helped me improve a lot of new skills. First, as I was used to work on smaller project, mostly 2D, this made me improve in more 3D-specific domains. For example, I learned how model rigging and blending animations works, I discovered terrain features… Then, I developed a lot of different systems, such as saving or combat statistics, and the course philosophy of coding well made it easy to reuse and adapt those in my future projects.
Modules and Dependencies
One concept I always struggled with was dependencies. I was never sure how much to decouple my code, and this course helped me so much to find a balance that felt right to game development. Indeed, as they taught me about layering, collisions, I learned how to make better use of namespaces by compounding my classes in modules and making care of the fact there should not be dependency cycles between them, and why. I also learned to have a basic plan to resolve any dependency and at the end of this course, I was a much more confident coder then I was. I remember applying this new knowledge in Naga Rush and that it helped me so much to survive three months on the same project.
