So, after much time and coffee, Growing is nearly complete! For now, I’m just waiting to integrate changes from my teammates, and working on the landing page. Stay tuned for the update with the finished build.

In the meantime though, I gave my not-quite-retrospective this past Monday at the March meeting of our local IGDA chapter (IGDA PHX baby!)

I’ll link the talk and slides below. Basically, the talk was a history of my game development process, the techniques I used (or should have used) to keep myself motivated, the motivational pitfalls I landed in and how I learned to avoid them.

It gets a tad personal at times, but I tried to keep the advice as general as possible. It got some good feedback! In typical terrified-public-speaker style, I linked all my statements together with lots of ‘ums’ and ‘likes’… feeling more inspired than ever to attend some local Toastmasters sessions. Maybe after GDC! Any Phoenix locals want to get in on this with me?

In any case, here are the links! I published the slides, but the talk itself was recorded at UAT and it’s available now on ustream. Check them out!

• Slides (Google Docs)
• Talk (ustream)

If you have any feedback or questions, feel free to contact me at my IGDA email: corey@igdaphx.org
And check back soon for the finished (or nearly finished) build!

Check it out! This is the final spritesheet for all the plants in the game and their various stages of growth. Do any of them strike you as representative of certain character traits?

Here’s a concept piece of the final character at the end of the game. I might have gone a little bit overboard with the level of detail, but it does have gameplay significance!

I didn’t realize this at the start of the project, but as I continue drawing I can see myself improve, and there becomes a marked difference between my earliest assets and the most recent ones. In art more than anything, the game has been a continuous struggle against my inner perfectionist. It’s similar to my urge to refactor code, but there I find it easier to adopt the “as long as it works” mentality. Art is just out there for everyone to see, mistakes and all. I think I’ve hit upon the danger of working without deadlines.

I have more to say about the development of this game, including my strategies for finding a balance between full-time and indie. But this is a “show, not tell” kinda post, and so for now I’ll leave it at that!

This time however, we have a formidable new ally in our midst, form of… DAN, THE FOOD PROCESSOR! (We didn’t really name him Dan.)

Having a food processor cuts down hugely on prep time, which means I’m free to experiment with a relatively low cost of failure. AND when the experiments turn out successful, as you’ve probably guessed: they’ll be here! And so, ladies and gents, I present to you…
 

Paleo Baked Salmon with Basil-Walnut Pesto
(with optional yummy side veggies!)

Pesto:
• 1/4 cup walnuts, ground or finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped basil
• 3 tbsp chopped spinach
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Salmon:
• 2 medium-sized salmon fillets
• Parchment paper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• lemon (optional)

Side veggies (if you want ‘em):
• 1 container grape tomatoes
• A handful of white mushrooms
• 2 tbsp olive oil

What you DO:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Ready the salmon. Sprinkle a little bit of olive oil on it, add some salt and pepper to your liking, place it on a parchment paper-lined cooking sheet.
3. Prep the pesto! This is where a food processor comes in super handy. Chop up your garlic and jalapeño as finely as you can, along with the spinach, basil and walnut pieces if you haven’t already. Mix them together in a big bowl with olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bake the salmon in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
5. (OPTIONAL VEGGIE STEP) If you want the side veggies, this should be the last thing you do (ideally, right before you eat or serve it). Coarsely chop mushrooms. Turn a frying pan onto medium heat and add olive oil. Once heated, add the tomatoes and mushrooms and let them cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. At this point, the tomatoes have turned into those awesome tomato grenades that burst in your mouth AND as a bonus, they go great with the pesto
6. Remove salmon, add pesto, garnish with lemon (also optional).

 
And there you have it! Easy peasy, you can make the whole thing in under an hour, looks and tastes fancy, serves two. A good meal to serve your significant other who doesn’t believe you can cook ;D

The “Stop Online Piracy Act” (SOPA) CAN and therefore WILL destroy the Internet if we don’t speak up about it. This legislation is actively being reviewed RIGHT NOW in Congress, and at this pace it will very likely become a reality as soon as they are back in session from winter recess.

You know something is horrifyingly wrong with an Internet-regulatory bill when the very people who created the Internet speak out against it, while even the legislation’s staunchest Congressional supporters confess that they know next to nothing about the subject. How many of the companies supporting SOPA are intimately familiar with the underlying structure and workings of the Internet? (hint: that number is rapidly approaching 0.)

Finally, this is a selfish plea… I’m a creative. Most of my friends are creatives. Artists. Musicians. Filmmakers. Game Developers. Writers. Web Developers. Bloggers. This bill would effectively be career suicide for all of us and the numerous industries we represent. The thought of its potential economic repercussions evokes a visceral shudder from all of us.

Please, just take a moment to research more on the subject, write or call a representative, sign a petition, contribute to a filibuster, or even just help spread the word. Time’s running out and those who hold the critical opinions on the subject aren’t there in Congress to represent us. The voices of those most passionate about the subject are getting lost entirely as the fate of the Internet is decided by a group of people who by their own admission understand nothing of it.

To see this bill dismissed would be the most incredible gift I could receive. Thank you, and Merry Christmas, everyone.

So yesterday, my boyfriend Kyle and I wrapped up our adventures in an interesting paleo diet derivative: the Whole30, named for the 30 days you are supposed to follow this stricter version of paleo as a sort of “hard reset” to your body’s food response.

The Basics

My understanding of this is that you are training your body not to have insulin spikes as a result of food intake. One thing we noticed is that we NEVER got food comas while eating Whole30, not even once, which is probably a good measure that we were doing it right

You can read about Whole30 on its official site, but for a quick definition: no sugar or sweeteners (even honey), no processed foods, no dairy, no grains, no legumes, no alcohol, no white potatoes (a somewhat arbitrary measure by their own admission), limited fruits, and generally a focus on low GI foods and a healthy protein/good fats/carbs ratio (veggies are crucial, as the main source of carbs).

Our Methods

That certainly sounds like a lot of ‘no’s, but if you’re committed to putting in the time and effort to maintain this diet, it’s not that hard. Sugar cravings subside fairly quickly, believe it or not, and there’s no limit on how much food you eat as long as it’s approved! You have to be willing to cook a lot, but fortunately there are a lot of resources on the web related to delicious paleo and Whole30 recipes. We used thefoodee pretty extensively for this, it has some nifty features like dynamically generated shopping lists that really simplify the process.

Here are a few favorite recipes from around the web:

Breakfast:

• Sweet Potato and Sausage Hash
• Butternut Squash Hash
• Yummy omelettes, like this one!

Entrees:

• Broccoli Soup
• Paleo Beef Stew
• Crockpot Carnitas (great in a lettuce wrap, with avocado slices mixed in)
• Homemade Marinara with Meatballs (spaghetti squash for the ‘pasta’ portion!)
• Paleo Czech Meatballs

Snacks (not all are recipes):

• Baked Apples
• Baked Brussels Sprouts
• Yam Chips and Guacamole (with pomegranate seeds!)
• Raw Cashews
• Sliced Bananas with Almond Butter

Generally, our strategy was to reserve one night every 5 days or so for a “cooking marathon”: make as many of these recipes as possible all at once, and then eat the leftovers as meals for the next few days. This seems to work really well, although if you’re not planning carefully you’ll occasionally run into a night where you’re all out of options and need a meal on the spot. I used Chipotle as an emergency reserve. There’s a very limited menu that’s completely Whole30-approved, but luckily they list the ingredients in all their components right on the site!

Speaking of restaurants, eating out is generally very difficult, as restaurant cooks and servers aren’t used to thinking of food in “paleo” terms. Most places I went to, the waiters were fascinated and had never heard of this diet before. I think Kyle and I have had one possible slip each, and both times it was from a restaurant entrée where we suspect they might have misunderstood our order (of course, at restaurants it’s really hard to tell). I’ve had better luck with steakhouses than anywhere else: you can generally sub vegetables for their side dishes if you ask nicely, and make sure you order your sauce “on the side.” Still, it seems like the best approach is to avoid dining out as much as possible.

Results

Kyle and I have been following this throughout the month of October (technically making it a “Whole31” for us). We’ve been as exact on these guidelines as possible to be totally scientific about it. We’ve even stayed off the scale at their recommendation, though that one seems to just be about defining clear “before” and “after” states. Obviously, this is all completely anecdotal, but I’ve tried my best to remain objective.

Here are my observations:

• Without going TMI, my digestive system had a hard time adjusting. I almost gave up after about a week from stomach pains and related discomfort. It finally disappeared completely after about 2 weeks. I haven’t really found an exact explanation for this beyond a vaguely-defined “adjustment period.”

• I tended to get fuller faster, but hungrier more often. Often, about half an hour to an hour after a meal, I’d eat an extra small snack (nuts or fruit or something) before feeling sated. I was hungrier for breakfast more often, too (I used to generally skip eating in the mornings). Small snacks became more and more common over the course of the month.

• As mentioned above, we never got food comas, even when we’d go back for 2+ rounds on dinners

• I’ve gone without sugar for extended periods before, but it always fascinates me that your tastebuds acclimate to the change so quickly. At the end of Whole30, even things like grapes and sweet potatoes were almost too sweet.

• Relatedly, I noticed sort of a “mental shift” with regards to sweet stuff: I’m sure I could still enjoy a lovingly-baked slice of cake, but the idea of it isn’t inherently appealing. It’s a lot easier to avoid cakes and candies now at parties, for example.

• Another mental observation, I’d regularly (once a week or so) have dreams about eating foods that were clearly non-paleo, like Oreos or a sandwich, and would freak out in the dream and try to spit it out or something. The guilt would carry over into the morning for a bit while my fuzzy brain was still decoupling my subconscious from reality. Kyle reported having these too, which makes it even more interesting to me.

• I didn’t notice any large jumps in energy levels, mood, overall health, allergies, or whatever else as a result, and I’m inclined to think many of these changes are somewhat psychosomatic. However, I’m almost certain this diet is more effective coupled with a regular exercise routine (which I did not do), and relatively low stress levels (which I DEFINITELY did not do). I’d like to try it again with those two extra factors sometime and report my findings.

• The hardest thing for me? Strangely, alcohol. (Strange because I’m not a heavy drinker by any means.) I like the taste of wine, and it pairs well with a lot of paleo meals. I also missed having a little bit at social outings. We were so recipe-focused that the only time I really missed particular foods was at restaurants when we would have to skip the free bread or appetizers. Another good reason to avoid eating out!

• Finally… the numbers. I’m almost hesitant to reveal these because it obviously varies so widely from person to person. I dropped 7 pounds and 2 sizes after following this diet strictly for a month. That brings me exactly to the halfway point of reaching my ‘ideal weight’. Again, this is only my personal result and a lot of individual factors come into play. (I was pretty sedentary the entire month, for one thing.) I’m pretty happy with that, for the relative ease of implementation of this diet!

Conclusion

So I guess the final question is whether I would recommend this diet. Again, it’s a lot of cooking and highly restrictive, and if you’re in a lifestyle of eating out often, you have to be ready for a big change. I’d try just cooking paleo meals for a few weeks beforehand to see if you’re ready to devote the time and effort (that’s what we did).

I’d consider it a step up from many other diets: you’re not restricting how much you eat, which means you won’t just go around hungry and thinking about eating all the time. This to me is a lot of what makes it sustainable. It’s not impossible to think about doing this diet indefinitely, and with the Whole30 restrictions lifted, staying paleo suddenly becomes a LOT more accessible. Most commercialized diets (Weight Watchers, etc.) don’t strike me as nearly as sustainable. If you especially hate the minutia of portion control and calorie counting, I’d consider this a top choice alternative. There’s also the added benefit that this program is free and openly documented right here on the ‘net!

I wouldn’t say it revolutionized my relationship with food or anything. A lot of it is really just about becoming more aware. Knowing how your body works and reacts to different foods differently, seeing the changes of minor diet tweaks, etc. If you approach it scientifically, you’re eliminating a lot of variables that affect how your body reacts to food, so you become pretty acutely aware of your body’s reactions, right down to the meal. Seeing that is actually really neat!

If you already eat fairly healthy, you probably won’t find this life-changing or anything, but you’ll certainly find a wealth of new recipes to try! By all means, check it out. And if you’re looking for a fun food adventure, it’s definitely worth a shot. As for Kyle and I, I think we’ll keep going paleo for a while… we’ve got no reason to stop!

You’ll probably read a lot about IGDA Phoenix on this blog ’cause I’m the chair!

Since moving to AZ a couple years ago, there’s been a stir to jumpstart our local IGDA chapter. The effort was started last year by Pete Jones of Retro Affect, and I hopped onboard as vice and now (as of this past May) chair of IGDA Phoenix.

We hold regular meetings every first Wednesday of the month, currently held at Claim Jumper in Tempe, along with game jams at UAT every few months. If you’re a game developer in the area, come check us out!

You don’t need an official membership, it doesn’t cost anything, and the atmosphere is surprisingly refreshing and inspiring. Don’t take my word: just check out this awesome video about the Phoenix Global Game Jam put together by the talented local Ryan Luibrand!

Recently, our Phoenix chapter has gotten a couple shoutouts in the IGDA newsletter. Back in June, I got featured in a Member Spotlight article to highlight “superlative IGDA member[s],” which I consider a HUGE honor.

Even more recently, they published an article I wrote about the local game dev scene! Phoenix: Desert Devs details some of the highs and lows of making games out here, and features comments from local studios like Broken Bulb and Flashbang, as well as local devs Dave Koontz, Kyle Pulver and Ara Shirinian.

It’s a pretty solid depiction of game development out here in the Valley, and a lot of other regions in the newsletter provide interesting reads as well. A huge thanks to Ryan Arndt and Cat Wendt for putting it all together!

Regarding my own personal projects, I’ve been working a LOT on Growing, a game I started at a Game Jam in May and have been filling most of my nights and weekends with. You can expect a beta version up on my projects page soon! For now, here’s a small preview of my work-in-progress:

My blog is officially up and running! I’m using the WordPress infrastructure, but the frontend is a custom theme. This is kinda my first “real” web development experience. Well… it was my first time touching PHP, anyway. It’s been an adventure!

I owe a lot to this incredibly handy WordPress Theme tutorial. If you want a quick-and-painless runthrough of the WordPress API, this is your link. This stuff is the Johnson’s baby shampoo of tutorials.

A few nifty things I learned along the way:

• If you’re making a custom theme for WordPress for the first time, I’d strongly recommend starting with an existing one, stripping it to the bare bones and adding your code. My theme worked locally, but the php wouldn’t execute when I uploaded it. Finally, out of desperation I tried placing it over an existing theme. Worked like a charm. Gooo figure.
• CSS Sliding doors are awesome! This is what all the buttons on my site are made out of.
• Similarly awesome, 960 Grid System is a CSS framework that’s easy-to-use and FREE! Oh baby. I am never again leaving home without it.
• It seems best to test your stuff in Mozilla first, because if you can get it working on Firefox, you can get it working anywhere! Well, except IE I guess… are people still using that thing?

So anyway, the focus of this blog is game development! Posts will be anything from showcasing things I’m learning or working on, to linking to cool game-dev content, to just collecting and writing out my thoughts on topics.

Right now, I’m practicing the basics of pixel art! I started with a character I sketched out a little while ago. I started off using this very excellent tutorial by Derek Yu, and I highly recommend it.

We’ll see what happens! I don’t know if I’d ever have the patience to make a whole game in pixel art, and clearly I still have lots to learn. It was fun, though! Something about the process feel strangely scientific, much different from regular art. I kinda like that.