ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Goodgis Game Dev Critiques His Own Games *Learn from my mistakes!*
Hey everyone, Googas here! Today, we’re diving into something a bit different. As you can see, my face is on screen, which means it’s time for reaction videos! I know they’re everywhere, but I thought it would be cool to look back on some of the previous games I’ve worked on and see what I could have done better. Honestly, I think I could improve quite a bit on most of them.
This idea might seem a little unoriginal because a certain person, known as Dimler, released a video about this last week, and I thought it was a fantastic idea. If you want to check out his video, I’ll put a link in the description below.
Now, I’m going to review my older games and share my thoughts on them. Do I still like them? Do I hate them? What could I change now that I have more experience? So buckle up and stay tuned! But before we get started, we have a quick word from our sponsors.
Today’s video is brought to you by Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of inspiring classes for creative and curious people. Whether you’re interested in improving your editing skills for your devlogs or want to enhance your game dialogue with a creative writing class, Skillshare has it all. One of my favorite classes is logo design with Draplin; he does a great job of breaking down logos and making them easy to understand.
There’s no ads, and they’re always adding new classes, keeping things fresh and interesting. Learning is worth the investment, and the great news is that Skillshare is incredibly affordable. A huge part of game development is self-learning, and Skillshare’s online classes make it possible. For the first 1,000 of my subscribers who click the link in the description, you’ll get a free trial of Skillshare premium membership to explore your creative side.
Okay, our first game today is Blizzard Blowout 64. You guys knew I had to do it! It’s honestly one of my favorites, and I want to see if it holds up to the same standard I thought it did when I originally released it. So without further ado, let’s get started!
I have to say, the UI is pretty impressive. The music? I still think this song is one of the best I’ve ever composed. This was for the Great Winter Game Jam of 2020.
Wow, this is pretty much Super Monkey Ball. I’m not fooling anyone. The lyrics, though… they could use some work. For my first 3D game, I’m impressed by a lot of things, but the physics? Not so much. I don’t know if it’s the engine or what, but the character movement feels inconsistent.
That’s a complaint I’ve had from speedrunners; certain runs can break due to bad RNG and awkward physics. It doesn’t make speedrunning easy. If I were to go back, I would definitely polish up the controls and physics. Also, there’s no pause menu. I think I tried to work on one, but I can’t remember if I ever released it. Always think about adding a pause menu!
The difficulty curve is steep; my dad took an hour just to clear one level. It’s tough! But I’m really proud of this accomplishment. I feel like this is the only game on this list that I’m genuinely proud of.
Next up is Peaches in the 70s. The controls are super weird, and I think this build might even be broken. The art style? Looking back, it’s not terrible, but the animations could use some work.
This game was a fun little prototype, but it has clunky controls. I focused too much on adding mechanics instead of polishing what I had. The boss is literally impossible!
Moving on, the next game is Bad Guess. As you can tell by the name, this game is supposed to be goofy. The art was beautifully made by Mashup Games, but mine… well, we’ll see.
The original idea was to make it more like a Zelda dungeon, which would have been much better. I think the humor and art are the highlights, but I wish I had spent more time on it.
Now, let’s talk about Whiz Birds Online. This MMO was made in Construct 2. It’s nostalgic for me because I spent a lot of time on it right after graduating college. There’s a lot of work that just lacks polish, but the community was amazing.
There are many things I would change, like the confusing magic system and controls. I think I would focus on making the combat feel polished and maybe introduce different classes.
Finally, we have Calamari Madness. This game does not scale well at all! The difficulty ramps up quickly, and I think I should have focused more on prototyping.
Overall, this was a mixed bag of games. If you have any thoughts or constructive criticisms, please leave them in the comments below. I’m always curious about what you think.
A huge shoutout to our Patreon supporters; you guys make these videos possible. If you liked this style of video and want to see more, please like and subscribe. It really helps me understand what kind of content you enjoy.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time for another game dev adventure!
Gather in small groups and select one of the games mentioned in the article. Critique the game as if you were the developer, focusing on aspects like gameplay mechanics, user interface, and overall design. Discuss what improvements you would make and why. Present your findings to the class.
Create a timeline of the development process for one of the games discussed. Include key milestones such as concept creation, prototyping, testing, and release. Reflect on how each stage could have been improved based on the developer’s critiques.
Choose one game from the article and design a detailed improvement plan. Focus on one or two specific areas, such as physics or controls, and outline the steps you would take to enhance these aspects. Consider incorporating feedback from speedrunners or other players.
Role-play as a game developer receiving feedback from players. Have classmates provide constructive criticism on your chosen game, and respond with how you would address their concerns. This exercise will help you practice receiving and implementing feedback.
Participate in a mini-game jam where you create a prototype inspired by one of the games mentioned. Focus on avoiding the mistakes highlighted in the article. Afterward, share your prototype with the class and discuss what you learned from the experience.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
—
Hey everyone, Googas here! Today, we’re doing something a bit different. As you can see, my face is on screen, which means it’s time for reaction videos! I know they’re everywhere, but I thought it would be cool to look back on some of the previous games I’ve worked on and see what I could have done better. Honestly, I think I could improve quite a bit on most of them.
This idea might seem a little unoriginal because a certain person, known as Dimler, released a video about this last week, and I thought it was a fantastic idea. If you want to check out his video, I’ll put a link in the description below.
Now, I’m going to review my older games and share my thoughts on them. Do I still like them? Do I hate them? What could I change now that I have more experience? So buckle up and stay tuned! But before we get started, we have a quick word from our sponsors.
Today’s video is brought to you by Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of inspiring classes for creative and curious people. Whether you’re interested in improving your editing skills for your devlogs or want to enhance your game dialogue with a creative writing class, Skillshare has it all. One of my favorite classes is logo design with Draplin; he does a great job of breaking down logos and making them easy to understand.
There’s no ads, and they’re always adding new classes, keeping things fresh and interesting. Learning is worth the investment, and the great news is that Skillshare is incredibly affordable. A huge part of game development is self-learning, and Skillshare’s online classes make it possible. For the first 1,000 of my subscribers who click the link in the description, you’ll get a free trial of Skillshare premium membership to explore your creative side.
Okay, our first game today is Blizzard Blowout 64. You guys knew I had to do it! It’s honestly one of my favorites, and I want to see if it holds up to the same standard I thought it did when I originally released it. So without further ado, let’s get started!
I have to say, the UI is pretty impressive. The music? I still think this song is one of the best I’ve ever composed. This was for the Great Winter Game Jam of 2020.
Wow, this is pretty much Super Monkey Ball. I’m not fooling anyone. The lyrics, though… they could use some work. For my first 3D game, I’m impressed by a lot of things, but the physics? Not so much. I don’t know if it’s the engine or what, but the character movement feels inconsistent.
That’s a complaint I’ve had from speedrunners; certain runs can break due to bad RNG and awkward physics. It doesn’t make speedrunning easy. If I were to go back, I would definitely polish up the controls and physics. Also, there’s no pause menu. I think I tried to work on one, but I can’t remember if I ever released it. Always think about adding a pause menu!
The difficulty curve is steep; my dad took an hour just to clear one level. It’s tough! But I’m really proud of this accomplishment. I feel like this is the only game on this list that I’m genuinely proud of.
Next up is Peaches in the 70s. The controls are super weird, and I think this build might even be broken. The art style? Looking back, it’s not terrible, but the animations could use some work.
This game was a fun little prototype, but it has clunky controls. I focused too much on adding mechanics instead of polishing what I had. The boss is literally impossible!
Moving on, the next game is Bad Guess. As you can tell by the name, this game is supposed to be goofy. The art was beautifully made by Mashup Games, but mine… well, we’ll see.
The original idea was to make it more like a Zelda dungeon, which would have been much better. I think the humor and art are the highlights, but I wish I had spent more time on it.
Now, let’s talk about Whiz Birds Online. This MMO was made in Construct 2. It’s nostalgic for me because I spent a lot of time on it right after graduating college. There’s a lot of work that just lacks polish, but the community was amazing.
There are many things I would change, like the confusing magic system and controls. I think I would focus on making the combat feel polished and maybe introduce different classes.
Finally, we have Calamari Madness. This game does not scale well at all! The difficulty ramps up quickly, and I think I should have focused more on prototyping.
Overall, this was a mixed bag of games. If you have any thoughts or constructive criticisms, please leave them in the comments below. I’m always curious about what you think.
A huge shoutout to our Patreon supporters; you guys make these videos possible. If you liked this style of video and want to see more, please like and subscribe. It really helps me understand what kind of content you enjoy.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time for another game dev adventure!
—
Feel free to adjust any specific phrases or sections further if needed!
Game – A structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool, often involving a set of rules and objectives. – The computer science students developed a multiplayer game as part of their final project to demonstrate their programming skills.
Development – The process of creating, designing, and programming software applications, including games, from conception to deployment. – The development of the new app required collaboration between the coding team and the design team to ensure a user-friendly interface.
Coding – The act of writing instructions for a computer using a programming language to create software, applications, or systems. – During the hackathon, students spent 24 hours coding a new feature for their web application.
Controls – The interface elements or input mechanisms that allow users to interact with a software application or game. – The game developers focused on intuitive controls to enhance the user experience for both novice and experienced players.
Physics – The simulation of physical systems and phenomena within a software application or game to create realistic interactions and behaviors. – The physics engine in the game accurately modeled gravity and collision, making the virtual environment feel lifelike.
Design – The process of conceptualizing and planning the aesthetics and functionality of a software application or game, including its user interface and experience. – The design phase of the project involved creating wireframes and mockups to visualize the final product.
Community – A group of users, developers, or enthusiasts who share a common interest in a particular software application, game, or technology, often collaborating and sharing knowledge. – The open-source community contributed significantly to the development of the new programming language by providing feedback and code improvements.
Learning – The process of acquiring knowledge or skills in programming, software development, or technology through study, experience, or teaching. – Online platforms have made learning new coding languages more accessible to university students worldwide.
Mechanics – The rules and systems that govern the interactions and behaviors within a game, defining how players engage with the game world. – The innovative game mechanics introduced in the latest release captivated players and set a new standard in the industry.
Prototype – An early sample or model of a software application or game used to test concepts and gather feedback before full-scale development. – The team presented a prototype of their app to the class to demonstrate its potential and gather suggestions for improvement.
