Automated Builds in Game Development | Technical Production
When people think about game development, they picture flashy art, clever AI, or tight combat mechanics. What often gets overlooked is something far more basic but just as critical: automated builds. For producers and designers, automated builds are the single best way to keep feedback flowing. For programmers, they’re a shield against broken code. For […]
Pair Programming and Code Reviews: Best Practices for Collaboration
Every developer knows that game projects live and die by teamwork. You can have the sharpest coders in the world, but if they’re working in isolation, problems slip through, knowledge gets siloed, and the codebase becomes harder to maintain. That’s where pair programming and code reviews come in. These practices aren’t about slowing people down […]
Source Control in Game Development: Git, SVN & Perforce
When I started consulting a year and a half ago, I never expected one of my most common recommendations would be this simple: “Do you have working source control?” And no, your Google Drive or an external hard drive does not count as source control. It’s honestly surprising how many teams I’ve met who are […]
GOAP in Game AI: Using Utility and Planning for Smarter NPCs
After publishing my recent piece on game AI planning, I received a wave of questions about GOAP, which inspired me to write this article. To make it clear and approachable, I’ll walk through a simple paper prototype of GOAP so you can both understand the concept and even implement your own version if you’d like. […]
The Real Reason Games Ship: Leadership, Not Luck
If you read my earlier article on planning the path from prototype to production, this one builds on the same foundation, but now through the lens of what it takes to actually ship. There’s an old truth whispered in the game development community that is: “Every game that ships is a miracle.”And after more than […]
From Prototype to Vertical Slice in Game Dev
How Game Designers or Product Owners turn early insights into real production milestones Game development always starts in exploration mode. You try ideas, test mechanics, and validate what feels good to play. But eventually, every team reaches the same turning point: You need to turn what you’ve discovered into something that can actually be built. […]
Building a Business Case for Your Game
Game development is an art form, but for those of us working in the industry, it’s also a livelihood. Creativity fuels the spark, but business realities determine whether a project survives. And in today’s climate of rising budgets and studio closures, building a solid business case for your game is no longer optional. The heart […]
The Case for Product Owners in Game Development
This month, I became a Certified Product Owner Professional. It wasn’t about collecting another credential, it was the natural next step after 17 years in software development, 11 of those in games, and six years building myself as a project manager. That path began with a project that burned me out. It was messy, conflict-heavy, […]
Game AI Planning: GOAP, Utility, and Behavior Trees
When we talk about Game AI, most developers start with behavior trees, A*, or perception systems. These tools are great for controlling moment-to-moment decision making, but what about bigger-picture choices? That’s where AI planning comes in. Planning systems give NPCs the ability to evaluate options, weigh trade-offs, and pursue goals in a way that feels […]
Perception in Game AI: Smarter NPC Awareness
When players talk about Game AI, they often jump straight to pathfinding or decision-making. But before an NPC can move or decide, it has to perceive the world. That’s where perception systems come in, they’re the bridge between raw game data and believable character behavior. Done right, perception creates tension, immersion, and the illusion of […]