Bryce Dixon / is on Nostr

Senior Combat Engineer at Monolith Productions
I post about CS theory and personal projects (game dev or otherwise)

Website: https://brycedixon.dev

Last Notes

2024-08-15 04:21:33

#Godot #GDScript tip: type hints can not only improve code readability and prevent errors, but also drastically improves runtime speed basically for free as the interpreter is able to use type information to optimize function calls and variable assignments. In this example, even a few extremely simple functions (only a couple lines long each) were made ~20% faster by just adding type hints.
Docs: https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/tutorials/scripting/gdscript/static_typing.html
Example: https://gdscript.live/?script=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&indent_type=0&indent_size=4
#Godot4 #gamedev #programming
https://s3.wasabisys.com/pmg-media/media_attachments/files/112/964/113/297/419/819/original/5152577e1864ebf2.png

2024-08-14 01:39:07

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Why not make a game as a way to learn?
In my experience, learning anything in a vacuum is the perfect way to not actually remember much about it or realize that the context I end up using it in imposes restrictions that require I re-learn a lot.

2024-07-21 23:30:32

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If you're getting replacements due to stick drift, the repair is actually much simpler than replacing the sticks.
Using a tri-wing screwdriver, remove the back shell,. Then take a small piece of paper folded 3-4 times and place it under the center of the joystick before taping it down. Screw the shell back together.
I did this to 6 controllers and *all of them" started working again. Seems the issue is due to Nintendo not properly supporting the aluminum housing of the joysticks with the plastic shell, so they get bent out of shape with use. The paper adds the support necessary.

2024-04-05 00:59:26

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The visual scripting feature has been scrapped in favor of using the time that would have gone into supporting that to focus on GDScript. I have some strong and lengthy opinions about visual scripting, but to summarize: I think people (even kids) who rely on visual scripting because "code is scary" often end up accidentally turning it into a crutch, creating a steep wall in their learning where they get *really* good at figuring out hacks to make their visual tools work that are completely non-transferrable (speaking from personal experience).
I've taught kids as young as 12 how to develop games in a custom C++ engine and as young as 7 how to use C# in Unity which is *way* harder than GDScript. If your kid hasn't *tried* traditional coding yet, I'd honestly be surprised if it was too rough of a transition that they'd prefer GBG.

2024-04-05 00:03:01

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It doesn't matter how bad the tools are, people who really want to create *will* figure it out.
That's something that a surprising amount of people don't seem to understand, specifically when they don't have that drive themselves. I've worked with many adults who "want to make games," but can't bring themselves to actually do anything because "there aren't any good tools" or "the tools are all so confusing," so they just wait around hoping the perfect tool will come around. It's the same with art: if you've got a stick and dirt, you can make art.
Better tools help, but people who *need* to create will always do so in spite of their terrible tools.
Might I recommend you introduce your kid to Godot ;)