Best of Game Development — April 2025

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   Hacker News·1y

   Get the hell out of the LLM as soon as possible

   Large Language Models (LLMs) should not be used for decision-making or implementing business logic due to their poor performance in these areas. Instead, LLMs should be employed as an interface for translating user inputs into API calls, with the actual logic handled by specialized systems. This approach enhances performance, debugging, and reliability. LLMs are best utilized for tasks involving transformation, interpretation, and communication, rather than maintaining critical application state.

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   Article

   Hacker News·1y

   Migrating away from Rust.

   The development of Architect of Ruin initially began in Rust with the Bevy game engine due to personal preferences and the positive community around Bevy. However, challenges such as collaboration difficulties, abstraction issues, rapid iteration needs, migration pain, and modding limitations prompted a switch to Unity and C#. The team conducted an experiment evaluating core features implementation, leading to a full port decision. The switch resulted in faster development, better collaboration, and improved maintainability.

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   LogRocket·1y

   Game development for frontend: Building with Excalibur.js

   Learn how to build your first 2D browser game using JavaScript and the Excalibur.js game engine. This post covers the basics of setting up Excalibur.js, creating simple game objects like a player, handling user inputs, managing game scenes, implementing collision detection, and using sprite sheets for animations. It also offers practical steps to transition from tutorials to creating your own game by breaking down the game development process into manageable questions.

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   Game Developers·1y

   How to make art for your game even if you Suck at it

   Discover tricks to create decent game art without having artistic skills, shared by a solo game developer. Learn methods to enhance your game's visuals even if you're not naturally talented in art.

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   Programmers are also human·1y

   Interview with Vibe Coder in 2025

   Discussion covers the development and performance of an Uber simulator, database and web security, optimization techniques, and various app functionalities. Emphasizes a light-hearted approach to troubleshooting and iterative development, reflecting on modern app trends and developer challenges.

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   Code Monkey·1y

   The 10 BEST Game Dev Beginner Projects to Make!

   Beginners in game development are encouraged to create multiple small projects to gain experience quickly. Examples include making games like Flappy Bird, Snake, Breakout, and Asteroids. Each project helps build essential skills like handling inputs, managing collisions, and implementing simple AI. Focusing on clean code practices and gradually increasing complexity is recommended.

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   Article

   Code Like A Girl·1y

   Building a Simple Chess Game Using Go

   Learn how to build a simple chess game using Go, from setting up the board to basic move validation. Explore Go's advantages such as simple syntax, speed, powerful standard library, and strong concurrency model. This guide covers a terminal-based chess game and opens opportunities for future expansions like legal move validation, check or checkmate detection, and AI opponent.

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   Eric Parker·1y

   This "Game" is Stealing Your Data

   Eric discusses the discovery and analysis of a fake game being distributed online, which installs malware on a user's system. This malware is sophisticated, using extended validation (EV) certificates to avoid detection by antivirus software. The video explores the technical details of the malicious payload and emphasizes the importance of zero trust solutions like Threat Locker for robust cybersecurity. The fake game's promotion through a seemingly legitimate campaign highlights the need for vigilance when downloading software.

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   Low Level Game Dev·1y

   Why I moved my game to Javascript?

   After developing a game in C++ for 5 years, the author decided to migrate the project to JavaScript due to the rigid nature of the C++ code. The author highlights the ease of configuring libraries in JavaScript and the lack of compile errors. The game runs on Node.js and Electron, although it has slightly lower FPS compared to the C++ version. Future videos will cover optimizations and new features.

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    Gamefromscratch·1y

    Terrain3D -- Ultimate Godot Terrain System Finally Released

    Terrain3D, a highly anticipated terrain system for Godot, has reached its 1.0 release. This C++ optimized extension supports multiple scripting languages, boasts numerous features, and is well-documented. It allows users to create and manage terrain with ease, supporting height maps and procedural generation. The system also includes tools for AI navigation, painting textures, and handling complex terrains without harming performance.

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    Gamefromscratch·1y

    Flax Engine 1.10 - The Ultimate Underdog Game Engine Gets Better

    Flax Engine 1.10 introduces several updates and new features, including a new bloom implementation for improved rendering, enhanced animation tools, and significant optimizations to mesh vertex formats. It supports multiple platforms and scripting languages like C# and C++. The engine is similar to Unreal Engine but more indie-focused, offering a source-available model with community contributions.

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    Article

    Game Developer·1y

    Industry veterans establish Onibi to create the 'most accessible UGC open world' ever

    Veterans from renowned games like World of Warcraft and Fortnite have formed a new studio, Onibi, to create an anime-style multiplayer RPG called Tomo: Endless Blue. The game aims to be the most accessible user-generated content open world. The studio, led by Benjamin Devienne, has received significant investments and plans for a 2026 release on Steam.

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    Gamefromscratch·1y

    Rust Game Engines in 2025

    This post provides a comprehensive overview of various game engines available for the Rust programming language. It highlights popular choices such as Bevy, Fireox, and Piston, and also covers lesser-known options like Blue Engine and GG. The engines vary in their focus and capabilities, ranging from 2D pixel art to general-purpose, modular, and highly extendable systems. Some engines are inspired by other well-known frameworks, offering Rust-based alternatives for game development. Additionally, the post mentions specific bindings for libraries like SDL and SFML, which assist in creating multimedia applications using Rust.

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    Article

    Hacker News·1y

    Simulated Economy (1)

    The post explores the concept of creating an adaptive simulated economy in an open-world RPG, where player actions influence the price of goods. It discusses how simple rules like the inverse relationship between supply and cost fail to capture real-world complexity. By modeling individual decision-making processes, the simulation aims to achieve optimal pricing, inflation, and geographically distinct markets. An initial implementation involves 200 actors with varied personal and market values, leading to a functioning economy that adapts to changes.

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    Article

    Game Developer·1y

    The huge, hidden web game market no one talks about (and how to get in)

    The post discusses the often-overlooked market for web games and offers insights into distribution, monetization, and the production of HTML5 games. It highlights the advantages of hosting games on popular platforms like Poki, Crazy Games, and Newgrounds, while also addressing the challenges of competition, costs, and the importance of diversifying game distribution. Various strategies for self-publishing and utilizing publishers or game distribution platforms are explored to maximize reach and profitability.

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    Article

    Jendrik Illner·1y

    Graphics Programming weekly - Issue 388 - April 20th, 2025

    This post covers various topics in graphics programming including an introduction to mathematical notation in graphics research, Ubisoft's open-source colorblind simulation tool, NVIDIA’s GDC technical sessions, combining shader effects, Monte Carlo integration techniques for rendering, MIT’s machine learning course for inverse graphics, Microsoft's DirectX roadmap, and Vulkan tutorial series integrated with the Assimp library. It also includes details on creating efficient random number generators optimized for SIMD and GPU execution.

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    Game Developer·1y

    Panic has paid out over $1 million to Playdate developers on Catalog

    Playdate developers have earned over $1 million through the handheld's Catalog storefront since its launch in March 2023, selling 289,305 titles. Panic, the company behind Playdate, sees this success as proof that indie platforms can have significant impact in the gaming industry. Despite a recent price increase for the Playdate console due to rising manufacturing costs, Panic continues to support its developers and plans to announce future updates and seasonal releases soon.

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    Venture Beat·1y

    Mike Games invests $2M in Punko.io developer Agonalea Games

    Mika Games has invested $2 million in Agonalea Games, developer of the hybrid-casual tower defense game Punko.io. The investment is part of Mika Games' plan to invest $50 million in mobile game studios. Punko.io, which blends strategic depth with accessible gameplay, shows strong retention rates and industry recognition. Mika Games offers strategic and monetary support to innovative gaming startups.

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    ThePrimeTime·1y

    The AI Tradeoff

    Using AI can significantly boost productivity by performing complex tasks quickly, but it may hinder personal learning and skill development. There is a risk of becoming dependent on AI-generated solutions, which could limit one's abilities in the long run.

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    Community Picks·1y

    tcsenpai/shellquest: ShellQuest is an expandable, hackable and open source interactive text-based escape room game and engine that challenges players to solve puzzles using Linux terminal commands and

    ShellQuest is an interactive text-based escape room game that utilizes Linux terminal commands to solve puzzles. It's designed to be expandable, allowing users to share their levels. The game features multiple challenging levels, player profiles, an achievement system, and a progress map. Built with TypeScript and Bun, it offers an engaging way for both beginners and experts to enhance their terminal skills. Contributions to new levels and features are welcomed.

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    Gamefromscratch·1y

    ezEngine -- The Easiest C++ Game Engine?

    ezEngine is an open-source and free 3D game engine primarily designed for ease of use in C++. It supports scripting languages like C++ and Angel Script, and includes a modular, plugin-based architecture that facilitates custom extensions. Key features include component-driven development, prefabs, visual state machines for game logic, and a variety of built-in tools and templates. As of the latest release, the engine is focused on Windows, but a Linux port is in process.

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    Collections·1y

    John Carmack Defends Microsoft's AI-Generated Quake II Demo Amid Criticism

    John Carmack defended the use of Microsoft's WHAMM AI game engine for the Quake II demo amidst substantial criticism for its subpar performance and graphics. He emphasized AI's potential to enhance game development by improving the capabilities of programmers, artists, and designers. Carmack and industry leaders believe AI's role in game development will grow, despite concerns about job losses, and see it as a catalyst for innovation in the industry.

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    Gamefromscratch·1y

    Unity is now a Game Developer ...And It's About Time!

    Unity has announced the development of its own game, Survival Kids, in partnership with Konami. This marks the first time Unity has created a game from start to finish, addressing long-standing criticism about its lack of first-hand game development experience. The move aims to improve the performance and stability of the Unity engine by thoroughly testing its capabilities. Unity's decision to 'dog food' its own product is seen as a positive shift towards better development practices and enhanced toolset reliability.

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