[To Do] Keeping it simple

• Still read more about finite state machines
• Understand surfaces
• Add UI
• Add start screen
• Add inventory sytem
• Add basic puzzle elements/objects (keys, locked doors, traps?)

I suspect the first two items on the list will be tinkered with every now and then while I work on the more fun puzzle elements instead. Hopefully I'll juggle them all well.

I feel that keeping my list minimal, helps keep the development simple. Once the list grows and the backlog gets bigger, it'll become overwhelming to maintain a feel for a steady pace. It's too easy to play the "Wouldn't it be cool if" thought process while forgetting to put yourself into the developer side of things. I want to keep the core simple, and expand upon it in several ways.

Simplicity: The entire game will most likely be located only in two "Rooms". The town and the dungeon, although I don't understand enough about A* Pathfinding (click-to-move, and/or enemy logic) and data structures/BSP trees (procedural generation), I believe the core of a puzzle game can work with or without them.

Scalability: Many puzzle games are able to do both without any problems because they are stripped of the "bloat" (stories, etc). I don't mind committing time to this side-project, ideally designing a simple framework would allow me to set the pace for the flow into the rest of the design.

Uniqueness: As someone who had actually never really played the original Sokoban games, I have played concepts that relied on those mechanics. Where am I going from here? I'm not completely sure yet, but I do want to create a balance between exploring the dungeon and returning to the town. Perhaps rescue NPCs to unlock perks, not sure yet. Maybe restore a town via rescuing NPCs, or amassing resources to buy the upgrades/improvements to the town from a carpenter.