Amongst all the questions I get concerning Snow Plow Project, the most frequent is: Why is it taking so long?
It could be that when I started this project about a decade ago, I didn’t know how to make videogames. I just wanted to create and play a snow plow simulation game, so I decided to learn everything I needed to be able to create it. This would mean slow progress, lots or errors, and when something would finally work, realizing that there would have been a better and easier way of doing it. So with my new knowledge and skills, I would scrap the work and start over again.
Being scared of not being able to handle professional softwares, I was initially using very basic softwares: a free basic game engine and an architectural 3D software. Soon realising that, despite their easy use, I was very limited in the possibilities, I took a deeper look into real professionnal game dev tools. I quickly realized it would be a lot more work initially, but it would ultimately simplify the overall development. It’s like trying to cut a tree with an axe because the use of a chainsaw seems too complicated. The time spent learning how to use the chainsaw will, in the end, be rewarded by the energy saved by having the proper tool.
The more I would learn, the better I would become. Everytime I would change for a new software, I would realize it would be simpler to just scrap the work and start over again. I would keep the files, and create a new folder with a new number.
Right now, I’m working on Snow Plow 5. Except that the first 4 versions never saw the daylight…
This latest version is in a good shape for being the final one. Lessons have been learned, I am now skilled to work with both Unity and Blender, strong from about 10 years of constant learning in both game development and 3D modeling. I also have very talented friends, pros in programming and sound engineering, who support me when needed for different aspects of the game. My 3D modeling techniques (talent?) have exploded, my perspective and understanding of programming have changed, so did my vision of videogame development. And my software-specific skills are improving every day.
So without any pretention I present this project to the world, or more precisely, to any indie game enthusiast, trucks and machinery lovers and forever-little-kids.
