Jeff Wofford

The Rise and Fall of the Lone Game Developer

In the early 80s, all it took to make a game was a computer, some graph paper, and a lot of determination.

How to boss without being bossy

Leaders command people. That’s kind of what a leader is: someone with the authority to direct the actions of others.

When the job search becomes impossible

I have the good fortune to have a job right now, but many of my friends are out of work. Most have been searching for a while. Some are encountering a problem that has my full sympathy, something I’ve experienced myself at various times. I’m not sure I can solve it, but maybe I can help put words to what some are…

A Programmer’s Greatest Enemy

A programmer’s greatest enemy is getting stuck . A crucial skill in programming—and one that many of my beginning game programming students lack—is the ability to recognize when they’re stuck, to get out of being stuck, and to avoid getting stuck in the first place.

How Siri Works

Once again someone has offered us incredible artificial intelligence, and once again we are bracing for disappointment. It happened with handwriting recognition on the Newton, which proved to be slow and clumsy. It happened with the not-as-smart-as-they-first-appeared creatures of Lionhead’s Black and White . And…

What Programming a Game in 48 Hours Taught Me About Programming Games

I participated in Ludum Dare 27 this weekend, programming a complete game, Spacetime Adventure, in 48 hours. I make games for a living but I’d never done that before. It was fun.

When Game Development Stinks