Cementing Your Duct Tape - Turning Hacks into Tools

Explore techniques and practices for transforming temporary hacks into robust tools in game development through this 54-minute GDC Technical Artist Bootcamp session from 2019. Learn from Creative Assembly's Mattias Van Camp as he shares practical examples from recent Total War games, demonstrating how to handle legacy hacks and create new ones that can evolve into full implementations. Gain insights on data storage optimization, automation strategies, tool utilization, and the importance of maintaining a big-picture perspective while developing temporary solutions. Discover the benefits of iterative problem-solving and how to select appropriate targets for improvement in your game development workflow.

Intro
Overview
Examples from Total War: ARENA
How does it work now?
Can we store it in one place?
What we patch vs. what we automate
How is the data maintained?
What tools exist that we can use?
Proof of concept
Why is this duct tape?
It all starts at the foundation
All about the big picture Beware of tunnel vision
Going forward
The benefit of temporary solutions
Every solution is a learning opportunity
Pick your targets