Hey! If you're a game developer but the words Git and version control are new to you, don't worry! This is completely normal. Not every game developer comes from a programming background, and to be honest, version control does sound a little intimidating. but! I'm going to share a super practical tool that can help you avoid a lot of trouble in the development process. Trust me, it's a bit annoying to learn and you can start using it in just one morning, but it will definitely save your life if something goes wrong.
Why introduce this tool?
Let me share a true story. I recently read on the Internet that an independent game developer accidentally corrupted all the player's save files when updating the game. Why? Because the new version has changed too much, but the code of the old version can't be found to fix the problem. Of course the players are very angry, but the developers can't do anything about it.
This painful experience can actually be easily avoided! Just develop a good habit of backing up regularly. Now there is a free and easy-to-use tool called GitHub, which is super convenient to use with GitHub Desktop!
As a side note: Project presets on GitHub are public, but don’t worry! You can choose to create a private repository so that only you can see it, so you don’t have to worry about others peeking at your game project. And private projects are free too!
What is Git
Simply put, Git is like:
- A cloud drive dedicated to storing your game projects
- A time machine that can take you back to any previous version
- Best of all, basic functionality is completely free!
The actual operation is super simple!
Step One: Register + Download
- Go to github.com register an account (it’s free!)
- Download GitHub Desktop( also free! )
- Open your GitHub Desktop and login
Step Two: First Commit
- Click "New Repository" on GitHub Desktop (that is, create a new project folder)
- Give the project a name
- Select your game project folder
- Write a simple description, like "My first game project"
- Select the game engine you are using (unity or unreal) from the git ignore drop-down menu. It is built-in. After setting it up, the program will automatically help you select those files that are important and need to be backed up, and the backup will be much faster.
- Next, you can click the upload button in the upper right corner to start your first backup.
Step Three: Back up regularly
When you:
- Built some functions
- Fixed a bug
- Or just simply want to save progress
You can:
- Open your GitHub Desktop
- Write a brief description below, such as "Add a new main menu"
- Press Commit button
- Then click the Push button above, and your program code will be safely backed up to the cloud!
Tips
- Remember to back up your data at the end of each day
- Be sure to back up before starting any major changes
- If you are worried about messing up, you can back up first and then modify it.
What can I learn next?
After you are familiar with the basic operations, you can also:
- Work with other developers
- Manage different versions
- Handle more complex branch merges
But don’t think so much now! Start with a basic backup first and do the rest slowly. It took me several years to get fully familiar with all the features of Github myself, so let's keep it simple.
Remember: every professional developer starts from scratch. Learn the most important backup function first, and you will save a lot of trouble in the future! If you are worried about operating errors, you can try it out with a small project first, and then back up the real game project after you are familiar with it.
Need help?
- GitHub Desktop support many languages, and it is super easy!
- If you have any questions, you can ask your friends who know programming around you.
- Or search for "GitHub Desktop Tutorial" online, there will be many graphic tutorials
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