Grounded Bird Games aka Chris
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groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Grounded Bird Games aka Chris
@groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
360 followers 300 following 220 posts
Working on a point and click adventure game with Mark Watson. Part time Indie Dev, Dad. I like coffee, smiles and kindness. he/him from Aotearoa
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groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
More things maybe only game devs will find interesting...
My 'hints' menu now shows hints in this order:
- hints for the current level
- hints that apply across levels
- hints for other levels
It also scrolls & other levels hints are on separate pages that you can switch between
#gamedev #indiedev
November 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Sometimes I forget how nice the NZ countryside is. This is taken on my way home from work today #newzealand
Lush green framland with blue skies. A herd of approximately 100 black and white cows are grazing peacefully
October 31, 2025 at 8:19 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Something I find difficult with making a game as a passion project is that progress can often look like going backwards! I've been working on a hints/to do menu for a couple of weeks. It's sooo much better 'behind the scenes' than it was, but unfortunately it looks like this 🙄 #indiedev #gamedev
October 30, 2025 at 9:52 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Working on getting the inventory functioning the way I want (ignore the less than desirable graphics!). Menu opens, the background blurs nicely, you can select/deselect items, and the menu disappears when you move off it so you can try the items with things on screen. Yay! #indiedev #gamedev
August 10, 2025 at 5:51 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
One of the things I like about working on a game mostly solo is the variety of things you get to work on. Sometimes its spreadsheets to keep track of inventory and conversations, sometimes its working on the world and lighting and interactions, and a hundred other things! #gamedev #indiedev
screenshot of a spreadsheet with columns Level, area, location, item, available when and relies on visible. The start of more columns is just visible on the right. The columns are filled with text, with a large portion of it blurred out screenshot of the unity game development editor showing a 3d scene of the interior of a museum. Various boxes, icons and lines are visible that indicate a developer view of the game
August 7, 2025 at 11:11 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Oh...oh no (I am of course aware that I somewhat embody the pinnacle of boring and 'default setting' 😆)
45yo white man wearing very plain glasses with blue frames looking resigned to the fact that he is peak boring
August 6, 2025 at 6:08 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Sometimes making a game is intense programming, sometimes its creating and animating complex 3D models, sometimes it's carefully balancing the user experience...and sometimes it's drawing terrible maps to kick start some level design ideas! #indiedev #gamedev
Basic line drawing of a map drawn in paint. It shows an aerial view of some sort of city block next to a river, with key points marked with handwritten text. Points are Market, shop, tavern, tree and church
July 27, 2025 at 10:40 PM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Bit of a foggy morning down this end of the world #newzealand #waikato
Foggy Two lane road in New Zealand with trees lining the road, fading into the fog in the short distance Foggy Two lane road in New Zealand with trees lining the road, fading into the fog in the short distance
July 24, 2025 at 7:54 PM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
I have had some pretty exciting emails (hmm that sounds a little sad, but true), but this one is definitely near the top!
#itbegins #gamedev #indiedev
Screenshot of an email from Mark Watson showing subject line of "Level one - first script" and "OK here we go!" As the start of the email
July 24, 2025 at 5:09 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Hi NZ folk. I just read in an Emily Writes newsletter that it might be a good idea to email Seymour and let him know that you are not a bot (if you submitted on the RSB). I thought that was a good idea, but I am (genuinely) not sure if the tone/content of this email is acceptable? Thoughts? #NZPol
Kia ora David, I am concerned that you think some submissions to the Regulatory Standards Bill have been generated by bots. I would not want you to think that about my entry, so I am emailing you to let you know that the submission with email address email@notmyemail.com was submitted by a real person. By the way, the bill is really stupid. I hope you take time to reflect on the fact that the two most opposed bills in NZ history have been bills that you have backed so vehemently. Couple that with the absolute disaster that was the change to school lunches (which I will never forgive you for - it was a massive success story that benefitted so many NZers, and you stomped on it for reasons that I can only imagine involve your ego, lack of compassion, financial benefit to you or your mates, or a teeny tiny brain) and I hope you are starting to feel very unwelcome in NZ. Maybe US politics would suit you better. Anywho, I suspect that you are not having anywhere near as miserable time as you should be at the moment, but I hope you are
June 24, 2025 at 4:25 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Phew - upgraded to Unity6 and have managed to clear all errors! Everything still seems to be working, including UI, post processing and custom 'fake lighting' shader. Pretty exciting stuff! #indiedev #gamedev #unity3d
June 22, 2025 at 1:28 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Decided I wanted to feel stressed out, so I upgraded my project to Unity 6. Have managed to resolve 20 of 23 errors so far, and the editor is rendering my scene. Not too bad in the grand scheme of version upgrades! #gamedev #indiedev
Screenshot of the Unity editor showing 4 panels. Top left is narrow and shows a list of components. Top Right takes up over half the screen and is a scene view. Bottom left is narrow and shows 3 error messages. Bottom right is about 1/3rd of the screen and shows the game view
June 21, 2025 at 12:18 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
One of my favourite times of monday is after we have got the kids up, dressed, breakfast sorted, lunches made and sent them off to school, and I have about 15 minutes before work starts to sit and have a quiet coffee...blissful!
Small white cup filled with coffee sitting on a black benchtop. Steam rises from the coffee
June 15, 2025 at 11:57 PM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Okay, after some feedback. Trying to decide if I use my custom lighting, or just built-in lighting. Front character is using custom, the other one is built in. I prefer the custom, but I am worried that is because I spent a while setting it up! Any thoughts? #indiedev #gamedev
June 8, 2025 at 7:41 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Okay, after some feedback. Trying to decide if I use my custom lighting, or just built-in lighting. Front character is using custom, the other one is built in. I prefer the custom, but I am worried that is because I spent a while setting it up! Any thoughts? #indiedev #gamedev #unity3d
June 8, 2025 at 12:37 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
After getting the basics of my custom 'lighting' working, I have spent the next few evenings making it actually work...making sure two changes dont try to run at once, adding a 'default scene tint' so when you exit a light volume it knows what colour to go back to etc #gamedev #indiedev
June 7, 2025 at 4:18 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Very proud of my youngest (12yo). He entered a photo comp at Waitakaruru Sculpture Park, and won first place with his 'Autumn Eye' photo
Cool to see his photo printed and framed. It will stay up at Swallow Gallery for a month too!
Photo of drop with reflections of autumn trees with blurred background. Three image collage. Top show framed photo on gallery wall of a drop with autumn trees refracted, bottom left shows the 12yo photographer next to the print holding certificates, bottom right shows photographer receiving award from judges
June 6, 2025 at 7:46 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Living the millennial dream this morning. Avocado on toast AND coffee (but living the millennial reality because it's all made at home) #goodbreakfast
Two slices of toast with smashed avocado and a poached egg on each. There is a mug of coffee in the background
June 5, 2025 at 8:18 PM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Sometimes I don't feel that old, then I find things like the first CV that I used to get a proper job, and it looks like this - very late 90s/early 2000s in a document! Such an epic cover page, and each page with a custom footer...printed on A5 (to be different) and ring bound #olddev
Cover page of a CV from late 90s early 2000s. Very clipart/early photoshop design, and uses the Papyrus font page of a CV from late 90s early 2000s with text removed. Shows a custom footer with a very clipart/early photoshop design
June 3, 2025 at 8:17 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
This is a bit more of a realistic example. The first time she walks into the shadow area the effect is off, the second time it is on
June 2, 2025 at 10:29 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Trying out having baked lighting for scenery, but an unlit character. This can lead to the character looking very out of place in the scene, so I have implemented a system where I can add a 'tint' to the player. This will allow me to add 'shadow' to the character as needed #indiedev #gamedev
June 2, 2025 at 10:14 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Quite an atmospheric drive to work this morning through the foggy Waikato #newzealand
Foggy road in the Waikato, New Zealand with the sun rising behind a group of trees Foggy road in the Waikato, New Zealand
May 21, 2025 at 7:49 PM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
There is something very satisfying about getting your character into a scene and actually moving around! She lives!!
A few clipping issues with the clothes, but she needs a better outfit anyway so that's the next little task #gamedev #indiedev
May 7, 2025 at 9:53 AM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Also, actual in-game distance is likely to be more like this a lot of the time! #indiedev
May 6, 2025 at 11:51 PM
groundedbirdgames.bsky.social
Still playing around with our main character. I think she is almost to the point where she is good enough to at least using in a demo etc. Progression from original to newest (left to right) below. Clothes need some work I think #gamedev #indiedev
May 6, 2025 at 11:46 PM