Logs on Cybernetks

Who Stops Scope Creep When You Work Alone?

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Scope creep. As developers, we do not like hearing those words.

As a consultant, I have heard them many times. I have dealt with projects where somebody wants to add another feature—one nobody has tested and nobody has asked for—and I have always found it a little strange. Why would you make the scope bigger without knowing whether the extra work is useful?

Developers are not innocent either, of course. We improve a bit more code than we were supposed to. We touch one more part of the system because we are already there. We tell ourselves the extra change will make everything cleaner. That is why we try to keep the scope as small as possible.

Why Is Sharing the Work So Much Harder Than Doing It?

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I know it has been a while. The last log was about releasing the planner, and since then I have been working on a digital version: an iOS app.

I have been building it for about a month now. Features have been added, ideas have changed, and quite a few evenings have disappeared into code. But I have not made any new logs. I have not written any small blog posts, and I have barely shared anything on social media.

A First Release

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Listen on Spotify or watch on YouTube

Today marks a small but important milestone for Cybernetks.

I’ve released my first product.

It’s not a game. It’s not an app. It’s not even particularly flashy. It’s a printable productivity planner, and honestly, that’s exactly what I wanted my first release to be: something small, useful, and something I can improve over time.

Version 0.1 contains two printable PDF pages:

A Yearly Overview
A Monthly Overview

They can be printed and used on paper, or imported into a note-taking app on a reMarkable, iPad, or Android tablet.

Picking Up the Ball Again

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Listen on Spotify or watch on YouTube

It’s been a while since the first Cybernetks Log.

When I started this experiment, I had high hopes of publishing regular updates and documenting the journey as it happened. Then life stepped in.

Over the last couple of months, a lot of my attention has been focused elsewhere. My son has been dealing with some health issues, and my dad recently suffered a stroke. Neither situation is fully resolved yet, and both have taken up more mental space than I expected.

From Planning to Building

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Embedded media

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kDkSoevxYxk

This is a new Cybernetks Log. A simpler way for me to document what I’m building and figuring things out along the way by recording an audio version first.

Why I started Cybernetks

I’ve been a software developer for the last 10 years as a freelancer, and before that another 10 years as an employee. Over time, I started noticing a growing skill gap between myself and others.

Monthly Increments, Not Big Promises

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

▶️

Prefer a spoken version? Watch or just listen on YouTube !

In a previous log, I talked about the goal I had for my business. I framed it as building a self-sustainable business, mostly because I felt a bit behind in terms of skill level. But I’ve since realised that this isn’t really a goal you set for a year. It’s more of a principle you operate by.

That insight made me rethink how I set goals altogether.

Cybernetks: 2026

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve been working as a freelance consultant for over ten years, mostly on larger web development projects that I could really sink my teeth into.

Over that time, the role of a consultant has changed. Where deep specialisation once sufficed, today we’re expected to be far more well-rounded across stacks, tools, and disciplines. That’s a challenge I enjoy, but it also comes with a tension: experimentation doesn’t always fit neatly into client work.

I’m Bringing Code Katas Back Into My Routine

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

When I sit down to work, either on my game or a new client feature, I don’t always arrive with a clear head. Some days I’m thinking about the kids, finances, architectural decisions, or the (unfinished) feature I was working on yesterday. Creative work demands presence, but life rarely hands us that on a silver platter.

So I’m adding a small warm-up ritual back into my routine: Code Katas.

A small, focused exercise helps me transition into the work more smoothly. It clears the noise. It lets me start by writing clean and intentional code, even if it’s just for a few minutes, and that tone carries into the rest of the session.

Focus in Small Bites

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Lately I’ve been experimenting with a simple productivity system to stay focused while working on Cybernetks projects: the Pomodoro Technique. It’s nothing new but applying it consistently is making a real difference.

In short, it’s a structured way of working in small, focused blocks: ⏱️ 25 minutes of deep focus ☕ 5 minutes of rest or reset 💤 15–30 minutes of longer rest after 4 cycles

Repeat that a few times, and you’d be surprised how much focused work you actually get done. The key isn’t working longer but deliberately.

The Developer Roadmap: Building Skills That Compound

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Lately, most of my time has gone into work for clients, the house, and helping my wife with her businesses. Real life, in other words. Between all that, progress on my own projects has been slower, but not lost.

Because instead of chasing ten new tools or ideas, I’ve built a Developer Roadmap. A simple system to guide my learning and make every bit of progress compound.

Why I built it

For years, I’ve bounced between projects, tutorials, and ideas. Every time I sat down to learn something, I had to decide what to focus on. That constant decision fatigue kills momentum.

Consumed or Creating? Rebooting Cybernetks After a Quiet Month

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

It’s been almost a month since my last update and I wish I could say I’ve been deep in game dev or shipping experiments. Truth is, I’ve been stuck in consumer mode.

It crept in slowly. At first, I told myself I was “researching”: studying art references, watching game dev streams, tweaking productivity systems, improving my notes. All productive things, right?

But then I noticed: No commits. No posts. No levels built. No logs shipped.

Brackey’s Game Jam 2025.2 – Summary

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

My first ever game jam: 7 days, 1 theme: Risk it for the Biscuit. Here’s how Alien Miner came to life.

The Core Idea

I’ll admit it: I struggled with the theme at first. I took it way too literally and spent a good chunk of Day 1 brainstorming three different concepts:

Risky paths platformer: Collect coins on dangerous routes, bank them at checkpoints to keep them safe. Die before banking = lose everything.
Speedrun paths: A safe but slow route vs. a fast but deadly one.
Bet your HP: Start each level betting health. Win = doubled HP. Lose = permanently gone.

In the end, idea #1 made the cut, and Alien Miner became a short platformer where you collect gems, bank them to keep them safe, and try to reach the exit without losing it all. But I also added idea #2 where different, more riskier, paths would lead to better rewards.

Brackey’s Game Jam 2025.2 – Day 6+7

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The last two days were focused on finishing touches and getting Alien Miner out the door. It’s officially exported, uploaded, and submitted to the jam!

What I built

End Gate- Added a simple congratulations message since there’s only one level in the jam build.
Guidance- Added labels near the start of the game to help players understand the basics.
Export & Submission- Exported the build and uploaded it to Itch.io: Alien Miner
Submitted to the Brackey’s Game Jam: Jam Entry

Notes

I’ve been feeling a bit off, and with family taking priority over the weekend, progress wasn’t as fast as I’d hoped.
I’m still unsure if the “risky path” really sells the theme strongly enough — finding the right balance there is something I clearly need more practice with.

Next Steps

Write a blog post in the coming days reflecting on my first game jam experience.
Watch how Alien Miner is received during the jam. If feedback is positive, I may turn this into a proper project for the year:- Expanded storyline
More mechanics
More levels
Integrated or custom assets to bring it all together
Potential full release on Itch.io or even Steam

Reflections

Even though the final build is small, it’s complete and I shipped it. That’s the real win of this jam. I now have a published game, a working loop, and a ton of lessons to carry forward into future projects.

Brackey’s Game Jam 2025.2 – Day 5

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Today was all about level design. I cleared out the messy test setups and finally put together the first proper level. That means the game now has a structure instead of just isolated mechanics.

What I built today

Level Design- Cleaned up all placeholder/test setups.
Designed the first playable level.

Notes

I’ll be honest, I feel stuck on what makes a good level. The perfectionist in me keeps whispering to add more: more enemies, a guidance mechanic, falling rocks… It’s easy to lose track of the fact that this is a jam.

Brackey’s Game Jam 2025.2 – Day 4

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Day 4 brought a big breakthrough: the game finally has a point. Until now, you could collect gems, bank them, and even die but there wasn’t a real goal. That changed with the introduction of end gates.

Now, to finish a level you’ll need to bank a required amount of gems. If you die and lose your collection, it’s no longer just a slap on the wrist, it could mean failing the run. Suddenly, the “risk it for the biscuit” theme clicks into place.

Brackey’s Game Jam 2025.2 – Day 3

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Progress was a little slower today (kids don’t always sync with jam schedules 😅), but I still managed to add some important pieces that bring the game closer to feeling like an actual game.

What I built today

UI- Added a counter to display collected coins.
Added a counter to display banked coins.
Enemy- Added a simple bat enemy to the scene.
Introduced a killzone mechanic for it.
Killzone (Reusable)- Built a reusable killzone scene: an Area2D node with a script that calls GameState.die().
Any hazard can now just drop in this kill zone and add a CollisionShape2D to match the hazard size.
Implemented GameState.die() to reset collected coins to 0.
Added a “hit” sound effect on death.
On death, the level resets to the beginning.

Reflections

Today was the first day hazards came online. Even though the system is still basic, just having something that can kill the player suddenly makes the loop more engaging. The reusable kill zone approach also feels like a solid foundation for adding new hazards quickly without duplicating logic.

Brackey’s Game Jam 2025.2 – Day 2

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Today felt like a turning point. Instead of following tutorials step by step, I started leaning on the docs and experimenting more with Godot directly. That shift made things click faster, I’m building my game, not just replaying Brackeys.

One neat discovery: using await lets me finish playing a sound before freeing up the node. Combine that with toggling sprite visibility and you can keep longer sounds around without the visuals lingering. I also learned that slightly randomizing pitch on repeat sounds makes them less annoying when triggered often, small trick, big impact.

Brackey’s Game Jam 2025.2 – Day 1

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The theme for this jam is “Risk it for the biscuit.” At first, I struggled to connect it to a platformer, card games and gambling mechanics felt obvious, but I wanted to keep it closer to what I’ve been learning.

Brainstorming ideas

I sketched out a few possible directions:

Risky paths: A platformer where you collect coins or gems. You can bank them at checkpoints, but if you die, you lose everything unbanked.
Speedrunning risk: Each level has a safe but slow path, and a faster, more dangerous one.
Bet your health: At the start of the level, you gamble some of your HP. Survive and it doubles, die and it’s gone.

After thinking it over, the first idea is the best fit for the jam scope . Simple to implement, but still a clear tie to the theme. The other two I’ll keep in mind as stretch mechanics or possible expansions post-jam.

Learning Godot: My First Deep Dive into GDScript

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This week I wrapped up Brackeys’ How to program in Godot - GDScript tutorial , a one-hour overview that breaks down how Godot’s scripting language works under the hood. It’s not a full tutorial in the “build a game” sense, but it was a perfect starting point for me to get comfortable with the syntax and workflow.

What stood out to me

Python-like syntax: GDScript feels approachable if you’ve worked in Python before. Indentation matters, and the language is designed to be clean and fast to read. As someone who’s interested in learning Python, this feels like a good in-between step.
Everything is a Node: Classes/scripts are tied directly to Godot’s node system, which makes game logic feel closely connected to the scene tree. On the other hand it feels like building reusable components can get complicated rather fast. I still need to dive deeper into this part.
Signals & Groups: These stood out as powerful built-ins for handling events and communication between nodes without creating spaghetti code.
Export variables: Being able to expose script values directly in the editor is going to save a lot of tweaking time. I still need to get a feel for when to export and when to keep things script-side.

My takeaways

What I liked most is how much Godot encourages you to think modularly. The combination of nodes + scripts means you’re essentially building with Lego bricks. Attach a little behavior here, connect it with a signal there, and suddenly you’ve got gameplay.

First steps into game development

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I wrapped up Brackeys Godot Beginner tutorial , a great starting point for anyone new to Godot. The best part for starting developers: it requires little to no prior programming knowledge.

The tutorial covers the basics: movement, world building, collisions, and a touch of scripting. By the end, you’ve got your own small platformer up and running. Everything is explained clearly and broken down into manageable steps, which makes finishing it feel like a real win.

Why I’m Expanding Cybernetks Beyond Just Games

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Cybernetks was never just about games. It just took me a while to realise it.

I’ve been quietly reshaping the direction of Cybernetks. What started as a one-man game dev studio is now evolving into something broader, deeper, and a bit more powerful:

A solo studio crafting games, tools, and software, not just to entertain, but to empower and solve real problems too.

The Pivot

For a while, I saw Cybernetks mainly through the lens of indie game development. And while that’s still a big part of what I love and plan to build, it’s not the full picture.

The Power of Pair Programming

Thu, 08 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I recently did a pair programming session on a ticket that involved React development—definitely not my strongest suit at the moment. But the developer I was pairing with had more experience with React.

In a pair programming session I’m always a bit hesitant of taking the driver seat. Usually the thoughts rushing through my head are quite limiting and intimidating:

“What if I slow us down?” “What if I mess something up?” “Would it not be better for the experienced dev to take the wheel?”

The Trap That Kept Me From Starting

Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Starting the game development journey for the studio feels straightforward. I pick an engine, follow a few tutorials, then begin prototyping. Simple steps into a new space.

There’s room to fall, room to explore. No deadlines—just a quiet drive to build and share something that matters.

But my client work tells a different story.

Most of my freelance work is PHP with Symfony, but increasingly, clients expect more JavaScript. I’ve been scraping by—knowing just enough JS to make it work.

Why I’m Building This Studio

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve had the idea for a studio floating in my head for a while now. I started the branding process, second-guessed it, polished it a bit more, and pushed it aside more times than I can count.

But a few weeks ago, after a talk with a colleague, something clicked. I missed ownership, on multiple fronts. So I took it, I took ownership of my idea, sat down and finished the core identity of what Cybernetks stands for—mission, vision, values, tone, and even the visual branding.

Back to Building

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

It took a lot longer than I thought, but I’m finally here—with a clear mind, a focused brand, and both hands back on the keyboard.

Cybernetks is no longer “just” a game dev studio. It’s now my unified identity as a solo creator:

I build web apps and tools for clients (mostly Symfony, Laravel, React)
I design indie games in Godot, because I love it
I share the process, experiments, and dev thoughts right here

After months of juggling too many ideas, side accounts, and creative false starts, I shut everything down and merged it into one studio. That’s what this blog—and Cybernetks—is all about now.