What do you do if logical reasoning fails to identify and fix bugs in game development?

With experience, you know which areas might generate one bug or another, and you can use just a log to check your suspicions. However, sometimes it will be necessary to verify the code execution line by line. This is where the debugger comes in, allowing you to see how data changes and the order in which everything happens until you find the point that introduces the error.

These are powerful tools built into most game engines and programming languages (like Unity, Unreal Engine, and Visual Studio). They allow you to step through your code line by line, inspect variables, set breakpoints, and modify the game state on the fly. This can help you pinpoint exactly where the issue occurs and understand the logic flow around the bug.

Incorporating logs and alerts in the code can provide real-time or post-execution insights into how the game is running. By strategically placing logging statements around suspected areas of bug origin, developers can trace back the sequence of events leading to the bug. Alerts can notify the developer immediately when something goes awry, making it easier to catch and fix issues promptly.

Adding log statements or alerts throughout your code can provide valuable clues about what's happening during gameplay. Logs can track variable values, function execution, events, or system statuses. They can help you identify when and where the bug happens, what triggers it, and its effects. These can be simple print statements or more sophisticated logging frameworks the engine provides.

You can create the conditions for the bug to occur and then modify those conditions until you find the culprit. After that, you can use other techniques like logs or a debugger to pinpoint the exact location of the error. This is also very useful for testing your solution to the problem.

You can use unit tests to isolate and control code units. By creating mocks, you can specify inputs that you wouldn't normally imagine reaching a function or component, and then create mechanisms to prevent any dysfunction should unforeseen processes occur.

If the bug is part of a complex system, try to isolate it by creating a minimal reproducible example. This can involve stripping down the code or creating a test scene that focuses on the specific functionality where the bug occurs. By simplifying the problem, you can more easily identify the root cause.

A cool technique is the rubber duck method. You place an object, like a rubber duck or a teddy bear, and explain the problem to it as if you were explaining it to a person. Often, the problem is just not clear, and by explaining it, we force our brain to outline all the steps that should occur and what isn't working right, potentially pinpointing the issue.

If all sort of logical debugging is failed, which mostly happens with an exhausted mind, I would simply take a break, stop staring at screen and have fresh air. You can take a cup of tea meanwhile or talk casual with you family. And magically, when I come back to screen few hours later, Voila! The solution is right there. It may sound a simple thing but very powerful and has proven extremely helpful when all sorts of logics fail.

Dibrhe following around the suspicious code path: Add logging. Add exceptions. Refactor. Reduce the scope of the suspicious code path. Repeat.