http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TfDedA9v6SY

Playing games can desensitize you to the fact that they're really an amalgamation of number and letter strings, each of which was painstakingly placed in the proper order. This Matrix-like wizardry isn't often seen in full, but Daniel Tabár of Data Realms has done us the kindness of offering a window into the intricate labor that goes into coding a game.

In a series of three videos spanning nearly five hours in total (!), Tabár walks us through his process for adding the Techs feature to the indie sidescrolling shooter Cortex Command . You might recognize the game from 2010's Humble Indie Bundle 2 —now see a fraction of all the work that went into making it.

For aspiring game programmers, watching Tabár fly through source code making tweaks here and there should be a treat. Even if you can't discern a line of data from the lucky numbers in a fortune cookie, it's fascinating to watch Tabár work while he thinks aloud in a calm and informative tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrJ4l3MU_Ns&list=UUnZCKy-h2vS5M39rWwTN9gw&index=1&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC5vo8-nXNs&list=UUnZCKy-h2vS5M39rWwTN9gw&index=2&feature=plcp