Setup Version Control

Benefits of Using Version Control

• Lets you backup your work and keep a history of changes.
• Allows multiple developers to collaborate on the same project.
• Version Control Systems, such as Git, Plastic, and Perforce, are widely used among hobbyists, indie developers, and industry professionals.

Overview of a Version Control System (VCS)

• A master copy of the project is hosted on a server. Other users copy it to their local machines, make changes, and commit changes back to the master copy.
• When a user pushes changes to the master copy, other users can pull those changes to their local machines.
• Users can also make branches of the project to isolate development, then merge the changes into the master branch.

Git and Git Hosting Platform

Version Control Repo Hosts

Setup and Usage

• GitHub Quickstart
• Bitbucket Guides
• GitLab Tutorials

Git Large File Storage

Installing Git Large File Storage

Branching Best Practices

• A successful Git branching model

Git GUI Clients

• Git GUIs also included in IDEs and Text Editors, such as Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code.

Other Version Control Systems

Plastic SCM

• Easier branch management than Git.
• Includes robust GUI Client.
• Additional features for handling art assets, and to make it easier for artists to use version control.
• Free Cloud Hosting for Up to 3 Users. Free Trials and Subscriptions available for larger teams.

Perforce Helix Core

• AAA Games Industry standard for Version Control.
• Excellent at handing large codebases and high quality art assets.
• Includes robust GUI Client.
• Free for up to 5 Users. Larger Teams require a license.

Perforce Hosting

• Free Trials and Subscriptions available for Cloud Hosting.