Possibly another bug. Objects -> Decor0/Decor1, 3rd row, columns 7 & 8, the vines are both aligned left. The 'dead vines' from columns 1-4 are how I think they were supposed to be aligned.

Here's the loop in action. I think it sets the tone of the game very well.

http://www.waywardworlds.com/games/sdf/index.html

These sprites are being used in a web game I've made. Let me know what you think.

http://www.waywardworlds.com/games/sdf/index.html

For your first question, it depends on how much work you are willing to put in to find/make the assets when everything else is done. For example, the game I'm currently working on has almost all of the art assets gathered for it already, so I can just work on functionality. Whereas if you just use placeholders until everything else is done, you might realise that you can't find the assets that you need, or the things you do find won't work nicely with what you already have.

I would say to make games that will help you get more skilled with the tools that you are going to be using, rather than to recreate specific game mechanics. If you think you can already make Asteroids, then you aren't going to learn as much from the process as if you were to try and make a unique idea.

Game programming isn't about memorising how to recreate certain mechanics, it is about figuring out how to implement unique ideas from scratch. If you were to recreate Asteroids, try changing it up a bit and messing with the existing formula to give yourself some chance to explore.

Get good at drawing. I now do sketches of anything that I plan on doing further work on as it is so easy to quickly blast down ideas in rough than it is to try make something without something to work to. Just get some blank A4 paper (or ideally a paper size closest to the screen ratio that you intend to support, i.e. 16:9).

Staying organised depends on the scope of your project and what tools you like using. I have a ring binder folder and some plastic wallets that I use for keeping all my notes and sketches together. I also like using Padlet for laying things out easily in a sticky-note fasion, and it is great for group collaboration.

Keep your mobile phone or a pen & paper handy at all times so you can make notes, as you never know when inspiration might strike. You might be walking the dog, or on the bus, or lying in bed or whatever when you think of something super awesome, but by the time you get back to your desk you might have forgotten it.

Keep a log and plenty of screenshots of each stage of development, as going back and looking at your previous work with a more informed prespective as you progess really helps to keep focus and motivation. I often look back at the stuff I first made and compare it to what I'm doing now and am surprised at how far I've come. This will also be very useful in the future if you intend on getting a job in the industy, as you can show employers your progression, what you have tried and what you have learnt along the way and that you are able to reflect on previous work and use that experience to improve.

Don't expect your first few games to be fun, or even finished. You should learn something new from each failed attempt, so try and fail as much as possible to get better faster.