Journeyman Mas

I just got home from an local industry mixer/dinner where I got the chance to shoot the shit with some other developers and games industry people. In general I wouldn't say its my "thing", but its for our localized, non-affiliated advocacy group, so there's a lot more of the spirit of grassroots and low-pressure that makes me enjoy it all. I'm not really cut out for the more performative industry stuff. But tonight was nice-- got to talk game design, trains, local accents, and a little Canadian history with some nice Albertans. A few students were there too, and I was once again asked if I would consider starting a lecture series or something similar. Its enough that I'm actually considering it, self-important as that feels. It does  feel quite nice to see other budding designers visibly begin believing that they can turn their ideas into real games. Maybe I could share some of what I know about the design process, classic pitfalls, and strategies to avoid get...

I'm finishing my Fable post (look out in the next day or two for that one), but I have decided I don't like the distractingly long aside about Peter Molyneux, or at least, how it fits with the rest of the ThinkThank. I haven't fully established my structure for those pieces, but I can tell what I don't want. A somewhat snarky distraction from the real discussion is not the direction I want to go. The following has been removed from my Fable ThinkThank, to be read on its own. And for anyone who isn't really aware, only knowing Molyneux from the cultural osmosis that demands you believe he is the worst villain in gaming, I really recommend the Rock, Paper, Shotgun interview. Its nearly ten years old now, so I'm not saying anything groundbreaking by defending him, but I think it warrants a good-faith read. For anyone interested, you can find the interview here. Anyway, on with the excised excerpt: If you only Molyneux... I will need to be careful in this next part,...

I'll be leaving for Gamescom this sunday, and as such I don't anticipate a tremendous amount of writing time. I'll be out there for a week, so I'll have plenty to show for it when I return. I also picked up a bit of a project bike, in need of a scrubbing, some new parts, and a lot of elbow grease. I'll absolutely be sharing that process here, as it will be my first overhaul without the aid of a mechanic. Stand back, expensive shop near my house, I'm about to learn to do this shit myself. Oh, and new ThinkThank is up on the sidebar, this time for A Bug's Life . Go check it out! Or don't! I'm not the boss of you!

So ThinkThank #2 is out, which feels good. I think I will be able to keep this up. They aren't comprehensive analyses or anything, so planning to create 2 or so a week isn't unreasonable on its face. Nice to do some reflecting on things I like, not just things that annoy me, for a change. As for a small (huge) update about me, after several years of scrimping and making dirt wages for too much work, I have finally made it to the job I've been working towards. I'm now the Creative Director at the company I'm working for, responsible for the design and implementation of all the mechanics in our games. I have already been performing this role for just over two years, but I finally have the title and paycheque to go with it! Now, mind you, I didn't strike it rich-- I'm just finally getting close to what I'm worth for my work. Little victories, friends. Maybe I'll share a little of my side projects here in the coming weeks. Show off a little of what I act...

Note:  This idea has blossomed into a proper project I am, for now, calling  ThinkThank .  The idea is simple, I want to take a moment to share what kind of thinking a game has inspired in me, along with a sentiment of thankfulness for that inspiration. Originally, this list was a "Page", while each piece would be a separate Post. I have now switched this format for future endeavors.  Find the full list of completed ThinkThank pieces on the lefthand sidebar.

I often find myself mapping my life through clusters of time defined by the game or other preoccupation which dominated my thoughts for a given period. When looking back in terms of my access to games, these periods-- or arcs, or epochs-- become sharply defined. When the newsroom my dad worked in had an overhaul of technology in the mid 90s, our house received its first and second computers. I remember that one was an old Apple computer, possibly the Apple IIe, and the other was a PC that became "The Computer." When someone in the house made mention of using it, we always described it as The  computer, as I imagine many families of the time did, in that era of Computer Rooms. I was very young and had limited understanding of The Computer. All I knew was that everyone was very excited for it to be in our house. I also knew that my oldest brother was doing something  on there that led my mother to call him her "Little Genius". Seemed fair, as it appeared that he had m...