kingoftheconnector:

Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser gate. All these things will fade in time… like tears, in the rain.

Time to die.

Well, the last few months have been eventful. I have continued to write (though not as much as I would like, largely due to the fact that the software I have been using has passed the free trial period and I am trying to scrape together proper funding). I have noticed as I write that I am beginning to focus less on how the dialog between characters advances the plot and more on how the tone and content of the things they say can be used to enhance the atmosphere or set the stage for important events that will happen later on.

A good lesson in storytelling, I feel, is to watch one of your favorite old TV shows - specifically one of your favorite episodes that you’ve seen before, from a season that is already over - and pay attention to some of the techniques they use to convey the narrative. If the show is well done, you’ll notice that nothing ever happens without a reason. If they show you a character going to the store and they stop to converse with the clerk, that conversation is probably important. Most likely, the writers set up a reason for the character to go to that store in the previous scene. Maybe the conversation gets interrupted by an action scene that advances the plot. Alternatively the interaction could serve to accentuate a character trait that is important for the episode, or help the main character deal with some mystery or internal conflict from the perspective of an outsider. There are a lot of possibilities, but there is always a reason. You may also notice that there are little clues and breadcrumbs as to what is to come- not only in the episode, but also in the season in general (A great example of this is Season 4, Episode 15 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, “This Year’s Girl”). A lot of these are things you don’t really notice until you’ve seen how it turns out, which is why I recommend re-watching.

I’ve also worked on developing a world that feels mysterious and frightening by being more careful with choosing what I do and don’t explain. This goes back to the idea of “The Unasked Question”: People LIKE not knowing how the force works. They don’t always need you to tell them the gritty details. When Lucas explained The Force with Midichlorians in Star Wars: Episode 1, a lot of people were disappointed with the explanation. It made the force less mystical and more scientific. What you choose to explain vs. mystify changes the tone of the experience you provide for your readers / viewers. Hopefully you’ll see what I mean if I ever finish it.

I’m also building a L4D2 map that will be part of a larger campaign. The Source Engine is a bit temperamental, but hopefully it has turned out to be a fun project so far. I want to try to play with the concept of giving the player meaningful choices in how they survive from one end of the campaign to the other. Meaningful on a strategic level, whereas most of the standard decisions made in other maps are tactical. 

Finally, I just managed to install the OUYA emulator on my computer. I set everything up using Eclipse. It required a little bit of fiddling with my BIOS, which I thought was a bit extreme, but I am glad now that I did it. I am going to try and work on a quick project for the Create competition. It will be in simple 2D, probably something that isn’t very graphically intensive or mechanically complex. 

So, wish me luck! I’ll keep posting updates.

Every week, from here on out:

3+ physically strenuous workouts

One iteration of a single game project

One new chapter of my book (until it is complete, then intensive revisions)

One job applied for in MA every day. If I want to stay here, and I really do, then I need to be constantly applying and seeking out new opportunities like I mean it.

Weekends: Try to learn something new.

Today, two articles (1, 2) that I read really made me consider the fact that, while I have learned a lot about being happy, there is still a lot that I could be doing for myself to make things even better. To tell the truth, these goals are all things I’ve been doing already for about two weeks (and to a lesser and more half-assed extent the last few months). I’m just resolving to be more serious about them and maybe even enjoy them more and appreciate the benefit they provide for my mental well-being and personal happiness. 

Happiness is taken, not granted. You don’t just get to be happy and feel successful off of merit alone. The person you are inside is the most important thing in the world - but what you DO with that and how it helps other people is the only thing that really matters, the only thing that can make a difference. I don’t think I’m bad at it- but I can absolutely do better and I will enjoy doing just exactly that. 

I’ve got a new blog (linked on the nav bar) where I can post articles about how to think about good game design. I feel like it’s important to keep all the personal stuff and re-blogging separate from the professional essay type content. I’ve also been planning on posting some stuff about education for game developers, and I think that would be a good platform for it.

So check it out! And in the meantime, I’ll try posting here a bit more often. Honestly I have very little use for a personal blog. I don’t think it’s a good idea to whine to the general public about your problems, and I post most of the links I like to Facebook since more people I know read my profile than read this blog. But it’s nice to have along.