So busy

The title says it!  I'll write a proper post soon but just wanted to let people know I'm still alive.

Upcoming posts in short form:

1) Develop was a huge success for us at Very Good Friend

2) I'm now writing two games, a novel and a short story

3) I've rediscovered my love of reading (super important!)

4) Heard and met the very cool members of an awesome new band I wish to shamelessly plug.

5) Had a pondering about life after the tragic suicide of yet another music icon, and it made me think a lot about art and success.

When will I write these?  Who knows!?  I love my blog and love all of you, but there's no point in having readers/fans if there's nothing for you to read and/or play!  I love my work too and there's just... so... much... to do.

What I will say is that writing this game has been an absolute blast, and a completely new form of storytelling for me.  Not so much because it's a game.  Ah... that reminds me:

6) A justification for why I think games have more in common with narrative fiction than choose your own adventure books or movies.

For now I'll just ask you to believe me that it's a good justification.  What IS super-different is found footage movies.  Basically, in a book the dialogue should drive the plot.  People reveal far more about themselves by what they DON'T say anyway, so it doesn't sacrifice characterisation, but if you look through the dialogue greats (Nabokov, Raymond Chandler, Elmore Leonard, Hemmingway blah blah blah) nobody is asking anyone to pass the sugar.  By plot I don't mean high drama.  The plot could hinge on a relationship, and the WAY the sugar (or whisky bottle as per Hemmingway) is asked for might reveal/drive that relationship.  Fantastic.  But that isn't fluff dialogue.  Found footage films are full of fluff dialogue.  (Alliteration unintentional but fun!)  We have some good ideas of how to make them add to the game without detracting from the story, but I've now signed contracts making it illegal for me to say too much.  Not that I would anyway.  Basically it's a very interesting horror game that I'll be putting many more details up here about as it develops. 


I really think my readers will like it.  I love traditional AAA games, which this is not, but it's something hardcore readers / softcore gamers will enjoy a great deal.  Truly hardcore gamers will, I think, find it well worth exploring for something innovative.  Those are our markets.  The extremes.

This pointless picture for pinterest brought to you by rushing around.  I'm only giving myself a minute to find one, so let's hope it's good!
The likeness is uncanny...