Why am I writing this blog?

4 main reasons:

To solidify my thoughts.

I’m having trouble ironing out some of my systems/ideas and putting them down in blog posts is a way of getting them in order and to sort them out without actually having to do the huge step of actually putting them into the game and making them work. I find it’s also good to just write down your reasoning for your decision to be able to look at them from afar. I find this is even more important if you’re looking at them from more than a week or so’s time difference.

Improve my communication skill.

I don’t do much writing and if I am genuine in my desire to move away from the Just A Programmer thing I do need to improve my ability to communicate. Writing more is a very good way to do this and I’m hoping I can clearly communicate what I’m trying to do and why I’m making the decisions I make.

Publicity

At the moment literally no one reads this blog. That’s cool. It’s not something I’ve put any time into and I don’t regard it as an avenue to get work or talk to clients. However if I am serious about trying to make an indie game and actually do something with it I need somewhere to talk about it and make announcements, etc. Once I decide on a name I’ll probably create a site, but it will link to this blog and this will be where the major info goes out. (unless at some point it’s not). I’m also going to have to start actually using my Twitter account, though I’m sceptical about whether I’ll have anything interesting to say.

I also think that if I’m even mildly successful there will be people interested in my creative process and thinking. One thing I’ve learnt is that no matter how bad your game is there will still be someone who thinks it’s amazing, gets obsessed and spends hours playing it. If this is you, ‘Hi!’.

To make it more difficult to quit, then skulk away

In a similar way that getting up in front of all your family and friends and proclaiming your love for someone makes it less likely you’ll split up when the going gets tough, I’m hoping writing a public account of what I’m doing will make it more difficult for me to just quit and go and do something else. This blog is like marrying my roguelike, even if to carry on the metaphor, at moment no one has shown up for my wedding and I’m going to have to pressgang/hire some people off of the street to be my witnesses.