The Keilantra Codex

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from this default port
Aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailing man (Simon),
The skipper brave and sure (Dave).
Three passengers set sail that day
For a ten week tour, a ten week tour.

The weather started getting rough,
The tiny ship was tossed,
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The project would be lost, the project would be lost.

The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted media isle
With Simon
The Skipper too,
The designer type with pixels,
The techie star
The generalist doin it all,
Here on Fresh Made Isle.

So this is the tale of the interns,
They’re here for a long, long time,
They’ll have to make the best of things,
It’s an uphill climb.

The first mate and the Skipper too,
Will do their very best,
To make the others comfortable,
In the Fresh Made Office.

Mobile phone, LCD, shiny apple toys,
catching the morning train,
Like every pro coder knows,
As validated as can be.

So join us here each week my friends,
You’re sure to get a smile,
From five stranded castaways,
Here on “Fresh Made Isle.”

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The day started grand,
was chill but sunny,
One hunk of a Prince
and his sweet hunny.

Christopher Walken
narrated the service
(ok not really, but it
would have been worth it!)

They rode in a carriage,
such a pretty sight.
The crowds were bursting
with red blue and white.

Westminster abbey
was bright with flowers,
even the archbishop
couldn’t remain dour.

The procession begins,
no one trips on the rugs,
there’s nothing but smiles
on the royale mugs.

The bride is gorgeous,
makes all the boys stare.
The groom is hawt,
they make quite the pair.

As they say “i will“
the whole world cheers,
but one guy keeps saying
“really? no beers?”

Now Willy’s a Duke
and Katie’s a Duchess,
they take off with a flourish
to Buckingham palace.

There’s a gathering planned,
the olde families invited,
but there’s more than tea
that’s being provided.

As the oldies head home
the younger clans party.
Harry and Pippa’s nightclub
is about to get started.

Elton John is there
gettin down with his man.
Harry’s girl Chelsy
rocks out to the band.

The Queen shakes her head,
she can hear all the ruckus
from waaaaaay off away
in her wing of the palace.

They dance until sun-up,
Kate’s poor dress is frayed,
Elton’s passed out
in the marmalade.

There’s a lace garter
on the main chandelier,
nobody’s admitting
to putting it there.

Harry tied soda cans
to Willy’s best stallion,
and Pippa left sex toys
in Katie’s new carry-on.

Now the sweet couple
is wedded and all that,
and the world is waiting
for a wee royale rugrat.

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I play Guild Wars with a guild called Dragons United Knights [DUK] and while we are a small guild, we try to get together on the weekends to play. It’s hard with half of us in America time and half in UK time. Tonight we decided to do something none of us had tried before, and take part in a community sponsored event. To be honest, I mainly wanted to go for the costume contest, as it sounded cute. We all thought it was worth a try, and if we got bored, we’d go kill something.

We got there a bit early, played around with synchronized dancing and chatted with each other on a conference call on skype. None of us was quite sure what we were in for. Then the games started.

It was amazing to experience the effort that the hosting guilds went through to put this event on. It was like they’d practiced for months just to time everything right and to know who should be where and when they should say what. The crowd of players listened (for the most part) and played by the rules set out by the hosts. Everyone had a great time.

There were games, trivia questions, random prizes… the hosts entertained everyone with jokes, rhymes, and audience participation… there was in-game drinking, as every party should have… and there was schwag… oh yes there was schwag. //carefully pets my new miniature shard wolf//

The entire guild stayed for the whole event, and even for about an hour past. We were profuse in our thanks to the hosts. Although I’m sure they got a hundred messages of the same from the other attendees. As I sit here now, my avatar looking out over the bonfire in the middle of the Ascalon City square, there are STILL people partying. It’s been a great night and I haven’t killed a single mob.

This is what community is about in games. This is what makes the avid MMO gamer sit at their computer for hours on end talking to pixilated versions of people. The hosts of this event didn’t get things to give away from the game publishers, they collected them from players that wanted to give back to the community. They gave freely for no other reason than to make people happy.

I watched my guildmates have a BLAST tonight. One of the best nights we’ve had in ages, and it was because of the spirit of the people that play this game. It was because of the spirit of giving and camaraderie that Guild Wars is filled with. This is a community that I am happy to belong to.

The future of MMO gaming is not just building a better game, it’s building a better community. I realized tonight that as a game designer I must build that ability into my games. A game is a lifeless thing, but when you allow the players to take it and build a community out of it, it becomes a force that can change people’s lives. There are hundreds of smiling people tonight because of the efforts of a few wonderful people.

My thanks go out tonight to the Myth And Legends [Myth] and Sweet Misty Fire [SMF] Alliance. There were many players that contributed to this event in their ranks and I can’t list them all, but you can find them here: masquerade madness.

I want to put out a special thanks to those in charge of the district that we celebrated in… Trust Finland, Holy The Masked, Baneling Altreides, and our bartender Amsel The Forgotten. You guys made it wonderful.

All My Best
Amaya Noir

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When a design studio is developing a game, there is a period of time during which they cycle through multiple incarnations of “the prototype”. Nearly every game can be considered to have had a prototype version. Most design companies today use a rough digital version of the game as a prototype, not taking advantage of a very useful and cheap tool available to them: The Analog Prototype.

I think that the biggest reason that large design companies don’t take advantage of analog prototyping is that it’s considered “throw-away” material. When you are designing a digital game you are most often under a steep deadline, and to take time out to put together something that will in no way be included in the final product is inefficient. Through digital prototyping they hope to salvage at least a framework of code, or a few scripts, in order to make the final product easier to produce.

I think this is the wrong way to think about analog prototypes. Instead of thinking about the effort that goes into them being a waste, consider that you are saving time in the long run by sorting through features that you will end up throwing out before the game is finished. Some of the benefits of analog prototyping are its ease of use, relatively cheap setup, and adjustability. It also can serve as a stress reliever. I’ve been in many jobs where the constant pressure of deadlines can get you down. Taking a day to build paper prototypes can be a fun experience for a designer, and can allow them to get back in the game with renewed interest.

Not all games are best suited to analog prototyping, however. Some games contain many outside factors that are best handled by simulators. Other games may have progressed beyond the point of analog prototypes and there are already scripts in place that can make the building of a digital prototype relatively simple. Still others are so simply represented in a digital medium that using paper would be too much effort.

Personally I prefer analog prototyping, because it puts me in the creative frame of mind. It allows me to work while having fun, and gives me an outlet for trying all the ideas that come up without having to redesign the game. It’s much easier for me to think creatively if I can change things on the fly, and analog games are extremely easy to make changes to. Digital prototypes would allow the creative process to stagnate as they are being built.

So when you’re out there in the real workplace, remember the benefit of post-it notes, paperclips, and paper. You just may find that a wealth of ideas comes from actually playing your game before you’ve finalized it in a digital medium. Release the inner kid, and make a game.

Tags: analog, Game Design, prototype
Posted in Game Design | No Comments »

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

First off, I want to say that I’m an average person with average knowledge of “how shit works” and I have no authority whatsoever. I do, however, have an opinion.

Today’s opinion is about Twitter trying to rein in 3rd party developers.

Over the last few years I’ve come to know a fair number of application developers and they all have one thing in common: they tinker with EVERYTHING. A developer is always trying to reinvent the tools they use most often. They’re always trying to create shiny new features and applications, and typically they aren’t even looking to get rich off these things. (They know better, and they just love to code.)

I’ve also witnessed the storm that is Twitter. Facebook became legend, but Twitter is on the way to becoming as standard as email. Why is that? Because developers caught hold of it and propelled it farther than the Twitter founders could have EVER done on their own. Twitter owes a large portion of its success to 3rd party developers.

When Twitter mobile apps sucked, there was a 3rd party developer to give the user the experience they desired. When the Twitter site continually goes down there are 3rd party apps that continue to send/receive tweets and keep that user experience positive. When www.twitter.com is blocked, 3rd party apps can break through and give users a voice… So WHY is Twitter using the “user experience” as an excuse to force other developers away from their product?

Bad Business.

It is a fact that developers will develop. It is a fact that developers love the idea of Twitter. This means that there are two futures for Twitter:

1. 3rd party developers make 3rd party apps that expand on twitter.
2. 3rd party developers make another OPEN twitterish service.

The more that Twitter restricts developers, the more frustrated they will become, and the more likely that the second option will be the future of Twitter. Look at Internet Explorer… and Firefox, Opera, Chrome, Safari, etc. The internet (and technology) is about growth and innovation. This innovation comes from open development.

But… user security?

I don’t see “security” brought up in any of the articles I’ve read on this. It was all about experience, and standards, and restrictions. There was pie, but it was all graphical charts and nothing really tasty. No security issues. So I believe that leaves Twitter’s reasoning being that they want to control the way the user experiences their service.

Do you know what I say to that? I wonder how many services 3rd party developers added to Twitter, that Twitter themselves have now “developed” versions of their own to match?

If the user experience is paramount, and the 3rd party applications deliver 42% of the tweets for a single day, I think the users rather enjoy the experience they’re getting with those applications. I think that the user should decide what experience they prefer.

Do you know what I think, Twitter? I think your mobile app is frustrating, and I much preferred Twidroyd for usability, or even Tweetcaster. I don’t think I would bother tweeting on my phone so much if the only app I could use is the official Twitter app. Maybe you should be hiring these developers instead of shutting them out.

The point is that Twitter is about to die.

If Twitter stops 3rd party development of their service, the developers will turn elsewhere. Have a look at this: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Twitter

Soon the “World Wide Watercooler” that is Twitter will be shattered into a dozen services. The connectivity will be gone, and the idea will be broken. Wise up, Twitter, and realize that you either take advantage of change or change takes advantage of you.

Tags: developers, restrictions, twitter
Posted in Randomosity | 1 Comment »

Rock ‘em, sock ‘em game design.

There is a very very limited amount of remote work from what I can see in the field of game writing/design. Most of what people would call remote work is in actuality freelance or contract work. So the thing that remains to be decided for me is if I continue to search for that remote golden egg, or if I strike out and look for the sunny side up omelet instead.

Obviously if I intend to get anywhere with building my resume for the day that I trip over the golden egg, I need to start freelancing. With that in mind, I’ve begun the painful process of branding a studio name. In the next weeks I’ll talk more about the decisions I come up with, but for now, the process…

For all of you designers out there looking to “break in” with freelance or industry work, the first place to start is in creating your *sparkle*BRAND*sparkle*.

I’m doing this by first thinking up a name for my studio. This should fit with what I intend to design, my game style, and my own unique personality. It’s a choice that is very difficult to “fix” so take some time with it. When you’ve decided on a name, sleep on it for a week or so and see if you still like it.

The next thing to do is to reserve that name on the twitterwebz and as a domain. Even if you aren’t ready to create a web presence, you should register the name. Twitter names are going fast, and you need to snap yours up. Try to keep them the same, so do a bit of homework. You don’t want 5 different versions of your brand out there. You want one unified front.

When you’re thinking up names, keep logos in mind as well. Think about abbreviations. Ponder business card and website design prospects. And make sure that the name isn’t already in use by a design studio.

You may want to practice saying the name out loud, try it out on some trusted friends, or write it out on paper in various forms. Make sure that it can’t be warped into something embarrassing. (Look up the history of the name “PacMan”)

I’ll be doing all of this in the next few days, so stay tuned for the outcome of my brain thunder!

Tags: advice, Game Design
Posted in Game Design | No Comments »

This year I knew I’d not be able to attend the GDC well ahead of time. But I still held out hope until a few weeks before it actually was due to start. And we’re halfway through the ordeal now. I am tempted to turn off my twitter and pout by the truckload.

There is so much that can be gained by attending the GDC, and I was so ready to do that. Do you realize the tickets to get into the conference for the week are about the same price if not more than the plane tickets to and from? My hard-working farmer husband was appalled at the cost. I think that means that I can forget about GDC Online in October as well…

A few things I have learned while peeking at twitter these last few days, however:

Keep your business cards handy
Designers need to learn to code
Hobnob with the industry peeps
Attend as much as you can and forget about sleep
Make yourself “there” and be memorable
Don’t drink too much or too little
Beeeeee yourself

Ok that last one I just couldn’t resist throwing in there. Anyways, hash about it with #GDC11!

Posted in Game Design | No Comments »

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a little game time…

Please to be telling this to my schedule?

So it’s been hectic. I haven’t had time to post, to game, to clean the house… to yell at the kids to clean the house… But hopefully things will be quieting down some now, and I’ll have the time to catch up on everything I’ve been juggling around.

In the news, I have a gaming group again (or four) that is comprised of a bunch of FS students and alums. We start this weekend, and I’m DMing one of the groups (two if I don’t find another DM). You can probably locate it if you search for #dndfsgd on twitter. Otherwise go to Mithra and there’s a ton of info about it.

I’m also going to be in a wedding this summer, so I’m going to be starting a new exercise program… I need a smooth elliptical bike so i can play xbox while i work out… >.>

Posted in Randomosity | No Comments »

Welcome to TheMiddleOfNowhere, SD.

So I’ve had it reinforced today that finding a job in the tech/entertainment industry is nearly impossible in my area. Which I already knew, but occasionally try to forget. Sometimes it isn’t who you know, or how good you are, but WHERE you are that counts. The problem with this isn’t my own unwillingness to relocate, it’s my family’s. The hubby farms on the family acreage, the children are very comfortable having their grandmas all within a 20 minute drive.

There are some people that are born to stay in the same place their entire lives… to be born, educated, work, play, die and be buried within a hundred mile radius. Then there are those that want to be everywhere, see everything they can, and experience the world. I’m afraid that I’m one of the latter. I love my husband dearly, and I’d never give up my children for the world… literally. But I wish that I could have it both ways.

It’s tough turning down opportunities, especially when each one would bring you closer to your dream career. It’s even tougher to pass them on to people you know that CAN grab them. For a world that’s becoming smaller everyday, it still seems awfully far away from TheMiddleOfNowhere, SD. I have friends around the globe, but I have to work within driving distance.

Doctor, can I borrow your Tardis?

Tags: work
Posted in Game Design | No Comments »

Thursday, January 20th, 2011

I’m pretty much set in my new domain now, thanks to the tender webmastery of the Wulf. Things have been passed over, and spring cleaning has taken place, and new horizons are opening up. This should mark another flurry of activity, so stay tuned!

Also, read my druid journal if you’d like at Posterous.

Tags: druid, Wulf
Posted in Randomosity | No Comments »