I wish HTML was a person so I could just hug it and give it all the appreciation it deserves.
Core memory unlocked:
My toddler said "I love you" for the first time!
đšī¸ Game design isn't that complicated.
Players just need 4 things in order to have fun:
Purpose, motivation, agency, and clarity.
If a game isn't fun, one of those elements is lacking.
I've made a mental shift that has me blog a lot more lately.
The realization was simple.
Write to myself. Write for myself.
It's been great and I feel like I'm in a better headspace.
đšī¸ I’m positive that if I never bought another video game for the rest of my life, there is enough in my library to last two lifetimes.
"No matter how good you get, you're always gonna think that you should be better than you are..."
- Dan Harmon
This rang true for me. It feels like vision is always ahead of execution.
I'm making a game about exploring a small mall
Can I make my first Steam game in one year?
I've always wanted to.
So, this year I started making a game about exploring a mall. In the game you buy gifts for friends, discover secrets, and meet other quirky shoppers.
I've worked in the game industry for over 10 years, but I've never released a Steam game on my own. It's been on my bucket list for a while, but never quite had the confidence to do it.
In some ways, I still don't.
Well, this year I chose to take a crack at it.
I'm not one of those indies who's trying to strike it rich or make my "dream" game. Gambling in Las Vegas would be a more efficient way to make money.
No, I just want to make something that is worth charging for.
A game that's small, focused, and delivers a fun experience worth the asking price.
I want to make small promises to my players, and then fulfill them. Plus a little extra.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
I started prototyping the game in January and hope to release in January 2026.
I'll let you know how it goes.
There's something that feels safe about a blog post.
It's cozy.
There's no algorithm to please.
It feels slower. Calmer. Thoughtful.
Friday nights in 2005:
- Vanilla Coke
- Digiorno Supreme Pizza
- Battlefront 2 (PS2) with friends
Friday nights 2025:
- Ginger tea
- Intermittent fasting
- An episode of Ugly Betty with wife
For those who love RSS as much as I do, definitely check out zoneRSS. It's such a fun way to blog.