Here marks the beginning of a new adventure. Well, not so much "new" as it is "common" and "unappealing to the reader" – but you'll soon realize this when you're closing the browser tab after skimming this first paragraph. It's the story of yet another grumpy, old software engineer who has a lot of pessimistic opinions about the direction and nature of the tech industry. And yes, you have already heard them all before. However, ranting about all of the glaring issues with how every one of these companies manage (or mismanage, to be more precise) their engineering departments because they don't understand the difference between labor and design, or the incestuous nature of the myriads of useless products they output, has become so tiresome and cliché that today we're going to sidestep all of this entirely mostly and just talk about what one developer is doing (with any luck) to ultimately leave that world behind.
Like many software engineers that have entered the workforce in the last three or four decades, it was my love of video games that drove me to pursue programming at an early age and ultimately make a career out of it. Every time I learned something new, be it a language, or a design pattern, almost reflexively I would imagine how this new piece of information could be used in the development of a video game. The amount of game engines and prototypes I built as side projects to just be shelved as academic exercises over the last 20+ years, I can't even count. But earning a living working on your own games is extremely difficult, especially for an inexperienced developer, so my career has mostly been geared towards conventional software development as a way to pay the mortgage.
Before I continue, it's important that it is made known that I am not some Communist-sympathizing Millennial who hates Capitalism and shakes his fist at "consumerism" because I am forced to produce something others value in order to earn a living – nor do I suffer from any other mental illness. There is definitely a wide variety of modern software that is an overall benefit to its users, and even some of my own professional projects have fallen in that category (to some extent, at least). But it should surprise no one when I say I am of the opinion that the vast majority of software and modern technology as a whole is absolute garbage and that most of the small subset that even works properly is useless at best, and harmful at worst. Some already know this to be true and some still have yet to learn this lesson; I pray you're in the former group. All of this to say that video games are certainly not the only worthwhile software projects, nor are most video games (especially of the last decade) free of the title of useless garbage.
Nonetheless, if you're still reading this post, you are probably like me and have at the top of your head a list of some of the greatest games you've played as a child or an adult. Probably those with thoughtful and impactful stories, or maybe some that offered a multiplayer experience that created the perfect camaraderie between you and your buddies, perhaps even one that you liked just because you found profound beauty in the artwork or music – and if you happen to be thinking of the same game for all three examples, please share that game with me immediately! There was a time when video games had artistic integrity and were lead by very small groups of hard-working people who were motivated by the joy their game would provide the player. They were complete, polished and hand-written. Compare that with your average $60 AAA buggy mess of a game with 0-day DLC, micro-transactions and procedural "quest" generators. The lack of substance in most games these days is truly appalling, but there are still plenty of gems to be found, if you're willing to wade through the crap to find them.
My point is that there ought to be more of these gems. More developers with the backbone to reject selling out to the pay-to-win gold mine of gambling addicts financing your "free-to-play" game. More developers to say, "You know what? My game doesn't need to push my political beliefs on the player" or "User engagement should reflect the enjoyment of the game, not the FOMO of 'gamified' daily tasks and rewards." Or perhaps even, "It's okay for my story to not muddy the lines between Good versus evil." So I found myself with two options: to sit around at an overpaid job of soulless, corporate software consulting and repeat this same sentiment to anyone that will listen... or risk bankruptcy pursuing my passion while trying to give the world just one more gem – even if it's small, not very shiny and will be seen by hardly anyone.
If you haven't guessed it by now (which is incredibly doubtful), this blog is about exactly that: the journey of trying to create an ambitious, yet low-budget gem inspired by the games of my youth – the experiences of which I still think about decades later. All while trying to keep the lights on, the bank from taking my home, and my wife from leaving me (for the aforementioned reasons). If you're intrigued and want to continue reading this blog... I highly suggest seeking professional counseling, because you're probably unwell. In my next post, I'll be talking about what the game actually is, providing an overview of the current state of development, and discussing the roadmap for the next 9 months. If you have any questions or comments before then, reach out.
Until next time,
zimmed
Last updated 8 days ago.