And so I return. Who cares? I do.

It’s interesting coming back to an old creation.

Is a blog post really a ‘creation’?  I’d argue that pretty much anything is.

Of course, some creations are more meaningful. If I fold a piece of paper into quarters, that’s technically a ‘creation’, but probably wouldn’t have much personality or meaning injected into it.

Coming here, re-reading my words, I remember where I was just over 2 years ago. And I want to ponder what’s different.

I’ve certainly achieved some things. Thanks to KS backers, friends and fellow designers who playtest my things and have shared them with publishers; enabled a visit to Spiel, Essen; encouraged me to keep going sometimes; become friends.

I want to acknowledge my skill. Someone at Dragonmeet 2016 asked how I can say that there are 10 ‘good’ Wibbell++ games. Were they good because of my bias? I replied that I’ve made enough games that bias no longer comes into it so much. In 2016, I prototyped 8 new (non-Wibbell++) games. Not all of them were good. A fair few have potential, but I’d say that maybe 3 of them are good. There are a few others that /could/ be good, if they were very different, but I’m able to see them for what they are; not just what they might become.

I’ve invented tens of things. Most of those ideas have been discarded. They’re just not very good.

And I have the ability to see that.

And I now have the confidence to know I see that.

When Ian Vincent shared his skepticism about the W++ system, I was strong enough to think that I COULD do what he said would be a struggle. The game (Puzzell) that he wrote off, I knew could work with some serious design changes. By using a subset of the deck and essentially eliminating the probability of being screwed, I invented a game that folk have already enjoyed for hours (without coercion). Yes, these are friends. But you don’t play a game that a friend made for hours unless you enjoy it. Specially if that friend has made many other games you could be playing instead.

So, I published IAB. Published IAB JR. Got a publishing deal, got some money, am hoping that ‘Yogi’ does well. I’m gearing up to finish Wibbell++. I’ve been at tens of conventions and I think folk are starting to notice me. I met Martin Wallace – a designer I have massive respect for – who wanted to help me get a publisher for IAB if I didn’t already have one.

I went full-time on 11th January 2016. Despite my frugal existence, I’m still barely scraping by. But with Yogi, I hope that will change.

After UKGE 2016, I started a ‘3-year-rolling plan’. I might scrap that because #blethergame requires a ludicrous amount of art, but that’s a separate story I should ponder later.

Those are some of the highlights.

I’m now living with folk who are a bit more my mindset and I can have folk over sometimes without asking permission. And who I rbing into my room is my own business.

I want to get back into dancing.

I want to do more physical things.

I cycle most days, but not much else.

I need to get my ‘Tax Credits’ sorted. The £40/wk I’m meant to be getting would really help.

Life goes on. Things change. I guess this blog is for my personal/emotional ponderings.

And so I’ve returned.