Search
Home  |   About Me   |   Playing Games 2007   |   Reading Books 2008   |  
« Merry Christmas!
Cleanup, Recovery, and Preparation »

Resolutions for 2006

Happy New Year!

I’ve never taken New Year’s resolutions seriously before, but since I’ve been making more conscious decisions this past year, I think it might be appropriate to do so this time.

What I would like to see accomplished in 2006:

  • The improvement of the Chicago Indie Game Developers Club (details to follow)
  • The formation of GBGames, LLC by the end of the second week of January
  • The completion of Oracle’s Eye by the end of March
  • The creation of an actual web storefront for GBGames.

What I would like to improve about myself:

  • I would like to improve my ability to focus on the task at hand. I find that I am too easily distracted and will waste time that I can’t afford to lose. When you work in your spare time, you have to be able to guard it.
  • I would like to be able to play more video games. I have talked about the importance of playing more games in order to improve my game making abilities, but last year didn’t see much of an improvement. I intend to schedule regular “game research” times during the week/month. I’ll also track the games I’ve played since it is much harder to measure change without knowing what I needed to improve.
  • I want to read more. I almost made my books reading goal last year, but this year I am focused on reading one book per week from the start.
  • I would like to live a bit more consciously. This past year I realized that while I am taking more control of my own life away from blind circumstance and random influences, I still perform actions that were on a whim rather than purposeful.
  • I intend to take a more active role in the Association of Shareware Professionals. The more I put in, the more helpful it becomes as a resource, and the more contacts I can make.

I’ll think of these resolutions as my personal goals. I’ll also create a plan to accompany them. Of course, the great thing about plans is that they can change. If this plan turns out to be too ambitious, I can update it. I think I will check over this plan again at the end of March to see how I’m doing.

What are you resolving to do this coming year?

Share this post with others: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati

Posted by GBGames on Sunday, January 1st, 2006 at 2:00 am.

8 Responses to “Resolutions for 2006”

http://uhfgood.artoo.net/?p=27

http://forums.indiegamer.com/showpost.php?p=73600&postcount=34

The first one is a couple of general goals in the post in my blog, the second one is a list of goals I wrote in the indiegamer thread “In 2006 I will….”

Keith

Left by Keith Weatherby II on January 3rd, 2006

Good luck, Keith! Good luck with Hypno-Joe AND the $100,000. B-)

Left by GBGames on January 3rd, 2006

Sorry if it sounds like i’m tooting my own horn. I guess I am in a way heh, but this is your blog entry, I should be commenting on your post.

Firstly ability to focus is a good thing to have. I had to take ritalin when I was a kid for hyperactivity. Later doctors decide to call this ADD. So I still have a touch of it, that’s why i’m doing a million projects at once. However i’ve stuck to a few, and if you can focus then in you’re in good standing, you can finish what you start.

Playing more video games - Yes I too have thought I need to do so. Of course playing takes away from making games, however it’s good to see what’s out there and to get a feel for what’s fun to play. Plus you’re in a better position to test even your own games when you make them.

Well I just started recently reading fiction again, i’ve always been reading non-fiction but it’s good to again see what’s out there, get ideas and so forth, and even just to relax. Another two-edged sword though, it’s not as productive as say reading a programming book.

I can’t really comment on the last two, they’re sort of personal to you. I don’t really believe in living conciously or not. I don’t think of life that ways. On one hand you shouldn’t let life dictate to you, on the other hand you don’t really need to be that aggressive. Just realize that when decisions come your way you need to make a decision and do so and stick by it. I sort of like to be in the middle. As far as the ASP I don’t have enough money for the yearly fee, and I don’t know what it will be able to do for me, at least right now, until I have something to sell, I might as well just work on my games.

Good luck on your goals, GB.

Left by Keith Weatherby II on January 4th, 2006

Actually, I did ask in my post for your resolutions. If this blog was actually all about me, I’d have one reader. B-)

About reading: I love how I gain so much new knowledge, insights, and creativity when I read more books. Mystery and science-fiction are especially great because they are a form of active relaxation. They make you think while also providing a break. You’ll fry your brains if you keep only one thing on your mind at all times.
About living consciously: I might not have conveyed what I meant. My decisions weren’t always purposeful or consistent. I want to work on game development, but I’d end up paying bills or reading email or blogging or reading or going out. I don’t think there is a middle ground: you either let life and circumstances dictate your actions, or you dictate your own actions.

About the ASP: I wasn’t sure about the $100 fee either, but one of the things that convinced me to pay it was that I wanted to be serious about my business. Even though I didn’t get serious until a few months ago, I knew that I didn’t want to do this as just a hobby. Until then, $100 seemed like a lot of money. It still isn’t a drop in a bucket, but I realized that I couldn’t afford not to do so. If it wasn’t a great opportunity, then I could always drop out. I’d only be out $100. I’ve decided to pay for a second year.

Also, there is a new Games Special Interest Group, and we hope to have a charter soon. It’s a bit overdue at the moment. There are big plans, and the ASP can be a great resource for networking. I plan on attending the Indiana Schmooze, even sans Big Boy restaurants. B-)

Left by GBGames on January 4th, 2006

Yes I just noticed you asked to post our goals. I think if you read the indiegamer forum post, you’ll understand my theory and my pov on the goal thing. Sort of like Steve Pavlina and that artcle about making 10,000 dollars an hour. Talking about someone thinking their time is worth x amount per hour and that if you limit yourself that way you may not grab opportunitys because you’re not thinking you can do more than that. Well I don’t know if that made any sense, Steve’s article makes more sense ;-) In any case I just feel like even if it’s improbable each step I take brings me closer to that goal. Ideally for me it isn’t millions, however 100k a year is living well and that’s what I want to strive for. At this moment in time I don’t feel I need to go for millions. Not to mention putting you in a whole completely higher tax bracket (not that 100k wouldn’t itself).

Real question is whether it’s reasonable to think I could finish this new game in under a year, and have it start making money. In all fairness I don’t think i’ll end up making 100k this year from that game. However this doesn’t keep me from trying. Like you trying to do a game in a day (or week or month, or whatever it was Oracle’s Eye was supposed to take)… Essentially i’m looking at 3 months to get a prototype level in Scrolling Game Developers Kit. Then i don’t know how long to code a basic engine. I am learning C++ and I already know C. But what i’m planning on doing with the game combines 3d platforms and 2d hand drawn hand animated sprites (billboards I guess it’s called). Plus i’m doing all the sprites myself.

So a year might not be enough. But then again Steve Pavlina compressed 4 year degree into 3 semesters (or whatever he said) in College. If he can do that kind of turn around maybe I shouldn’t whine that 1 years isn’t enough and maybe I should just make it work.

Cheers
Keith

Left by Keith Weatherby II on January 4th, 2006

Well, good luck! I know that I am not working on my project full-time, and sometimes not even part-time! One month might have been enough if I was working at it constantly, but then again I would probably slip that schedule anyway. Now I have a bit more experience, but I’m still working towards actually finishing the game.

I’m sure you can make it work, or at the very least learn why you couldn’t in the process. B-)

Left by GBGames on January 4th, 2006

Inspired by one of your recent posts I am resolving to devote 1000 hours this year to creating art for the free model library project I have been working on. And I am challenging other indiedevs to follow along with me. You can read about it in more detail if you are into it:

http://www.lowpolycoop.com/2006/01/road-ahead-in-aught-six.html

Scott

Left by Scott Hsu-Storaker on January 5th, 2006

Scott, that’s ambition! 20 hours a week sounds like a lot, especially if I am working 40-50 hours a week as it is. Then again, those 20 hours will pass anyway, right?

Left by GBGames on January 5th, 2006

Something to say?