Plan for Ted Southard
by Ted Southard · 12/18/2003 (9:02 am) · 0 comments
Weeee?! Ya damn right! Looks like I was able to finally right-size my life(kinda-sorta) after all. Talked to my managers at work and got my week's schedule condensed into a friday-sunday work marathon. That gives me 4 days during the week to work on my projects.
Thus "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee...." ;)
Lately I haven't been all that productive, though I've managed to overhaul my tS->DIF exporter so that you can use tS's native painting tools instead of the ones I cobbled together. The trick now is to get preferences saved(no big deal), and make sure I can export everything everyone needs exported, as well as make it compatible with every tS version I have an API for. A bigger deal, but not so big really.
Epic Frontiers is moving along a little slower because of a hectic work schedule this month, and I may slip my fully-Alpha state at New Year, but not by too much. So it goes with Indie development, and one of the things that will get my project done is to realize that and be flexible.
With my new schedule I'll be able to do a lot more with it, and after tomorrow's work day, I'll have 6 days cleared out to do a game work marathon.
What I have been doing is thinking on merchandising. Specifically, cafepress.com for tshirts, mugs, etc. for people to buy to help me fund the development of the game. Coming out with clothes for the game and some of the stories I've written on my website, and advertising in bars/clubs/restaurants that have those little areas/racks with mini-flyers on them, I can help build momentum for both funding and a community base. It's a very low risk endeavor, and will cost me maybe $50-100(cost of paper and ink, some monthly fees for cafepress.com).
Now, I also noticed that there's quite a few SE Michigan indies around, and I was playing with the idea of throwing together a small regional get together so we can meet and network. Nothing fancy, basically meeting up at a restaurant(I'd say bar, but not everyone is 21). If anyone from the Detroit/AA/Windsor area reads this, please email ted@digitalflux.com, and let me know what your feedback/ideas are on this, because if there's enough people, we can do something along the lines of a IGDA Chapter Meeting...
Thus "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee...." ;)
Lately I haven't been all that productive, though I've managed to overhaul my tS->DIF exporter so that you can use tS's native painting tools instead of the ones I cobbled together. The trick now is to get preferences saved(no big deal), and make sure I can export everything everyone needs exported, as well as make it compatible with every tS version I have an API for. A bigger deal, but not so big really.
Epic Frontiers is moving along a little slower because of a hectic work schedule this month, and I may slip my fully-Alpha state at New Year, but not by too much. So it goes with Indie development, and one of the things that will get my project done is to realize that and be flexible.
With my new schedule I'll be able to do a lot more with it, and after tomorrow's work day, I'll have 6 days cleared out to do a game work marathon.
What I have been doing is thinking on merchandising. Specifically, cafepress.com for tshirts, mugs, etc. for people to buy to help me fund the development of the game. Coming out with clothes for the game and some of the stories I've written on my website, and advertising in bars/clubs/restaurants that have those little areas/racks with mini-flyers on them, I can help build momentum for both funding and a community base. It's a very low risk endeavor, and will cost me maybe $50-100(cost of paper and ink, some monthly fees for cafepress.com).
Now, I also noticed that there's quite a few SE Michigan indies around, and I was playing with the idea of throwing together a small regional get together so we can meet and network. Nothing fancy, basically meeting up at a restaurant(I'd say bar, but not everyone is 21). If anyone from the Detroit/AA/Windsor area reads this, please email ted@digitalflux.com, and let me know what your feedback/ideas are on this, because if there's enough people, we can do something along the lines of a IGDA Chapter Meeting...
About the author
Started with indie games over a decade ago, and now creates tools and tech for games. Currently working as a contractor for startups and game studios.
