In The Pipeline: July 2017

Hi Everybody!

There's no way to sugar coat it. Last month was not a good month for blogging. What with a general lack of drive and energy, coupled with some recursive tech issues not a lot got done.

It probably doesn't help that I've been overextending myself either. So, it's time to get real; and time to get blogging.

In terms of real talk, I've taken a look over my output for the past few months and averaging out the numbers, it looks like I can churn out somewhere in the region of 19 (rounding off) posts a month.

So using this as a benchmark for what's possible, and knowing roughly how much time and effort goes into each post; I should be able to plan this month a little better (and actually hit a target for a bloody change!)

Expo '17

Top of my list of blogging priorities for this month is to wrap up my series of posts around the UK Games Expo 2017. It's crazy to think this is still going, and there is still so much more to write nearly a month after the expo itself concluded!

Then again, it has grown somewhat from the three posts I originally envisioned when I set about this task. Something which is probably for the best in hindsight. I would have struggled to edit what I have already written to fit into that limited three post space, and by my count there are still another 10 posts to go!

So, whilst it is taking longer (a lot longer) to write up than I thought it would; breaking this feature down into more manageable chunks still seems like the right thing to have done.

Meeple Madness

As well as the the Expo '17 posts, there will also be plenty more from Meeple Madness in the coming month. Being relatively quick to put together, I see no reason why I can't get 20 of these posted up in July.

Which just about accounts for all the time I have free this month.

In addition to this there will no doubt be miscellaneous posts about this, that, and the other; but nothing related to any of my regular features. At least nothing planned. It would be nice to get a couple of Meeple Arcade posts up, catch up on some 10 x 10 Challenge gaming, and continue with my One Man And His Dice adventure; but I feel it's important to be realistic.

In short, there are a LOT of things that I would like to do; but there simply isn't enough time to do it in. Not immediately anyhow.

The thing about blog posts though is they don't go anywhere (well, unless they get deleted of course). So everything you write can be used as a foundation for a future piece of work. You don't need to try and build Rome in a day (which is probably for the best given my piss poor D.I.Y skills).

So going forward the plan is (rather sensibly) to take things one step (and one post) at a time; and to see how things go.

In The Pipeline: June 2017

Hi Everybody!

Hi Everybody!

It's been a bit of a delayed start to the months blogging what with one thing and another. There was the "wonderful" 48 hour long headache that felt like my frontal lobe was having a hot knitting needle driven through it via my left eye-socket (so whoever has the voodoo doll, could you please remember to take the pins out when you're done), a day long boiler replacement, and of course my annual trip to the UK Games Expo yesterday.

But I'm back to blogging now, and boy do I have a fair bit planned for the month ahead; including a new regular feature - Meeple Madness!

So what's in store for June?

10 x 10 Challenge

Top of the billing (but only because I insist on doing these posts alphanumerically) is my 10 x 10 Challenge; which I hope I really hope that I can keep the momentum going with following my recent gaming flurry (I managed to get another three games of Dark Dealings in on the Bank Holiday).

Following on from my prior post  I have done a recalculation of just how many games I need to play and, with what frequency in order to keep myself on target for completing the challenge.. and it's still three a week. Well, technically it's 2.5(ish); but it seems more sensible to just round up and finish a little early.

Something that I do need to be mindful of however is the backlog of play reports that is beginning to build up (currently five); so the aim is to bring this down to zero by months end (all being well).

Meeple Arcade

Speaking of things that I have fallen behind with. At the beginning of May, I had planned to post up three new games to Meeple Arcade; but managed only one. It wasn't for the lack of material either; just a lack of time. So given that the only issue was time; I'll be more realistic with this months plans (especially given my late start to the months blogging), and set myself a target of only posting up two new games.

Meeple Madness

One of the great things about the UK Games Expo, is the chance it gives you to meet new people; and discover new things. Games you never knew existed, and new twists on the games you already know and love. So when I discovered that there was a darker (if such a thing was even possible) version of Cards Against Humanity on sale yesterday, I was intrigued (and being the sick puppy that I am, naturally I bought it).

Now I know that Cards Against Humanity is a game that has quite the polarising effect when it comes to gamers. People either love it, or they hate it; and I can see arguments for both sides, although I am firmly in the "love it" camp. With good reason too.

A few years back I had a truly crappy job that made me miserable day in, day out; not to mention a boss who was riding my ass like Seabiscuit. Then one weekend the gaming group I was a part of at that time broke out Cards Against Humanity, and it really lifted my spirits. The open forum of abuse that was all in good humor really helped let go of all of my negativity in a positive way; and I laughed so hard my head was still hurting days later!

So, without a doubt, I'm firmly in the "love it" camp; but that doesn't mean I don't respect people might be offended by the content of Cards Against Humanity, and equally so it's darker cousin that I purchased yesterday, Guards Against Insanity.

I care about my readers, so I would ask that if you feel you are likely to be offended by the material contained in Guards Against Insanity; PLEASE avoid the Meeple Madness posts. Each these posts will feature a randomly drawn black card, and a randomly drawn white card; which I WILL NOT be censoring in any way, shape or, form.. You have been warned!

Warnings aside, these posts should be very quick and easy to produce; so once I get going you can probably expect one every day.

SCRAWL

The material that I am working on for SCRAWL (classes, races, spells, and items currently) is still very much at the drawing board stage; but I have made some really good progress with it in the past month. Just not to the point where I can release it unfortunately.

The revised version of my alternate classes should almost certainly see the light of day this month though, as all that remains to tweak is the starting equipment; and the development of new items (which will cover this) is the aspect of SCRAWL that I'm currently working on. 

Tunnels & Trolls

There's really no way of sugar-coating it; I've done bugger all work on the solo I'm planning to write over the last month, and quite honestly the whole thing has stalled. So rather than swim against the tide, I'm sadly going to shelve this project for the time being to focus on other content.

UK Games Expo

I'm planning to write a short series of articles (three in total) this month covering my personal highlights of the expo experience; and additionally a couple of posts on top of that looking more in depth at some of those highlights.

At this point I'm not too sure just how many posts this will end up running to, but I can say with absolute certainty that there will be no less than three; with the aim being to get those initial three posts up within the coming week.

In The Pipeline: May 2017

So, following on from my previous post, what's In The Pipeline for May and beyond?

10 x 10 Challenge

In order to hit my target for years end, and to complete the challenge I have worked out that I need to be playing at least 3 games a week.  So blogwise I will be looking to keep up with that pace in terms of my running commentary; posting up a brief item on how each game went.

Meeple Arcade

I have spent a fair amount of time researching and screening games for this feature over the past few weekends (which is what I call sitting in front of my laptop, playing games); and have shortlisted a few interesting titles to share with you all.

The plan for May is to post up at least three of these.

SCRAWL

I have quite a few bits and pieces that I am working on for SCRAWL at the moment, including the introduction of new races and classes, as well as a few miscellaneous house rules that I hope to get posted up over the course of the month.

Tunnels & Trolls

I'm just about to enter the planning stage of the first Tunnels & Trolls solo that I have written for some considerable time.. Suffice to say, I'm a little rusty; so it has taken me a lot longer to get to  this stage than I had originally anticipated.

After planning comes drafting, then re-drafting, before we finally have a finished product ready to playtest; so not only has it been a while coming, but it'll also be a while yet.

In The Pipeline: An Introduction

It's the start of a new month, and what better way to kick that off than with a new feature; In The Pipeline. But what's it all about?

Well, whilst I am not the worlds busiest man by any stretch of the imagination; I do have a lot going on. In my personal life, I manage my time using an app; which really works. It helps me keep track of what needs to get done, manage tasks by their level of importance, and most importantly frees up my brain to think about other stuff.

My blogging on the other hand is comparatively chaotic. I leave ideas hanging in the air for weeks, and go off on tangents all the time. I'm like a kitten in a hall full of laser pointers, and shiny things metal discs suspended from strings.  In short, I'm pulling in so many different directions that very little is actually being accomplished. It's a bad habit, and I'd like to break it.

That's where "In The Pipeline" comes in.

The plan is to kick every month off with a "In The Pipeline" post, which is basically a summary of the projects and pieces of work that I intend to complete in the short to mid term (1-3 months). Which should not only help me break the cycle of starting but never finishing (by bringing some accountability to my inaction), but also serve as a useful way of keeping anyone interested in something that I'm working on up to date on its progress and development.

So that's my plan, and as plans go it seems pretty solid. As long as I'm realistic in my expectations, and don't try to run before I can walk.. But that's a whole other issue, and as I often say "one problem at a time".