I’m getting rid of the usual headings because I’ve managed to combine everything.  My role in the YA project, the TV show, and the company are all tied to making the game now, so that’s what I’ve been doing.

It’s nice to have a single thing on which to focus, as I feel many of my past failures were due to overextending my time and resources.  That said, it was great to make that mistake, because I got to experience the behind-the-scenes of many different types of projects.  I may not have anything tangible to show for my efforts, but I learned a lot, and now I have a chance to channel that knowledge into one awesome product.

My one drawback is I still underestimate how much work goes into making something.  Especially with technology, it is difficult to tell how long something will take.  Programming is basically deductive reasoning, so it sounds like it shouldn’t take longer than solving a logic puzzle.  However, something as simple as a syntax error or a missing semicolon can steal hours of problem-solving time.  Also remember that I am making this game completely on my own.  If I get stuck, there’s no one to help me.  I need to remember that people are programmers as full-time jobs for a reason.  It takes forever to make something.

That said, I will make my goal from now until the end of the year to be to finish the game.  I’m keeping my focus.  Having spent September working on this game, I have a better sense of how long it will take to finish.  This isn’t the sort of thing that happens in just one month. 

Lesson learned: Pace yourself.  You’re in it for the long run.

Goal for October: Finish the art, navigation, and minigames that will be part of the game.