Hi, Figure (or, was it Sarah? Can't recall..) Well, I think maybe a lot of time away from the community and the lack of pressure by developing behind-the-scenes is potentially the only thing that could give me enough time to become genuinely re-interested in it.
While I owned ESP Softworks, I really went out of my way to be an active member of the community and I was pretty visible. Once I started Alchemy, I wasn't so visible or available. Both ways about it had its own set of problems. Part of my problem with the games is that I tend to not know when to stop adding onto a game because every time I see the opportunity or potential to improve what I'm developing, I do it. It makes the product better, but unfortunately, drags the release on and on and on.. For example, when I wrote Monkey Business, it was never intended to be a game. It was only supposed to be a single area where people ran around and caught monkeys. Basically, an accessibility test. The beta testers did extremely well with it and so I began adding all sorts of things onto it until I realized that, out of nowhere, I had this game. I was even told that after what it'd evolved into that I'd *better* release it because otherwise they'd never know how the 'game' ended. Likewise with Monty.. the original idea was simply to make an accessible version of the old classic, but has since then has become much more. The original game only had a handful of monsters--spiders, skulls, and snakes--and, aside from the rolling skulls, the only other moving element in the game were the conveyor belts (which moved you). Poles, ropes, gems, conveyor belts, platforms, electric fields, swords, fire pits, doors, keys and torches were about it for the game. The game play was rather simple.. jump over the monsters, grab gems, and find keys to open doors. If you've read through the manual, yet, you can see that my simple accessible conversion has turned into another major incarnation. With Raceway, sure I could've stopped with keyboard control and stereo sound, but after seeing steering wheels with force feedback at the store one day, I decided because it was possible that I would add it. And, because it was possible to make it graphical at the same time as accessible, I began adding that, too. I mean, why just push a key to start the car and steer back and forth with the arrow keys? We already have that with Jim Kitchen's Mach 1. I'd rather push a button on the steering wheel and feel the engine start while holding onto the steering wheel, feel the weight of the car pull the wheel through turns, it moving back and forth against your grip while you're spinning out, or slam to the side in a head on crash into a wall. Analog gas and brake pedals.. that's what I'm talking about! *grin* And, as those ideas were implemented or began being implemented, I updated the product page and described the new features in the update list. Needless to say, Raceway became something very complex and wasn't a project that Adora was likely to finish or finish well at the time, so after requests from several customers for me to take it back and finish it the way it was meant to, I did. Of course, things occurred during the time I didn't have it.. like Max and Monty. Anyway, that's just the way I work. I can apologize over and over for it, but that's just the way it is. It's not like I'm a fly-by-night developer who came, promised the world, and then took off with everyone's money. I'm still here and I'm still developing on a promise made. And, that's the only promise that can be counted on.. that whoever orders a game from me will get the absolute best I can give and they will receive it. As to when, well.. buy a Magic 8 Ball from Wal Mart and they can ask it. *smile* - James -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of FigureInTheCloak Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 12:58 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: audyssey: demo of monty I'm really, really, really sorry to hear that all the bitching on this list has caused your spirit to no longer be in the creation of accessible games. That constitutes a tragedy, both for you who have had something you once loved killed by people being miserable, and for us who will loose out in the number and probably quality of games produced. Because how can you produce a really top quality accessible game if your heart's not in it? As someone else, it might even have been you yourself, pointed out, sure, they might be technically up to standard, but they will have lost that special something that is reflected in a product which is truly a labour of love. God knows there are few enough people developing accessible games, it is really stupid and, I'm sorry about the expression, but, short-sighted of us to drive one of those few away with petty complaining. OK, sure. I'm as broke as any of you. God knows I don't have tons of cash to throw around preordering products which then don't arrive. But, as again has been already pointed out, we're not dealing with huge corporations who are out to rip us off. We're dealing with small, one-person, on-a-shoestring companies being run by individuals out of there spare time, simply for the love of doing it; and they give us freequent updates of what's going on in the developement of their games, and good, precise reasons why they're held up; a kind of explanation and communication, I might add, that you would not get from a larger corporation. What more can we ask for? I'll say it again, it is truly a tragedy to see someone's love of doing this killed by such petty stupidity. James. Is there anything the rest of us can do to help you get your heart and spirit for it back? ----- Original Message ----- From: "James from Alchemy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 3:09 PM Subject: RE: audyssey: demo of monty > > Ah, good. > > Well, since Brenda can't seem to keep her dislike of me under control--or, > perhaps she's just generally a hostile and miserable person since she > appears to dislike several other members as well--I'll hang around until > the > demo is posted and then I'll catch those who are genuinely interested in > the > games on the Alchemy lists in a few days. > > It's obvious that Brenda can't just "let it go" even after her public > apology and unprofessional list conduct. I get a feeling that she felt > sleighted having to do that with her "I wasn't the only one wrong; but > that > does not justify my action." predication on Friday and only did so to > appease. > > Many would say that I've been unprofessional in either my responses and in > conducting my business affairs where pre-ordering is concerned and I > openly > admit so. Even entering my sixth year into this, I'm still finding > there's > no good way to balance work, personal life, and writing accessible games > on > the side while keeping all happy. I've tried and I have failed. In > learning so, Max will be the last game that's pre-orderable and, if titles > are to be produced after its eventual release, they will be done so > quietly > and under lock and key. If they're late by my schedule or never ending up > seeing the light of day, then they will have come and gone without ever > being missed. In a way, since my heart truly isn't in this anymore, the > bickering and prodding has actually been the only resolve to finish the > games I've started except to fulfill the expectations and faith that > others > have had. > > They are the ones who have the right to moan, not the Brenda's and Will's > of > the community who apparently have nothing better to do than egg people on. > I can't say for Will, but I know first-hand that Montezuma's Revenge is > not > Brenda's cup of tea. And, since her interaction with the community > on-list > is rather rude, hostile, and sarcastic, I doubt her intentions are > advocating for the masses. > > It's easy to rattle off the names of those few who really spoil this > list--people like Will, Shaun, and Brenda--and, I doubt many would > disagree. > Thankfully, Brenda doesn't usually offer much, but when she does it's > usually to admonish, lash out because the post annoys her, or plays > control > freak. > > So, as of the release of the demo, I'm unsubscribing to this list. When > it > can find a more pleasant moderator in addition to Kevin, I'll consider > giving it another shot. You can be sure information that's distributed > via > the Alchemy update list will find it's way on here by others that are > doing > the list a favor, but it'll always come last and second-hand in the > future. > > It's just not worth the time debating what, when, how, did, didn't, and > which day is the last day of the week and what didn't happen. What didn't > happen is irrelevant. Today is today and it's forward we go. > > So, to the future and accessible gaming! > > Best wishes, > > James > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of James from Alchemy > Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 11:10 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: audyssey: demo of monty > > > *yawn* > > So, it looks like I'm on moderated status once again... > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of brenda green > Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 11:01 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: audyssey: demo of monty > > James, until last week you were saying the game would be released. On > January 12, 2006 you said the demo would be available for download since > you > > were unable to package the game and demo as one release. Until that point, > you were saying the game and demo were one package and it would be > available > > for release, first at the end of the year (2004), then a couple of days > were > > needed, then last week at the end of the week and now you're saying just > the > > demo will be released some time today. Is this right? > > Yes, you have said there is a problem with the registration of the game > but > isn't that the same thing you said was the reason the game didn't ship in > December 2003, yes I said 2003? > > > > to leave send a blank Email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > You can contact the list owners/moderators by Emailing > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > to go nomail send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > change "nomail" to "normal" to resume messages. > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > to leave send a blank Email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > You can contact the list owners/moderators by Emailing > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > to go nomail send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > change "nomail" to "normal" to resume messages. > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > to leave send a blank Email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > You can contact the list owners/moderators by Emailing > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > to go nomail send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > change "nomail" to "normal" to resume messages. > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > to leave send a blank Email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can contact the list owners/moderators by Emailing [EMAIL PROTECTED] to go nomail send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] change "nomail" to "normal" to resume messages. Yahoo! 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