Hello folks, thought I’d write a post meeting the new year head on. I’ve decided I need to make some changes to the way I do things in order to grow what I’ve started. So here’s a sort of ‘2017 and beyond’ manifesto for ColePowered:

Be more active within the gamedev community. I’m pretty awful when it comes to twitter, facebook or even just writing on here and it’s something that needs to improve. Even if nobody reads it, writing these dev blog posts are a great way to collect thoughts and reflect. As an introvert I find simply being vocal the most challenging thing about solo game development, but until I can afford to hire somebody who does it all for me it’s something I need to work on! This year I’m going to make an effort to be more social on here, social media and also attend more gaming events. I’m going to attempt to write something on here every week- whether it be a simple post like this or a much more interesting development blog entry.

Play more. It sounds counter-productive but my gaming time has really taken a bit of a hit in recent years. It’s simply because I enjoy making games so much, I prefer to spend more time making than playing. I remember Tom Francis saying something that rang particularly true on the Crate & Crowbar podcast a while back, something along the lines of- making a game is like playing the most complex, satisfying game imaginable. But playing can provide valuable inspiration, I need to be careful not to miss out on what’s actually happening in gaming or I fear my game ideas will be left behind.

Transition from Concrete Jungle to my new project. Yes I’ve started one, but it’s in the early prototype stages. I’m almost ready to start talking about it and showing off what I’ve done so far, but not quite. Meanwhile Concrete Jungle still needs updating to include some additional languages (which have been ever so kindly translated by some fans!) I also need to address a few issues on mobile and release properly on mac. Although I’m still 100% committed to the game, I am absolutely eager to move on to a new project now.

Grow the business. Since becoming a full time indie, I’ve taken a very frugal approach to spending. I’ve always chosen to do/make something myself wherever possible. This philosophy has served me well- it allowed me to make Concrete Jungle for £12k and survive the years prior. I’m not going to abandon that approach, but I do want to start thinking about growing the business in the next few years. I’m not quite sure what the first step is here, I’ve got a feeling all will become clearer with the next project. Concrete Jungle’s sales have been enough to keep me afloat as a sole developer for at least another year and a half, maybe two- which is fantastic. I’m so pleased I get to continue what I do! Being able to do this for a living is a dream come true.

So, assuming I don’t fall at the first hurdle, see you soon. Have a great new year, here’s hoping to a better one!