Just a quick update, haven’t done this for awhile. Probably unless something comes up I am going to submit an entry to this weekends Ludumdare if I can get something completed in time. Deciding to go with with plain java and embed the game into an applet for better exposure so I have been busy learning the graphics parts of the java API. In fact other then when I was messing around with Android earlier this year, this could possibly be my first java program in literally 2 years! Kind of exciting, while I do not enjoy java that much(hence 2 years of just coding in C/C++/C#), I am pretty excited about the experience, and have been thoroughly enjoying picking up the Java API again. I’ve gotten a hang of doing basic graphics things//implementing a 2D camera of sorts, there are just a few minor things I need to look into and I should be ready for Ludumdare xD. Pretty motivated for the contest as well just to see how much I can get done in such a short period, which I feel like is a lot depending on the theme(if I can figure out a gameplay idea!) but we’ll see :).

But besides this weekends Ludumdare I feel like addressing something. I have been struggling with depression again(as much as I hate admitting it), which has been affecting my motivation a lot recently. But there is good news!

The good news is I’ve been working with it and finding if I force myself to code I feel much better. Have been looking into my map editor, and have an idea to fix the file format to something that I can more easily make multi-platform. So after Ludumdare, I am probably going to work towards getting that done, and releasing the code on the website. As well then focusing on adding features into the editor itself. With the release I want to include both the C# and C++ library, as well as an XNA Content Pipeline extension for easier use when making XNA projects. Also after my experience with Ludumdare its always possible I create a Java loader for it as well so the next Ludumdare things might go a lot faster if I decide to enter.

I love Game Design, but I love Programming much much more, and I can’t imagine doing anything else <3. Figuring out challenging problems, and building something out of nothing, and making people happy is what I live for, there is no greater feeling, and Programming lets me do this. I may not have a job currently but as long as I can still program I will be happy. And I am confident I will find some kind of employment, even with the poor economic outlook, and poor location I am currently stuck with, as I most definitely have the skills/confidence to be great.