My New Year's Resolution

I've always loved playing games. It was that love that brought me to computers and to learn how to program. I have to give some of that credit to a friend that I have had since elementary school, Brian. We grew up playing games like Zork, Ultima, King's Quest, and many others. It wasn't long before we both began learning to program, and how to make our own games. A friendly rivalry would soon begin as we would both try to out do each other with what they could accomplish, and pushing each to learn more.

I'll skip the boring parts of my middle and high school life, to the almost as boring college life. I still loved games, and loved programming computers. I started school at the University of Texas to get my Computer Science degree thinking that I would start my trek down the road to becoming a game developer.

During that time I happened to meet a couple of guys who were working for a local game company. Sadly, I do not remember their names, but I do remember their stories. I learned about what it was really like to be in the gaming industry. The high competition, immense pressure, long hours, low pay, and little chance for real success. It was enough for me to decide to follow a different path in computer programming. Now that I look back at it, the reality is that most of the software development industry has similar problems, but that is a story for another time :).

So, fast forward to January 1st, 2008. I still love games, both on and off the computer. I've always wanted to make a game, and have had tons of ideas through the years, but have never followed through. For whatever reason, that desire has yet risen again, and I have decided that my New Year's resolution will be to actually start making a game. I don't have any details yet, but I plan on blogging the whole process as I begin this journey.

Hopefully this will not end up like most resolutions, but we will see. I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas, and a happy New Year!