The Cat Lady and Christmas

Seasons greetings! I just wanted to write a quick update, sales of The Cat Lady have started, Screen 7's first major release. It can be bought at http://www.thecatlady.co.uk

It's been a long, tiring process but I am glad it's finally out in some capacity. We still have a couple of weeks ahead getting it sorted for DVD's, Desura and some other places. I've learned a few things along the way.

2012 has been extremely productive for me, but it's also been tough. I haven't been out in daylight most of this year because so much has had to be done on the PC. Updating a website might seem like a simple task but it can turn into a 6 hour stint. Setting up a game for distribution isn't the click of a button, it takes weeks of preparation and beyond especially if you're doing it for the first time.

But there's been a lot of support and things definitely look positive for the near future. AdventureX is running again this year which is going to be interesting - as I didn't have as much time to organize it as I did last year, but there seems to be double the interest there was 365 days ago.

Next year will be thrilling, Ravenwood moves along in leaps and bounds and from January I will be able to concentrate fully on Kinky Island. Didn't holiday this year, so you may not see/hear from me between AdventureX and the end of January, I need to put my feet up and give my eyes a bit of a rest, and get thoroughly fucking drunk...

I'm not going to admit everything went perfectly this year, but it certainly went in the right direction. There is lots a lots a lots more to do before the church bells can really start peeling - but thanks again for reading and keeping an interest in what I do.

Have a merry christmas!!

ML

AdventureX 2012 update

We're getting close to our funding goal, but there's still a way to go yet. Almost all of our schedule slots are filled with feature presentations, special guests and informative talks. Those who contribute to the campaign will get updates and a special AdventureX newsletter.

You can read all the newsletters from the previous (first) event here! Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far, taking us over the halfway mark. We appreciate you spreading the word, and the love, and the adventure...

20 days left to help with the fundraiser, even if you only have a few dollars, you'll be kept in the know with updates, the newsletter and a live video link to the event.

Show your support for the adventure game scene - visit our fundraiser now and help make it happen!

University of East Anglia, nr. Liverpool St, London - Sat 15 and Sun 16 Dec. Free entry, disabled access, refreshments available.

un-convention-al

Well AdventureX is gearing up to be pretty cool now - lots of AGS folks have kindly said I can show their games at it, many of them have never been seen/played which is very exciting! Also glad that C. Bateman and A. Beckett are still happy to give a little talk about making games :)

Also securing a bit of a deal with Lace Mamba Global who will hopefully supply a few demonstration copies of games and prizes so that people can take away some of their latest published titles. No word from TellTale Games yet though.

And, a few tickets have sold. I've also noticed a few other people kind of pre-empting their attendance to the event, so to those people I say - get a ticket! I will make a decision around the 1st Dec whether it will officially go ahead or not. If I can't cover the venue hire, or only five people have bought a ticket - it just won't be worth it. But if it does happen, it will most definitely be worth it!

I found a cheaper hotel - Ibis Hotel in Reading, 2 mins from the station. So anyone coming and staying I would recommend that place, its 40 quid for 1 or 2 nights. You would however need to get a train to Didcot from Reading, but that's literally five pound single or ten pound return. And the offer is still open to my closer AGS friends to stay on a sofa at my flat...lol!

So exciting stuff... My game 11-11-11 is nowhere near being complete, for its deadline this Friday. But I will have it ready...fingers crossed. Actually I can't not have it ready, otherwise there's no point :P Work behind the scenes at FoY has picked up as Spanos comes on board to help code the Xmas mini-game. Poor Jan had a biking accident and is unable to code for a few weeks. We wish him a quick recovery. Miez continuing all the lovely background art for the full-game.

Oh and I am very soon going to get this device that will let me get Lost In Paradise off the HD I cannot put inside this computer. Yay!

I worked in a Chinese takeaway this weekend, and it was fun. Basically just grabbing the food orders and packaging them, with some nice people to work with. Also some funny co-incidental names that mean nothing to anyone else but me on the orders like "Bateman" (AdventureX) and "Sinclair" (BJ:MD) made me chuckle. Simple things!! It also meant I could eat pretty well and cheaply over the weekend which is great. This is not a permanent job though (maybe in the future?) so money is still very tight.

Sadly my grandpa died last week so I have a funeral to attend later this week, which will be sad. But I'm glad I had a nice dinner with him just a week before his death, and he certainly had a good life (and a long one). RIP Harry Carr

Other than that, not a lot. It's Sunday morning, I haven't been to bed yet - today I'm just going to slob out, do a bit of programming and watch a bit of TV. After a spliff and a sleep that is.

Ciao for now! :)