The Problem #

Maybe like me, you work on lots of remote, terminal-only servers setting up stupid stuff like Plex, Jenkins, Godot Packaging, game servers, etc.

If you do this, you probably spend hours testing terminal commands trying to find the exact commands to configure your device properly. If your server ever went down, all that work would be lost forever.

The most popular apps and websites are designed to hook you like a drug. I had struggled for years with internet addiction, but finally feel free.

Here’s what worked for me:

Step 1: Go to a Therapist #

This was both the most important step. Being able to talk about my addiction with someone who could hold me accountable helped me fight back in a real way. Finding the right therapist was tough, but worth it.

Perfecting Survival Horror #

I think the games that have had the most consistent impact on me in the past have been survival horror games. But what makes a survival horror game perfect?

A survival horror game transcends the genre when it uses horror elements to effectively enhance its non-horror message. Here are some examples:

I’m Doing it Wrong #

“If you’re not making quantitative predictions, you’re probably doing it wrong.” Said Gabe Newel, speaking about his company’s approach to design in this video.

Newel’s words got me thinking: What is a quantitative prediction? And how can game devs apply them to their design process? As a guy who wants to produce video games, it seems like a useful practice to employ.

What is Esmerelda: The Black Amber Covenant? #

ETBAC is a game I’ve been working on (in some guise) since 2020. It’s a part-time, labor of love project, but I’m trying to take it as seriously as possible. I have big dreams for it, hopefully it gets to be as big as Stardew Valley someday.

What is Shorter Services? #

Shorter.Services is a SAAS application I dreamed up in December 2023. I wanted to make it easier to convert human-readable text from rasterized files into machine-readable data. I also wanted to make money off what I thought was a unique idea.

2024 had some Big Problems #

This year, the gaming industry continues to face a number of challenges:

1. Big budget, AAA games are bombing with core audiences. (Dragon Age, Star Wars Outlaws, Golum, Call of Duty, and Starfield.)
2. Microtransactions continue to shatter immersion and prey on consumers.
3. Corporate interferance (risk avoidance) diminishes creativity.

But overall, I think these issues all stem from the same root problem. If you work in gaming, your north star should be “fun.”

Why Bother? #

In a synthetic age, I believe the most human thing we can do is to tell stories. Studio Mystery exists to foster and produce those stories, to keep us excited, entertained, and fulfilled. That is the mission of the company.