Development state and shift of approach

[Rias]

I've been doing a lot of discussing with GMs regarding roadblocks I've been hitting in development, and it's more or less boiled down to feeling "stuck." There's been a constant feeling of some boundaries that have been set and should not be crossed. "This is the way the game is and has been, it's what the players know and are familiar with, limitations have already been defined - just work within that." I've tried (hah) to be better about staying on track, committing to decisions, sticking to scope, planning ahead with roadmaps ... and that's all great for a professional or workplace environment, but COGG isn't that. Or it's not supposed to be, but it has felt like it because that's how I've been approaching it in an attempt to be more organized and responsible to the game.

COGG is a hobby, a passion, a labor of love. Treating it like a job counters that for me. There are some things about the game that I currently don't enjoy, and as a result it's making it difficult to muster up the steam to develop for. Some of this has been brought up before, like the idea for the ability trees, and some potential changes to how skill limits are approached. I won't dive into any of the specific details here, but the overall issue has been that I just haven't enjoyed actually playing the game as much as I should, which is a bad problem to have for a passion/hobby project. I should be building the game I want to play and be wanting to play it. Playing it often, so as I do I have more ideas for new things to add that would make the game feel even more fun for me (and hopefully other players).

For a long time, CLOK's main page described the project as being in "alpha," because I had wanted to maintain the freedom to make big changes when they felt necessary (whether for players or even just for myself). When it was brought up that this "alpha" label might be discouraging people from trying the game, the text about being "currently in alpha but open for play with ongoing events" was updated to:

CLOK is a dynamic thing, in that both its world and its mechanics are constantly changing. The world can change based on what happens in it and how the player characters act (or don't act). The staff are constantly developing, altering, and tweaking mechanics. If you take a break from CLOK for a few months, it might be a pretty different place when you get back.

And I really like that. I don't want to fret over semantics about whether "alpha" or "beta" or whatever else is the correct term. So I'm just going to put that text at the top of the COGG main page (replacing "CLOK" with "COGG") and call it good. Bask in the freedom to be able to develop the game how I want to develop it so I can personally enjoy it, and enjoy following ideas as they strike me.

To this end, I'll probably continue holding off on roundtables for a while yet. Maybe make them a monthly thing, or maybe try to redefine their scope so they're more about world/lore stuff without the "what is being worked on and when will it be done?" They were starting to feel like a weekly checkin with my boss, preventing me from following those exciting development idea butterflies because if I did, I'd feel guilty after having previously said that I was working on something else. I know it'll drive some people crazy to have very little in the way of structure and roadmaps and all that, but that's just the way I work best when it comes to personal passion projects. All my favorite work that I'm most proud of has been a result of having a shiny thought and sprinting off in pursuit of it. The super structured approach just results in my resenting the things I'm "supposed" to be doing because I inevitably end up putting off new exciting ideas for them. The recent tabards/patrols update happened because I couldn't sleep that night and wanted to just do something because it sounded like a cool idea even though I was "supposed" to be focusing on Octum stuff.

So, here's to more chasing of butterflies and slapdash implementations of shiny ideas that are too fun to ignore, and to considering big ideas that may shake up the status quo from time to time.

[Tessa]

Rias,
As a person who enjoys creative flashes and chasing those butterflies, big cheers to you. I for one completely understand the need and wholeheartedly support this, although I will admit I miss giving you your weekly hugs. Good on you for chasing those butterflies.
Hugs,
Me!

[Ephemeralis]

I think you should do whatever gives you the greatest joy to create and enact.

Knowing when to tune out player feedback is every bit as valuable as knowing when to listen to it. You're very good at listening and we're all frankly very spoiled by it. If you're having fun with COGG, we will too.

[Squeak]

I always liked the meetings in the scope to see if you and the other GMs were happy where you were. If this helps maintain that positivity, then you steam right ahead and we'll follow, enjoying it all the while.

Don't forget, we're sharing in YOUR dream world. The more fun you can make for yourself ... well. That trickles down and provides more enjoyment out of us.



Keep up the good work and, as always, THANK YOU for allowing us into YOUR dream.

[Jilliana]

You said it best. This is your labor of love and a hobby. That shouldn't change for you. As such, you deserve the opportunity to do things in the way that works for you. If it means following butterflies in between those times where you need to double down on a serious Cogg thing, then that's what you should do.

I, like others, will miss the roundtables, but I'd rather have a happy dev enjoying his hobby, and by extension, ours than an unhappy one who resents coming to the computer to code something he won't enjoy as a player.

Here's for more time for fun and white chocolate cookies.

[Laroremas]

I've always been impressed with the way that you both code and attempt to engage as much as you can with the playerbase simultaneously

That said, when I think about every great game I've ever played, most (if not all) of them were done and made with zero player input

So, good shit

[artus]

Is it coincidental that everyone's talking about butterflies now?:)

Jokes aside, I'd say Cogg is not and never will be anything I see a fruit of a job. It's a fruit of passion, a wholesome world everyone grows to love. Wherever it goes, it will carry many hearts with it. The birds must fly as they're flying, and without ravens to make them stink and tainted. It's a project of freedom, of creativity, of love and joy, and a project that someone like me is fond of just as much as you do.

I still remember a very specific point in time when you said you were stressed out because the game affected you more than it should. If it's one of those times again, you have all the hugs again. I've actually just realized how similar our working style is. Looks like we both enjoy throwing caution to the wind and developing ideas on the whim. It's fun. It's unlimited. If this is your style, don't let anything kill it. Not being what you are and not being what the game is, when passion is shared, is painful all the same.

No one knows the vision of the game more than you do. Blocks happen, and then passion fire happens too. We've been in this setting for like what, 14-15 something years already. It grows on us and anything off or imperfect creates a nick in its beauty, or so it seems.

I can see how and why roundtables can overwhelm. I've been admiring you for having it every single week and getting comments and question that, if I were you, would have felt uneasy thinking over because game balance vs player's satisfaction has to be a thing. If it gets to that point, holding off is a good idea so both you and everyone can take some time off for all the butterflies and fun, colorful stuff. Then we get times for ourselves to breathe, regain energy and add more fuel to the fire. You know what it sounds like? It sounds like that furnace we have to pull chain pull chain pull chain and let cool, then pump back up again just for the shinies.

[adresin]

First, Artus, I love how you said that! Also yes, butterflies everywhere!

Rias, I've said this before, but I have always liked and respected you. Up until I came to Cogg a couple months ago it had been years since I've played a game you run, in fact I can't even remember my clok char names now! However, I do remember that you were and are one of very, very few mud admins I feel is fair and can actually respect. You listen to players, which is not all that common, but as others have said you need and deserve the freedom to do what feels fun to you. You aren't getting paid and being able to be a part of your hobby is a privilege.

So with that said, along with the others who have posted here you have my support 100% and I have no doubt that you will do what's best for the game. If mistakes are made, they can be fixed. I hope we can all, you included, continue to enjoy Cogg for a long time to come.

Also, I want to say thank you for being so honest with us, the players. It's not always easy to be that open and I was happy to see the replies being so supportive. Go chase those butterflies and we'll peek in on the ones you care to show us.

[Alicron]

Passion is the driving force behind any good art so, go get um!


(picture of a flying butterfly from the movie, The Last Unicorn

[Teri]

Go wild, chase shinies and butterflies, have fun. Personally wouldn't mind not recognizing the state of things coming back after a break. Change is interesting, and we can have fun riding that rollercoaster together.