An Idea That Haunts Me

This is October, the month that serves as home to All Hallow's Eve. Traditionally my posting is very light in October. I intend to break with tradition this year.

*** 

For a very long time now, on this blog, with my friends and to myself, I have boasted proudly, "This will be the year I publish my own game!"

That year has not come.

It's not that I don't have ideas that I think are worth publishing.

It's not that I can't design games. I have done it several times (At least twice on this blog - The Muppets and The Smurfs).

It's not that I don't have the time and energy. OK, I barely have the time but since I have the energy it should compensate a bit.

So why haven't I done it?

Fear.

I have a lot of fears. Not the kind that prevent you from swimming or going to high places or flying on airplanes but definitely ones that can stop you from doing something you should be able to do. When nothing else is stopping you, your fears are stopping you. At least, that's how it is for me.

A few months ago I met someone who has inspired me to get past my fears. By doing nothing more and nothing less than listening to me, talking to me and telling me all the amazing things she has done and continues to do with her passion, I realize I can do what impassions me as well.

My girl is pretty amazing and it finally occurred to me that if she's with me, I must be pretty amazing too.

With that, I will be discussing my newest 'Project X' on my blog this month. Project X is a generic term I use anytime I create a new game that I hope to publish. In the case of this one in particular, I have had the idea for it for so long I don't remember exactly where it originated. I even, for a time, thought it was a game I had played. I know I played a game like it. After extensive research, I can safely say there appears to be no RPG with quite the same concept.

It is a role playing game about ghosts, which, as far as I can tell, is very different from what I've seen before.

It is not about being a supernatural being living in a strange, alien, other world realm. It is not about playing people who fight, control or summon ghosts. It is not about having a ghost companion.

Those are certainly all cool ideas. I would love to run or play games with those premises, though some more than others.

At the same time, those ideas are not what I intuitively think of when I think of ghosts.

My game is.

If you'll indulge me this month, maybe it'll be the same for you...

Thanks,

AD
Barking Alien

All photos are in public domain.