Jack 5.0

I saw a reel on Instagram the other week saying you should think of your birthdays as point releases and big ones as major version updates.

Think what is coming in the next version.

As a former Software Engineer, it amused me.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Jack 5.0 is released this week.

In the last 50 years I've achieved a lot.

Shared nearly 29 years with my lovely wife. Nearly 24 of them married.

Raised two wonderful girls to 9 and 13.

Got a degree and a PhD.

Earnt a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Started four companies, two of which are still going (one pushing on 9 years!).

Held numerous jobs and earnt many promotions.

What does Jack 5.0 do better than Jack 4.9?

I've spent the last week feeling like an old man.

I put my back out during (but not at!) the Expo last week.

I've been moving slowly and gingerly, unable to sit for long before I seize up.

Plagued by stabbing pains if I bent or twisted too much.

It's improving steadily and I'm much better now than last week.

But it's put physical health into focus.

I exercise daily. But briefly.

I walk a lot, and fast, but don't do any real cardio.

And only bodyweight strength training.

I need to take better care of myself.

Including eating less junk.

Eurydice Games will be 9 in a couple of months.

The limited company with Paul will be 8.

In the last 9 years we've released 7 games. 8 if you include Xeno Wars.

And 6 FlickFleet expansions.

I practice games design daily.

Sometimes it's tiny.

I try to do something to help the business every day too, no matter how small.

But we've struggled.

We're barely affording Paul's pitiful salary.

I've not taken out any dividends in years.

We keep having to lend the company our savings to keep it afloat during tight periods.

I need to get it on a more sustainable footing.

Despite last week's injury I'm extremely grateful to reach 50 in good health. 

On Friday 13th April 2006 I was diagnosed with active relapsing remitting MS. It's difficult to predict how it will go, but approaching my 30s the best guess, based on my early symptoms, was 50/50 on whether I'd be using a wheelchair within 10 years.

15 years later, at 45, I ran a 5k in 22 and a half minutes.

20 years later, at (almost!) 50 I'm still the fastest walker I know.

I've been very lucky.

And I'm very grateful.

Expo

The UK Games Expo was great.

We did almost as well as last year.

Met loads of fans of FlickFleet.

Our stand drew a crowd as always!

Made some new FlickFleet fans.

Hung out with Paul and friends.

Met Marc, the CEO of Grand Gamers Guild, who I've known online only for 20 years!

And had some interesting conversations.

I’m knackered now.

And I put my back out on Sunday morning.

Which made teardown interesting.

Need to rest up a bit now!

Then crack on.

I’m buzzing with ideas!

Crescendo

Paul is back from France.

The Wife is back from her week-long work trip.

So things are returning to normal.

But it's UK Games Expo week.

So not yet.

And it's half-term, so the kids are off school.

We've got three days to get everything together, then we're off.

Paul has cut all the stock we're taking.

But still has to box it all up.

I've ordered all the printing we need from the printers.

Business cards.

Gal4Xeon tasters.

Posters.

And the dashboards and rules for the next FlickFleet print run.

Which can't wait until the next Gamefound campaign - we're running very low.

I've got to collect them on Wednesday.

And then Paul and I will meet up the night before we go to exchange materials again.

Then home again, and then off the next morning.

I'm excited to see how this year goes.

UK retail sales are down because of the cost of living crisis, exacerbated by the war in Iran.

But we've got a fantastic stand near the front of Hall 2 (2-622 if you're coming!).

So traffic should be good at least.

Fingers crossed for a good show...

Progress

The Wife is in The Netherlands for seven days.

So I'm solo parenting.

Paul's still in France.

So I'm fulfilling web orders.

Oh, and I might have broken a toe yesterday.

But I'm getting loads done regardless.

Gal4Xeon has been fulfilled.

It's up on the website now for anyone who missed the campaign.

Xeno Flicks 2 is in very early preview.

We're re-ordering FlickFleet before then, as we're likely to run out soon after the Expo.

I've been ordering rules, dashboards and boxes.

And posters and business cards for the Expo.

There's loads to do.

But I feel like I'm on a roll at the moment :)

Busy

Paul’s on (a well-deserved) holiday.

He’s been working crazy hours on Gamefound fulfilment.

Immediately followed by making stock for the UK Games Expo before his holiday.

He’s in France now, getting some gaming in.

While he’s away I’ll be covering shipping for the website orders.

And I'm getting ready for the Expo too.

We need a load of stuff printed.

That I need to do the design for.

And I’ve a VAT return to do.

Plus finishing the Gal4Xeon rules (almost done!) and fulfilling that.

And I’ve started on the next FlickFleet campaign page.

For the last couple of months I’ve been meeting my buddy Joe (of Word Dungeon fame) for playtesting on Monday afternoons.

I fear that’ll have to wait until after the Expo now.

He’s busy anyway though, with a new campaign for the excellent Word Dungeon live on Backerkit at the moment.

New!

This will be brief today.

It’s a bank holiday in the UK, so the kids are off school.

And it’s our wedding anniversary.

But I had a new game idea on Thursday.

Got to try a bit of it yesterday.

Needs some work.

But I think it has potential.

I’m also doing a VAT return and finishing off Gal4Xeon.

And the UK Games Expo is at the end of the month.

AsteRace

Over the last couple of months I've been working on a game that was inspired by a tweet (on Bluesky, does that make it a skeet?).

In it Dan Thurot asked: "... I want a designer to tell me why roll-and-move sucks and they would never consider using it in their own game."

I answered it was the theme that bothered me.

If I can move 6 spaces, why do I sometimes move 3, and sometimes 1?

It gave me an idea for a game.

Note how I've immediately broken the premise of Dan's question.

I've spent the last 2 months designing that game.

It's a race through an asteroid belt.

AsteRace. Gettit?

The board spaces start blank, you fill them in as you move.

There are nine gates to visit.

First to visit all nine wins.

It's a simple roll & move & write game.

My playtesters have really enjoyed it.

But I can't see it becoming a 'product'.

So I'm giving it away in our next newsletter.

Free game!

Subscribe here if you're interested.

In other news, Gal4Xeon finishes soon and it's doing amazing!