1. 1. PREAMBLE TO NOTES READERS The notes are the full spoken text I was terrified that I'd blank, so I made full notes. Slideshare and Powerpoint seem to mangle stuff, try Libre Impress to get the full glory. I'll try and get a recording of the talk in the coming months If you've weren't at the talk it may be worth waiting for the recorded version instead of reading these notes. If you're a UK indie event talk organiser and you'd like me to talk, please get in touch. git@sockthuggery.com
2. 2. Spotter's Guide To Fear
3. 3. Spotters Guide To Fear Indie Edition Johnny Marshall @TheMightyGit
4. 4. BORN 12 WANT TO MAKE GAMES 40 42 28 YEARS PASS INDIE KICK- STARTER GREENLIGHT REZZED x2 TALKS GADGET SHOW JAMS
5. 5. Changing reasons... TOO YOUNG TOO BUSY TOO INEXPERIENCED PAY DROP JOB SECURITY TOO OLD MISSED MY OPPORTUNITY WANTED TO MAKE MY OWN Constant reasons ONLY A TRUE GAME DEV IF IN GAMES INDUSTRY GENUINELY BETTER IDEA CAME ALONG TECH KEEPS CHANGING NOT ENOUGH SPARE TIME
6. 6. FEAR SPOT: FEAR CASTS A LONG SHADOW OF REMARKABLY LONG EXCUSES
7. 7. FEAR SPOT: FEAR CASTS A LONG SHADOW OF REMARKABLY LONG EXCUSES CONVENIENTLY TIMED EXCUSES ...ANY EXCUSE WILL DO!
8. 8. THE ROOM OF MY MIND
9. 9. THE BREAKFAST TABLE OF POSSIBILITY THE ROOM OF MY MIND
10. 10. MANMAKESGAME BANKRUPTCY FOLLOWS. PETS EXILED. RELATIONSHIP DESTROYED. HUMILIATED BY PEERS.HUNTEDWITHARROWS. EATEN BY WILD ANIMALS. FORGOTTENBYHISTORY. Alsoajerk.Moreinside!
11. 11. There are things that can be tried. But in being afraid to try, the untested fact is enough to support inaction.
12. 12. FEAR THINKING IS EASY TO FIX, BUT ASTONISHINGLY HARD TO FIND
13. 13. RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU DID NOT PUT ON THE CAP AT THE START
14. 14. CAP WEARERS HAND RAISERS CAP WEARER AND HAND RAISER NON CAP WEARER AND NON HAND RAISER
15. 15. CAP WEARERS HAND RAISERS CAP WEARER AND HAND RAISER NON CAP WEARER AND NON HAND RAISER
16. 16. CAP WEARERS HAND RAISERS CAP WEARER AND HAND RAISER NON CAP WEARER AND NON HAND RAISER
17. 17. CAP WEARERS HAND RAISERS CAP WEARER AND HAND RAISER NON CAP WEARER AND NON HAND RAISER
18. 18. This experiment is stupid I felt under the chair, that counts I nearly raised my hand in time Why did I even come to this talk I didnt understand the question I felt uncomfortable Im not feeling well Something distracted me I thought about doing it, that counts Im so smart I saw this coming a mile off and thus didnt need to participate
19. 19. ANALYSIS PARALYSIS
20. 20. THE FORKED ROAD CEMETERY Herelies action, crushed byoptions Old Prototype, abandoned whentrying topickwhat todonext.
21. 21. Analysis paralysis or paralysis by analysis is an anti- pattern, the state of over-analyzing (or over-thinking) a situation so that a decision or action is never taken, in effect paralyzing the outcome. A decision can be treated as over- complicated, with too many detailed options, so that a choice is never made, rather than try something and change if a major problem arises. A person might be seeking the optimal or "perfect" solution upfront, and fear making any decision which could lead to erroneous results, when on the way to a better solution. - Wikipedia
22. 22. THE FORKED ROAD CEMETERY Herelies action, crushed byoptions Old Prototype, abandoned whentrying topickwhat todonext. Herelies AWESOME PROJECT!
23. 23. INACTION RARELY TEACHES YOU ANYTHING FAILURE RARELY DOESNT
24. 24. FEAR SPOT: A LITTER OF DEAD PROJECTS AWESOME PROJECT! DiedfromShould theplayerbea rabbitorarobot? Orarobotrabbit? Maybeadog? SUPER PROJECT! DiedfromMobile orDesktop.Gotto beoneortheother. Ormaybeboth? MEGA PROJECT! DiedfromHire someoneforthe graphics,ortry anddrawmyown? ButI'mpoorand myartsucks. I just lost interest Something more interesting came along Technology moved on I was ill It was a rubbish idea I just couldnt do it I started a family
25. 25. THE MOUNTAINS OF OTHERS ACHIEVEMENTS
26. 26. Everyone else is making and releasing games so quickly! Everyones so much more connected than I am. No-one bothered to let me know about that show. Its not fair. Everyone else always gets the press! No-one seems to have as much trouble as me, I'm not cut out for this. FEAR SPOT: SWEEPING AND BOUNDLESS SELF-DEPRECATION, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO OTHERS
27. 27. THE HURDLE OF UNUSUAL SIZE
28. 28. THE HURDLE OF UNUSUAL SIZE Ill never get this done! Its impossible! I cant prioritise any of it, its all equally important! Itll take forever I havent got time I cant do it
29. 29. THE HURDLE OF UNUSUAL SIZE DO THE FIRST HOUR
30. 30. THE HURDLE OF UNUSUAL SIZE DO THE FIRST HOUR Narrows your focus Gets you acting
31. 31. OK, YOU GOT ME, IM A FEARED. BUT... WHERE DO I START? HALP!
32. 32. A WALK ON THE MILD SIDE
33. 33. I have no reason to be there I am not allowed to be there Im will be stopped by security and the police will be called I will be shamed
34. 34. I am not intending to cause harm Im capable of explaining myself if I should get noticed I will apologise sincerely if anyone is angry
35. 35. I MADE FEAR THE REASON TO ACT
36. 36. A TOTAL YES MAN
37. 37. WHAT CoderDojo Giving Blood Gadget Show Live ARGH! FACTOR Mentor 30+ kids in an unstructured way. NEEDLES ARE SCARY! I need my blood! NEEDLES ARE SCARY! 20+ thousand people, 6 days on my feet, BIRMINGHAM! NO EFFING WAY! RESULT Saw childrens interest ignite. Wow! I did that! Happy partner! Save lives. Feel awesome. Free biscuits. Got my '5 times' card :D Birmingham's nice! Pod hotels are kinda cool. Feet hurt like hell. The general public are unlike a gaming crowd. Didn't meet Rachel Riley NEC is hoooooooooj!
38. 38. SUM OF LITTLE CHANGES
39. 39. BECOMING INDIE
40. 40. Set up a Contracting Business! Set up a Games Studio! Rezzed, The Gadget Show Live, Radius, Games By The Sea! Successful Kickstarter! Successful Greenlight! Selected for The Leftfield Collection Been covered by RPS, Kotaku and Destructoid! Been one of The Guardian's 16 favorite games of Rezzed! Emailed announcements to hundreds of journalists! Interviewed on Video, and via Skype, live on Twitch! Talked on a panel, talked to Students, talked to you! I KNOW! DAUNTING AS HECK, RIGHT?
41. 41. I FIRED MY ASS (BUT NOT RIGHT AWAY)
42. 42. PUT A LITTLE ASIDE TOOK A SABBATICAL
43. 43. INDIE OR BUST! (NOT)
44. 44. OLD MAN UNABLE TO GET NEW JOB LOSESHOUSE.EATENBYVOLES Stillajerk.Moreinside!
45. 45. ITS THE ONES YOU DONT SEE COMING
46. 46. GET A JOB, HIPPIE!
47. 47. I JOINED THE INDIE CABAL
48. 48. I JOINED THE INDIE CABAL ...BY TURNING UP
49. 49. I HUDDLED FOR SAFETY
50. 50. ...BUT THERE ARE SOME PLACES TO AVOID
51. 51. I GOT EXPERIMENTAL ...AND FAILED
52. 52. I GOT PUBLIC
53. 53. INDIE SHOWS
54. 54. DEHUMANISE THE PRESS
55. 55. I GOT EXPERIMENTAL ...AND FAILED TO FAIL
56. 56. SELF PROMOTERS VOTED WORST PEOPLEONEARTH IN YOUR FACE. AGGRESSIVE. LOUD. OPINIONATED. MISLEADING. FALSE. SHARP SUITED. GRANDMA SELLING. INSUFFERABLE EGOTISTS. DISTASTEFUL. Scientificallyjerksome.Seeourspecial sciencereport.
57. 57. I WASNT JUST I
58. 58. SO, IM INDIE NOW?
59. 59. SPOTTING GUIDE Watch out for the agony of indecision disguised as regular thinking. Watch out for sweeping generalisations and concrete denials. Watch out for self-deprecation. Especially if its not emotionally neutral. Watch out for automatically declining, especially if you give an excuse. Making little changes to fixed routines will sharpen your fear spotting eye.
60. 60. DO IT ANYWAY Johnny Marshall @TheMightyGit git@sockthuggery.com
61. 61. Johnny Marshall @TheMightyGit git@sockthuggery.com