Walking the Edge of Reality

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Walking the Edge of Reality

A look behind the curtain to my world...

***DISCLAIMER***
Nothing... NOTHING... mentioned on this blog should EVER be considered
"in game" for any games being operated by myself or Darklight Interactive

"It was a dark and stormy night..."
Friday, February 27, 2009 12:31 PM

Gather 'round the campfire, boys and girls... time for a story.

Actually, not quite. I am going to attempt to talk about "the game" without revealing much about "the game". This should be a neat trick, one I will undoubtedly fail at.

First of all, it's been a busy couple of months. Between myself and my recently appointed vice-president, we are actively involved, in one way or another, in at least five games. Only one of which we are doing jointly; the rest are personal or individual projects, favors we are doing other people, etc... And then there's "the game", in which I am the only one involved (Lauren has zero involvement in "the game", for reasons I can't explain)... When *I* talk about the game then, it should be made clear what game I'm talking about. Just to clarify it to you the reader, any future reference to "the game" refers to the trailhead that... well... involves raptors.

When "the game" was originally conceived around six months ago, it had a very specific purpose. Although I cannot elaborate what that purpose is yet, the plans for "the game" would have made it a rather unorthodox experience, an experience that quite honestly would have pissed off a lot of people and made me look like an idiot... until the "full reveal" at the very end.

Now, me personally, I don't have a problem doing that because the end result is what I consider important, but back when "the game" was conceived it was conceived without consideration of what Darklight Interactive would become. Now that a lot of our projects turned from pet projects and hobbies to corporate initiatives, initiatives that are branded with the DLI name, we can no longer do anything that might shine a bad light on the company. We now have a corporate reputation to protect, and we cannot do anything that would make us look unprofessional or like bumbling fools. We do that and we lose potential customers.

So, in the past week or so, "the game" has gone through some design changes. The end result: a much more serious approach as to the planned execution of it, but we are going to have some fun with it anyway.

I've tried to find a way to describe what it's going to be like, and can only come up with this: It will be everything you expect an ARG to be, and everything you love to hate about ARGs. It will be unlike anything you've seen me do up to now, and it will be similar to everything I've done up to now.

Confused yet? That's expected and planned... You will have to check logic at the door, accept things that may or may not make sense for the sake of the game, and wade through the amusing awkwardness toward a common goal. And I trust you have a sense of humor, because in some cases it's admittedly not going to be as serious as past adventures. Well, let me rephrase that: it might *try* to be serious...

As for our other projects, I can't really elaborate on those either, but our roles are minor. Lauren continues her involvement in projects for Jane McGonigal (such as "Top Secret Dance Off"), and has been in the middle of a heated campaign for a certain island's Governorship. I continue to provide technical support and consulting services for other projects. And, beyond all that, there is one big - really big - revolutionary project in the works that is unlike anything you have EVER seen and will be revealed in future (we're still debating how, or even if, we will reveal our involvement prior to launch) that will most probably be considered our crowning achievement. You'll just have to hold your breath on that one.

And now back to "the game"... I wasn't going to make my "February" deadline at this point, so I withdrew the "coming soon" and the countdown timer. What you see now might not make a whole lot of sense... deal with it, and look upon it with an open mind. But, suffice to say, the day the game launches full bore is closer than you think, and I'm just getting wound up.

Things are taking shape, bit by bit. The stage is getting set... the seeds are being planted... the pieces are in place... The monkey is on the trampoline... Uh... Aw, hell, I'm running out of analogies.

You get my drift.

Posted by David "Nighthawk" Flor on Friday, February 27, 2009 12:31 PM

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'tis But a Scratch
Friday, February 20, 2009 6:32 PM

Over the past several days, I have had some sort of lesion on my back. It swelled a considerable amount, which is something I tend to do when I get bitten by mosquitoes, so I tried to tough it out by doing traditional first aid on it.

This morning, at about 4am and after a sleepless night, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I decided, rather than cut it out myself with a carving knife, I'll have it taken care of by a professional.

At 5am I was in the Baptist Memorial Hospital emergency room. The diagnosis: an "abscess". Here's the squicky definition, direct from the release papers...

An abscess (sometimes called a "boil") occurs when bacteria get trapped under the skin and begin to grow. Pus forms inside the abscess as the body responds to the bacteria.

Treatment of your abscess has required an incision to drain the pus. Due to the large size of the abscess pocket, gauze packing material was inserted.

Healing of the wound will take one to two weeks, depending on the size of the abscess.

Sounds wonderful, don't it? They have reason to believe it was caused by... get this... a SPIDER BTIE! Also, I may add, this was the cause of my recent fevers (I kinda still have one as I type this).

And, of course, I don't know how many of you have ever been to an emergency room: unless you have something sharp sticking out of you or are bleeding all over their clean carpeting, you're simply added to a list. I was taken in to my own emergency room (a rather nice room, with a TV and cable!) at about 6:30am, and did not see a doctor until 1:00PM. During this time, of course, I could barely move. But at least I got to see at least four or five episodes of Psych and CSI: Miami.

So the doctor had to cut in to my back (thank God for miracle drug #1: Lidocaine!), drain it, remove the necrotic (dead) skin, and cover it with a gauze the size of a dinner plate. I have to return on Sunday to get it replaced.

At least now, rather than the "whole body is numbed with pain" sensation I have, i have the more localized "area where a large chunk of me was removed with a sharp instrument" type of pain.

Miracle drug #2 is Vicodin. I'd never had it before, but it sure made the pain go away. I can see why people like it so much.

But, hopefully, after this ordeal I should return to my chipper self very soon now.

Posted by David "Nighthawk" Flor on Friday, February 20, 2009 6:32 PM

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Comical Fraud
Monday, February 16, 2009 3:15 AM

I got this in my EMail box.

*****************DO NOT DELETE *******************

MICROSOFT COPORATIONS
P.O.BOX 2357
2107 DG-Weesp
The Netherlands
Telefax: +31 84 727 3024

Compliments of the season..

Congratulations!!!

We the entire staff of Microsoft Corprations wish to congratulate you for being one of the lucky winners in this season's email cash award program. This is an independent promotion and is unconnected to any publication. No purchase necessary. Be informed that this lottery promotion was conducted through the Internet worldwide random selection, the participants and winners where picked randomly through a computer ballot system and your email have been selected as one of the lucky winners.

Your email have been officially selected as a winner and authorised for claim in the A draw 2nd category winning prize of Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Euros and a Dell laptop.

So Microsoft CorporationS moved their office... to the Netherlands?!? Guess the monopoly laws must me easier to deal with over there. And I wonder if I can have them install Linux on the Dell laptop prior to shipping.

My email address was picked, at random, from EVERY EMAIL ADDRESS ON THE INTERNET! Statistically, I stand a better chance at winning the Florida Lottery ten times in a row, perhaps more. DAMN I'M GOOD!

I'd send them my banking information to complete the prize claim, but I'm waiting for a phone call from a Nigerian prince. Hey, I can only handle one international transaction at a time, OK? I do more than one and people will think I'm a money launderer or something!

Posted by David "Nighthawk" Flor on Monday, February 16, 2009 3:15 AM

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Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun
Friday, February 06, 2009 10:58 AM

In the past week, Darklight Interactive has DOUBLED in size! How's that for exponential growth? I should start an IPO or something...

I would like to introduce Lauren Soffer, a.k.a. "Ineffabelle", as Vice President and Creative Director of Darklight Interactive. She's been an invaluable tool as of late, providing the creative support that I personally lack for the most part, and I think it's time I stop hiding her. Besides, she seems to be in high demand, so I'd better stake my claim now before some other PMs (you know who you are) whisks her away. ;)

On another business note, we are about to begin on another rather large project for an actual client, which I am not authorized to elaborate on. As a result of our involvement with this corporate entity I will, most probably, have to further delay "Downstream" as it is a lower priority now. I simply don't know yet as the discussions and planning has just started.

Besides, I won't get into details but I may have to change some of my plans for "Downstream" anyway.

Stay tuned.

Posted by David "Nighthawk" Flor on Friday, February 06, 2009 10:58 AM

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EBKAC
Thursday, February 05, 2009 2:35 PM

I've never had to go as far as to write an email like this, but today I borderline snapped.

Dear [Bosses],

I really don't know how to put this, guys... I'm losing my mind with [Employee name].

I do not have the time to teach him basic C# syntax: how to read error messages, how to call functions, how to use collections, matching brackets, case sensitivity in C#, string comparisons (like comparing a string to an integer), using two "="s instead of one, having to define variables before using them, function return values, etc... etc... etc...

[My manager], you know I'd love to help anyone here who has questions, but I cannot afford to be teaching him Programming 101 when we have major deadlines looming. You don't know how many times I had to excuse myself to use the bathroom to prevent myself from bashing his skull in with a keyboard. I'm trying to be nice and helpful, but there's only so far I will go, especially when he's expected to know these things.

He knows SQL and may have management skills, but he's out of his element right now.

I wonder if the guy's noticed that, almost every time he asks me a question, my immediate response is "I have to use the bathroom." He must think I have liver damage.

Posted by David "Nighthawk" Flor on Thursday, February 05, 2009 2:35 PM

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