Hey NintendoAge, it's been a while
So, what's up?
It's been a while! It seems like I used to be on here 20 times a day for the longest time, but time just kind of passes by, things change. As much as you couldn't convince me otherwise if you told me this years ago, I just haven't had the time to play retro games as much as I used to. I've gotten a job, got a girlfriend, I'm starting to get things set to go to college, I'm growing up! I always scoffed at posts when i read they didn't have time for games with busy lives, thinking I'd always find time... but shit, here I am! As much as I always went to yard sales, I just didn't have the time last summer to go to any and probably wont this summer. As different as this is, life is good.
I'll be going to UMASS Amherst this fall, amazing Computer Science school, and I think I'm happy with how far I've gotten my collection (I'm still getting a power glove one of these days, though). Even with a severe cutback in purchases I still managed to fill my shelf to the brim, and now I've got a stack of games piling up right next to it. College isn't exactly cheap, and while I wont be paying much I think it'd be nice to have my hobby help fund my future over it sitting on a shelf while I'm away. So, I'll be updating my sell thread sometime soon with whatever in hopes of selling most of the collection. While I'll be on here to do all that for however long, I simply think my time's passed. It's been ages since I've posted anything (still double 0 Santa), and honestly I don't think I would be any time soon. You guys are the most amazing community I'm glad to have been a part of; I've met plenty of people over the years on here that I'm happy to call friends, and you've have brought me more joy in this time than I can express. The forum games have been amazing, the secret santas were always a yearly staple, there was just always something good going on. The paperclip trade up takes the cake though, I still weat the hat I got in the end whenever I go out. So yeah, kudos for the good memories and such!
Also while I'm at it, how have you guys been? Anything major I missed? The Joel thread hasn't hit 5k yet, the Aquarius thread somehow still has me as the newest reply, the secret circle meme's still dead, anything I miss?
It's been a while! It seems like I used to be on here 20 times a day for the longest time, but time just kind of passes by, things change. As much as you couldn't convince me otherwise if you told me this years ago, I just haven't had the time to play retro games as much as I used to. I've gotten a job, got a girlfriend, I'm starting to get things set to go to college, I'm growing up! I always scoffed at posts when i read they didn't have time for games with busy lives, thinking I'd always find time... but shit, here I am! As much as I always went to yard sales, I just didn't have the time last summer to go to any and probably wont this summer. As different as this is, life is good.
I'll be going to UMASS Amherst this fall, amazing Computer Science school, and I think I'm happy with how far I've gotten my collection (I'm still getting a power glove one of these days, though). Even with a severe cutback in purchases I still managed to fill my shelf to the brim, and now I've got a stack of games piling up right next to it. College isn't exactly cheap, and while I wont be paying much I think it'd be nice to have my hobby help fund my future over it sitting on a shelf while I'm away. So, I'll be updating my sell thread sometime soon with whatever in hopes of selling most of the collection. While I'll be on here to do all that for however long, I simply think my time's passed. It's been ages since I've posted anything (still double 0 Santa), and honestly I don't think I would be any time soon. You guys are the most amazing community I'm glad to have been a part of; I've met plenty of people over the years on here that I'm happy to call friends, and you've have brought me more joy in this time than I can express. The forum games have been amazing, the secret santas were always a yearly staple, there was just always something good going on. The paperclip trade up takes the cake though, I still weat the hat I got in the end whenever I go out. So yeah, kudos for the good memories and such!
Also while I'm at it, how have you guys been? Anything major I missed? The Joel thread hasn't hit 5k yet, the Aquarius thread somehow still has me as the newest reply, the secret circle meme's still dead, anything I miss?
Comments
Glad you're doing well, yes life can get pretty crazy sometimes and you lose track of time.
anything I miss?
skinnygrinny went to federal prison for running an illegal alligator fighting ring. Luckily the rec room there has an old E-Machine with dial-up, so he can still check in on NA.
Also, Donald Trump (yes, the reality TV star and real estate moogle) is the current President of the USA.
anything I miss?
skinnygrinny went to federal prison for running an illegal alligator fighting ring. Luckily the rec room there has an old E-Machine with dial-up, so he can still check in on NA.
By the way I thought you were gonna drop off those slippers so I don’t have to go barefoot in the showers (mental image).
Lol, I kid. But, seriously, if you enjoy it, try to find a project you enjoy while you're there in school. If you're interested in getting into game development, work on making games for every project you get with your course work, or make tools that you know you could use within gaming.
I say this because at least what I found in 2003 when I graduated was that game development requires some of the sharpest developer minds out there but they are also paid the least for their efforts. After I got out of school, I took what work I could find. When I became "established" I started looking into my options and settled on corporate coder life because, even though it's rarely challenging, I get to work 40/week (as opposed to 80+) and I make an income that allows me to either game in my free time or work on personal "hobby" projects.
Back then around 2004, making an indy studio and being successful out of college would have been difficult but this day and age, I think it's much more feasible. That's why I say, find projects to work on while you are in school. Try to establish a name for yourself while you are getting your education and, if you can pull it off, create your own games that generate revenue for yourself vs. working for a company that will pay you in low wages and stocked snacks and expect you to pull 60-80 hour work weeks for the sake of deadlines.
Hardcore gamers tend to hate mobile but if you're interested in creating a sustainable business model, make a few mobile apps with cheap, in-app expendable purchases. Get a revenue stream going that can pay your bills and then use that revenue to work on other projects. Even this day and age, it's not to difficult to make portable applications that can be posted to Steam and then, eventually consoles like the XBOne, PS4 or even the Switch. "Sacrifice" making mobile shovelware for the sake of making income that will allow you to build a team to make the games you want... or assemble a team early in school and work together for 2-3 years to build a stellar indy game that you can sell.
I left all my games at home when I left for college. I was a huge Game Boy and N64 nerd but I basically skipped the GBA, Gamecube, and DS generations. (I stayed at college for a masters and also did some other stuff, so college took me like 8 years before I was done) I'm not saying this will happen to you, since you say "your time has passed," but I slowly got back into retro gaming, first by catching up on some of the stuff I missed, then sort of working back from there. A very similar thing happened when I got married too. But it's ok to have hobbies if you have the time. I definitely didn't have the time in college. Spare time was spent with people, not games.
So, do what you gotta do, definitely take college seriously, and we'll see you in a few years!
Welcome back.
Hi, "been a while"!
Welcome back.
Yummy...a joke with extra cheese!
You poor, comp-sci saps. You're going to learn so much computer theory and write so many sorting algorithms and feel like your a badass and ready to take over the world... only to get out and realize what pays the $$$ is shoveling out C# for corporations mapping databases to UIs and posting back changes.
Right before I graduated I finally saw the writing on the wall and went into IT rather than a programming job. No regrets, I gets money and haz the degree and skills should I ever circle back. I miss the theory but not the thought of writing micro modules to plug into larger {boring} projects.
Other than that, glad your making out well and welcome back