Maggoty bread

I've got this big notepad full of the reviews of all the NextFest demo's I'm playing that are way too big for this site and as such will probably never see the light of day, however I've realised it's kind of like journaling which is therapeutic in it's own way - might find a blog to post them on...

This is actually genius tho, walls and walls of ducks going from larger than can be perceived to too tiny to be seen off into infinity, lit by those electric bar fire places, devolving black and white pictures of relatives, those torsion pendulum clocks, translucent glass mugs, creepy

Thinking of starting a blog for some long form text posts, I'm going to review all the demos I've downloaded for Next Fest (which are all horror) - it's equal parts research for my own horror games and equal parts espooki season.

What are people using for blogs these days? Do I make a neocities?

Some good looking games thus far but FUCK ME is there a lot of AI slop, pain

Actually paying attention to Next Fest this time, I have 17 demos downloaded thus far but nowhere near the bottom - let's goooooo

I enjoy how much my poor Steam recommendations algorithm is fighting for its life, flicking between the game psychological/survival horror games I'm mainly playing at the moment, to the more calm farming like games my partner plays on my Steam, one of these is not like the others

January movies

Went to Cardiff Game Dev meetup and talked about cool game ideas and chatted shit with a bunch of nerds and play tested some ideas, a real cool time and a wholesome evening that inspired me to get making games

Ah damn! I played the demo of this on the Haunted PS1 Demo disc! Glad it's finally out will give this a look!

So I've been fiddling with Pico-8 and got this so far, the life/score is purely being drawn and not tracked, and there are no enemies as of yet but still! Outside of a Hammurabi assignment in Uni I have 0 gamedev experience (and my general dev experience is very rusty) so I'm chuffed!

Shout-out to my feminine friends, I adore all of you and I'm sorry people who look like me make your lives suck 🫶

I have so many AFAB/female friends who have to go through fucking hell to get doctors to take them seriously but I can get what I want in no time, admittedly I did explain in extreme detail (thanks autism for wanting to be understood) the issue I was having, but still no queries at all like damn...

As a non-binary person who is AMAB and male presenting (deep voice and beard) it never ceases to amaze me how privileged I am to be so - just had a phone doctors appointment last not even 3 minutes, I explained what I wanted, he was like "okay will do that" and that was it, no follow ups nothing

I have a ton of games to play I bought over the steam sale, mostly indie horror, thinking of streaming in the evenings occasionally as I work through them so if you wanna hear my dulcit tones as I panic through some horror games, keep an eye out for that 😂

Currently reading this, it's good thus far, nice to break down the concepts of Silent Hill 2 and explore themes and imagery, giving me great ideas for my own horror stories.

Books wise I've smashed through 2 and am nearly finished on a 3rd Sept/Oct I finished these in one sitting

The Haar: a really gratifying horror novel, it was gruesome, charming, and the end was satisfying

A short stay in hell: this got existential, also full of heart, easy recommend as it's short

Static Dread: only played a couple of hours but am loving it so far, creepy and eldritch, a very cool papers please style game with a lighthouse and radio

Peak: it was fuck all in the sale and I've had fun solo so far, need to find some gamer pals to play this with

Blood Typer: in my typing game epoch, super fun, need pals to play with definitely would be blast

10 dead doves: finished this at like 2am a very cool horror/lynchian point and click

Carrion: got this in a bundle and it was something I never got round to getting, love it, need to get back to it, but steam sales did me in so it's in the list

No, I'm not a human: super refreshing to have an indie horror game NOT set in the US, a fun game that I enjoyed! Mushrooms!

Dead letter dept: played the demo of this and adored it, bought the whole game, fucking terrifying, I did my first play through in the dark with headphones on, I had to turn the hall light on by leaning my arm into the hall, I couldn't step into the dark, a must for ex or current office drones

So I've gone a bit AWOL with this so bringing this back with a lightning round

Silent Hill F: amazing, stunning, the bosses had my jaw on the floor with their designs need to do NG+

Easy Delivery Co: super atmospheric little game, a bit glitchy but it was day of release so am gonna come back to it

Embrace it, I'm 36 and thus far my 30's have been the best, finally got into a career I enjoy, got my degree and a damn good grade at that, have a long term partner, have a cat, have actual disposable income - your 20's are spent trying to be the best, your 30's you just be, and that rules

Steam Autumn Sale has done me in but I have so many little indie horror games to play

You are correct! A whimsical old time

Literally same, went to a dungeon synth show the other day and saw an artist that is for all intents and purposes OSR music and I've had a hankering ever since

I got a bunch of cool tapes yesterday that I plan to listen to, also the Silent Hill 2 soundtrack box set I ordered months ago arrived today, also new Agriculture album out today, this enby eatin today

Dungeon synth show was amazing, Orcus and Flickers from the Fen were amazing (as were Silencio Permanente and Cosmic Scrying)

Just saw a policeman walk past with an Eye of Providence tattoo (i.e., the symbol loads of people in popular culture once upon a time associated with the Illuminati) the irony is not lost on me...

I also adore this little window patch