#Parent #Gamedev

Started by CaptainD, Tue 20/01/2015 10:28:40

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CaptainD

Okay, so Monkey424 said on another thread...
"There seems to be a few of us on the forums juggling AGS with a young family. Someone should make a game about this. (nod)"

Lasca said:
"That's a great idea! Put together a team with parents and get it done in no time ;)
I'm definitly in."

So I said:
"(If people really are interested in doing this, we should set up a "swarm" team for it and give it its own thread.)"


So... here it is!

Firstly, just to see who's interested... you have to be a parent and a gamedev!  Since everyone working on this will be a parent, we can expect to deliver this game sometime after our children have turned 20! :-D  (Well, actually no, you don't have to be a parent!  I mean why would we limit a swarm effort like that?  It would just be silly, right?)

Okay, more seriously... would be a cool thing to do, with no time pressure...  let's see how many would be interested soon, and for what.  Just reply here and say what you can do... if anyone wants to be team lead on this just shout, I won't have time to do that.

Current team:

Monkey424 (Scripting?)
Lasca (Graphics?)
CaptainD (Game design, Voice Acting, SFX)
Miguel (Anything as long as it's not testicle jokes)
NickyNyce (Game/puzzle design, Graphics)
Selmiak (Many and varied helpful things)
Stupot+ (Writing, Voice Acting)
Baron (Moral support, Animation, Writing)
MiteWiseacreLives! (Neato parenting advice)
Eric (Adding fearful realism)
Dualnames (Demanding Musician)
 

monkey424

What?! I was just about to reply to the other thread and already I've been recruited? 8-0

Well, ok! (laugh)

Quote from: Lasca on Tue 20/01/2015 09:45:59
I imagine the end product looking something like this game: Bobo

Quote from: CaptainD on Tue 20/01/2015 10:09:53
Heh... I was thinking more along the lines of Jack the Nipper in reverse. But that game looks quite funny Lasca!

I was thinking along the lines of a Breaking Bad scenario - juggling the relentless life of an AGSer with the responsibilities of family. Drugging the kids (and the wife too) would be a practical solution to score more AGS time. 8-)
    

CaptainD

Quote from: monkey424 on Tue 20/01/2015 10:57:48
What?! I was just about to reply to the other thread and already I've been recruited? 8-0

Hehe... well you did sort of volunteer... I think... :-D
 

Lasca

I'm up for graphics! But with my current work-rate I think the project would benifit from more of us in this department.
I'll also do Voice Acting if needed.

QuoteI was thinking along the lines of a Breaking Bad scenario - juggling the relentless life of an AGSer with the responsibilities of family.

I think I was imagining something similar. Dodge/taking care of lots of distractions to score seconds by the computer. That's why I though of the nappytime sequence from Bobo.

monkey424

I nominate the following:

Baron - project manager

Gribbler - Polish translation

miguel - testicle jokes
    

CaptainD

I thought of Baron too as he has previously been a Swarm Queen, but I don't know if he'd have time.

I vote that this should be a family-friendly game, so Miguel's spherical obsession should be kept as far away as possible! :P
 

selmiak

you forgot #swarm in the title.

As I don't have any kids I won't be of great help. But I'll make sure to keep and eye on this thread and what comes out of it! Maybe I'll be the whining kid and bump the thread sometime in the future... maybe I can even help out sometime in the future...

miguel

I'm going to keep an eye on this project even if I'm not allowed in due to the political oppression that falls on my internet persona. What? I don't know.
Working on a RON game!!!!!

NickyNyce

I actually think people are ready for another swarm build. But I think it would be a shame to limit it to just parents. We can keep the whole parenting theme/AGS game developer life story, but why limit it to just parents?

Forgive me for just putting this out here like this, but I bet a bunch of people are disappointed that they can't be involved. I would be involved, and if it does matter, I am a parent.

Game/puzzle design, graphics.

CaptainD

#9
Oops... I meant to put something like "Okay, you don't actually have to be a parent to join in the fun!" - but... er... I forgot.

I really quite like the idea of making this an RPG / Life Sim with the odd arcade mini-game.  You're presented with choices like do your work / sneak a bit of gamedev time, spend time with your family / sneak some gamedev time etc, with stats for Inspiration, Coding Skill, Graphics Skill and suchlike, and also stats for your workplace and family that you have to try to stop from dropping too low.

Battles include:


  • Nappy Changing!
  • Bug Blasting
  • Mowing the garden quickly so you can keep your spouse happy and sneak some gamedev time

Just to reiterate - this really isn't limited to just parents, anyone can join in.  (Let's face it, we won't have time to do it anyway! :grin:)

I've updated the first post btw.
 

miguel

So non-parents are allowed but I'm not, okay. Fine.
Working on a RON game!!!!!

CaptainD

Quote from: miguel on Tue 20/01/2015 23:03:30
So non-parents are allowed but I'm not, okay. Fine.

Er... you're on the team.  Officially.  Even though I'm not sure what you're going to actually do. :P
 

Stupot

I'm not a parent yet but I've lived with them most of my life thus far. (nod)
I'd like to contribute something if I can. Maybe some jokes, my voice, or a puzzle or two.

Baron

Awesome! ;-D

I like the idea of a family-friendly game, but to be honest to Miguel it really is testicles that are at the root of the plot. (roll)

There is no way that I have time to manage this project, but maybe I could chair a sub-committee or be on the board or something.  I can also offer an animation and a writing contribution.  I also moonlight as the agent for this aspiring child-actress who is keen on voice acting bit parts. ;)

Good luck!

MiteWiseacreLives!

I might be able to do a little swarming... not sure how it works, but it sounds neat  :-D
(That line right there should prove that I'm a dorky out of touch parent!)

Eric

I think the game should focus on getting a toddler to go to bed. Playthrough will be three hours at its shortest point. It will utilize TellTale style dialogue options, and the toddler NPC will remember every single thing you've said, trying to draw you into contradictions. The toddler will have a sleepiness bar, which you can build through assuaging them, but at a certain point, they become too sleepy to go to bed and spill over into furious fit territory. The parent / PC will have a frustration bar. This one will vary wildly depending on the given situation. The game will feature a false ending where you think you've gotten the toddler to go to bed, before hearing a call from their bedroom that they have to go potty. At this point, the game restarts itself.

CaptainD

#16
@Eric - good idea but we're not aiming at THAT much realism!! :-D  It is after all supposed to be fun.

First post updated again.
 

monkey424

I like the idea of a bunch of manic arcade-style mini games. Perhaps we could intertwine these with some alternative gameplay, say whatever the game developer is working on. Blue Lobe Inc. and its Kentucky Scott game-within-a-game springs to mind.
    

miguel

I am on the team? I belong somewhere? If words about this fly around the net I'll be having some guy in a dark suit knocking on my door pretty soon...
...
...
...
Wait...
I here something...
...
...
...
Nah, it was a fart. I can't even predict when one of my own farts is arriving destination. Only when my huge testicles defy gravity raising several centimetres inside my pants, then yes, I know I just farted.
I'm a failure.
...
...
...
So, we're making a game are we?
Working on a RON game!!!!!

Dualnames

I DEMAND TO BE GIVEN THE POST OF A MUSICIAN.
Worked on Strangeland, Primordia, Hob's Barrow, The Cat Lady, Mage's Initiation, Until I Have You, Downfall, Hunie Pop, and every game in the Wadjet Eye Games catalogue (porting)

monkey424

Quote from: Dualnames on Wed 21/01/2015 11:20:01
I DEMAND TO BE GIVEN THE POST OF A MUSICIAN.

Cap'n D.. Hire that man! (nod)

Just another thought.. This game shouldn't just focus on one game developer but several. Maybe four. And we get to experience the routine things in their lives as well as their game creations. This way we can include developers from all walks of life and then everyone can relate to this project, not just those with a young family.

Quote from: miguel on Wed 21/01/2015 11:11:54
So, we're making a game are we?

Fo shizzle!

See? I'm up with the lingo. Not all dads are daggy! 8-)
    

CaptainD

I was thinking the same could have difficulty leves:

Singleton
Married
Married + 1 child
Married + 2 children
Married + 3 children

Maybe other combinations.

Clearly Married + 3 children would be impossible to complete. :-D

Differences like - when you're single, you have pressure to spend time in your social life.  When you're married with kids you no longer have a social life.


Monkey, I totally shizzle your dizzle.  I think.  What does that mean?  Back in the day, sick meant you were ill.  Crucial man.  It's wicked, it's bad.  But don't we want it to be good?  Who knows anymore...  it's all in the hood, until the cat is out of the bag.  But if it was Schroeginger's cat in the bag, how do we know it was dead or alive before it walked out?  At any rate if you have a spade, can you dig it?
 

NickyNyce

This is a walk in the life of NickyNyce....

Come home from work mumbling about what I want to do with my game and how much I hate my job. My one year old is with me, crying for his first toy. "Where the hell is it?"   

Puzzle 1...Find the toy/ Puzzle 2...Fix the toy..Grrrr

Turn on the computer, sit down, get ready to produce something in my game....

Oh my goodness, THE DISHES! My wife wants the dishes done before she gets home...

Puzzle 3....Find a way to get the dishes done without actually doing them so I can make my game.

Sit back down and start thinking about making my game. The baby is crying again. He wants to eat...

Puzzle 4....Set something up(Invention with his toys)to feed him while I make my game.

Sit back down to make my game. The phone rings, it's the credit card company.

Puzzle 5....Convince them they have the wrong the number, and that the guy they are looking for is dead. (Dialog puzzle)

Sit back down to make my game. After another few (Wife) puzzles, I now have time to make my game. I sit down joyfully and start again to make my game. Seconds later I fall asleep with my head on the keyboard....Game over, Credits.

This would be the more realistic plan, at least mine anyway. But I'm up for anything.

CaptainD

That sounds painfully familiar... (subtract 1 year-old, add 4 year-old and 6-month old, factor in chronic lack of sleep. :cheesy:)
 

NickyNyce

#24
I would imagine most of us can relate to this. Making a game is tough... very tough. I'de like to hear how everyone else that isn't under house arrest, makes their games.

CaptainD

Quote from: NickyNyce on Wed 21/01/2015 13:02:24
I would imagine most of us can relate to this. Making a game is tough... very tough. I'de like to hear how everyone else that isn't under house arrest, makes their games.

Hey... I think you've just solved the puzzle of how some of our high-output AGS members manage it!! :-D
 

Lasca

QuoteI would imagine most of us can relate to this. Making a game is tough... very tough. I'de like to hear how everyone else that isn't under house arrest, makes their games.

With a 2.5 year old and a 1 month old my solution is as simple as obvious: quit sleeping! Put your toddler on the shoulder, use the other hand to steer the mouse/tablet/keyboard and cut down your sleep to a maximum of 2 hours a night. It's great, I've got so much time suddenklaksddfgfd...... zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

But on a serious note, the setting/goal of the game could be to complete a MAGS! You have one month, and depending on diffuculty you have different obstacles (singelton - being hungover, married with 2 kids - trying to get your 2.5 year old in to overalls while she verbaly abusing you and your 1 month old is in her carriage all dressed, sweating and screaming, while your wife yells at you for always using bribery to get your oldest kid to do what you want). So you play the game on day at a time with different stages of development. Perhaps it's a very important mags with prizemoney which you need to support your family (Harharhar). So there's a sense of urgency in the game.

CaptainD

Quote from: Lasca on Wed 21/01/2015 15:16:21
But on a serious note, the setting/goal of the game could be to complete a MAGS!

I LIKE IT!!!

I'd been trying to think of a logical scenario / endgame situation which would allow for reasonable depth but not be overwhelmingly long.  I think this is it!
 

monkey424

I like this idea too. Perhaps rather than MAGS give the competition a different name so it's not exclusively AGS related. I think the game should feature 4 different game developers all with a different set of living conditions / domestic dramas (with less emphasis on the parenting theme). Suggest one of the characters still lives at home with Mum and Dad and as well as dealing with daily choirs and the like he is also being hassled to stop playing those silly games!
    

CaptainD

Quote from: monkey424 on Thu 22/01/2015 02:02:09
I like this idea too. Perhaps rather than MAGS give the competition a different name so it's not exclusively AGS related. I think the game should feature 4 different game developers all with a different set of living conditions / domestic dramas (with less emphasis on the parenting theme). Suggest one of the characters still lives at home with Mum and Dad and as well as dealing with daily choirs and the like he is also being hassled to stop playing those silly games!

Daily choirs?  Yes, singing practice can get in the way! :P :-D

This is a good idea.  Perhaps we could have:

1/ Child still at home with parents (main pressures: Chores, Parental expectations)
2/ Young adult living alone (main pressures: Social Life, Dating)
3/ Married no children (main pressures: Keeping spouse happy, trying to have a social life)
4/ Married with children (main pressures: Children, Chores!!)


1 - also have to deal with school
2,3,4 - also have to deal with work and finances


Locations:
- School
- Workplace
- Home (split into different rooms?)
- Social scene?
- Dating scene?
 

monkey424

Quote from: CaptainD on Thu 22/01/2015 09:21:50
Daily choirs?  Yes, singing practice can get in the way! :P :-D

:-[  Alright. Well, I won't be in charge of spelling then!


Quote from: NickyNyce on Wed 21/01/2015 13:02:24
I would imagine most of us can relate to this. Making a game is tough... very tough. I'de like to hear how everyone else that isn't under house arrest, makes their games.

Back to this point. Let's hear from other AGSers. What's your story / domestic situation and how does real life impact on your pursuits as an indy game developer?

The most tragic entries will be looked upon favourably.

Building onto Captain D's blue print, I suggest:

1. Teenager living with parents
2. Young adult living alone. Maybe with a cat.
3. Couple just recently engaged / living together
4. Married with children

If you identify with one of the above, then dont be shy..

POST HERE!
    

miguel

What about the guy that:
- should not be a virgin because he's almost 40, making amateur adventure games doesn't help him much;
- shares a house with younger people who mock him all time because he's a looser and he doesn't smoke dope;
- has a boring, tedious job for a boss who seems to have it all: blond milf-like wife, good car and a house with a swimming-pool, perfect kids and a dog. a perfect dog;

This guy is not a parent but the question is: doesn't he deserve a game about him?
Working on a RON game!!!!!

selmiak

this opens up even more questions:
does he still have his testicles?
does the perfect dog still have his testicles?

MiteWiseacreLives!

Married one kid.
Busy management job, often requires extra hours.
Family wants more time, more help with things around the house (wife has now started a hobby farm..)
Game making usually is snuck in after dark, or if I have house to myself...
The ultimate adventure quest would be to discover the 'elixir of legend' that will make 4hrs of sleep equal to 8hrs or 3hrs feel like 6!
Then all things can be satisfied, happy wife, happy son, happy boss, happy goats and horses....

monkey424

Quote from: selmiak on Thu 22/01/2015 13:36:19
does the perfect dog still have his testicles?

In fact the dog was neutered but let's not make a big song and dance about it. Keep it family friendly. :)

Some good ideas here. Let's keep 'em coming and flesh these character out a bit more.

Since the game concept seems to have morphed beyond its original intent, should we perhaps rename the thread? Or start a new one?
    

Baron

Ahhhhh, life. 

6:20 - Wake up and go wake up 6 year old for school.  Shave, get washed up, dress.
6:40 - Wake up child again, trying to avoid waking up 2 year old who sleeps on lower bunk (in darkened mine-field of toys and clutter)
6:50 - Fix breakfast for both kids because they are both up (roll).  Then make your own lunch for work (perhaps remembering to feed yourself breakfast as well)
7:10 - Send six year old upstairs to get dressed, brush teeth, etc. for school.  Argue about the precise time.
7:12 - Negotiate with two year old about staying home with mom (still asleep) or getting dressed to walk his sister to the school bus. (stress first option, which is never the one he chooses)
7:17 - Fight with both kids about what they want to wear.
7:25 - Make sure six year old's lunch is in backpack and discover hidden notes that demand urgent action (pizza form, milk orders, trip form, etc.)
7:27 - Get kids into snowsuits without murdering anybody.
7:29 - Curse about lost mittens again: why aren't they in coat sleeves or coat pockets?!?!?
7:30 - Dash for bus, carrying 2 year old because he doesn't want to walk.  Temperature is -24 degrees centigrade without the wind chill.
7:31 - Bus is due at stop one block from home.  Bus is late, kids begin to whine.
7:34 - Tears begin to freeze
7:41 - Just as we start to walk back in frustration the bus finally shows up.  Driver excuses delay, but as daughter is first on bus, there is really no excuse. 
7:43 - Foist grumpy two year old on groggy and grumpy wife.
7:44 - Get into car to go to work
7:45 - Boost car battery using wife's car.
7:46 - Drive towards work.
7:48 - Return home to turn off wife's car, which is still running.
8:10 - Arrive at work and check e-mail.  Too many to read, so just select ones from people with names starting with A through G
8:30 - Work.  Work is ok, except it's so busy that there are few opportunities to eat or use the toilet.
3:40 - Leave work.
4:00 - Pick up son (wife picks up daughter).  Son goes with me to skating lesson, daughter with wife to gymnastics.  Apparently they eat dinner at 3:30.
5:00 - Skating lesson commences.  Boy has inevitable tantrum.  Dilemma: leave him to build character on the ice, or bend to peer pressure to do something....
5:30 - Skating lesson ends. 
5:40 - Arrive at play centre.  Play cars with two year old.  Cars is stultifying, but it's quality time with the boy.
6:40 - Wife and daughter arrive.  Be a family for twenty minutes.
7:00 - Wife goes to work.  I take kids home.
7:10 - Fight with daughter about her trivial five minute homework.
7:20 - Make her lunch for the next day while she finally starts.
7:25 - Fix snack for story time
7:30 - Story time
8:00 - Fight with two year old about pyjamas, and teeth brushing, and going pee before bed.
8:10 - Bedtime songs
8:20 - Sleep time.  Both kids still wide awake.  Daddy opens computer anyway on antique one-piece steel school-desk that I found abandoned on the roadside, but now resides next to the bunk beds in the nursery.  As long as kids stay in bed, I can catch up on forums and news.
9:00 - Argue with kids about merits of sleep.  Two year old wants cuddle.  DANGER: if you oblige for more than five minutes you will fall asleep too!
9:30 - Daddy goes downstairs whether or not kids are asleep yet.  If they are not, there will be tears.
9:35 - Daddy gorges on whatever leftover food there might be.
10:00 - Barring any higher priority task (work reports, snow shovelling, etc.), actually open AGS.
10:20 - Inevitably a child is awake and crying.
10:30 - Continue AGS or get distracted, since it's getting late.
11:30 - Wife comes home and complains about shelf that still hasn't been built.
12:00 - Bedtime.

This is only Monday.  It's still the same basic schedule the rest of the week, except the evening activities change!  For me there're meetings of my volunteer association, weekly grocery shopping obligations, cooking dinners every other week, working a brief evening shift (Wednesdays); for kids there are sports practices, swimming lessons, play groups.  On weekends there's hockey, church, house cleaning (church alternative ;-D), errands, play dates, more skating, homework, visiting relations....  Honestly, if I had even a tenth of the time I had back in the day to devote to AGS, I'd be trout-smacking you folks with new releases every other week. (nod)

CaptainD

A typical day...

Drag self out of bed and go to work.  Perform often tiresome tasks, frequently interrupted by tiresome requests + often things that have nothing to do with me that end up being my problem.  Finally get home, often via the shop. household chores aplenty need doing - our 6 month old doesn't give my wife much rest atm!  After cooking, eating, washing up etc my 4 year-old wants my attention as she hasn't seen me all day.  Usually get the kids in bed by 9-ish, + occasional tantrums because she doesn't want to go to bed yet, + occasional night terrors (thankfully not very often not), + very occasional potty emergencies. 

Somewhere between 9-10pm I get to #gamedev!  Yay!  But (assuming she's not occupied with our 6 month-old refusing to sleep etc), I also need to try to spend some quality time with my wife.  Usually end up trying to do both, do neither even remotely successfully, and feel guilty about both.  By the time I genuinely do have some time to gamedev, I'm normally completely exhausted and go to bed.

On weekends it's almost more difficult to get time due to family and taking care of other responsibilities. 

Baron's pattern looks pretty similar to mine, although with less slow in UK and I usually don't like getting out of bed quite as early! :-D  And both his kids are a couple of years older than mine.  And as I live in an apartment it's all one level, no going downstairs!

(Please think about this before you ask my why I haven't released many games yet! :-D :P )

Now come on people... HOW could this make a fun game?!?!??!
 

monkey424

Thanks for sharing Baron / Cap'n

Here's my typical day..

5:30 - Alarm goes off. Don't feel like morning jog. Continue sleeping.
6:00 - Hit snooze
6:10 - Get up! Get ready! Breakfast!
6:40 - Kiss Sleeping Beauty and leave house.
6:42 - Return to collect wallet.
6:50 - Run to catch train.
7:30 - Train malfunctions just before my stop. Typical!
7:39 - Train miraculously springs back to life.
7:40 - Get off train and continue on foot.
7:45 - Buy overpriced coffee and slam down while power walking to tram stop.
7:55 - Hop on tram.
8:05 - At office. Work!
12:00 - Lunch break.
12:30 - Back to work!
4:40 - Leave office. Begin tedious commute home.
6:00 - At home. Ignore everyone and head upstairs to get changed.

I'm actually a bit reluctant to talk about my home life at the moment. It's a bit of a circus right now with various guests overstaying their welcome (including an annoying 4 year old boy) as well as a rowdy family of possums living in our roof! That reminds me, I've got to do something about those possums..

The private moments I can enjoy just with my little family make me happy. AGS otherwise fills in the gaps and serves as a sort of escapism, at least for now.
    

miguel

#38
The dog had his testicles removed, all 3 of them. The dog was a freak, okay? But a lovely dog, but a freaky dog.

Spoiler
My day is slightly different from yours because I work at night. I am a porn theatre janitor and I do the late shifts. So I'll start my schedule at some time different:

6pm:   I wake up and turn on the TV while still in bed, zapp channels for some minutes,
              for some reason my enormous penis is always very excited when I pass by the History Channel, it makes me very uncomfortable to have
              such a huge erection when strange guys are talking about pyramids and ancient aliens;
6.18pm The only wise solution is to go straight to the shower and think of Daisy from the Dukes of Hazard.
6.30pm I will probably be checking emails and the AGS forums by now while having some muesli cereals, stupidly I'll accept collaborating in making games
       I don't have time for.
6.45pm I'm having coffee at a place next to work. 3 expressos, full cup, no sugar but sweetener;
7pm:   My shift starts. It takes me 20 minutes to dress my super protective clothes and my darth vader mask. It imitates darth's breathing. It was fun for
       5 minutes but now it just scares the hell of my co-workers and general clients. Yes, even Marty-The-Depraved-Fuck.
7.30pm I'm at the top of row 1, sit 1, with a vacuum cleaner buzzing in my head already. There's no other living being around.
       There's no boss. I've never talked to a superior in my life. I know some guys that I replace and briefly talk and that's it.
       The money is transferred every last day of the month and it never failed.
9.13pm Sometimes I feel I could just leave this place, have a coffee and go for a walk that nothing would happen. I mean, there's nobody. It's a Tuesday
       night and the place is empty. A very enthusiastic lady is having a hard time coping with a team of dudes, she makes a lot of noise. I stare emotionless.
11pm   This movie has better attendance, I counted 4 guys.

:INTERRUPTION:
[close]
Working on a RON game!!!!!

abstauber

That sounds like the life of Roger Wilco - just better (laugh)

miguel

#40
Roger Wilco? Nice guy.

Spoiler
By midnight I get a half hour break, I then spend about 20 minutes removing, with my swiss-army knife, sperm crust from my boots. I could leave it for the rest of my shift because I will have to do it again but there's something in the noise it makes when I walk that annoys me intensely. Pogdan, a guy that worked with me some years ago used to work barefoot. I've never talked to him.
[close]
I'm drawing a walk-cycle right now.
Working on a RON game!!!!!

Cassiebsg

A typical weeekday day:

5:30 - Alarm rings... snooze ....
5:36 - Alarm rings... "I really need to get up now"... snooze...
5:42 - Alarm rings... "I'm sick... going to call in sick... my kid's sick..." ..... get up from bed knowing I'm not sick and need to go to work.
5:44 - Put bread in the oven, go back and get washed and changed.
5:50 - Get bread & milk, put lunch in bag (if I done previous day, otherwise run to the freezer and quickly splice something up), add son's lunch on top of bag.
5:52 - Sit&eat breakfast while trying to read the news (teletext).
6:10 - Run to get the toddler out of bed.
6:11 - (depending on previous day: kid might be cranky and not want to get up.) Convince him to get up.
6:16 - No more time to sweet talk, take him out of bed and changed... (bonus when running already late: realize in horror that son has a brown dirty diaper! Quickly get him cleaned up and ready to kindergarten.) If kid is cranky: Fight to get him dressed!
6:24 - Put kid on the floor to go to car... pick up cranky kid that does not want to walk and carry him to the door.
6:25 - Get shoes, jacket, hat, pick up bag and lunch box. Pickup cracky kind and carry him to the car.
6.28 - "Oh shit, we should have left 5 minutes ago!" Get car out of garage (if winter), close garage door, drive out. Stop, return home, pick up extra clothes for kid, get back into car. Drive like mad!
6:32 - Arrive at kinder garden, get kid out of car - argue that you can't carry him - carry kid to door, return to car and get extra clothes and lunch box.
6:34 - Say goodbye to kid... eventually trying to calm hysterical kid,  so you can go happy to work (fail 99% of time).
6:39 - Get in car and drive to work...
6:57 - Arrive at work, park the car outside work's parking lot (that is now fully lotted) run to get in (while avoiding to slip in the eventual ice), get your lunch in the refrigerator, change clothes.
7:01 - Get annoyed that I "clocked" 1 minute too late... start working...
15:05 - End work, drive home eventually dropping by the shop to pick up some minor stuff.
15:45-16:00 - Pick up son from Kindergarten. He's not happy to see you, cause he doesn't want to go home and throws a tantrum... you realize he hasn't slept his nap... convince son to go home... carry son out after failure (Bonus: take pissed underwear and pants home).
16:15 - Arrive home!
16:16 - Son wants some bread. Give him bread and go sit by the computer. Son comes and sits also. turn computer on.
16:17 - Open browser and cartoons.
16:18 - "Milk!" Shouts the son... you tell him he needs to ask nicely... he does, and you go get it.
16:19 - "Warm!" Get annoyed, return to kitchen and warm the milk.
16:20 -  Realize you kid in hopping on the chair... ask if he need to go to the toilet. "No"...
16:21 - "Cheese!" You tell him he needs to ask nicely. he does, and you go get it...
16:22 - He gets his cheese, and is still hopping. Ask again if he needs to go to the toilet, explain he can pause the cartoons. He says "No".
16:25 - Realize he now has wet pants... get annoyed and drag him to the toilet and get changed, all the while he cries that he does not want to go to the toilet...
16:30 - Bath time for the kid (you shower at the same time, trying to win a bit of time).
16:45 - Bath done, change clothes (try to convince him to get his night diaper and pajamas already on, even though he's not going to bed right away)
17:10 - Get his dinner ready, while he's watching cartoons.
17:15 - Get him eating his dinner, sit by the computer, take a deep breath and enjoy the "free time"
17:16 - Get warm milk for son's dinner.   Return to computer.
17:18 - Help him to the toilet (as he now wants to do the dirty one). Tell him to call when he's done. Return to computer.
17:20 - Get to the toilet as he's now calling. Give him the book he's asking for... Puzzle bonus: Figure out which book he wants. Chaos bonus: Repeat puzzle once son changes his mind 5 seconds after you finnaly gave him the book he wants.  Return to computer.
17:22 - Return to toilet. He's not done but wants your company and makes up something up to keep you there.
17:25 - You tell him you're leaving and to call when he's done and now he finally says he's done.
17:26 - Help him out wash his hands, he returns to dinner.  Return to computer and take a deep breath.
17:30 - He's done eating, returns to sit by your side watching cartoons (you are a bit tired of those, and of only having half a screen, but oh well, at least he's quiet!)
17:35 - He steals your mouse so he can choose a new cartoon and/or randomly hits the keys on the keyboard making you lose what you just used the last 20 minutes to do. Argh!
17:40 - You realize he needs to get to bed and make a deal telling him that "once that cartoon is done, it's bedtime." He says "okay".
17:55 - Cartoon ends, and he gets in denial. "Don't want to go to bed"... convince him to go nicely (60% fail).
18:00 - Get him to the bathroom and "help" him get his teeth brushed. Convince him that he needs to spit the tooth paste out.
18:10 - Get him in the bedroom and convince him to get lay down in bed. And if e's nice he gets a bedtime story.
18:20 - Read bedtime story. (skip this step if clock is now 18:30 or more - and tell him why he can't get his bedtime story)
18:30 - Good night song... take deep breath... tell kids father that it's now his turn to sing a goodnight song.   Return to computer. "Finally peace and time to do something!"
18:35 - in comes Husband factor: "Shall we eat dinner?" (He made dinner, in case you're wondering where he's been at). Take deep breath, refrain from hit head on wall, leave computer and go eat dinner.
20:00 - Return to computer. Leave computer and head for the toilet.
20:10 - Return to computer. Enjoy the quiet time, read emails, check forums, write/reply to eventual threads...
20:50 - Leave computer, put dishes in the dishwasher, remaining food in refrigerator, clothes in the washing machine. Find a new set of clothes for son and place them by the door (or in car).
21:30 - Sit by the computer, starting working on game related events... remember that the toilet needs cleaning and the cats need food & water...
21:40 - Feed the cats and fill they're water bowl. Leave toilet for another day.  Return to computer.
21:45 - Cat jumps in your arms, and demands that you use both hands to pet him!
21:55 - Enough is enough, shove sleeping cat away. Check email and forums again...
22:00 - Start doing some dev work...
22:05 - Eyes want to shut down and you can no longer concentrate. Admit defeat, turn computer off and go to bed...
23:30 - Arrive in bed... use 30 minutes thinking about useless stuff before finally falling asleep...
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

abstauber

Hey, shouldn't this all go into the AGS groups :D Anyway, what I learn from this is: FINISH GAME BEFORE 2nd CHILD...AHHH

@Miguel: 5 customers, yet you still manage to step into j**z? Hehe, if that story isn't completely fictional, I'd suggest a toilet brush instead of a knife. Take this advice by a worker who has to travel the woods of "dog turd forrest" before reaching the office ;)

miguel

Hah you got me, but at the same time I really wanted to stop that amazing work of fiction about sperm because it's not true and I wonder if people believe what I wrote! I'm galaxies away from that persona and pretty much like all the parents that wrote their daily routine. I guess that things aren't very complicated for me at the moment because my youngest kid is already 7 and much easier to take care than a couple of years ago. He has a complete set of testicles.
Working on a RON game!!!!!

monkey424

Whenever I visit the porn theater, I will think of you miguel! (nod)

Anyone still living at home with Mummy and Daddy? Let's hear your wretched story!
    

Retro Wolf

4:00 Wake up have breakfast.

4:30 Head to work.

5:00 - 1:00 Work (lunch at 9.00).
    Come up with awesome and innovative game stories and mechanics that I will never get around to create.

1:30 Get home and snack.
    If (boolWifeOutWithKids == true)
    {
        Too tired to develop games so have nap due to screwed up sleep patterns;
        Wake up feeling like shit, not motivated to do anything.
    }
    Else
    {
        do while (varEnergy > 20%)
        {
            Entertain kids by dancing and doing funny voices;
            varEnergy -= 1;
        }
    }

Sit down and pretend to be a games developer, I might write a line of code or draw a few pixels before a child screams or does something dangerous or damaging to something. I get up, solve the problem then sit down for a minute until it happens again, and again...
Mostly I might play a video games or read random internet crap if I'm not feeling motivated (which is most of the time).

5:00 Dinner time. Try to feed myself while feeding a child or stopping them making a mess.

The Daddy show starts up again, I'm a fair ground ride or a horse or something.

Either attempt to be a games developer or play a video game.

Stay up too late because my sleeping patterns are messed up.

10:00 go to bed, having not accomplished anything games development related.

At my job sometimes I can start as early as 3:00 am.

Lasca

I have two kids. One 2.7 years and one 1.5 months.
My days are pretty much like the other doubble parents. If I get anything done it's usually between 23.00 - 00.30.
My youngest kid is a big sleeper. Only trouble is, she sleeps all day and wakes up right about the same time as my oldest goes to bed. Then, if I'm lucky, she falls asleep at around 23.00. And if I just get 6 hours of sleep, I manage the day. So then I press myself into an hour our so of work. But nights like tonight... when my daughters are crying in shifts... Gee. Just put a gun to my head. You carry around one of them and when you put her in her bed you got to go comfort the other one. And it goes on and on.
This wil probably change pretty soon though. This I've learnt about babys - just when you think you know how it works, it changes.

QuotePerhaps rather than MAGS give the competition a different name so it's not exclusively AGS related.

I disagree. If we explain the concept in-game it could be used as a little nice publicity for AGS and for the MAGS. Bring some new members!
Perhaps the game could consist of a series of minigames for building assets for your game (writing a little code, composing some music, connecting the dots of a drawing, i don't know!) constantly disrubted by distractions, depending on who you're playing as.

monkey424

That's a good point Lasca. I hadn't thought of that.

Okay then..

The game could maybe feature existing MAGS games. We'd get to see the work-in-progress, maybe alternative dialog or characters, etc. What do you think?
    

NickyNyce

We all do have lots in common. The world is filled with millions of things to stop us from getting creative. My creative spurts last about 3 minutes at a time before something makes me get up.

Am I the only one that goes to bed with a pen and paper, hoping to come up with some ideas for my game,    only to wake in the morning with a blank page and my pen sticking into my ribs?

CaptainD

Side-note to future parents - to a 4 year-old, it is perfectly logical to practice playing her recorder whilst mummy and baby sister are trying to sleep.  Whilst said 4 year-old is sitting on the bed they're trying to sleep in at the time! (roll)
 

Stupot

I actually usually get a fair bit of free time in the evenings, but I kind of have to be a bit stealthy with my AGSing because my girlfriend gives me grief when there are other things she thinks I should be doing, like looking for a better job. It's not so bad at the moment because I live alone, but we're supposed to be getting a flat together in a couple of months and she's not exactly as enthusiastic about adventure games as I am. That said, she did actually sit and play Hen Man, and I think she was briefly impressed :cheesy:

But this could be another aspect of the game. Not only are you trying to find the time to sit and make a game around being a parent, but you also have to keep your non-adventurer other half buttered up, so they let you actually do your hobby without any guilt trips.

(P.S. Does anyone else actually have this issue or just me?)

MiteWiseacreLives!


NickyNyce

Puzzle 6....How to satisfy your woman without actually being there.

Retro Wolf

@Stupot My wife just walks past me and tut-tuts, doesn't really say anything! So I just keep doing it.

miguel

Wives don't get that making a sprite is not like playing around with Paint.
Working on a RON game!!!!!

monkey424

Yes Stupot. I think all males can relate to this. Substitute game development with virtually any hobby and its the same story! And 'stealthy' is definitely a word I'd use in my game development escapades. I met my wife ten years ago and my AGS fetish lay dormant the initial five years. Then I unleashed my inner developer (coincidentally it was the same year we got married). I remember once she got so pissed off with me that she almost deleted all my work. I now live in constant fear of this and make regular backups of my work. I'm exaggerating of course, a bit. I think she has some respect for my hobby now but she'll still refer to the computer as 'the other woman'.

Anyway Stu, I think your story needs to be captured in the game.

I reckon Retro Wolf and Adeel's collaborative experience with MAGS should also feature in the game.

I hope this project finds its feet. I think it will be really interesting.
    

miguel

QuoteI remember once she got so pissed off with me that she almost deleted all my work. I now live in constant fear of this and make regular backups of my work.

I'll remember this next time I leave the computer on, while going out for a quick cup co coffee.
Working on a RON game!!!!!

Retro Wolf

#57
Quote from: monkey424 on Sun 25/01/2015 00:45:56
I reckon Retro Wolf and Adeel's collaborative experience with MAGS should also feature in the game.

Not sure that would make a very good game, only interesting things that happened was me accidently convincing Adeel my real name is David Hasselhoff, Adeel sending me a virus, and tracking down my house using my IP and Google Earth (I don't know why, my forum profile clearly shows that I live in Nottingham Castle, I'm the acting Sheriff ;)).

Stupot

Quote from: Retro Wolf on Sun 25/01/2015 12:48:42I'm the acting Sheriff.
Well even cops are entitled to tread the boards on their days off.

CaptainD

Quote from: Retro Wolf on Sun 25/01/2015 12:48:42
Quote from: monkey424 on Sun 25/01/2015 00:45:56
I reckon Retro Wolf and Adeel's collaborative experience with MAGS should also feature in the game.

Not sure that would make a very good game

I dunno RW, I think trying to convince someone that your real name is David Hasselhoff could be a fun mini-game! :D
 

Baron

Quote from: CaptainD on Tue 20/01/2015 10:28:40
  Since everyone working on this will be a parent, we can expect to deliver this game sometime after our children have turned 20! :-D

....And we're right on schedule. ;-D  (roll)

CaptainD

Quote from: Baron on Sun 22/11/2015 00:01:38
Quote from: CaptainD on Tue 20/01/2015 10:28:40
  Since everyone working on this will be a parent, we can expect to deliver this game sometime after our children have turned 20! :-D

....And we're right on schedule. ;-D  (roll)

I'd say a bit ahead of schedule... we've already done some brainstorming, and it's not even 2018 yet.
 

Billbis

Maybe we should do a MAGS instead. :)

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