Introductions are in Order
In which we explore the values of Berdandy Studios and what we're doing here
I feel it’s appropriate to begin a new relationship with an introduction. I don’t always do that. It sometimes feels strange to say what you’re going to do before you actually do it — actions speak louder than words, after all — but in a newsletter, I suppose words are actions.
That’s not much of an introduction
I’ve been making games professionally for nearly 20 years (aside from a brief stint in the banking industry writing ATM software — more on that another day). I found it to be a generally compelling way to walk the line between creativity and technical challenges. I’ve always liked combining the two — photography, game programming, filmmaking, audio production — all of these professions and hobbies combine the creative and the technical.
Ok, so how is that relevant?
During my previous job, after a few years of the creativity slowing draining out of the job, I turned to my tabletop gaming hobby to fill that gap. The indie TTRPG community has a lot of amazing people and a lot of interesting ideas. It has it’s commercial issues, sure — it’s a hard way to make a living (I’m still primarily a video game developer) — but, it’s creative and fun and compelling. The result of diving headfirst into that hobby created Berdandy Studios, a micro-studio that specializes in that mix of the creative and the technical by communicating algorithms that are designed to be run in the processors and operating systems that are the human mind and society. That’s the technical description. The creative description is that I build tools to tell stories. Stories that cultivate experiences and emotions. Stories that bridge gaps and heal. Stories that entertain and intrigue.
At least, that’s the goal. I have no illusions as to my perfection. I make things. Sometimes there are problems. Eventually, it works. But I always consider, evaluate, and adjust.
Ok, I have context now. But what is this?
This newsletter will have some various topics published on a monthly basis (to start). Most of the topics will be written by me, some will be curated from guests, and yet others could be archives or distillations of design conversations I’ve had.
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