So judging just ended for Ludum Dare 22, and I placed 34th! There were over 700 submissions this time around, most of which were pretty damn good. Congrats to everyone who placed in the top 50, and good job to everyone who took part. It was fun, and a informative.

To everyone who didn’t participate this time around, I highly recommend taking part next time (this April) for many different reasons. For one, if you’ve never made a game before (or if your portfolio is small) it’s a great way to motivate yourself to make a game in a short amount of time. Also, it’s a great chance to meet people and learn new things. It forces you to go through the entire development process in 48 hours, which is basically forcing experience down your throat. It’s great.

Lastly, the community is awesome. They’re all a great help (for the most part) and nobody is going to hate on your game unless you do something to provoke a bad response. Everyone is supportive, constructively critical, and helpful.

Once again, I’m really glad I took part in Ludum Dare this time around. I learned a lot, and had lots of fun. And to be honest, I’m completely happy placing 34th. I didn’t expect to place at all, but somehow I did, so I’m thankful. Thanks to everyone who played and gave feedback on my game. Looking forward to April’s competition!

It’s 2012! I don’t quite know what everyone else thinks of the start of a new year, but for me it signals the start of a new leaf. Where don’t quite get to start over, but you can pretend to, or break out of routine and into a new, better one. For me, it’s the start of change, which is something I like to welcome with open arms. (Although it sometimes isn’t for the better.)

This year, I plan on making more games. Being in school and working tend to take up a heavy chunk of my time, but I hope to release more games this year in order to better myself, and spread my name around. Making games, for me isn’t just something to do, nor is it something I see myself making great money doing. Instead, making games, for me is what I want to do with my life. Making games is something that has kept me happy since I was young, and it’s something that still keeps me happy today. When I come home from a tough day at school, or a long day at work, working on a game I have in progress is still something I want to do. My personal projects (many of whom will never be completed) mean a lot to me, and they help me express my feelings towards certain things going on in my life, or in the world. This is why I want to make games for a living. Expressing myself in the form of videogames is an incredible feeling, especially when I finish a project and witness people enjoying it.

This new year, I’ll get better at what I do. I’ll work on my weaknesses, and work hard at maintaining my strengths. A few things I specifically want to work on this in the new year are:

• Drawing skills
• 3D Modelling skills (In blender, for the most part)
• Texturing skills (z-brush maybe?)
• Shader programming
• Different game system concepts (like a dialogue system, or an inventory system)
• Optimization

I feel that I am either weak, or not as good as I could be at these things, and I intend to get better at them as the year goes on. I’ll be posting my new work here, so keep checking back! Also, follow me on Twitter or subscribe to me on Facebook if you want to keep up.

So a few days ago, I posted that I would be participating in Ludum Dare 22, and that I did. I created a game called I Need Someone, which is a first-person adventure game. I managed to finish just in time, and I’m fairly happy with what I managed to create in 48 hours.

That said, the 48 hours in which I worked on this game were some of the most intense hours of my life. I enjoyed it, a lot, and I’m planning on doing the next Ludum Dare in April.

If you want to play or download I Need Someone, go here.

And finally, here’s a screenshot: