Alora Fane

You know what time it is? It's time to write another blog post about how I don't have the time to do anything other than work on the game I'm making! Also I probably maybe possibly will start up a Patreon, though I need to do some more research first (and I'm concerned about time)...

I talked about Patreon last week, and since then, a number of people (not a huge number, but more than one) have asked me if I have a Patreon, or expressed interest in supporting me in that way. So there's definitely some interest in the idea. I feel like I need to do some proper research before launching anything though, so then I know what to make as tiers etc.

Annoyingly, though, I have so little time! Recently I've been devoting the vast majority of my time to working on Divine Dreams. I literally don't have time to do anything else, which is why I haven't been great at replying to comments lately. I do try to respond to as many as I can because I enjoy reading them and appreciate that people have put their time into writing them and expressing their thoughts - plus they're really useful to guide development - but I do feel bad that I often just use the heart thing to show that I've read and appreciate them rather than taking the time to type out a response. (I feel like I've said this every week for a while? Did I used to say this back in the Fig Hunter days too? Probably!)

If I were to run a Patreon, I'd have to do even more correspondence stuff, most likely, but doing so would eat up time that could be spent on development. I suppose I end up prioritising development hoping I can more quickly get to the release point.

There'll still be a whole lot of marketing stuff I need to do then, though, and I dread it... At least I end up 'productively procrastinating' by focusing on doing development when I'm avoiding social obligations.

Ideally someone else - someone more suited to it - would handle all the social and promotional aspects while I focus on the creative aspects where I'm competent and confident, but obviously I don't have that luxury. And I suppose it wouldn't be me people would be interacting with then, so it wouldn't be the same?

(I've no idea how I'd cope with having regular conversations with people! It's been a while since the last.)

I wish there were more time in the days, anyway! I've been finding that I only have around 2-3 'free' hours a day, and I feel so exhausted during them that I just end up shutting off and doing essentially nothing. For all my fretting about having too little time, I often end up spending these hours watching such life-improving videos as randomly-suggested 10-minute timelapses of foot rotting, or people asking and testing the big important questions, like "Can I beat Pokemon Emerald with just a Magikarp?" or "Can I beat Pokemon Diamond with just Metronome?". Time well spent! And yet it's interesting that videos like that have hundreds of thousands or even millions of views...

And I still haven't started playing any new games! The biggest reason is this lack of time, though I did look up Octopath Traveler and was put off by the fact that it was Â£50. I was expecting it to be at most half of that, for some reason. So I decided to "give it some thought", and it's been a week now. I'm still thinking about it.

Also, these personal posts get barely any views, and I get the impression a lot of people don't know they exist or how to access them, so I might shuffle some things around so maybe the main alorafane.com page shows the dev posts in one column and the personal ones in the other, where the Sindrel Song thing is currently. I should probably add some kind of info page for Divine Dreams too. I know it'd only ever be seen by a few eyes - feels like anything that's not on some social media feed will be - but people who've remembered or heard about me and found their way here might get something out of a summary page rather than having to skim through a whole bunch of blog posts. But you know what I need to do that? Time!

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK GUYS BE SURE TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE AND CLICK THE BELL AND SHARE THE LINK AND TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS ON GOOGLE PLUS AND TATTOO THE URL ON YOUR FOREHEAD AND THANKS TO BULLDOG BOB'S "BOOBS 'N' BULLETS" BROTHEL/FIREARM EMPORIUM FOR THE SPONSOR I SURE DO LOVE HOW APPROPRIATE THEY ARE FOR WHAT I POST PLEASE DON'T PULL THE TRIGGER

13 COMMENTS

Astreon152~5Y

Are you trolling your own posts now ?

Maybe you should use those 2-3 hours a day to actually let your brain do nothing. You know, it's called "taking a break", and it prevents burn outs.

"All work and no play makes Tobias a dull boy"

If you see where i hint at...

Also, you keep judging yourself way too severely...

As far as i'm concerned, i read all your blog posts, but hardly comment on the personal ones, mainly because i'm not good at empathy (as you've probably noticed) while it seems that what you need when you post such messages are mainly words of support and encouragement.

But hey, apparently just knowing that some of us read those posts is already a form of confort, so i'll just keep doing that. And you'll just keep "using the little heart thing" every now and then, and we'll both know, we'll both understand, and that'll be more than enough.

Maniafig222~5Y

Wanting to have more time has to be a universal constant among people, I'm sure we all wish we had more of it, especially when the off-time feels so short compared to the time spent working.

I know you used to say things about wanting to comment but not being able to get around to it back in the GOOD OLD DAYS as well! Especially around the times of the old Alora Fane site and whatnot. I actually think you've gotten much better at replying since then, you reply to most of my comments which is appreciated!

It really is easy to fall into a spiral of easy and comfortable YT videos, letting the algorithms decide what next to do. Of course the answer to most of those "INSANE CHALLENGE MODE" runs that actually get that many views is often just "grind a lot", the more complex and involved challenges just don't have that same mainstream appeal.

I always try to at least spend a decent chunk of my free time either playing games or making quests or whatnot so I feel like I'm more involved than just sitting there watching something by myself, those moments feel more memorable at the end of the day than the vague blur of YT content I've watched.

Octopath Traveller is probably an AA game, so the price mark is fitting. Personally I keep a wishlist of games that get my interest, then buy a bunch of them when they're on sale and use those to get through to the next sale period, I'm still working through my Winter Sale backlog at the moment.

These personal blogs are easy to miss, or used to be at least! Not showing up on the site's main page but on the blog page makes me wonder how many people actually totally didn't realize they existed.

This comment was sponsored by SkillVPN Legends, go to their site now and input the password MANIAFIG for a 10% discount and a handcrafted kiss from me personally delivered by pigeon mail.

Wanting to have more time has to be a universal constant among people, I'm sure we all wish we had more of it, especially when the off-time feels so short compared to the time spent working.

I know you used to say things about wanting to comment but not being able to get around to it back in the GOOD OLD DAYS as well! Especially around the times of the old Alora Fane site and whatnot. I actually think you've gotten much better at replying since then, you reply to most of my comments which is appreciated!

It really is easy to fall into a spiral of easy and comfortable YT videos, letting the algorithms decide what next to do. Of course the answer to most of those "INSANE CHALLENGE MODE" runs that actually get that many views is often just "grind a lot", the more complex and involved challenges just don't have that same mainstream appeal.

I always try to at least spend a decent chunk of my free time either playing games or making quests or whatnot so I feel like I'm more involved than just sitting there watching something by myself, those moments feel more memorable at the end of the day than the vague blur of YT content I've watched.

Octopath Traveller is probably an AA game, so the price mark is fitting. Personally I keep a wishlist of games that get my interest, then buy a bunch of them when they're on sale and use those to get through to the next sale period, I'm still working through my Winter Sale backlog at the moment.

These personal blogs are easy to miss, or used to be at least! Not showing up on the site's main page but on the blog page makes me wonder how many people actually totally didn't realize they existed.

This comment was sponsored by SkillVPN Legends, go to their site now and input the password MANIAFIG for a 10% discount and a handcrafted kiss from me personally delivered by pigeon mail.

shaboon1~5Y

Hey! Awesome updates. I think it's cool that you're doing all these things. I like reading your posts, and I am happy that you have been much more positive and productive lately compared to some other times in the past.

I don't usually write posts, but I decided to write this one because I wanted to recommend you to not start up a Patreon (again). I would be happy to support you--and it seems like many others would too! But based on how your Patreon went when you were working on Taming Dreams, I think that having a Patreon stressed you out more than it helped you. There were also a few people who donated and then got angry and left toxic comments about not getting their money's worth.

You have been releasing updates really regularly recently! but I fear that the time-based, recurring donation model might not be good for you. It could be stressful and draining to always have something to publish on a weekly or monthly basis, and I think your creativity has come in waves and spurts rather than in regular intervals. On the other hand, maybe you would want something like that to help you stay productive, but in my opinion, I think having project-based donations or some other model would be better for you than Patreon.

I don't usually write posts, but I decided to write this one because I wanted to recommend you to not start up a Patreon (again). I would be happy to support you--and it seems like many others would too! But based on how your Patreon went when you were working on Taming Dreams, I think that having a Patreon stressed you out more than it helped you. There were also a few people who donated and then got angry and left toxic comments about not getting their money's worth.

You have been releasing updates really regularly recently! but I fear that the time-based, recurring donation model might not be good for you. It could be stressful and draining to always have something to publish on a weekly or monthly basis, and I think your creativity has come in waves and spurts rather than in regular intervals. On the other hand, maybe you would want something like that to help you stay productive, but in my opinion, I think having project-based donations or some other model would be better for you than Patreon.

Tobias 1115~5Y

I was in a very different state of mind and place in life back in those days. But maybe you're right. I don't want to upset anyone.

AdmiralLara49~5Y

The more I follow the development, the more I worry that you're not cut out for this solo development business (at least not as a sole stream of income) and would be better off trying to find a more secure position first rather than just trusting in your creativity...

I really think that if you keep going forward like this without making too many alterations to what you're doing its gonna be another Sindrel Song... look man, you've probably got about a hundred-odd people seriously following your blog, and you're making no effort whatsoever to change that apart from posting on Twitter every few days... and you're dreading and putting off something as (relatively) simple as running a Patreon! I simply don't see how this is going to work out for you! I'm sure the game is going to be fine, but whos gonna care about that if only a few hundred people end up buying it? And then ur gonna put yourself down again and so on... I think if you want to stake your entire life goal on making games than you have to go big or go home. And I'm simply not seeing you doing this, with all of your anxieties seemingly preventing any sort of engagement beyond answering the occasional comment on your blog. That's not just not an unsustainable way to approach independent work, that's simply not a sustainable way to live!

I get that you've got great creative skills and so on, I get wowed by a lot of the stuff you put out in your development posts... but you seem not only chronically unable, but also unwilling to approach the remaining aspects of what you have to do as well. I mean, you have to ask around on the blog for how people hear about games nowadays, instead of doing research on your own because you're simply so disconnected.

I'd say try to get out into the world first before you try to go independent - what you're doing right now is like an architect who can make beautiful designs, but can't find anybody to hire him because he can't get any clients... people like you (especially where you are now) may just not be cut out for being independent like that. I imagine the sooner you realize this, the less pain you will have to endure down the road.

I really think that if you keep going forward like this without making too many alterations to what you're doing its gonna be another Sindrel Song... look man, you've probably got about a hundred-odd people seriously following your blog, and you're making no effort whatsoever to change that apart from posting on Twitter every few days... and you're dreading and putting off something as (relatively) simple as running a Patreon! I simply don't see how this is going to work out for you! I'm sure the game is going to be fine, but whos gonna care about that if only a few hundred people end up buying it? And then ur gonna put yourself down again and so on... I think if you want to stake your entire life goal on making games than you have to go big or go home. And I'm simply not seeing you doing this, with all of your anxieties seemingly preventing any sort of engagement beyond answering the occasional comment on your blog. That's not just not an unsustainable way to approach independent work, that's simply not a sustainable way to live!

I get that you've got great creative skills and so on, I get wowed by a lot of the stuff you put out in your development posts... but you seem not only chronically unable, but also unwilling to approach the remaining aspects of what you have to do as well. I mean, you have to ask around on the blog for how people hear about games nowadays, instead of doing research on your own because you're simply so disconnected.

I'd say try to get out into the world first before you try to go independent - what you're doing right now is like an architect who can make beautiful designs, but can't find anybody to hire him because he can't get any clients... people like you (especially where you are now) may just not be cut out for being independent like that. I imagine the sooner you realize this, the less pain you will have to endure down the road.

Tobias 1115~5Y

I'm aware that I need to transform myself to have any hope at succeeding at this. That's not a trivial thing though and I'll really need to focus completely on it for a while. My plan is to develop to the point where I have a demo, then to focus on nothing but breaking out of my shell and promotion once I actually have something to show off. I might run a Kickstarter, which will really push me to do things I normally avoid out of anxiety. I just haven't got to that point yet.

Instead of just cutting me down and discouraging me, maybe you could tell me something specific I can act on. If I were to do some promotion now, where might I do that exactly?

oatnew3~5Y

Hi Tobiasâ€”it's been nice reading your thoughts and news lately! Glad to hear that your games development is progressing and that your recovery from surgery still seems to be going well.

I'm a little confused by the recent comments on Patreon, so I was hoping you could help clarify. Do you not already have a Patreon at [LINK] ? I remember you talked about this years ago. If that's not yours anymore, please let me know...

Tobias 1115~5Y

That is mine, but I've neglected it for years and I need to update it to be more relevant to what I'm doing now and actually start engaging with it.

oatnew3~5Y

Ah, great! Happy birthday!

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Tobias 1115~5Y

I'm considering doing that with Patreon, but I read a thing on the Patreon site itself that said that like 1% of people donate with things like that, but like 10-15% do if they get some benefits from it!

Astreon152~5Y

I like what you did with the new home page, more things appear on the screen, but it's clear what refers to what, even more so now that there are a few words of explanation.

purplerabbits148~5Y

I have heard of Ko-fi where its a platform where its like patreon but works more like a tipjar for creators. Now I havent used it myself, bit from the tagline it looks like it. Maybe it'll work better for you instead of having to give rewards out?

With free time, isn't it supposed to be spent on frivolous things like the silly youtube vids? So don't beat yourself up if you aren't "relaxing" the right way, because there's really no "right" way to relax