2023: Grindstone
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Hello! It’s the last day of 2023, and we’ve managed to stay in bed for a little while longer through the magic of smart lights and Apple TV (the holidays are a time for being the laziest parent possible, right? 😅).
Still, my time is brief so let’s get into it. This year was one of real, hard work for me. Koriko is an absolute unit, a beast of a game by my standards, and it took every ounce of my willpower to keep coming back to it every day to write more prompts and pals. I’m really happy with how it turned out, and so are many of you it seems, but it was a real slog at times.
I’m not a natural completer-finisher, as they say. In my day job I make prototypes and test ideas before chucking them over to more rigid minds to implement rigorously and fully—and that’s no accident. This has been a year of learning to finish things—learning how to motivate and take care of my mind to keep making steady, high-quality (!) progress towards completion. This has meant manageable daily goals, lots of physical exercise, treats and bribes, and recognising when I need to work on something new (fiddling with layout, colours, or even a different game).
More than anything, you lot are the ones who helped me get things over the line. I’m not sure I would’ve made it through the gruelling, mind-numbing pre-production process for Koriko without the lovely comments and reviews that you posted for the digital version. I’m careful not to overdo it with the self-celebration, but I have a folder tucked away on my computer named PRAISE that I fill with your kind words and funny stories. If I’m feeling low or listless, I dive in and remind myself why I’m doing all of this. Thank you so much if you’ve taken the time to share in this way.1
So yeah, that’s my process I suppose. We muddle through. It doesn’t always work. I’ve felt tired this year—it’s a lot to juggle, especially with two young kids. But Koriko and The Slow Knife books are done, the first copies off the factory line will arrive at my door in a couple of weeks, and the rest will be ready a few months later. 2023: the year I spent delivering my biggest project yet.
Naturally, I’ll be following up this behemoth of a project with something small and manageable, right? A little break? Definitely not a trio of card games, each with their own artists, resulting in more than one-hundred pieces of original art and thousands of words to write? That would be ridiculous, right?2
Right? 😅 …thanks everyone, see you in 2024!
Jack
If you haven’t, and you could, I’d really really appreciate it. Each story shared is a delicious jolt of electricity into my brain ⚡️
Keep an eye on the Discord for a first look sometime soon :)
Hello!! I just recently learned about Koriko, and would love to get my hands on a physical edition. Do you think you will have any leftover bundles from the Kickstarter? I would love to have not only the book, but the cute goodies too ( like the the stickers and bookmarks)! Thanks!!
Hey-la!
Thank you for asking for what you want re: notes of praise! It's a powerful way to, well, actually get what you want sometimes! Here's a little something for you <3
I pledged for the Switch version of Koriko because I know I'll take the time to play it there, and I really want to! The whole premise touches my heart, and the joy and humor you and your team have manifested in it helped me get through a rather rough end of 2023. When I finally get to play I'll be thinking of Kiki and of my toons on Animal Crossing and I know I'll have a great time exploring the world and story and characters you've brought into being!
I think in stories and am steeped in mythology, improv, and storytelling, and I am both confident and joyful that Koriko will bring me great joy. Just the campaign has already done some of that!
Thank you again for making all this possible. I hope the new year treats you well and that you feel the joy you've put into the world reflected back into your heart.
Light and laughter and love,
Gareth the SongCoyote