Ah, Autumn...

[DavidRM]

Fall is here, and as the leaves go spinning down to earth to become a rotting mulch, so do the attitudes of many indies. Except no one ever sniffs rotten attitudes and thinks of it as "an aroma".

What's with all the negativity? The cynicism? The venting of spleens? What dervish of devilry managed to piss in so many bowls of Post Toasties across multiple continents?

Everyone needs to take a deep breath, let it out slow, and take a break. Maybe take two breaks. Hell, take the week off. Talk to your spouse or your significant other. Play games with your children. Go watch a movie with a friend. Get eff-ing *laid* or something.

Take the time to remember why you're an indie. And, no, not the "F--- the publishers!" reason. Flip it around, back to where the "+" on the battery is visible again.

Remember? Think back. You'll get it again, that feeling of excitement. The rush of knowing that you're doing a damn fine job, and you're doing it on your own. You're doing your own thing. Making your own way. Defining your own success.

And when you get back that esprit de l'indépendance, maybe you'll no longer find it necessary to only see the shadow in the sunlight, to only feel the thorn on the rose, to only smell the manure in the countryside. Hell, maybe you'll even help a newbie by answering one more time the question you've already answered 100 times before. Though that might be asking a bit much of anybody. Still, it might happen.

Lighten up, people.

-David

[Sunshine]

Thank you David, Yes, it does seem a plauge of negativism is taking over recently. Could be because it's an election year/

Maybe people should go work at Wal-mart for a decade or two, that might remind them of how good they really have it! :p

[cliffski]

well said. I did *try* to lift peoples spirits...
having said that my sales are pretty flat.
on the plus side, i have a box of maltesers on my desk, and a holiday booked in switzerland,
w00t.
Plus a $300 check from a portal publisher.
hurrah!

[techbear]

Ya know, autumn always fills me with a sense of melancoly, but ALSO a renewed urge to create. I'm certain there's something deep in my childhood that's driving that, but I always get so much work done in autumn. Wierd.

[Gilzu]

I could never understand people who feel depressed when the winter is at the door.

autumn is a great time. even the smell in the air of the first rain always reminds me of a fresh new beginings. the leaves on the ground and the cool breeze make a great surrounding for walks of chill out and thoughts.

I could write more and more, but the point is - It's all a matter of perspective...

[princec]

I could never understand people who feel depressed when the winter is at the door.Ya don't ride a bike to work in Britain then obviously ;) Every journey is an adventure where you might not make it back alive! Hurrah for truly living!

Elvis is around the corner and I think there's going to be cause for celebration in the Rychlik-Prince's household, after a year of total shit.

Cas :)

[andyb]

Could be because it's an election year/

Thank god we're not all American then, eh? ;)

Some of us love the autumn and winter. Yay for snow (if we ever see any in good 'ol Blighty this winter!)

[princec]

Some meterologist or other has just said we're likely on for the coldest winter on record in Britain this year. Starting with a vicious cold snap at the end of November. So if they get that part right I'll be staying at home all January and putting that broadband to use.

Cas :)

[ggambett]

Thank god we're not all American then, eh? ;)
Some of us love the autumn and winter.
Thank god we're not all in the northern hemisphere. It's spring here and summer comes soon :D

[SunAndGames]

@DavidRM

Well put sir. I think you've missed your calling though. That's the finest piece of literary writing I've read on these forums, since Coyote waxed so eloquently with the line:

Oh, you may still love it and enjoy playing it... but it will be a burden on your brain, a weight on your soul, and a pain in your butt.

But your absolutely right about the tone this forum has been slipping into, and I'm certainly glad to see a few try to lighten things up. Thanks to cliffski as well. This was the kind of stuff that Steve always seemed to have the right answer for. Turning positives into negatives, or putting a different spin on things to view a situation from a different perspective.

IMHO. A relentless positive attitude, and the ability to turn a difficult situation into a golden opportunity, is one of the things that seperates the amateurs from the pros.

[EpicBoy]

A relentless positive attitude, and the ability to turn a difficult situation into a golden opportunity, is one of the things that seperates the amateurs from the pros.
Because ... the pros are always depressed?

Not really, no. :)

[Hamumu]

It's Halloween! How can you be down at a time like this? Demons are in the air, and it's the season for silly quickie games, which I'm not actually doing this year. But I just released Kid Mystic (http://hamumu.com/game.php?game=MYSTIC&src=indief) and I'm rolling in the obsessofan sales of that. They'll peter off quite soon (actually already have dropped dramatically), but it sure feels good to get that initial rush. I love releasing a new game! And better still, once I finish the demo for it, I'm free to relax a little, touch up the website, and begin my next game, something very new and fun and different. It's a nice position to be in.

And speaking of holidays and seasons - we're a couple days shy of the biggest sales month of the year! What's to complain about? Besides the travesty of the election.

[SunAndGames]

Because ... the pros are always depressed?

Guess I worded that kinda backwards. Should have been this:

A relentless positive attitude, and the ability to turn a difficult situation into a golden opportunity, is one of the things that seperates the pros from the amateurs.

[Uhfgood]

Some people are depressed in autumn and winter because of a lack of sun, literally. I think you get vitaman-d from the sun, and when there's a lack of it, certain levels of hormones are down, thus making people depressed. I'm no doctor and that's why my prognosis is a bit vague :-)

Anyways, I can always dream of making it rich as an indie and then make it down to live someplace warm :-)

Keith

[Greg Squire]

"Cheer up, the worst is yet to come!" -Philander Chase Johnson :D

Seriously though, no one is going find the "pay dirt" by being a pessimist, so try to look on the bright side. Work on the things that you can change or influence; and don’t worry about the things you can’t. Trying to change the things you can’t is a sure fire way to get an ulcer. Stay the course, and eventually we’ll all reach the harbor.

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.” -Helen Keller

[Diragor]

Ah, October in Arizona. Doesn't get any better than this. :) Except that I'm stuck in an office all day writing code for somebody else and only enjoying the weather in quick peeks out the window every few minutes. I believe I'll enjoy the indie life when I get there. I can see myself reclining by the pool with a laptop on a sunny Arizona October day like this, working on my newest game...

[Kai Backman]

I'm with Mike here. My next game is almost complete, and a few others things are in the pipeline. I have simply been to busy with good and inspiring things to post that much .. :D

And you are right David, a positive attitude is a very important part of the game, no pun intended.. Lighten up, this is your day people! Do something on your favourite project! :)

[FlySim]

Have to admit that fall always gets me down a bit. I think its mostly withdrawl from not kitesurfing/windsurfing. But its a good time to work and try to finish another game. :o

-J.R.

[Kai Backman]

Have to admit that fall always gets me down a bit. I think its mostly withdrawl from not kitesurfing/windsurfing.

Don't you have ice there? We do a lot of kitesurfing in the winter on the ice covering the lakes.. You get much higher speed that way .. :)

[FlySim]

Don't you have ice there? We do a lot of kitesurfing in the winter on the ice covering the lakes..

Im in the San Francisco area - no ice in the winter - just a good bit of rain. I have taken my kite up to the Sierra Mtns, but the wind is pretty crappy up there. But we just planned a quick trip to Maui next week - much better mood now!

-J.R.