Ahh, finally back from the Game Developer’s Conference in San Francisco. About halfway through the conference I stumbled upon the realization that it is my “Gaming Birthday;” right about this time in 2009 I wrote an article about how GDC Inspired me to make my first game.

I’ve done a fairly in-depth post-mortem of 2009, so I won’t go blabbing about the past again. Suffice it to say that it feels like a dozen years have gone by when it has in fact only been one; I feel like an industry veteran; I’ve been invited/spoken at 4 different events; and I’ve even been hosted on The Independant Gaming Radio Show twice (once just last night, about GDC and Steambirds; the other back in January about community management).

The one thing that has really stood out for me in the last year, though, is the new friends I’ve made. Experiencing the legendary Indie Love firsthand. Excuse me for a moment while I go and embarrass myself and several others:

I still remember a year ago, when I was considering whether or not I should attend GDC at all. I remember sitting there at the back of the Independent Gaming Summit talks, wondering who all them friendly-looking folk at the front were. But now, each of those astounding folks are my friends.

I really have to give credit to three people in particular:

• Colin Northway: Convinced me to go to GDC in the first place, and while at GDC, convinced me to write my own game.
• Phil Hassey: Inspired me to make my first game while at GDC (after learning he made one of my favorite games, Galcon, in only 48 hours).
• Greg Wohlwend: Showed me how amazing and easy it is to collaborate on projects; working with him convinced me that this could be a career and not a flirting interest (and for making the best game trailer I’ve ever witnessed).

If it weren’t for those three chums, I’d not have the chance to be sitting at the IndieLove campfire in Derek Yu’s backyard. I wouldn’t have added around 60 new people to facebook in the last few months alone.

Heck, I just spent a week sharing a room with Indie Gaming’s Patron Saint of Passion, Devotion, and Chemicals: Phil Fish.

A final shout out has to go to Matthew Wegner, who usually escapes the focus of my blog thanks to his undefinable grandiosity. Matthew seems to be everything and everywhere: Organizing IGS, operating my favorite blog, running an awesome company, and starting TIGRadio, just to name a small fraction of his resume off the top of my head. Yet at the same time, he isn’t up on stage like some guitar-slinging rock god; he’s more the guy in the booth that lights the entire Indie Stage. I’d venture to say that the fundamental Indie landscape would be different without him.

But enough with all these blowjobs.

I brought my camera with me down to SanFrancisco and got some excellent shots of some architecture. I’m not usually a fan of architecture, but sometimes a particular view or piece of scenery will strike me as particularly enjoyable. You can see my entire (short) GDC photoset here, but I’ll post one of my favorites:

I love that without any context, this photo goes quickly from “neat” to “striking” — in my mind, anyway! :)

SteamBirds is doing excellently, to say the least. I don’t want to post my post-mortem or stats yet, because it’s still collecting me dollaz. I’ll probably post something closer to the end of the month.